Payment of Taxes and Claims; Tax Consolidation The Company shall pay, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay, (a) all material taxes, assessments and other governmental charges imposed upon it or on any of its properties or assets or in respect of any of its franchises, business, income or property before any penalty or interest accrues thereon, and (b) all claims (including, without limitation, claims for labor, services, materials and supplies) for sums which have become due and payable and which by law have or may become a Lien (other than a Lien permitted by Section 7.03) upon any of the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s property or assets, prior to the time when any penalty or fine shall be incurred with respect thereto; provided, however, that no such taxes, assessments and governmental charges referred to in clause (a) above or claims referred to in clause (b) above (and interest, penalties or fines relating thereto) need be paid if being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently instituted and conducted and if such reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required in conformity with Agreement Accounting Principles shall have been made therefor.
U.S. Tax Matters (a) The Parties intend that (a) upon completion of the Continuance, the Resulting Issuer is treated as a U.S. domestic corporation under Section 7874 of the Code and (b) the Section 351 Transactions are interdependent steps in a single transaction, to which the Parties are legally committed as provided herein, and to which the Parties intend to treat as a single integrated transaction qualifying as a tax-deferred transaction within the meaning of Section 351 of the Code. Each Party hereto agrees to not take any position on any Tax Return or otherwise take any Tax reporting position inconsistent with the treatment set forth in this Section 2.15, unless otherwise required by applicable Law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Parties do not make any representation, warranty or covenant to any other Party or to their shareholders or members (and including, without limitation, holders of stock options, warrants, debt instruments or other similar rights or instruments) regarding the U.S. tax treatment of the Business Combination, including, but not limited to, whether the Section 351 Transactions will qualify as a tax-deferred transaction within the meaning of Section 351 of the Code or as tax-deferred transactions for purposes of any United States state or local income tax law.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Contemporaneous Agreements, and any other agreements or documents required or contemplated to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith, to the contrary:
(i) no Transacting Party is permitted to hire employees based in Canada unless immediately after the transactions consummated in connection with the Business Combination, the Resulting Issuer, together with all of its Subsidiaries (including each of the Transacting Parties), would have less than 25% of their employees (by number) based in Canada as determined for purposes of Section 7874 of the Code;
(ii) no Party shall knowingly take any action, cause any action to be taken, fail to take any commercially reasonable action or cause any commercially reasonable action to fail to be taken, which action or failure to act would reasonably be expected to prevent the Section 351 Transactions from qualifying as tax-deferred transactions within the meaning of Section 351 of the Code;
(iii) the number of Resulting Issuer Common Shares to be issued to the SVT Shareholders shall not exceed 15.00% of the stock of the Resulting Issuer as determined under Section 7874 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder; and
(iv) if, as a result of the adoption, implementation, promulgation, repeal, modification, amendment or change in applicable Law (including with respect to U.S. Treasury Regulations under Section 7874 of the Code) after the date hereof, upon completion of the Continuance, the Resulting Issuer would not be treated as a U.S. domestic corporation under Section 7874 of the Code, the Parties, upon unanimous agreement, shall take actions as to ensure that the Resulting Issuer is so treated.
Other Tax Matters (i) No deficiency with respect to a material amount of Taxes has been proposed, asserted or assessed against the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries and remains unpaid, except for such deficiencies that are being contested, or that will be contested, in each case, in good faith, and, in each case, for which adequate reserves have been established on the books and records of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is currently the subject of an audit or other examination relating to the payment of material Taxes of the Company or such Company Subsidiary by a Taxing Authority of any nation, state or locality nor has the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries received any written notices from any Taxing Authority that such an audit or examination is pending, or that the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries was required to file any Tax Return that was not filed.
(ii) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is presently contesting any material Tax liability of the Company or any Company Subsidiary before any court, tribunal or agency.
(iii) All material Taxes that the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries is (or was) required by Applicable Law to withhold or collect in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder, member or other third party have been duly withheld or collected, and have been paid over to the proper authorities to the extent due and payable.
(iv) The Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries has complied in all material respects with all information reporting (and related withholding) and record retention requirements.
(v) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has waived any statute of limitations with respect to Taxes nor agreed to any extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency.
(vi) There are no liens for material Taxes (except Taxes not yet due and payable) on any of the assets of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries.
(vii) None of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any closing agreement, private letter rulings, technical advance memoranda, offer in compromise, or any other agreement with any Taxing Authority, in each case that could have a materially adverse effect after the Closing Date.
(viii) Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries is a party to or is bound by any Tax sharing, allocation or indemnification agreement or arrangement (other than such an agreement or arrangement exclusively between or among the Company and the Company Subsidiaries).
(ix) Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries has been, within the past two years or otherwise as part of a “plan (or series of related transactions)” within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code of which the Merger is also a part, a “distributing corporation” or a “controlled corporation” (within the meaning of Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code) in a distribution of stock intended to qualify for tax-free treatment under Section 355 of the Code.
