Conduct of Business in Ordinary Course INT'X.xxx will carry on its business in the ordinary course in substantially the same manner as heretofore conducted and, to the extent consistent with such business, use all reasonable best efforts consistent with past practice and policies to preserve intact its present business organization, keep available the services of its present officers, consultants and employees and preserve its relationships with customers, suppliers and distributors and others having business dealings with it. INT'X.xxx will confer on a regular and frequent basis with representatives of Parent to report operational matters of a material nature and to report the general status of the ongoing operations of the business of INT'X.xxx. The foregoing notwithstanding, INT'X.xxx will not:
(a) other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with prior practice, enter into any material commitment or transaction, including but not limited to any purchase of assets (other than raw materials, supplies or cash equivalents) for a purchase price in excess of $50,000;
(b) grant any bonus, severance or termination pay to any officer, director, independent contractor or employee of INT'X.xxx;
(c) enter into or amend any agreements pursuant to which any other party is granted support, service, marketing or publishing rights, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with prior practice, or is granted distribution rights of any type or scope with respect to any products of INT'X.xxx;
(d) other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with prior practice, enter into or terminate any contracts, arrangements, plans, agreements, leases, licenses, franchises, permits, indentures, authorizations, instruments, or commitments, or amend or otherwise change in any material respect the terms thereof in a manner adverse to INT'X.xxx;
(e) commence a lawsuit other than: (i) for the routine collection of bills, (ii) in such cases where INT'X.xxx in good faith determines that failure to commence suit would result in a material impairment of a valuable aspect of INT'X.xxx's business PROVIDED THAT INT'X.xxx consults with Parent prior to filing such suit, or (iii) for a breach of this Agreement or any agreement related hereto;
(f) modify in any material respect existing discounts or other terms and conditions with dealers, distributors and other resellers of INT'X.xxx's products or services in a manner adverse to INT'X.xxx;
(g) accelerate the vesting or otherwise modify any INT'X.xxx Option, restricted stock or other outstanding rights or other securities other than any acceleration or modification that results from the execution and performance of this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby;
(h) take any action which would make any representation or warranty in this Agreement untrue or incorrect, as if made as of such time; or
(i) agree in writing or otherwise to take any of the foregoing actions.
Property Inventory and Protection of Assets Grantee will;
1. maintain an inventory of equipment, supplies defined as controlled assets, and property described in this Contract and submit to the assigned contract manager, upon request.
2. maintain, repair, and protect assets under this Contract to assure their full availability and usefulness.
3. if Grantee is indemnified, reimbursed, or otherwise compensated for any loss of, destruction of, or damage to the assets provided or obtained under this Contract, use the proceeds to repair or replace those assets.
Operation of the Business Except as set forth on Section 10.1 of the Sentech Disclosure Schedule, as contemplated by this Agreement or as expressly agreed to in writing by Sensec and Ensec, during the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, Sentech and its Subsidiaries will conduct their operations only in the ordinary course of business consistent with sound financial, operational and regulatory practice, and will take no action which would materially adversely affect their ability to consummate the Transactions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or except as disclosed in the Sentech Disclosure Schedule, prior to the Effective Time, neither Sentech nor any of its Subsidiaries will, without the prior written consent of Sensec and Ensec:
(a) amend its Charter Documents or bylaws (or similar organizational documents);
(b) authorize for issuance, issue, sell, deliver, grant any options for, or otherwise agree or commit to issue, sell or deliver any shares of its capital stock or any other securities, other than pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of any Existing Options or Sentech Warrants listed on the Sentech Disclosure Schedule;
(c) recapitalize, split, combine or reclassify any shares of its capital stock; declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, stock or property or any combination thereof) in respect of its capital stock; or purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its or its Subsidiaries' securities or modify any of the terms of any such securities;
