Proxy Voting The Adviser will vote, or make arrangements to have voted, all proxies solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of a Fund may be invested from time to time. Such proxies will be voted in a manner that you deem, in good faith, to be in the best interest of the Fund and in accordance with your proxy voting policy. You agree to provide a copy of your proxy voting policy to the Trust prior to the execution of this Agreement, and any amendments thereto promptly.
Stockholder Vote In connection with any vote of the holders of the Company’s common stock issued in the Initial Public Offering (such stockholders, the “Public Stockholders”) regarding a Business Combination, the Company shall provide to the Trustee an affidavit or certificate of a firm regularly engaged in the business of soliciting proxies and tabulating stockholder votes verifying the vote of the Public Stockholders regarding such Business Combination.
Company Stockholders Meeting (a) The Company shall take all action necessary under all applicable Law to call, give notice of and hold a meeting of the holders of Company Common Stock (the “Company Stockholders’ Meeting”) for the purpose of obtaining the Requisite Stockholder Approval. The Company Stockholders’ Meeting shall be held (on a date selected by the Company and Parent) as promptly as practicable after the commencement of the mailing of the Proxy Statement to the Company’s stockholders. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that all proxies solicited in connection with the Company Stockholders’ Meeting are solicited in compliance with all applicable Law. Parent shall cause all shares of Company Common Stock owned by Parent or Merger Sub, if any, to be voted in favor of the adoption of this Agreement.
(b) Subject to Section 6.2(d), (i) the Proxy Statement shall include a statement to the effect that the board of directors of the Company (A) has unanimously determined and believes that the Merger is advisable and fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, (ii) has unanimously approved and adopted this Agreement and unanimously approved the Transactions, including the Merger, in accordance with the requirements of the DGCL, and (iii) unanimously recommends that the Company’s stockholders vote to adopt this Agreement at the Company Stockholders’ Meeting. The unanimous determination that the Merger is advisable and fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and the unanimous recommendation of the Company’s board of directors that the Company’s stockholders vote to adopt this Agreement are collectively referred to as the “Company Board Recommendation”. The Proxy Statement shall include the opinion of the financial advisors referred to in Section 3.29.
(c) Neither the board of directors of the Company nor any committee thereof shall, except if the terms, conditions and requirements of Section 6.2(d) have been satisfied: (i) withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub the Company Board Recommendation; (ii) recommend the approval, acceptance or adoption of, or approve, endorse, accept or adopt, any Acquisition Proposal; (iii) approve or recommend, or cause or permit any Company Entity to execute or enter into, any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, option agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement or other similar document or Contract constituting or relating directly or indirectly to, or that contemplates or is intended or could reasonably be expected to result directly or indirectly in, an Acquisition Transaction, other than a confidentiality agreement referred to in clause (iv)(B) of Section 5.3(b); or (iv) resolve, agree or publicly propose to, or permit any Company Entity or any Representative of any Company Entity to agree or publicly propose to, take any of the actions referred to in this Section 6.2(c).
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 6.2(c), at any time prior to the adoption of this Agreement by the Requisite Stockholder Approval, the board of directors of the Company may withdraw or modify the Company Board Recommendation, refuse to reaffirm the Company Board Recommendation, refuse to publicly state that the Merger and this Agreement are in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders, refuse to issue a press release announcing its opposition to an Acquisition Proposal or recommend a Superior Proposal (each of the foregoing being referred to as a “Recommendation Change”), but only if: (A) an unsolicited, bona fide, written Acquisition Proposal is made to the Company and is not withdrawn; (B) such Acquisition Proposal did not result directly or indirectly from a breach of or any action inconsistent with any of the provisions set forth in Section 5.3 or Section 6.2 of this Agreement or in the Confidentiality Agreement; (C) the Company’s board of directors determines in good faith, after having consulted with its independent financial advisors and outside legal counsel, that such Acquisition Proposal constitutes a Superior Offer; (D) the Company’s board of directors determines in good faith, after having consulted with the Company’s outside legal counsel, that, in light of such Superior Offer, the failure to make a Recommendation Change would constitute a breach by the Company’s