Termination in Connection with a Change of Control If during the two (2) year period that begins on the date that is one (1) year prior to a Change of Control and ends on that date which is one (1) year following a Change of Control, Conn’s (or its successor) terminates Executive’s employment other than for Cause or as a result of Executive’s death or Disability, or Executive voluntarily terminates his employment for Good Reason, Conn’s will pay the following amounts and provide the following benefits:
(i) A lump-sum cash payment in an amount equal to three (3) times the Executive’s Base Salary, payable not later than ten (10) days following (A) Executive’s termination (if Executive’s employment terminates on or after the date of the Change of Control), or (B) the date of the Change of Control (if Executive’s employment terminates during the one-year period prior to the date of the Change of Control). Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3(c)(i)(B), the amount payable to Executive under this Section 3(c)(i) shall be reduced by the payments, if any, received by Executive pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).
(ii) During the eighteen (18) month period following such termination (the “Change of Control Severance Period”), Executive shall receive continued coverage under the Conn’s medical, dental, life, disability, and other employee welfare benefit plans in which senior executives of Conn’s are eligible to participate, to the extent Executive is eligible under the terms of such plans immediately prior to Executive’s termination. For purposes of clarity, during the term of this Agreement Conn’s shall provide Executive coverage under a major medical plan. Conn’s obligation to provide the foregoing benefits shall terminate upon Executive’s becoming eligible for comparable employee welfare benefits under a plan or arrangement provided by a new employer. Executive agrees to promptly notify Conn’s of any such employment and the material terms of any employee welfare benefits offered to Executive in connection with such employment.
(iii) All awards held by Executive under the Conn’s Amended and Restated 2003 Incentive Stock Option Plan and/or the Conn’s 2011 Omnibus Incentive Plan shall immediately vest and, if applicable, continue to be exercisable during the Change of Control Severance Period as if Executive had remained an employee of Conn’s. The terms of this Section 3(c) are continuing in nature and shall survive until the one (1) year anniversary of the earlier of Executive’s termination of employment or termination of this Agreement.
Termination in Connection with a Change in Control a. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” means any of the following events:
Termination in Connection with Change of Control If Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason within sixty (60) days prior to or twelve (12) months following a Change of Control, Executive shall be entitled to receive, in lieu of any severance benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any severance plan or program of the Company, the benefits provided below:
(A) the Company shall pay to Executive his or her fully earned but unpaid base salary, when due, through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts to which Executive is entitled under any compensation plan or practice of the Company at the time of termination;
(B) on the first scheduled payment date pursuant to the usual payroll practices of the Company (or successor entity, as applicable) immediately after the 60th day following the date of termination or Change of Control, in the event the date of termination precedes a Change of Control, with respect to those payments the amount of which is not administratively practicable by the foregoing date because it is not yet known whether a Change of Control will occur within sixty (60) days following the date of termination, as applicable, Executive shall be entitled to receive a lump sum severance payment equal to the sum of:
(1) twelve (12) months of Executive’s monthly base salary as in effect immediately prior to the date of termination, plus
(2) an amount equal to Executive’s Bonus;
(C) The vesting and/or exercisability of all of Executive’s outstanding unvested Stock Awards shall be automatically accelerated on the date of termination;
(D) for the period beginning on the date of termination and ending on the date which is twelve (12) full months following the date of termination (or, if earlier, the date on which Executive accepts employment with another employer that provides comparable benefits in terms of cost and scope of coverage), the Company shall pay for and provide Executive and his or her dependents with healthcare and life insurance benefits which are substantially the same as the benefits provided to Executive immediately prior to the date of termination, including, if necessary, paying the costs associated with continuation coverage pursuant to COBRA;
(E) Executive shall be entitled to executive-level outplacement services at the Company’s expense, not to exceed $15,000. Such services shall be provided by a firm selected by Executive from a list compiled by the Company; and
(F) The payments and benefits provided for in this Section 4(d)(ii) shall only be payable in the event Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason within sixty (60) days prior to or twelve (12) months following a Change of Control. If Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason prior to a Change of Control and such Change of Control is not consummated within sixty (60) days following such termination, then Executive shall receive the payments and benefits described in Section 4(d)(i) and shall not be eligible to receive any of the payments and benefits described in this Section 4(d)(ii).
Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control Triggering Event (a) If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs, unless the Issuer has previously or concurrently mailed a redemption notice with respect to all the outstanding Notes as described under Section 3.07 hereof, the Issuer shall make an offer to purchase all of the Notes pursuant to the offer described below (the “Change of Control Offer”) at a price in cash (the “Change of Control Payment”) equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase, subject to the right of Holders of the Notes of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date. Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Issuer shall send notice of such Change of Control Offer by first-class mail, with a copy to the Trustee and the Registrar, to each Holder of Notes to the address of such Holder appearing in the security register with a copy to the Trustee and the Registrar or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of DTC, with the following information:
(1) that a Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 4.10 and that all Notes properly tendered pursuant to such Change of Control Offer will be accepted for payment by the Issuer;
(2) the purchase price and the purchase date, which will be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);
(3) that any Note not properly tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest;
(4) that unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Payment Date;
(5) that Holders electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender such Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of such Notes completed, to the paying agent specified in the notice at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;
(6) that Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their tendered Notes and their election to require the Issuer to purchase such Notes, provided that the paying agent receives, not later than the close of business on the 30th day following the date of the Change of Control Offer notice, a telegram, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder of the Notes, the principal amount of Notes tendered for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its tendered Notes and its election to have such Notes purchased;
(7) Holders tendering less than all of their Notes will be issued new Notes and such new Notes will be equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered. The unpurchased portion of the Notes must be equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof; and
(8) the other instructions, as determined by the Issuer, consistent with this Section 4.10, that a Holder must follow.
(a) the notice is mailed in a manner herein provided and (b) any Holder fails to receive such notice or a Holder receives such notice but it is defective, such Holder’s failure to receive such notice or such defect shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the purchase of the Notes as to all other Holders that properly received such notice without defect. The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws or regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of Notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Section 4.10, the Issuer shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 4.10 by virtue thereof.
(b) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent permitted by law,
(1) accept for payment all Notes issued by it or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;
(2) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the aggregate Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof so tendered; and
(3) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation the Notes so accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee stating that such Notes or portions thereof have been tendered to and purchased by the Issuer.
(c) The Issuer shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer following a Change of Control Triggering Event if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Section 4.10 applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Issuer and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control Triggering Event, conditional upon such Change of Control Triggering Event, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making of the Change of Control Offer.
(d) Other than as specifically provided in this Section 4.10, any purchase pursuant to this Section 4.10 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.02, 3.05 and 3.06 hereof.
Involuntary Termination in Connection with a Change in Control Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in the event of an Involuntary Termination prior to a Change in Control, if the Involuntary Termination (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect such Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of such Change in Control, then the Executive shall, in lieu of the payments described in Section 4 hereof, be entitled to the Post-Change in Control Severance Payment and the additional benefits described in this Section 5 as if such Involuntary Termination had occurred within two (2) years following the Change in Control. The amounts specified in Section 5 that are to be paid under this Section 5(h) shall be reduced by any amount previously paid under Section 4. The amounts to be paid under this Section 5(h) shall be paid within sixty (60) days after the Change in Control Date of such Change in Control.
Change of Control Transaction If the Company or its successor terminates the Employment upon a merger, consolidation, or transfer or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company with or to any other individual(s) or entity (the “Change of Control Transaction”), the Executive shall be entitled to the following severance payments and benefits upon such termination: (1) a lump sum cash payment equal to 12 months of the Executive’s base salary at a rate equal to the greater of his/her annual salary in effect immediate1y prior to the termination, or his/her then current annua1 salary as of the date of such termination; (2) a lump sum cash payment equal to a pro-rated amount of his/her target annual bonus for the year immediately preceding the termination; and (3) immediate vesting of 100% of the then-unvested portion of any outstanding equity awards held by the Executive.
Termination Upon Change of Control Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, this Agreement (excluding any then-existing obligations) shall terminate upon (a) the acquisition of the Company by another entity by means of any transaction or series of related transactions to which the Company is party (including, without limitation, any stock acquisition, reorganization, merger or consolidation but excluding any sale of stock for capital raising purposes) other than a transaction or series of transactions in which the holders of the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction continue to retain (either by such voting securities remaining outstanding or by such voting securities being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity), as a result of shares in the Company held by such holders prior to such transaction, at least fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the voting securities of the Corporation or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such transaction or series of transactions; or (b) a sale, lease or other conveyance of all substantially all of the assets of the Company.