(d) (i) create, incur, assume or permit to exist any long-term debt or any short-term debt for borrowed money other than under existing notes payable, lines of credit or other credit facilities or in the ordinary course of business, or with respect to its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business; (ii) assume, guarantee, endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any other Person except its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise may be contractually required and disclosed in the Sentech Disclosure Schedule; or (iii) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other Person except its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries;
(i) amend any Sentech Benefit Plan or (ii) except in the ordinary course of business consistent with usual practice or established policy (a) increase in any manner the rate of compensation of any of its directors, officers or other employees everywhere, except for increases in the ordinary course of business; (b) pay or agree to pay any bonus, pension, retirement allowance, severance or other employee benefit except as required under currently existing Sentech Benefit Plans disclosed in the Sentech Disclosure Schedule or in the ordinary course of business; or (c) amend, terminate or enter into any employment, consulting, severance, change in control or similar agreements or arrangements with any of its directors, officers or other employees;
(f) enter into any material agreement, commitment or contract, except agreements, commitments or contracts for the purchase, sale or lease of goods or services in the ordinary course of business;
(g) other than in the ordinary course of business, authorize, recommend, propose or announce an intention to authorize, recommend or propose, or enter into any Contract with respect to, any (i) plan of liquidation or dissolution, (ii) acquisition of a material amount of assets or securities, (iii) disposition or Encumbrance of a material amount of assets or securities, (iv) merger or consolidation or (v) material change in its capitalization;
(h) change any material accounting or Tax procedure or practice;
(i) take any action the taking of which, or knowingly omit to take any action the omission of which, would cause any of the representations and warranties herein to fail to be true and correct in all material respects as of the date of such action or omission as though made at and as of the date of such action or omission;
(j) compromise, settle or otherwise modify any material claim or litigation not identified in the Sentech Disclosure Schedule; or
(k) commit or agree to do any of the foregoing.
No Control of the Other Party’s Business The Parties acknowledge and agree that the restrictions set forth in this Agreement are not intended to give Parent or Merger Sub, on the one hand, or the Company, on the other hand, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the business or operations of the other at any time prior to the Effective Time. Prior to the Effective Time, each of Parent and the Company will exercise, consistent with the terms, conditions and restrictions of this Agreement, complete control and supervision over their own business and operations.
Operation of the Company’s Business (a) During the Pre-Closing Period:
(i) the Company shall ensure that each of the Company Entities conducts its business and operations: (A) in the ordinary course and in accordance with past practices; and (B) in material compliance with all applicable Laws and with the requirements of all Contracts of Company Entities that constitute Material Contracts;
(ii) the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that each of the Company Entities preserves intact its current business organization, keeps available the services of its current officers and other key employees and maintains its relations and goodwill with all suppliers, customers, landlords, creditors, licensors, licensees, distributors, resellers, employees and other Persons having material business relationships with the respective Company Entities;
(iii) the Company shall promptly notify Parent in writing of (A) any notice from any Person alleging that the Consent of such Person is or may be required in connection with any of the Transactions and (B) any Legal Proceeding commenced, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against, relating to, involving or otherwise affecting any of the Company Entities that relates to the Merger or any of the other Transactions;
(iv) use commercially reasonable efforts to keep in full force all insurance policies referred to in Section 3.26 (other than any such policies that are immediately replaced with substantially similar policies), provided that if it is unable to do so, it shall notify Parent at least 20 days before such policies terminate or otherwise lapse; and
(v) the Company shall (to the extent requested by Parent and permitted under applicable Law) cause the officers and other key employees of the Company Entities to freely communicate (without limitation) with Parent regarding the Company Entities’ results of operations and material developments.
