Acquisition Proposals (a) Except as provided in this Section 6.2(a) and in Section 6.2(d), the Company shall not (and shall cause the Company Subsidiaries to not), and shall take such reasonable actions to cause (and shall cause the Company Subsidiaries to take such reasonable actions to cause) each Company Entity’s officers, directors, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, agents, and other representatives (collectively, the “Representatives”) not to, (i) directly or indirectly initiate, solicit, knowingly encourage, or facilitate (including by way of furnishing non-public information) any inquiries with respect to, or the making or submission of, any proposal that constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal, or (ii) participate or engage in discussions or negotiations with, furnish any non-public information or data relating to any Company Entity or any Company Asset to, or provide access to the properties, books or records of any Company Entity to, any Person that has made an Acquisition Proposal or in contemplation of an Acquisition Proposal. Notwithstanding the immediately foregoing sentence, at any time prior to obtaining the Company Required Vote, the Company and the Company’s Board are permitted to take any actions described in clause (ii) of this Section 6.2(a) with respect to a third party if (w) the Company has received a written Acquisition Proposal from such third party (and such Acquisition Proposal did not result from a breach of this Section 6.2(a), whether by any Company Entity or any Representative (as if all Company Entities and Representatives were bound by this Section 6.2(a))), (x) the Company gives the Parent the notice required by Section 6.2(e), (y) after receiving the advice of its financial advisors, the Company’s Board determines in good faith that such proposal constitutes, or is reasonably likely to lead to, a Superior Proposal, and (z) the Company’s Board determines in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel, that the failure to participate in such negotiations or discussions or to furnish such information or data to such third party is likely to be inconsistent with the Company Board’s fiduciary duties under applicable Law; except that (1) the Company shall not deliver any non-public information to such third party without first entering into a confidentiality agreement with such third party on terms no less favorable to the Company than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement (any such confidentiality agreement with such third party, an “Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement”) and (2) subject to applicable Law, the Company shall make available to the Parent any non-public information concerning any Company Entity that is made available to any other Person or group in connection with any actual or potential Acquisition Proposal that was not previously made available to the Parent, contemporaneously with the delivery of such information to (or as promptly as practicable after such information is delivered to) such Person. Nothing contained in this Section 6.2 will prohibit the Company or the Company’s Board from taking and disclosing to the Company’s stockholders a position with respect to an Acquisition Proposal pursuant to Rule 14d-9 or 14e-2(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act or from making any similar disclosure, in either case to the extent required by applicable Law, including the Company Board’s fiduciary duties; except that compliance with such rules will not permit the Company to make an Adverse Recommendation Change other than in accordance with Section 6.2(d).
(b) Except as provided in Section 6.2(d) and in Section 6.2(g), each of the Company, the Company’s Board, and each Company Board Committee shall not (i) withdraw or withhold (or amend or modify in a manner adverse to any Buyer Entity), or publicly propose to withdraw or withhold (or amend or modify in a manner adverse to any Buyer Entity), the approval, recommendation, or declaration of advisability by the Company’s Board or any Company Board Committee of this Agreement, the Merger, or any Transactions, (ii) recommend, adopt, or approve, or propose publicly to recommend, adopt, or approve, any Acquisition Proposal (any action described in the immediately foregoing clauses (i) or (ii), an “Adverse Recommendation Change”).
