Earnout Payment (i) As promptly as practicable after the end of the Earnout Period, but in no event later than 60 days following December 31, 2005, Parent shall provide the Stockholders’ Agent with a report, setting forth the Net Revenues for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2005 (the “Earnout Report”). If an Earnout Dispute Notice is not delivered pursuant to Section 2.4(c)(iii) below, then in no event later than 105 days following December 31, 2005, Parent shall pay or cause to be paid the Earnout Payment Amount in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, subject to the right of offset provisions of Sections 2.4(a), (b) and (d).
(ii) Parent shall keep full, clear and accurate books and records with respect to the Business. The books and records shall be maintained in such a manner that Net Revenue shall be readily verifiable. All books and records with respect to the Business shall be available for inspection by the Stockholders’ Agent or any attorney or accountant engaged by the Stockholders’ Agent to act on behalf of the Holders, in all cases upon reasonable prior notice and during normal business hours. The information contained in the books and records of Parent with respect to the Business shall remain confidential. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon written request of the Stockholders’ Agent, Parent shall provide the Stockholders’ Agent with a report reflecting the estimate of the Net Revenue to date (which estimate is subject to change in the preparation of the Earnout Report) as promptly as practicable thereafter; provided that the Stockholders’ Agent may only make such a request once every six months commencing on July 1, 2005. If the Stockholders’ Agent does not deliver to Parent an Earnout Dispute Notice (as defined below) as set forth in Section 2.4(c)(iii) below, then the Earnout Report for the Earnout Period shall be deemed final and binding and neither the Stockholders’ Agent nor the Holders shall have any further right to contest the report, the computation of Net Revenue or payment of the Earnout Payment Amount.
(iii) In the event that the Stockholders’ Agent shall dispute the information set forth by Parent in the Earnout Report or, if based on the Stockholders’ Agent’s review of the books and records of the Business in accordance with subsection (c)(ii) above, omitted from the Earnout Report, as the case may be, then, within 60 calendar days following the date of the delivery by Parent of such report, the Stockholders’ Agent shall provide written notice to Parent (the “Earnout Dispute Notice”) specifying the amount disputed and the basis for the dispute, together with supporting documentation reflecting the analysis of and justification for any recomputation made. Parent and the Stockholders’ Agent shall make good faith efforts to resolve the dispute through negotiations for a period of 30 calendar days following the receipt of the written notice defining and describing the nature of the dispute. In the event that the parties are unable to finally resolve the dispute within such 30 calendar-day period, the parties to the dispute may elect by mutual agreement to extend the period of negotiation and may elect by mutual agreement to engage a mediator to assist in such negotiation. To the extent that any matter remains unresolved following negotiations (as determined by notice by any party to the other parties), the Stockholders’ Agent and Parent shall jointly select an independent accountant of recognized national standing to resolve any remaining disagreements, which independent accountant shall not have provided services to the Stockholders’ Agent, the Company or Parent or its affiliates during the five-year period preceding the date of its selection (the “Independent Accountant”). The Stockholders’ Agent and Parent shall use their respective commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Independent Accountant to make its determination within 60 calendar days of accepting its selection. Within 10 business days after the date of determination of such Independent Accountant, Parent shall pay or cause to be paid to the Holders the Earnout Payment Amount, if any, in the manner set forth herein, subject to the right of offset provisions of Sections 2.4(a), (b) and (d). The decision of the Independent Accountant shall be a final, binding, and conclusive resolution of the parties’ dispute, shall be non-appealable, and shall not be subject to further review. Irrespective of the Independent Accountant’s decision, the costs and expenses of the Independent Accountant shall be split equally between the parties. In the event that the Stockholders’ Agent does not pay the full amount of one-half of the Independent Accountant’s costs and expenses, Parent shall be entitled to deduct the difference between one-half of the costs and expenses of the Independent Accountant and the amount actually paid by the Stockholders’ Agent to the Independent Accountant from the Earnout Payment Amount. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in any case, the parties shall be responsible for the payment of their respective costs and expenses, including any attorneys’ and accountants’ fees (other than any accountants’ fees payable to the Independent Accountant, which shall be split equally between the parties) incurred in connection with the dispute. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in any case, the parties shall be responsible for the payment of their respective costs and expenses, including any attorneys’ and accountants’ fees (other than any accountants’ fees payable to the Independent Accountant, which shall be split equally between the parties) incurred in connection with the dispute.