(b) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, during the Pre-Closing Period, except as set forth in Schedule 5.2(b) or with Parent’s prior written consent and except as permitted by Section 6.2(d), the Company (A) shall not, and (B) shall not permit any of the other Company Entities to:
(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 security of any Company Entity, except for the issuance and sale of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to Company Equity Awards outstanding as of the date of this Agreement upon the exercise or vesting thereof, as applicable;
(iii) directly or indirectly acquire, repurchase or redeem any security of any Company Entity, except in connection with Tax withholdings and exercise price settlements upon the exercise, vesting or issuance of shares under Company Equity Awards;
(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 any Company Entity, except for this Agreement and the Transactions;
(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 any Company Entity 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, (2) loans or advances between the Company and any direct or indirect Subsidiaries, or between any direct or indirect Subsidiaries of the Company in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, and (3) the issuance of credit to new customers for the purchase of products or services of the Company Entities in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, (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 in place on the date of this Agreement, (C) make any loans, advances (other than any retainer for legal services) 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 or business expenses in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice to employees of the Company Entities, or (D) mortgage or pledge any asset owned or used by any Company Entity, or create or suffer to exist any Encumbrance thereupon (other than Permitted Encumbrances), 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 this Agreement or of any Company Employee Plan as in effect on the date of 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, 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 Company Associate, (B) increase the compensation payable or to become payable to any Company Associate, pay or agree to pay any special bonus or special remuneration to any Company Associate, or pay or agree to pay any benefit not required by any Company Employee Plan as in effect as of the date hereof, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice with respect to any Company Associate who is not a member of the board of directors or officer, (C) hire any employee with an annual base salary in excess of $100,000 or at the level of Vice President, (D) grant or pay any severance or termination pay to (or amend any such existing arrangement with) any current or former member of the board of directors, officer, employee or independent contractor of any Company Entity, except in the ordinary course of business with respect to any employee or independent contractor who is not a member of the board of directors or officer, (E) increase benefits payable under any existing severance or termination pay policies or similar employment agreements, or (F) accelerate the vesting or payment of, or fund or in any other way secure the payment, compensation or benefits under, any Company Employee Plan to the extent not required by the terms of this Agreement or such Company Employee Plan as in effect on the date of this Agreement;
(viii) commence any Legal Proceeding or settle any pending or threatened Legal Proceeding, except for the settlement of any Legal Proceeding solely for money damages not in excess of $250,000 in the aggregate and as would not be reasonably likely to have any adverse impact on any other Legal Proceeding;
(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) (A) acquire (by merger, consolidation or acquisition of stock or assets or otherwise) any other Entity or any material equity interest therein, (B) sell or otherwise dispose of, lease or license any properties or assets of any Company Entity (other than in the ordinary course of business), which are material to the Company Entities, taken as a whole, (C) acquire, lease or license any material right or other asset from any Person (other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice);
(xii) make any capital expenditures in excess of $50,000 individually or $200,000 in the aggregate;
(xiii) make any material 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) other than in the ordinary course of business, enter into, or amend in any material respect, terminate or fail to renew, any Material Contract;
(xv) change any of its product return policies, product maintenance polices, service policies, product modification or upgrade policies in any material respect;
(xvi) enter into any material transaction with any of its Affiliates (other than a Company Entity) other than pursuant to written arrangements in effect on the date of this Agreement and excluding any employment, compensation or similar arrangements otherwise expressly permitted pursuant to this Section 5.2(b);
(xvii) abandon or permit to lapse any right to any material patent or patent application;
(xviii) take any action that is intended or is reasonably likely to result in the conditions set forth in Sections 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 (except after compliance with Section 6.2(d)), 7.5, 7.7, 7.11, 7.12, 7.13, 7.15 and 7.16 not being satisfied; or
(xix) agree or commit to take any of the actions described in clauses above in this Section 5.2(b).
(c) During the Pre-Closing Period, the Company shall promptly notify Parent in writing of any event, condition, fact or circumstance that would make the timely satisfaction of any of the conditions set forth in ARTICLE 7 impossible or unlikely or that has had or could reasonably be expected to have or result in a Material Adverse Effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company shall promptly advise Parent in writing of any Legal Proceeding or material claim commenced or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened against or with respect to any of the Company Entities. No notification given to Parent pursuant to this Section 5.2(c) or any information or knowledge obtained pursuant to Section 5.1 shall limit or otherwise affect any of the representations, warranties, covenants or obligations of the Company contained in this Agreement or any of the remedies available to Parent under this Agreement.
