83(b) Election You may make and file with the Internal Revenue Service an election under Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to the grant of the Restricted Shares hereunder, electing to include in your gross income as of the Grant Date the Fair Market Value of the Restricted Shares as of the Grant Date. You shall promptly provide a copy of such election to the Company. If you make and file such an election, you shall make such arrangements in accordance with Section 8 as are satisfactory to the Committee to provide for the timely payment of all applicable withholding taxes.
Stockholder Lock-Ups The Company has caused to be delivered to you prior to the date of this Agreement a letter, in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), from each individual or entity listed on Schedule IV. The Company will enforce the terms of each Lock-Up Agreement and issue stop-transfer instructions to the transfer agent for the Common Stock with respect to any transaction or contemplated transaction that would constitute a breach of or default under the applicable Lock-Up Agreement.
Cash Election Holders of JCN Common Stock shall be provided with an opportunity to elect to receive cash consideration in lieu of receiving Highwoods Common Stock in the Merger, in accordance with the election procedures set forth below in this Section 3.2. Holders who are to receive cash in lieu of exchanging their shares of JCN Common Stock for Highwoods Common Stock as specified below shall receive $65 per share of JCN Common Stock in cash (the "Per Share Cash Consideration"). The amount determined by multiplying $65 by the number of Dissenting Shares shall be defined herein as the "Dissenting Share Amount." The aggregate Per Share Cash Consideration to be paid in the Merger, plus the Dissenting Share Amount, shall be limited to 40% of the aggregate consideration paid in exchange for shares of JCN Common Stock and shall be defined herein as the "Cash Amount." A form for use by JCN shareholders to elect to receive cash and other appropriate and customary transmittal material (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected only upon proper delivery of the certificates theretofore representing JCN Common Stock ("Old Certificates") to an exchange agent designated by Highwoods (the "Exchange Agent")) in such form as Highwoods and JCN shall mutually agree ("Election Form") shall be mailed concurrently with the mailing of the Proxy Statement required by Section 8.1 hereof, or on such other date as Highwoods and JCN shall mutually agree ("Mailing Date") to each holder of record of JCN Common Stock on the record date ("Record Date") for the JCN shareholders entitled to vote at the shareholders meeting to approve the Merger as required by Section 8.1 (the "JCN Shareholders Meeting"). Each Election Form shall permit a holder (or the beneficial owner through appropriate and customary documentation and instructions) of JCN Common Stock to elect to receive cash with respect to all or a portion of such holder's JCN Common Stock. Any shares of JCN Common Stock with respect to which the holder (or the beneficial owner, as the case may be) elects to receive cash and does not dissent shall be referred to herein as the "Cash Election Shares." Any shares of JCN Common Stock with respect to which the holder (or the beneficial owner, as the case may be) either does not submit an Election Form or does not elect to receive cash and does not dissent, shall be collectively referred to herein as "Stock Election Shares." Any of the elections set forth in the foregoing paragraph shall have been properly made only if the Exchange Agent shall have actually received an effective, properly completed Election Form on or before 5:00 p.m. on the fifth business day prior to the date of the JCN Shareholders Meeting (or such other time and date as Highwoods and JCN may mutually agree, including as a result of any adjournment or postponement of the JCN Shareholders Meeting) (the "Election Deadline") which is not revoked or changed prior to the Election Deadline. Any Election Form may be revoked or changed by the person submitting a subsequent Election Form at or prior to the Election Deadline. In the event an Election Form is revoked prior to the Election Deadline, the shares of JCN Common Stock represented by such Election Form shall become Stock Election Shares unless the Exchange Agent shall have actually received an effective, properly completed Election Form prior to the Election Deadline and such Election Form is not revoked or changed prior to the Election Deadline. Subject to the terms of this Agreement and of the Election Form, the Exchange Agent shall have reasonable discretion to determine whether any election, revocation or change has been properly or timely made and to disregard immaterial defects in the Election Forms, and any good faith decisions of the Exchange Agent regarding such matters shall be binding and conclusive. The Exchange Agent shall promptly notify JCN of any defect in an Election Form other than an immaterial defect disregarded in good faith by the Exchange Agent. Subject to the foregoing sentence, neither Highwoods nor the Exchange Agent shall be under any obligation to notify any person of any defect in an Election Form. Within three business days after the Election Deadline, Highwoods shall cause the Exchange Agent to effect the allocation among the holders of JCN Common Stock in accordance with the Election Forms; provided, however, if the amount of cash that would be issued upon the conversion of the Cash Election Shares is greater than the amount by which the Cash Amount exceeds the Dissenting Share Amount (the "Maximum Cash Election Amount"), then the Exchange Agent shall convert a sufficient number of Cash Election Shares (other than Dissenting Shares) into the right to receive the Per Share Stock Consideration, which Cash Election Shares shall be selected pro rata from among all of the holders thereof, based upon the aggregate number of Cash Election Shares held by each of such holders, such that the amount of cash that will be issued in the Merger to satisfy the non-converted Cash Election Shares equals as closely as practicable the Maximum Cash Election Amount. Highwoods shall, at least two business days prior to the date of the JCN Shareholders Meeting, communicate to JCN the aggregate allocation of stock and cash, the amount of stock and cash going to each of JCN's shareholders, and the method in which such amounts were calculated.
Stockholder Rights Plan No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents or under any other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers.