(x) Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries has participated in a “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011-4(b)(2) or any other transaction requiring disclosure under analogous provisions of state, local or foreign Tax law.
(xi) Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries will be required to include any material item of income in, or to exclude any material item of deduction from, taxable income in any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any closing agreement, installment sale or open transaction on or prior to the Closing Date, any accounting method change or agreement with any Taxing Authority, any prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing Date, any election pursuant to Section 108(i) of the Code (or any corresponding provision of state, local or foreign Tax law) made with respect to any taxable period ending on or prior to the Closing Date, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, any intercompany transaction or excess loss account described in Section 1502 of the Code (or any corresponding provision of state, local or foreign Tax law).
Additional Tax Matters (a) Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any action or knows of any fact (taking into account the terms contained in the Commercial Term Sheets and the terms of any other agreements or arrangements as described in the Separation Principles) that could reasonably be expected to prevent the Mergers from qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment. Parent is making the foregoing representation and warranty after consultation with its Tax counsel and with full knowledge of the terms of this Agreement, the Commercial Term Sheets and the Separation Principles. The representations and warranties set forth in this Section 5.25(a) are made as of the Execution Date.
(b) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any action or knows of any fact (taking into account the terms of the Commercial Term Sheets and the terms of any other agreements or arrangements as described in the Separation Principles) that could reasonably be expected to prevent the Mergers from qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment. The Company is making the foregoing representation and warranty after consultation with its Tax counsel and with full knowledge of the terms of this Agreement, the Commercial Term Sheets and the Separation Principles. The representations and warranties set forth in this Section 5.25(a) are made as of the Execution Date.
(c) Each of Parent and the Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the opinions set forth in Section 6.02(e) and Section 6.03(c), including by providing the certificates described in Section 6.02(e) and Section 6.03(c).
(d) Each of Parent, the Company and SpinCo shall (and shall cause its respective Subsidiaries to) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Mergers to qualify for the Intended Tax Treatment, including by not taking any action that could reasonably be expected to prevent such qualification. If either party discovers, after the date of this Agreement, any fact that could reasonably be expected to prevent the Mergers from qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment, then (i) such party shall, as soon as possible, notify the other party and (ii) the parties shall cooperate in good faith and exercise their reasonable best efforts to effect the Transactions using an alternative structure that would be tax-free to the same extent as would have been the case had the Mergers qualified for the Intended Tax Treatment.
(e) Beginning on the date that is 90 days following the date on which the S-4 Registration Statement becomes effective, and every 90 days thereafter until the date the Mergers are consummated, the Company shall deliver to Parent, and Parent shall deliver to the Company, a certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the recipient, stating (i) in the case of the certificate of Parent, that (1) the representation set forth in Section 5.25(a) is true and correct as if made on the date of such certificate and (2) it has consulted with Cravath and Cravath has indicated that is expects to be able to deliver the opinion set forth in Section 6.02(e) and (ii) in the case of the certificate of the Company, that (1) the representation set forth in Section 5.25(b) is true and correct as if made on the date of such certificate and (2) it has consulted with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP (“Skadden”) and Skadden has indicated that it expects to be able to deliver the opinion set forth in Section 6.03(c).
(f) The Company shall reasonably consult with Parent regarding any material Tax planning strategies or transactions.
Income Tax Matters (a) In order to comply with all applicable federal or state income tax laws or regulations, the Company may take such action as it deems appropriate to ensure that all applicable federal or state payroll, withholding, income or other taxes, which are the sole and absolute responsibility of Grantee, are withheld or collected from Grantee.
(b) The Company shall reasonably determine the amount of any federal, state, local or other income, employment, or other taxes which the Company or any of its affiliates may reasonably be obligated to withhold with respect to the grant, vesting, or other event with respect to the Restricted Stock Units. The Company may, in its sole discretion, withhold a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock in connection with the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units at the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock (determined as of the date of measurement of the amount of income subject to such withholding) to satisfy the minimum amount of any such withholding obligations that arise with respect to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units. The Company may take such action(s) without notice to the Grantee, and the Grantee shall have no discretion as to the satisfaction of tax withholding obligations in such manner. If, however, any withholding event occurs with respect to the Restricted Stock Units other than upon the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units, or if the Company for any reason does not satisfy the withholding obligations with respect to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units as provided above in this Section 8(b), the Company shall be entitled to require a cash payment by or on behalf of the Grantee and/or to deduct from other compensation payable to the Grantee the minimum amount of any such withholding obligations.