Change of Control Triggering Event (a) If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs, unless the Company has exercised its option to redeem the Offered Securities, it shall be required to make an offer (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder of the Offered Securities to repurchase, at the Holder’s election, all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of that Holder’s Offered Securities on the terms set forth herein. In a Change of Control Offer, the Company shall be required to offer payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Offered Securities repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Offered Securities repurchased to the date of repurchase (a “Change of Control Payment”). Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event or, at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control, but after public announcement of the transaction that constitutes or may constitute the Change of Control, a notice shall be mailed to the Trustee and to the Holders of the Offered Securities describing in reasonable detail the transaction that constitutes or may constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase such Offered Securities on the date specified in the notice, which date shall be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (a “Change of Control Payment Date”). The notice shall, if mailed prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, state that the offer to purchase is conditioned on the Change of Control Triggering Event occurring on or prior to the Change of Control Payment Date.
(b) In order to accept the Change of Control Offer, the Holder must deliver (or otherwise comply with alternative instructions in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary) to the paying agent, at least five Business Days prior to the Change of Control Payment Date, its Offered Security together with the form entitled “Election Form” (which form is contained in the form of note attached hereto as Exhibit A) duly completed, or a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or a letter from a member of a national securities exchange or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company in the United States setting forth:
(i) the name of the Holder of such Offered Security;
(ii) the principal amount of such Offered Security;
(iii) the principal amount of such Offered Security to be repurchased;
(iv) the certificate number or a description of the tenor and terms of such Offered Security;
(v) a statement that the Holder is accepting the Change of Control Offer; and
(vi) a guarantee that such Offered Security, together with the form entitled “Election Form” duly completed, will be received by the paying agent at least five Business Days prior to the Change of Control Payment Date.
(c) Any exercise by a Holder of its election to accept the Change of Control Offer shall be irrevocable. The Change of Control Offer may be accepted for less than the entire principal amount of an Offered Security, but in that event the principal amount of such Offered Security remaining outstanding after repurchase must be equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
(d) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:
(i) accept for payment all Offered Securities or portions of such Offered Securities properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;
(ii) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Offered Securities or portions of Offered Securities properly tendered; and
(iii) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Offered Securities properly accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Offered Securities or portions of Offered Securities being repurchased.
(e) The Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company and the third party purchases all Offered Securities properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer. In addition, the Company shall not repurchase any Offered Securities if there has occurred and is continuing on the Change of Control Payment Date an Event of Default under the Indenture, other than a default in the payment of the Change of Control Payment upon a Change of Control Triggering Event.
(f) The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Offered Securities as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any such securities laws or regulations conflict with this Section 1.3(3), the Company shall comply with those securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 1.3(3) by virtue of any compliance with such laws or regulations.
Termination Upon a Change of Control (a) In the event a Change of Control (as defined below) occurs, and within 24 months after such Change of Control: (i) your employment with the Company is terminated by you pursuant to a Termination for Good Reason (as defined below); or (ii) your employment with the Company is terminated by the Company for any reason other than death, disability or for Cause pursuant to Sections 9(a), (b) or (c); or (iii) this Agreement is not renewed due to a Termination Notice given by the Company, as provided in Section 1(a), (the events under clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) herein collectively called a "Change of Control Termination"), you shall be entitled to receive the payments and benefits set forth in Section 10(e) and (f) below, which payments and benefits shall be in substitution for, and not in addition to, the payments and benefits otherwise payable under Section 2(a) or 2(b) of this Agreement in the event of termination. Your right to receive such payments and benefits, other than the Accrued Obligations, shall be in consideration of your agreements under this Agreement, including but not limited to your agreement not to compete with the Company for two years after a Change of Control pursuant to Section 6, and shall be conditioned upon your execution of a Release. Such Release shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A but may be modified by the Company as it deems appropriate to reflect changes in law or circumstances arising after the date of this Agreement; provided that no such modification shall increase any of your obligations to the Company over those contemplated by this Agreement, including Exhibit A hereto.