(d) During the Pre-Closing Period, the Company shall promptly notify Parent in writing if the Company has the right to exercise any right or option to repurchase shares of its capital stock from any Company Associate or other Person upon termination of such Person’s service to any of the Company Entities. The Company shall not exercise any such repurchase right except to the extent directed by Parent in writing.
Presentation of Potential Target Businesses The Company shall cause each of the Initial Shareholders to agree that, in order to minimize potential conflicts of interest which may arise from multiple affiliations, the Initial Shareholders will present to the Company for its consideration, prior to presentation to any other person or company, any suitable opportunity to acquire an operating business, until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination or the liquidation of the Company, subject to any pre-existing fiduciary obligations the Initial Shareholders might have.
No Control of Other Party’s Business Nothing contained in this Agreement shall give Parent, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ operations prior to the Effective Time, and nothing contained in this Agreement shall give the Company, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct Parent’s or its Subsidiaries’ operations prior to the Effective Time. Prior to the Effective Time, each of the Company and Parent shall exercise, consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, complete control and supervision over its and its Subsidiaries’ respective operations.
OPERATION IN ORDINARY COURSE The Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund will each operate its respective business in the ordinary course between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date, it being understood that such ordinary course of business will include customary dividends and shareholder purchases and redemptions.
Conduct of the Business Pending the Closing (a) Except as otherwise expressly provided by this Agreement or with the prior written consent of Newco, between the date hereof and the Closing, the Company shall:
(i) conduct the Business only in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(ii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to (A) preserve the present business operations, organization (including officers and Employees) and goodwill of the Company and (B) preserve the present relationships with Persons having business dealings with the Company (including customers and suppliers);
(iii) maintain (A) all of the assets and properties of, or used by, the Company consistent with past practice, and (B) insurance upon all of the assets and properties of the Company in such amounts and of such kinds comparable to that in effect on the date of this Agreement;
(iv) (A) maintain the books, accounts and records of the Company in the Ordinary Course of Business, (B) continue to collect accounts receivable and pay accounts payable and other Liabilities set forth on the Balance Sheet in the Ordinary Course of Business utilizing normal procedures and without discounting or accelerating payment of such accounts or Liabilities utilizing all available cash and any available line of credit, and (C) comply with all contractual and other obligations of the Company;
(v) comply with the capital expenditure plan of the Company for 2009 set forth on Company Disclosure Schedule 6.2(a)(v), including making such capital expenditures in the amounts and at the times set forth in such plan;
(vi) comply in all material respects with all applicable Laws;
(vii) take steps to renew all Permits in a timely manner prior to their lapse; and
(viii) pay all maintenance and similar fees and take all other appropriate actions as necessary to prevent the abandonment, loss or impairment of all Intellectual Property of the Company.