(c) The Restricted Stock Unit Award evidenced by this Agreement, and the issuance of shares of Common Stock to the Grantee in settlement of vested Restricted Stock Units, is intended to be taxed under the provisions of Section 83 of the Code, and is not intended to provide and does not provide for the deferral of compensation within the meaning of Section 409A(d) of the Code. Therefore, the Company intends to report as includible in the Grantee’s gross income for any taxable year an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock covered by the Restricted Stock Units that vest (if any) during such taxable year, determined as of the date such Restricted Stock Units vest. In furtherance of this intended tax treatment, all vested Restricted Stock Units shall be automatically settled and payment to the Grantee shall be made as provided in Section 1(c) hereof, but in no event later than March 15th of the year following the calendar year in which such Restricted Stock Units vest. The Grantee shall have no power to affect the timing of such settlement or payment. The Company reserves the right to amend this Agreement, without the Grantee’s consent, to the extent it reasonably determines from time to time that such amendment is necessary in order to achieve the purposes of this Section.
Preparation and Filing of Tax Returns; Payment of Taxes (a) The Company, if possible, or otherwise the Stockholders shall file or cause to be filed all income Tax Returns (federal, state, local or otherwise) of any Acquired Party for all taxable periods that end on or before the Closing Date, and shall permit AmPaM to review all such Tax Returns prior to such filings. Unless the Company is a C corporation, the Stockholders shall pay or cause to be paid all income Tax liabilities (in excess of all amounts already paid with respect thereto or properly accrued or reserved with respect thereto on the Financial Statements) with respect to the Company's operations for all periods through and including the Closing Date.
(b) AmPaM shall file or cause to be filed all separate Returns of, or that include, any Acquired Party for all taxable periods ending after the Closing Date.
(c) Unless required by applicable law, regulations or government proceedings, AmPaM shall not take any action, including any amendment of a Tax Return of any Acquired Party, if such action would result in additional Tax liabilities payable by any of the Stockholders for periods ending on or prior to the Closing Date.
(d) Each party hereto shall, and shall cause its subsidiaries and Affiliates to, provide to each of the other parties hereto such cooperation and information as any of them reasonably may request in filing any Return, amended Return or claim for refund, determining a liability for Taxes or a right to refund of Taxes or in conducting any audit or other proceeding in respect of Taxes. Such cooperation and information shall include providing copies of all relevant portions of relevant Returns, together with relevant accompanying schedules and relevant work papers, relevant documents relating to rulings or other determinations by Taxing Authorities and relevant records concerning the ownership and Tax basis of property, which such party may possess. Each party shall make its employees reasonably available on a mutually convenient basis at its cost to provide explanation of any documents or information so provided. Subject to the preceding sentence, each party required to file Returns pursuant to this Agreement shall bear all costs of filing such Returns.
(e) Each of the Company, AmPaM and each Stockholder shall comply with the tax reporting requirements of Section 1.351-3 of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code, and treat the transaction as a tax-free contribution under Section 351(a) of the Code subject to gain, if any, recognized on the receipt of cash or other property under Section 351(b) of the Code.
Tax Proceedings The Company Securityholder Representative shall have the right, at the expense of the Company Equity Holders (or, in the case of any Tax Proceeding or other claim related to Taxes which are indemnified pursuant to Section 6.2(h), out of the Additional Escrow Account), to control any Tax Proceeding, initiate any claim for refund, contest, resolve and defend against any assessment, notice of deficiency, or other adjustment or proposed adjustment relating to any and all Taxes of the Company and its Subsidiaries for any taxable period ending on or before the Closing Date or relating to Taxes which are indemnified pursuant to Section 6.2(h); provided, however, the Company Securityholder Representative shall inform the Surviving Pubco of the status of any such proceedings, shall provide the Surviving Pubco (at the Surviving Pubco’s cost and expense) with copies of any pleadings, correspondence and other documents as the Surviving Pubco may reasonably request and shall reasonably consult with the Surviving Pubco prior to the settlement of any such proceedings and shall obtain the prior written consent of the Surviving Pubco prior to the settlement of any such proceedings that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Surviving Pubco or an Acquired Company in any taxable period ending after the Closing Date, which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed; provided, further, that the Surviving Pubco, at its own expense, shall have the right to participate in, but not direct, the prosecution or defense of any such Tax Proceedings controlled by the Company Securityholder Representative. the Surviving Pubco shall have the right, at its own expense, to control any other Tax Proceeding, initiate any other claim for refund, and contest, resolve and defend against any other assessment, notice of deficiency, or other adjustment or proposed adjustment relating to Taxes with respect to an Acquired Company; provided, that in the case of any such Tax Proceeding, claim for refund, contest, assessment, deficiency or other adjustment or proposed adjustment relating to Taxes of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for a taxable period that includes but does not end on the Closing Date and which is not otherwise controlled by the Company Securityholder Representative in accordance with this Section 6.2(e), (A) the Surviving Pubco shall provide the Company Securityholder Representative written notice of such proceeding, and (B) the Surviving Pubco shall inform the Company Securityholder Representative of the status of any such proceedings, shall provide the Company Securityholder Representative (at the Company Securityholder Representative’s cost and expense) with copies of any pleadings, correspondence and other documents as the Company Securityholder Representative may reasonably request, and shall consult with the Company Securityholder Representative prior to the settlement of any such proceedings and shall obtain the prior written consent of the Company Securityholder Representative prior to the settlement of any such proceedings that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Company Securityholder Representative or the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending on or before the Closing Date, which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed; provided, further, that the Company Securityholder Representative, at its own expense, shall have the right to participate in, but not direct, the prosecution or defense of any such Tax Proceeding controlled by the Surviving Pubco that relates to a taxable period that includes but does not end on the Closing Date.