(b) For purposes of the Agreement, a "Change of Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if: (i) any person (as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") and as used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof)), excluding the Company, any subsidiary and any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any subsidiary (including any trustee of any such plan acting in his capacity as trustee), but including a "group" as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of shares of the Company having at least 30% of the total number of votes that may be cast for the election of directors of the Company; (ii) the shareholders of the Company shall approve any merger or other business combination of the Company, sale of all or substantially all of the Company's assets or combination of the foregoing transactions (a "Transaction"), other than a Transaction involving only the Company and one or more of its subsidiaries, or a Transaction immediately following which the shareholders of the Company immediately prior to the Transaction continue to have a majority of the voting power in the resulting entity (excluding for this purpose any shareholder of the Company owning directly or indirectly more than 10% of the shares of the other company involved in the Transaction) and no person is the beneficial owner of at least 30% of the shares of the resulting entity as contemplated by Section 10(b)(i) above; or (iii) within any 24-month period beginning on or after the date hereof, the persons who were directors of the Company immediately before the beginning of such period (the "Incumbent Directors") shall cease (for any reason other than death) to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company or the board of directors of any successor to the Company, provided that any director who was not a director as of the date hereof shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director if such director was elected to the Board by, or on the recommendation of or with the approval of, at least two-thirds of the directors who then qualified as Incumbent Directors either actually or by prior operation of this Section 10(b)(iii), unless such election, recommendation or approval was the result of an actual or threatened election contest of the type contemplated by Regulation 14a-11 under the Exchange Act or any successor provision. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Change of Control of the Company shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of this Agreement by reason of any actions or events in which you participate in a capacity other than in your capacity as an executive or director of the Company.
Repurchase upon Change of Control (a) If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right, if any, to redeem the Senior Notes in full, the Company shall offer (the “Change of Control Offer”) to repurchase any and all of each Holder’s Senior Notes (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 above that amount) at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the date of repurchase (the “Change of Control Payment”). Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Company shall be required to mail a notice to each Holder of the Senior Notes to the address of such Holder appearing in the Registrar, with a copy to the Trustee or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of DTC, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase such Senior Notes on the date specified in the notice, which date will be no less than 30 days and no more than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “Change of Control Payment Date”), with the following information:
(i) a Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 2.9 and that all Senior Notes properly tendered pursuant to such Change of Control Offer will be accepted for payment;
(ii) the repurchase price and the Change of Control Payment Date;
(iii) any Senior Note not properly tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest;
(iv) unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Senior Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest on, but not including, the Change of Control Payment Date;
(v) Holders electing to have any Senior Notes repurchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender such Senior Notes, in the form set forth in Exhibit A entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase”, on the reverse of such Senior Notes completed, to the Paying Agent specified in the notice at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third business day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;
(vi) Holders will be entitled to withdraw their tendered Senior Notes and their election to require the Company to repurchase such Senior Notes, provided that the Paying Agent receives, not later than the close of business on the last day of the Change of Control Offer period, a facsimile transmission, an email or a letter setting forth the name of the Holder of Senior Notes, the principal amount of Senior Notes tendered for repurchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his tendered Senior Notes and his election to have such Senior Notes repurchased;
(vii) if such notice is mailed prior to the occurrence of a Change of Control, stating that the Change of Control Offer is conditional on the occurrence of such Change of Control; and
(viii) that Holders whose Senior Notes are being repurchased only in part will be issued new Senior Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Senior Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion must be equal to $2,000 in principal amount or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
(b) While the Senior Notes are in global form and the Company makes an offer to repurchase all of the Senior Notes pursuant to the Change of Control Offer, a Holder may exercise its option to elect for the repurchase of the Senior Notes through the facilities of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, subject to their rules and regulations.
(c) The Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event if (1) a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Supplemental Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and the third party repurchases on the applicable date all Senior Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer, provided that a failure by such third party to comply with the requirements of such Change of Control Offer and to complete such Change of Control Offer shall be treated as a failure by the Company to comply with its obligations to offer to repurchase the Senior Notes unless the Company promptly makes an offer to repurchase the Senior Notes at 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including the date of repurchase, which shall be no later than 30 days after the third party’s scheduled Change of Control Payment Date, or (2) a notice of redemption has been given pursuant to the Indenture as described under Section 4.03 of the Base Indenture, unless and until there is a default in payment of the applicable redemption price. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, conditional upon such Change of Control.
(d) The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of Senior Notes as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control repurchase provisions of this Supplemental Indenture, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under Section 2.9 of this Supplemental Indenture by virtue thereof.
(e) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, to the extent permitted by law,
(i) accept or cause a third party to accept for payment all Senior Notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;
(ii) deposit or cause a third party to deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Senior Notes properly tendered; and
(iii) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Senior Notes properly accepted, together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the principal amount of Senior Notes being repurchased.
(f) The Paying Agent shall promptly deliver to each Holder of Senior Notes the Change of Control Payment for such Senior Notes. The Company shall publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.