board of directors of its fiduciary obligations to the Company’s stockholders under applicable Delaware law; (E) at least three business days prior to making a Recommendation Change pursuant to this Section 6.2(d), the Company’s board of directors delivers to Parent a written notice (a “Recommendation Change Notice”) (1) stating that the Company has received a Superior Offer that did not result directly or indirectly from a breach of or any action inconsistent with any of the provisions set forth in Section 5.3 or Section 6.2 of this Agreement or in the Confidentiality Agreement, (2) stating the Company’s board of directors’ intention to make a Recommendation Change as a result of such Superior Offer and describing the nature of such intended Recommendation Change, (3) specifying the material terms and conditions of such Superior Offer, including the identity of the Person making such Superior Offer, and (4) attaching copies of the most current and complete draft of any Contract relating to such Superior Offer; and (F) throughout the period between the delivery of such Recommendation Change Notice and any Recommendation Change, the Company engages (to the extent requested by Parent) in good faith negotiations with Parent to amend this Agreement and if such negotiations result in the transaction with Parent being in the best interests of the Company stockholders, the Company and its Representatives shall comply with Section 6.2(c). For purposes of this Section 6.2(d), any materially change in the form of or material decrease in the amount of, the consideration payable in connection with a Superior Offer, and any other materially change to any of the terms of a Superior Offer (including any change that would make it a Superior Offer as compared to this Agreement as modified by any changes negotiated pursuant to clause (F) of this Section 6.2(d)), will be deemed to be a new Superior Offer (or other Acquisition Proposal), requiring a new Recommendation Change Notice and a new advance notice period. The Company agrees to keep confidential, and not to disclose to the public or to any Person, any and all information regarding any negotiations that take place pursuant to clause (F) of this Section 6.2(d) (including the existence and terms of any proposal made on behalf of Parent or the Company during such negotiations), except to the extent such disclosure is required by applicable law or the rules and regulations of any applicable United States Government to which the Company is subject or submits.
(e) The Company’s obligation to call, give notice of and hold the Company Stockholders’ Meeting in accordance with Section 6.2(a) shall not be limited or otherwise affected by the making, commencement, disclosure, announcement or submission of any Superior Offer or other Acquisition Proposal or by any Recommendation Change. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company agrees that (i) unless this Agreement is terminated in accordance with Section 9.1, the Company shall not submit any Acquisition Proposal to a vote of its stockholders and (ii) the Company shall not (without Parent’s prior written consent) adjourn, postpone or cancel (or propose to adjourn, postpone or cancel) the Company Stockholders’ Meeting, except to the extent required to obtain the Requisite Stockholder Approval.
(f) Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit the board of directors of the Company from taking and disclosing to the Company’s stockholders a position contemplated by Rule 14e-2(a) and Rule 14d-9 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the taking or disclosing of such position may constitute a Recommendation Change for purposes of this Agreement.
Parent Stockholders’ Meeting (a) Promptly as reasonably practicable after the resolution of SEC staff comments and the filing of the Definitive Proxy Statement, Parent shall take all action necessary under applicable Law to call, give notice of and hold a meeting of the holders of Parent Common Stock for the purpose of seeking approval of (i) the issuance of Parent Common Stock or other securities of Parent that represent (or are convertible into) more than twenty percent (20%) of the shares of Parent Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Merger to the holders of Company Capital Stock, Company Options and Company Warrants in connection with the Contemplated Transactions and the change of control of Parent resulting from the Contemplated Transactions, in each case pursuant to the Nasdaq rules; (ii) in accordance with Section 14A of the Exchange Act and the applicable SEC rules issued thereunder, seeking advisory approval of a proposal to Parent’s stockholders for a non-binding, advisory vote to approve certain compensation that may become payable to Parent’s named executive officers in connection with the completion of the Merger, if applicable; and (iii) any other proposals the Parties deem necessary or desirable to consummate the Contemplated Transactions (the matters contemplated by this Section 5.3(a)(i) are collectively referred to as the “Parent Stockholder Matters,” and the matters contemplated by this Section 5.3(a)(ii) and (iii) are collectively referred to herein as, the “Other Parent Stockholder Matters,” and such meeting, the “Parent Stockholders’ Meeting”).