(b) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as otherwise expressly provided by this Agreement or with the prior written consent of Newco, the Company shall not:
(i) (A) increase the salary or other compensation of any director or Employee of the Company except for normal year-end increases in the Ordinary Course of Business, (B) grant any bonus, benefit or other direct or indirect compensation to any Employee or director, (C) increase the coverage or benefits available under any (or create any new) severance pay, termination pay, vacation pay, company awards, salary continuation for disability, sick leave, deferred compensation, bonus or other incentive compensation, insurance, pension or other employee benefit plan or arrangement made to, for, or with any of the directors, officers, Employees, agents or representatives of the Company or otherwise modify or amend or terminate any such plan or arrangement (D) enter into any employment, deferred compensation, stay bonus, severance, special pay, consulting, non-competition or similar agreement or arrangement with any directors or officers of the Company (or amend any such agreement) to which the Company is a party; or (E) pay or make any dividend or distribution of cash or other property with respect to the units or other equity interests of the Company;
(ii) (A) create, incur, assume, guarantee, endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible with respect to (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) any Indebtedness except (u) the Indebtedness related to the Permitted Exceptions, (x) the Indebtedness reflected in the Balance Sheet, (y) the Indebtedness incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business since the Balance Sheet Date, or (z) the Indebtedness set forth on Company Disclosure Schedule 4.5; (B) except in the Ordinary Course of Business, pay, prepay, accelerate, discharge, purchase, repurchase or satisfy any Indebtedness issued or guaranteed by the Company; (C) materially modify the terms of any Indebtedness or other Liability; or (D) make any loans, advances of capital contributions to, or investments in, any other Person;
(iii) subject to any Lien or otherwise encumber or, except for Permitted Exceptions, permit, allow or suffer to be subjected to any Lien or otherwise encumbered, any of the Purchased Assets;
(iv) acquire any material properties or assets or sell, assign, license, transfer, convey, lease or otherwise dispose of any of the Purchased Assets (except for fair consideration in the Ordinary Course of Business) of the Company;
(v) except as provided in Section 6.6 hereof, enter into or agree to enter into any merger or consolidation with any Person, and not engage in any new business or invest in, make a loan, advance or capital contribution to, or otherwise acquire the securities of any Person;
(vi) cancel or compromise any debt or claim, or waive or release any material right of the Company except in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(vii) enter into, modify or terminate any labor or collective bargaining agreement or, through negotiation or otherwise, make any commitment or incur any Liability to any labor organization with respect to any Employee;
(viii) introduce any material change with respect to the operation of the Business, including any material change in the types, nature, composition or quality of products or services, or, other than in the Ordinary Course of Business, make any change in product specifications or prices or terms of distributions of such products;
(ix) enter into any transaction or enter into, modify or renew any Contract which by reason of its size or otherwise is not in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(x) enter into any Contract, understanding or commitment that restrains, restricts, limits or impedes the ability of the Business, or the ability of Newco or Purchaser, to compete with or conduct any business or line of business in any geographic area or solicit the employment of any persons;
(xi) terminate, amend, restate, supplement or waive any rights under any (A) Material Contract, Real Property Lease, Personal Property Lease or Intellectual Property License, other than in the Ordinary Course of Business or (B) Permit;
(xii) settle or compromise any pending or threatened Legal Proceeding or any claim or claims for, or that would result in a loss of revenue of, an amount that could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be greater than $50,000;
(xiii) change or modify its credit, collection or payment policies, procedures or practices, including acceleration of collections or receivables (whether or not past due) or fail to pay or delay payment of payables or other liabilities;
(xiv) take any action which would adversely affect the ability of the parties to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(xv) amend the operating agreement of the Company;
(xvi) agree to materially increase Liabilities from the amounts set forth on the Balance Sheet except in the Ordinary Course of Business under loan or credit agreements or arrangements up to the maximum amounts and other terms as in effect on the date of this Agreement; or
(xvii) agree to do anything (A) prohibited by this Section 6.2, (B) that would make any of the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement or any of the Company Documents untrue or incorrect in any material respect or could result in any of the conditions to the Closing not being satisfied or (C) that could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company.
Change in Ownership of a Substantial Portion of the Company’s Assets A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets which occurs on the date that any Person acquires (or has acquired during the twelve (12) month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such Person or Persons) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than fifty percent (50%) of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (c), the following will not constitute a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets: (i) a transfer to an entity that is controlled by the Company’s stockholders immediately after the transfer, or (ii) a transfer of assets by the Company to: (A) a stockholder of the Company (immediately before the asset transfer) in exchange for or with respect to the Company’s stock, (B) an entity, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, (C) a Person, that owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of all the outstanding stock of the Company, or (D) an entity, at least fifty percent (50%) of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by a Person described in this subsection (c)(ii)(C). For purposes of this subsection (c), gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets. For purposes of this definition, persons will be considered to be acting as a group if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of stock, or similar business transaction with the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed a Change in Control unless the transaction qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Section 409A. Further and for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if: (x) its sole purpose is to change the jurisdiction of the Company’s incorporation, or (y) its sole purpose is to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction.