(c) Except as provided in Section 6.2(d), the Company shall not (and shall cause the Company Subsidiaries to not), and shall take reasonable actions to cause (and shall cause the Company Subsidiaries to take reasonable actions to cause) each Company Entity’s Representatives not to, execute or enter into any Contract (including any merger agreement, acquisition agreement, option agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement or other similar agreement), or any letter of intent, term sheet, memorandum of understanding, or agreement in principle, (i) relating to or that could reasonably be expected to lead to any Acquisition Proposal (other than an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement in circumstances contemplated in the penultimate sentence of Section 6.2(a)), or (ii) requiring the Company to abandon, terminate, or fail to consummate the Merger or any of the Transactions.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing set forth in this Section 6.2, at any time prior to obtaining the Company Required Vote, and subject to the Company’s compliance at all times with the provisions of this Section 6.2 and Section 6.4(a), with respect to an Acquisition Proposal, the Company’s Board is permitted to make an Adverse Recommendation Change if (i) a written Acquisition Proposal (that did not result from a breach of Section 6.2(a), whether by any Company Entity or any Representative (as if all Company Entities and Representatives were bound by this Section 6.2(d))) is made to the Company by a third party, and such Acquisition Proposal is not withdrawn, (ii) the Company’s Board determines in good faith after consultation with its legal and financial advisors that such Acquisition Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal, (iii) the Company’s Board determines in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel, that the failure to make such an Adverse Recommendation Change is likely to be inconsistent with the Company Board’s fiduciary duties under applicable Law, (iv) subject to compliance with applicable Law, the Company provides the Parent three Business Days’ prior written notice of the Company’s intention to make an Adverse Recommendation Change because of such Acquisition Proposal (such notice, a “Notice of Acquisition Proposal”), it being understood that a Notice of Acquisition Proposal does not in itself institute an Adverse Recommendation Change for purposes hereof, which notice must include the information with respect to such Acquisition Proposal that is specified in Section 6.2(e); except that, if there are any material revisions to the Acquisition Proposal (relative to the terms of the Acquisition Proposal as set forth in the Notice of Acquisition Proposal as provided to the Parent), then the Company must provide to the Parent a new Notice of Acquisition Proposal and, if the Company has not made an Adverse Recommendation Change, and subject to compliance with applicable Law, an additional three Business Days following the provision of such new Notice of Acquisition Proposal, and (v) at the end of the three-Business Day period described in the immediately foregoing clause (iv) (including any extension of such period required thereunder), the Company Board again makes the determination in good faith after consultation with its outside legal counsel and financial advisors (and taking into account any adjustment or modification of the terms hereof that the Parent proposes) that the Acquisition Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal and that the failure to make such Adverse Recommendation Change is likely to be inconsistent with the Company Board’s fiduciary duties under applicable Law. If the Parent proposes to the Company any adjustment or modification of the terms hereof in response to a Notice of Acquisition Proposal, and such proposed adjustment or modification, if implemented, would reverse the determination of the Company Board that the Acquisition Proposal constituted a Superior Proposal, then the Company and Parent shall negotiate in good faith with the Parent to implement such adjustment or modification to the terms hereof and, upon implementation of such adjustment or modification, the Company Board shall not make an Adverse Recommendation Change (or, if already made, will reinstate its recommendation in favor of the Merger and this Agreement, as so adjusted or modified).
(e) As promptly as practicable after receipt thereof (but in any event within 24 hours after the Company’s receipt thereof), the Company shall (i) advise Parent in writing of any request for non-public information or any Acquisition Proposal received from any Person, or any inquiry, discussions, or negotiations with respect to any Acquisition Proposal, and the material terms of such request, Acquisition Proposal, inquiry, discussions, or negotiations, and (ii) promptly provide to Parent a detailed, written summary of all of the material terms, provisions, and other information set forth in any materials (including any draft agreements) that the Company receives in connection with any Acquisition Proposal (or, at the Company’s election, a copy thereof) and the identity of the Person or group making any such request, Acquisition Proposal, or inquiry or with whom any discussions or negotiations are taking place. The Company shall keep the Parent reasonably informed of the status of any Acquisition Proposals (including disclosing to the Parent the identity of the parties, the price involved, and any material changes to any terms thereof and providing to the Parent detailed, written summaries of all of the material terms, provisions, or other information set forth in any amended or additional documents received from or provided to any Person with respect to such Acquisition Proposal). The Company shall not release any third party from, or waive any provisions of, any confidentiality or standstill agreement to which the Company is a party and shall use its reasonable efforts to enforce any such agreement at the request of or on behalf of the Parent.
(f) Immediately after the execution and delivery hereof, the Company shall (and shall cause the Company Subsidiaries to) instruct the Representatives to cease and terminate any existing activities, discussions, or negotiations with any parties conducted heretofore with respect to any possible Acquisition Proposal. The Company shall (i) take the necessary steps to promptly inform the Representatives involved in the Transactions of the obligations undertaken in Section 6.2(a) and (ii) request each Person who has heretofore executed a confidentiality agreement in connection with such Person’s consideration of acquiring the Company or any portion thereof to return or destroy (and certify such destruction in writing by an executive officer of such Person) all confidential information heretofore furnished to such Person by or on its behalf.