(iv) The Holders will be deemed to, as part of their approval and adoption of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein and herein, and the Stockholders’ Agent hereby, generally, irrevocably, unconditionally and completely agree that (1) the Company and Parent (as the controlling stockholder of the Company as of the Effective Time of the Merger) and each of their respective Affiliates shall be entitled to operate the Business after the Effective Time as they determine in their sole and absolute discretion, and shall have no obligation to operate the Business in any manner that would maximize, maintain or protect the value of the Common Stock CVRs and the Preferred Stock CVRs, and as a result of such operation of the Business, there may be a diminution in or elimination of the value of the CVRs, (2) the Common Stock CVRs and the Preferred Stock CVRs represent contractual obligations of Parent, and none of Parent, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates owes any fiduciary duty of any type (including, without limitation, any duty of loyalty or care) to any Holder of Common Stock CVRs and/or Preferred Stock CVRs, and (3) each of the Holders and the Stockholders’ Agent shall be prohibited from asserting any dispute, right, claim, action, cause of action, controversy or remedy of any kind and nature against any of the Company, Parent or any of their Affiliates resulting from the operation of the Business after the Effective Time or resulting from any allegation of breach of fiduciary duty of any nature, other than claims for fraud or intentional misconduct (and other than the right of the Stockholders’ Agent to dispute the Closing Balance Sheet Payment under Section 2.4(b)(iii) and/or the Earnout Report under Section 2.4(c)(iii) above). Upon either (A) the occurrence of an allegation by the Stockholders’ Agent of any claim which may arise for fraud or intentional misconduct under this subsection (iv) or (B) the receipt by the Stockholders’ Agent of written notice made in accordance with Section 1.3 by any Holder to the Stockholders’ Agent of the occurrence of any claim which such Holder has a good faith belief has arisen for fraud or intentional misconduct under this subsection (iv) (in each case, a “Claim”), the Stockholders’ Agent shall provide notice of such Claim to Parent, stating, to the best of his or her understanding, the circumstances giving rise to the Claim, specifying the amount of the Claim and making a request for any payment then believed due (the “Notice”). Upon receipt of any such Notice by Parent, within the next 45 days thereafter, the parties shall use their reasonable best efforts to cooperate and arrive at a mutually acceptable resolution of such dispute. If a mutually acceptable resolution cannot be reached between the parties within such 45-day period, the Stockholders’ Agent may submit the dispute for resolution by a panel of three arbitrators selected from the panels of arbitrators of the American Arbitration Association in Santa Xxxxx County, California; provided, however, that (i) one arbitrator shall be selected by the Stockholders’ Agent, the second arbitrator shall be selected by Parent and the third arbitrator shall be selected by the two previously selected arbitrators and (ii) in all respects, such panel shall be governed by the American Arbitration Association’s then existing Commercial Arbitration Rules. If it is finally determined that all or a portion of such Claim amount is owed to the Holders, Parent shall, within 10 days of such determination, pay the Holders such amount owed, together with interest from the date that the Stockholders’ Agent initially requested such payment until the date of actual payment, at an annual rate equal to the prime interest rate then generally in effect on the date of payment as set forth in The Wall Street Journal. The arbitration panel’s decision shall be final and binding upon the parties, and may be entered and enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction by any party. The parties shall be responsible for their respective fees and costs (including any attorneys’ or accountants’ fees) incurred in connection with the arbitration. EACH HOLDER AND THE STOCKHOLDERS’ AGENT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE FOR FRAUD OR INTENTIONAL MISCONDUCT UNDER THE PRECEDING SENTENCE IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE IT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO FRAUD OR INTENTIONAL MISCONDUCT UNDER THE PRECEDING SENTENCE. EACH HOLDER AND THE STOCKHOLDERS’ AGENT CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (A) NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE SUCH WAIVER, (B) IT UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH WAIVER, AND (C) IT MAKES SUCH WAIVER VOLUNTARILY.
(v) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Section 2.4(c), in the event of a Change of Control (as defined below) of Parent before December 31, 2005, the Aggregate Earnout Payment Amount payable pursuant to this Section 2.4(c) shall be at least $14,000,000 regardless of the actual Net Revenue recognized during the Earnout Period, subject, however, to the offset provisions of Section 2.4(a), (b) and (d). In event of a Change of Control of Parent as set forth herein, Parent shall make proper provisions so that the continuing or surviving corporation or entity shall assume the obligation to pay the Aggregate Earnout Payment Amount as set forth herein. For purposes of this Section 2.4(c)(v), a “Change of Control” shall mean (1) the consummation of any transaction, including without limitation, any merger or consolidation, pursuant to which any of the voting stock of Parent is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any transaction where the voting stock of Parent outstanding immediately prior to such transaction is converted into or exchanged for voting stock of the surviving or transferee entity constituting more than 50% of such voting stock of such surviving or transferee entity (immediately after giving effect to such issuance) and other than an acquisition of Parent in which the management of Parent participates in ten percent or more of the fully-diluted equity of the acquiror; or (2) a sale of all or substantially all of Parent’s assets.
Earn-Out Payment (a) If, as of the close of business on September 30, 2019, the sum of (i) the total revenue (determined in accordance with GAAP) of Purchaser and its Affiliates (including the Company) resulting from sales of ECUs from the Closing up to and including September 30, 2019 (the “Product Revenue”) and (ii) the total dollar value of committed customer orders received by Purchaser and its Affiliates (including the Company) for ECUs that have been scheduled for delivery to such customer and represented by valid purchase orders as of the close of business on September 30, 2019 (the “Product Orders”) equals or exceeds $86,700,000 (the “Earn Out Benchmark”), Purchaser shall pay to Seller an amount of $30,000,000; provided, however, that if the aggregate amount of the Product Revenue and the Product Orders is less than the Earn Out Benchmark, then Purchaser shall pay to Seller an amount equal to (i) $30,000,000 multiplied by (ii) the percentage of the Earn Out Benchmark represented by the aggregate amount of the Product Revenue and the Product Orders, all as more particularly set forth in this Section 2.7. Any payment due under this Section 2.7 is referred to herein as the “Earn Out Payment” and is subject to Purchaser’s right of offset set forth in Section 10.3(i).