Certain Tax Matters (a) The parties hereto shall (and shall cause their respective affiliates to) reasonably cooperate with one another in providing information with respect to the Transactions that is reasonably requested by one another and reasonably necessary to enable the parties hereto to (i) determine the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Transactions to holders of Class A Common Stock, Founder Shares or SPAC Warrants, (ii) prepare disclosure in the Registration Statement regarding such U.S. federal income tax treatment, (iii) prepare U.S. federal income Tax Returns reporting relevant portions of the Transactions consistent with the U.S. federal income tax treatment as mutually agreed by the parties hereto and (iv) respond to requests in connection with any audits, examinations or other proceedings before the IRS relating to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of relevant portions of the Transactions. While the parties hereto do not anticipate that any opinion of counsel with respect to Tax matters will be required to be rendered in connection with the Transactions, the parties hereto agree that in no event will counsel to a party hereto be required to render an opinion regarding the Tax consequences or considerations of any person other than its client or such client’s shareholders or warrantholders immediately prior to the Transactions in their capacity as such.
(b) Any transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration, excise, recording, registration value added and other similar Taxes (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Taxes imposed under Section 4501 of the Code (as amended by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, H.R. 5376) (“Stock Buyback Tax”)) (collectively, “Transfer Taxes”) that become payable by any of the parties hereto in connection with or by reason of the execution of this Agreement and the Transactions shall be borne by the Company. The party hereto responsible for filing any necessary Tax Returns with respect to Transfer Taxes under applicable Law shall cause such Tax Returns to be filed, and if required by applicable Law, the other parties hereto shall join in the execution of any such Tax Returns.
Control of Tax Contests (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (b) and (c), Parent shall control, and have sole discretion in handling, settling or contesting, any Tax Contest relating to any Joint Returns, as well as any Separate Returns that relate to a Pre-Distribution Tax Period or to a Straddle Period or other Tax Return if any such Tax Return is related to Taxes for which Parent is responsible pursuant to Article II, or the Tax treatment of the Separation Transactions, provided that (x) Parent shall act in good faith in connection with its control of any such Tax Contests and (y) SpinCo shall have the right at its sole cost and expense to participate in and advise on (including the opportunity to review and comment upon Parent’s communications with the Tax Authority, which comments shall be incorporated upon the consent of Parent, not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned) such items for which SpinCo would reasonably be expected to be liable under Article II or Section 6.06 as a result of such Tax Contest.
(b) Parent shall have exclusive control over any Separation Related Tax Contest, including exclusive authority with respect to any settlement of such Tax Contest, subject to the following provisions of this Section 9.02(b). In the event of any Separation Related Tax Contest as a result of which SpinCo could reasonably be expected (as determined in the sole discretion of Parent acting in good faith) to become liable for any Separation Tax Losses, (A) Parent shall keep SpinCo reasonably informed in a timely manner of all significant developments in respect of such Tax Contest and all significant actions taken or proposed to be taken by Parent with respect to such Tax Contest, (B) Parent shall timely provide SpinCo with copies of any written materials prepared, furnished or received in connection with such Tax Contest, (C) Parent shall consult with SpinCo reasonably in advance of taking any significant action in connection with such Tax Contest and (D) Parent shall offer SpinCo a reasonable opportunity to comment before submitting any written materials prepared or furnished in connection with such Tax Contest. Notwithstanding anything in the preceding sentence to the contrary, the final determination of the positions taken, including with respect to settlement or other disposition, in any Separation Related Tax Contest shall be made in the sole discretion of Parent and shall be final and not subject to the dispute resolution provisions of Article XIII of this Agreement or Section 11.02 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (a) or (b), SpinCo shall have sole control over any Tax Contest that relates to Separate Returns of the SpinCo Group for any Post-Distribution Tax Period.
Allocation of Tax Liabilities The provisions of this Section 2 are intended to determine each Company's liability for Taxes with respect to Pre-Distribution Periods. Once the liability has been determined under this Section 2, Section 5 determines the time when payment of the liability is to be made, and whether the payment is to be made to the Tax Authority directly or to another Company.