Section 83(b) Election Purchaser understands that Section 83(a) of the Code, taxes as ordinary income the difference between the amount paid for the Stock and the fair market value of the Stock as of the date any restrictions on the Stock lapse. In this context, "restriction" includes the right of the Company to buy back the Stock pursuant to the Repurchase Option set forth in Section 2(a) above. Purchaser understands that Purchaser may elect to be taxed at the time the Stock is purchased, rather than when and as the Repurchase Option expires, by filing an election under Section 83(b) of the Code (an "83(b) Election") with the Internal Revenue Service in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C within thirty (30) days from the date the Stock is purchased. Even if the fair market value of the Stock at the time of the execution of this Agreement equals the amount paid for the Stock, the 83(b) Election must be made to avoid income under Section 83(a) of the Code in the future. Purchaser understands that failure to file such an 83(b) Election in a timely manner may result in adverse tax consequences for Purchaser. Purchaser further understands that an additional copy of such 83(b) Election is required to be filed with his or her federal income tax return for the calendar year in which the date of this Agreement falls. Purchaser acknowledges and understands that it is solely Purchaser's obligation and responsibility to timely file such 83(b) Election, and neither the Company nor the Company's legal or financial advisors shall have any obligation or responsibility with respect to such filing. Purchaser acknowledges that the foregoing is only a summary of the effect of United States federal income taxation with respect to purchase of the Stock hereunder and does not purport to be complete. Purchaser further acknowledges that the Company has directed Purchaser to seek independent advice regarding the applicable provisions of the Code, the income tax laws of any municipality, state or foreign country in which Purchaser may reside, and the tax consequences of Purchaser's death. Purchaser assumes all responsibility for filing an 83(b) Election and paying all taxes resulting from such election or the lapse of the restrictions on the Stock.
Stockholder Rights The holder of this option shall not have any stockholder rights with respect to the Option Shares until such person shall have exercised the option, paid the Exercise Price and become a holder of record of the purchased shares.
Shareholder Communications Election SEC Rule 14b-2 requires banks which hold securities for the account of customers to respond to requests by issuers of securities for the names, addresses and holdings of beneficial owners of securities of that issuer held by the bank unless the beneficial owner has expressly objected to disclosure of this information. In order to comply with the rule, the Custodian needs the Fund to indicate whether it authorizes the Custodian to provide the Fund’s name, address, and share position to requesting companies whose securities the Fund owns. If the Fund tells the Custodian “no”, the Custodian will not provide this information to requesting companies. If the Fund tells the Custodian “yes” or does not check either “yes” or “no” below, the Custodian is required by the rule to treat the Fund as consenting to disclosure of this information for all securities owned by the Fund or any funds or accounts established by the Fund. For the Fund’s protection, the Rule prohibits the requesting company from using the Fund’s name and address for any purpose other than corporate communications. Please indicate below whether the Fund consents or objects by checking one of the alternatives below. YES [ ] The Custodian is authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions. NO [X] The Custodian is not authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions.
Stockholder Consent (a) So long as the Board of Directors of the Company shall not have withdrawn, modified or changed its recommendation in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.8(b) hereof, the Company, acting through its Board of Directors, shall, in accordance with Delaware law and its certificate of incorporation and by-laws, take all actions reasonably necessary to establish a record date for, duly call, give notice of, convene, and hold a stockholders meeting for the purpose of obtaining the requisite approval and adoption of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby by the Stockholders. The Company shall notify each Stockholder, whether or not entitled to vote, of the proposed Company stockholders’ meeting. Such meeting notice shall state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the Merger and shall contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be required to take all actions reasonably necessary to establish a record date for, duly call, give notice of, convene and hold a stockholders meeting for the purpose of obtaining the requisite approval and adoption of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby by the Stockholders if the Company’s Board of Directors and the requisite Stockholders otherwise take all actions reasonably necessary to approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby by written consent in lieu of a meeting of the stockholders of the Company to the extent permitted by applicable law.
(b) The Board of Directors of the Company shall unanimously recommend such approval and shall use all reasonable efforts to solicit and obtain such approval; provided, however, that the Board of Directors of the Company may at any time prior to approval of the Stockholders (i) decline to make, withdraw, modify or change any recommendation or declaration regarding this Agreement or the Merger or (ii) recommend and declare advisable any other offer or proposal, to the extent the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith, based upon advice of legal counsel, that withdrawing, modifying, changing or declining to make its recommendation regarding this Agreement or the Merger or recommending and declaring advisable any other offer or proposal is necessary to comply with its fiduciary duties under applicable law (which declinations, withdrawal, modification or change shall not constitute a breach by the Company of this Agreement). The Company shall provide written notice to Parent promptly upon the Company taking any action referred to in the foregoing proviso.
(c) Pursuant to the DCGL, at any time before the certificate of merger is filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, including any time after the Merger is authorized by the Stockholders, the Merger may be abandoned and this Agreement may be terminated in accordance with the terms hereof, without further action by the Stockholders.
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.
Stockholder Rights Plans If the Company has a stockholder rights plan in effect upon conversion of the Notes, each share of Common Stock, if any, issued upon such conversion shall be entitled to receive the appropriate number of rights, if any, and the certificates representing the Common Stock issued upon such conversion shall bear such legends, if any, in each case as may be provided by the terms of any such stockholder rights plan, as the same may be amended from time to time. However, if, prior to any conversion of Notes, the rights have separated from the shares of Common Stock in accordance with the provisions of the applicable stockholder rights plan, the Conversion Rate shall be adjusted at the time of separation as if the Company distributed to all or substantially all holders of the Common Stock Distributed Property as provided in Section 14.04(c), subject to readjustment in the event of the expiration, termination or redemption of such rights.