(b) The Parent Stockholders’ Meeting shall be held as promptly as practicable after the filing of the Definitive Proxy Statement with the SEC. Parent shall take reasonable measures to ensure that all proxies solicited in connection with the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting are solicited in compliance with all applicable Laws. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if on the date of the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting, or a date preceding the date on which the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting is scheduled, Parent reasonably believes that (i) it will not receive proxies sufficient to obtain the Required Parent Stockholder Vote, whether or not a quorum would be present, or (ii) it will not have sufficient shares of Parent Common Stock represented (whether in person or by proxy) to constitute a quorum necessary to conduct the business of the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting, Parent may make one or more successive postponements or adjournments of the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting as long as the date of the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting is not postponed or adjourned more than an aggregate of sixty (60) calendar days in connection with any postponements or adjournments.
(c) Parent agrees that, subject to Section 5.3(d): (i) the Parent Board shall recommend that the holders of Parent Common Stock vote to approve the Parent Stockholder Matters and the Other Parent Stockholder Matters, (ii) the Proxy Statement shall include a statement to the effect that the Parent Board recommends that Parent’s stockholders vote to approve the Parent Stockholder Matters and the Other Parent Stockholder Matters (the recommendation of the Parent Board with respect to the Parent Stockholder Matters being referred to as the “Parent Board Recommendation”); and (iii) the Parent Board Recommendation shall not be withheld, amended, withdrawn or modified (and the Parent Board shall not publicly propose to withhold, amend, withdraw or modify the Parent Board Recommendation) in a manner adverse to the Company (the actions set forth in the foregoing clause (iii), collectively, a “Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change”).
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if at any time prior to the approval of the Parent Stockholder Matters at the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting by the Required Parent Stockholder Vote:
(i) if Parent has received a written Acquisition Proposal (which Acquisition Proposal did not arise out of a material breach of Section 4.4) from any Person that has not been withdrawn and after consultation with outside legal counsel, the Parent Board shall have determined, in good faith, that such Acquisition Proposal is a Superior Offer, (x) the Parent Board may make a Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change or (y) Parent may terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.1(j) to enter into a Permitted Alternative Agreement with respect to such Superior Offer, if and only if all of the following apply: (A) the Parent Board determines in good faith, after consultation with Parent’s outside legal counsel, that the failure to do so would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Parent Board to Parent’s stockholders under applicable Law; (B) Parent shall have given the Company prior written notice of its intention to consider making a Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change or terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.1(j) at least three (3) Business Days prior to making any such Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change or termination (a “Determination Notice”) (which notice shall not constitute a Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change); and (C) (1) Parent shall have provided to the Company a summary of the material terms and conditions of the Acquisition Proposal in accordance with Section 4.4(b), (2) Parent shall have given the Company the three (3) Business Days after the Determination Notice to propose revisions to the terms of this Agreement or make another proposal and shall have made its Representatives reasonably available to negotiate in good faith with the Company (to the extent the Company desires to negotiate) with respect to such proposed revisions or other proposal, if any, and (3) after considering the results of any such negotiations and giving effect to the proposals made by the Company, if any, after consultation with outside legal counsel, the Parent Board shall have determined, in good faith, that such Acquisition Proposal is a Superior Offer and that the failure to make the Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change or terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.1(j) would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Parent Board to Parent’s stockholders under applicable Law. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Section 5.3(d)(i) shall also apply to any material change to the facts and circumstances relating to such Acquisition Proposal and require a new Determination Notice, except that the references to three (3) Business Days shall be deemed to be two (2) Business Days.
(ii) other than in connection with an Acquisition Proposal, the Parent Board may make a Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change in response to a Parent Change in Circumstance, if and only if: (A) the Parent Board determines in good faith, after consultation with Parent’s outside legal counsel, that the failure to do so would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Parent Board to Parent’s stockholders under applicable Law; (B) Parent shall have given the Company a Determination Notice at least three (3) Business Days prior to making any such Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change; and (C) (1) Parent shall have specified the Parent Change in Circumstance in reasonable detail, (2) Parent shall have given the Company the three (3) Business Days after the Determination Notice to propose revisions to the terms of this Agreement or make another proposal, and shall have made its Representatives reasonably available to negotiate in good faith with the Company (to the extent the Company desires to do so) with respect to such proposed revisions or other proposal, if any, and (3) after considering the results of any such negotiations and giving effect to the proposals made by the Company, if any, after consultation with outside legal counsel, the Parent Board shall have determined, in good faith, that the failure to make the Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change in response to such Parent Change in Circumstance would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Parent Board to Parent’s stockholders under applicable Law. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Section 5.3(d)(ii) shall also apply to any material change to the facts and circumstances relating to such Parent Change in Circumstance and require a new Determination Notice, except that the references to three (3) Business Days shall be deemed to be two (2) Business Days.