(g) Nothing in this Agreement will prohibit or restrict the Company’s Board from effecting an Adverse Recommendation Change not involving or relating to an Acquisition Proposal in response to a material adverse development or change in circumstances with respect to the Parent Business occurring or arising after the Signing Date, if (i) the Company’s Board determines in good faith after consultation with its outside legal counsel that not making such Adverse Recommendation Change is likely to be inconsistent with the Company Board’s fiduciary duties under applicable Law (ii) subject to compliance with applicable Law, the Company provides the Parent three Business Days’ prior written notice of the Company’s intention to make public an Adverse Recommendation Change because of such material development or change in circumstances (such notice, a “Notice of Material Development”); and that it is considering such a recommendation change and summarizing in reasonable detail the reasons therefor; and (iii) at the end of the three-Business Day period described in the immediately foregoing clause (ii), the Company Board again makes the determination in good faith after consultation with its outside legal counsel and financial advisors (and taking into account any adjustment or modification of the terms hereof that the Parent proposes in writing) that failure to make such an Adverse Recommendation Change is likely to be inconsistent with the Company Board’s fiduciary duties under applicable Law. If the Parent proposes to the Company any adjustment or modification of the terms hereof in response to a Notice of Material Development, and such proposed adjustment or modification, if implemented, would reverse the determination of the Company Board that it make an Adverse Recommendation Change, then the Company and Parent shall negotiate in good faith (during a period not exceeding three Business days, unless otherwise mutually agreed) with respect to such adjustment or modification to the terms hereof and, upon implementation of such adjustment or modification, the Company Board shall not make an Adverse Recommendation Change (or, if already made, will reinstate its recommendation in favor of the Merger and this Agreement, as so adjusted or modified).
No Change in Recommendation or Alternative Acquisition Agreement The board of directors of the Company and each committee of the board of directors shall not:
(i) (A) withhold, withdraw, qualify or modify (or publicly propose or resolve to withhold, withdraw, qualify or modify), in a manner adverse to Parent, the Company Recommendation (B) fail to include the Company Recommendation in the Proxy Statement, (C) approve, recommend or otherwise declare advisable or propose or resolve to approve, recommend or otherwise declare advisable (publicly or otherwise), any Acquisition Proposal, or (D) fail to publicly reaffirm the Company Recommendation within ten business days after Parent so requests in writing (provided, that Parent shall be entitled to make such a written request for reaffirmation only once for each Acquisition Proposal and once for each material amendment to such Acquisition Proposal) (any action described in clauses (A) and (D) a “Change of Recommendation”); or
(ii) Except as expressly permitted by, and after compliance with this Section 6.2(d), cause or permit the Company to enter into any Alternative Acquisition Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, prior to the time, but not after, the Company Requisite Vote is obtained, the board of directors of the Company (x) may make a Change of Recommendation and in connection therewith, approve, recommend or otherwise declare advisable, and enter into an Alternative Acquisition Agreement in connection with a Superior Proposal made after the date of this Agreement (if such Superior Proposal did not result from a material breach of Section 6.2(a) and such Superior Proposal is not withdrawn) or (y) may make a Change of Recommendation as a result of the occurrence of an Intervening Event, if, the board of directors of the Company determines in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel, that failure to do so would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with the directors’ fiduciary duties under applicable Law; provided, however, that the board of directors of the Company shall not (i) in the case of clause (x) make a Change of Recommendation with respect to a Superior Proposal and authorize the Company to enter into any Alterative Acquisition Agreement or (ii) in the case of clause (y) make a Change of Recommendation unless:
(i) the Company has notified Parent in writing that it intends to effect a Change of Recommendation, describing in reasonable detail the reasons for such Change of Recommendation (a “Recommendation Change Notice”) (it being agreed that the Recommendation Change Notice and any amendment or update to such notice and the determination to so deliver such notice, or update or amend public disclosures with respect thereto shall not constitute a Change of Recommendation for purposes of this Agreement), and if such proposed Change of Recommendation relates to an Acquisition Proposal, has provided copies of the most current version of all documents relating to such Acquisition Proposal, and if such proposed Change of Recommendation relates to an Intervening Event, such Recommendation Change Notice specifies the facts and circumstances of such Intervening Event; and
(ii) (x) if requested by Parent, the Company shall have made its Representatives available to discuss and negotiate in good faith with Parent and its Representatives any proposed modifications to the terms and conditions of this Agreement during the three business days following the date on which the Recommendation Change Notice is delivered to Parent and (y) if Parent shall have delivered to the Company a written, binding and irrevocable offer to alter the terms or conditions of this Agreement during such three business day period, the board of directors of the Company shall have determined in good faith after consultation with its financial advisors and outside legal counsel, after considering the terms of such offer by Parent, that the failure to effect a Change of Recommendation would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law, and that in the case of a Change of Recommendation with respect to an Acquisition Proposal, such Acquisition Proposal would continue to constitute a Superior Proposal if the changes offered by Parent were given effect, and that in the case of an Intervening Event, the board of directors of the Company still intends to effect a Change of Recommendation if the changes offered by Parent were given effect; provided that in the event the Acquisition Proposal is thereafter modified by the party making such Acquisition Proposal, the Company shall notify Parent in writing of such modified Acquisition Proposal and shall again comply with the requirements of this clause (ii).