(b) Within 60 days of the expiration of the Earn Out Period, Purchaser shall deliver to Seller, with reasonable detail, its calculation of the Earn Out Payment, if any, and the components thereof. The Earn Out Payment shall be determined and calculated in accordance with GAAP. Following receipt of the calculation of the Earn Out Payment, if any, Seller shall be afforded a period of 30 days to review the same. To assist in any such review, Purchaser shall reasonably make available to Seller, upon request and during normal business hours, worksheets and other papers prepared in connection with the preparation of the calculation of the Earn Out Payment and the components thereof. At or before the end of the 30-day review period (the “Earn Out Review Period”), Seller shall either accept the calculation of the applicable Earn Out Payment or deliver to Purchaser a written notice disputing the same (a “Earn Out Dispute Notice”) setting forth a reasonable description of Seller’s objections and the amount of the adjustment to the Earn Out Payment which Seller believes should be made. Any items not identified within the Earn Out Dispute Notice shall be considered final and binding upon the Parties. If Purchaser’s calculation of the Earn Out Payment reflects that the Earn Out Payment is due to Seller and Seller objects in the Earn Out Dispute Notice that such calculated amount is too small, then, within five Business Days following Seller’s delivery of the Earn Out Dispute Notice, Purchaser shall pay to Seller Purchaser’s calculated amount of such Earn Out Payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with instructions given by Seller to Purchaser, and the Parties shall proceed with the provisions of Section 2.7(c) as to the amount of the additional Earn Out Payment Seller believes is due to Seller. If no Earn Out Dispute Notice is delivered within the Earn Out Review Period, then the calculation of the Earn Out Payment shall be deemed to have been accepted by Seller.
(c) In the event that an Earn Out Dispute Notice is delivered in accordance with Section 2.7(b), Purchaser and Seller shall attempt in good faith to resolve the objections set forth therein within 30 days of Purchaser’s receipt of such Earn Out Dispute Notice. If Purchaser and Seller are unable to resolve all of the objections set forth in the Earn Out Dispute Notice within such 30-day period, any remaining objections related to the calculation of the Earn Out Payment shall be finally resolved by the Arbitrating Accountant who shall resolve any remaining disagreements in accordance with the provisions set forth in Sections 2.6(b), (c) and (d) mutatis mutandis. Purchaser and Seller shall fully cooperate with the Arbitrating Accountant. The decision of the Arbitrating Accountant shall be conclusive and binding upon the Parties, except in the case of manifest error.
(d) Upon final determination of the amount of the Earn Out Payment in accordance with Section 2.7(b) or Section 2.7(d) (the “Determination Date”), Purchaser shall pay to Seller the Earn Out Payment, as applicable, as finally determined within five Business Days of the Determination Date, by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with instructions given by Seller to Purchaser.
(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Product Revenue following the Closing and prior to September 30, 2019 exceeds the Earn Out Benchmark, then Purchaser shall pay to Seller $30,000,000 within ten days after the end of the calendar month in which the Product Revenue first exceeds the Earn Out Benchmark, and thereafter no additional payments will be required pursuant to this Section 2.7. Any payment due under this Section 2.7(e) is subject to Purchaser’s right of offset set forth in Section 10.3(i).
(f) From the Closing Date until September 30, 2019 (the “Earn Out Period”), Purchaser covenants and agrees to the following: (i) Purchaser shall keep records sufficient to calculate the Earn Out Payment; (ii) upon Seller’s request during normal business hours, Purchaser shall reasonably make available to Seller and its advisors the records, worksheets and other supporting workpapers prepared in connection with the calculation of the Earn Out Payment for any period covered by this Agreement; (iii) neither Purchaser nor any of its Affiliates (including the Company) shall take any action that is primarily intended to impede Seller’s ability to earn the maximum Earn Out Payment; and (iv) Purchaser and its Affiliates (including the Company) shall operate the Business during the Earn Out Period in a commercially reasonable manner; provided, however, if the Earn Out Payment is paid to Seller prior to the expiration of the Earn Out Period as set forth in Section 2.7(e), Purchaser’s obligations set forth in this Section 2.7(f) shall terminate on the date the Earn Out Payment is paid to Seller. For purposes of this Section 2.7(f), “commercially reasonable manner” means, among other things, providing the Business with a level of administrative, development, maintenance, internal or outsourced manufacturing, quality, sales and marketing support that is consistent with the support currently being provided to the Business by Seller and providing the Business with working capital funding that is appropriate for a business of the Business’ size and industry.