(e) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall prohibit Parent or the Parent Board from (i) complying with Rules 14d-9 and 14e-2(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act, (ii) issuing a “stop, look and listen” communication or similar communication of the type contemplated by Section 14d-9(f) under the Exchange Act or (iii) otherwise making any disclosure to Parent’s stockholders; provided however, that in the case of the foregoing clause (iii) the Parent Board determines in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel, that failure to make such disclosure could be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with applicable Law, including its fiduciary duties under applicable Law.
Company Stockholder Meeting (a) Unless the Merger is consummated in accordance with Section 253 of the DGCL as contemplated by Section 3.1(b), the Company shall establish a record date for, call, give notice of, convene, hold, and take a vote of stockholders on the adoption of the “agreement of merger” (as such term is used in Section 251 of the DGCL) set forth in this Agreement in accordance with the DGCL (the “Merger Proposal”) at a meeting of the Company’s stockholders (the “Company Stockholder Meeting”) as promptly as practicable following the consummation of the Offer (which shall be within forty five (45) days following the date on which the Proxy Statement is first disseminated to Company’s stockholders unless Parent shall otherwise consent to a different date). The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to solicit proxies from the Company’s stockholders and, unless the Company Board has effected a Company Board Recommendation Change pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of Section 7.7, the Company Board shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the Requisite Merger Approval at the Company Stockholder Meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Company shall submit the “agreement of merger” (as such term is used in Section 251 of the DGCL) set forth in this Agreement to the Company’s stockholders for adoption at the Company Stockholder Meeting, and the Company’s obligations under this Section 7.6 shall not be terminated, superseded, limited, modified or otherwise affected by the commencement, disclosure, announcement or submission to the Company of any Acquisition Proposal or Acquisition Transaction, or by any Company Board Recommendation Change (whether or not in compliance with the terms hereof). Parent and Purchaser each agree that at the Company Stockholder Meeting, all of the Shares acquired pursuant to the Offer and all other shares of Company Common Stock otherwise owned by Parent, Purchaser or their respective controlled affiliates will be voted in favor of the Merger. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall not be required to hold the Company Stockholder Meeting if this Agreement is validly terminated in accordance with Section 9.1.
(b) Prior to such time as designees of Parent constitute at least a majority of the Company Board pursuant to Section 2.4(a), the Company shall not establish a record date for, call, give notice of, convene or hold any meeting of the Company’s stockholders; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Company may establish a record date for, call, give notice of, convene and hold its annual meeting of stockholders for 2009 (the “Annual Meeting”) and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to hold the Annual Meeting within thirteen (13) calendar months from the date of its annual meeting of stockholders for 2008. At the Annual Meeting, (x) the Company may submit to a vote of its stockholders (i) the election of directors to the Company Board and (ii) the ratification of its independent public accounting firm, and (y) the Company shall not propose for consideration or submit for a vote any matters other than those set forth in the previous sentence and such other matters which the Company is legally required to submit to a vote of its stockholders at the Annual Meeting. Parent and the Company shall cooperate in good faith to determine whether the Merger Proposal shall be considered at the Annual Meeting in lieu of a special meeting, and in such event, the terms and provisions of Section 7.6(a) shall be qualified by the terms and provisions of this Section 7.6(b).
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Company may adjourn or postpone the Company Stockholder Meeting solely (i) for up to ten (10) Business Days, if the Company Board shall have determined in good faith (after consultation with its outside legal counsel) that it is necessary or appropriate to postpone or adjourn the Company Stockholder Meeting in order to (A) give Company Stockholder sufficient time to evaluate any information or disclosure that the Company has sent to Company Stockholders or otherwise made available to Company Stockholders by issuing a press release, filing materials with the SEC or otherwise (including in connection with any Company Board Recommendation Change) or (B) to enable the additional time to solicit proxies from Company Stockholders or (ii) if the Company is required to postpone or adjourn the Company Stockholder Meeting by applicable Law, Order or a request from the SEC or its staff.
