The Acquisition At the Closing (as defined below), each Stockholder shall sell to Group 1 and Group 1 shall purchase from each Stockholder that number of shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share of the Company ("Company Common Stock") as set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II hereto in exchange for that number of shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share of Group 1 ("Group 1 Common Stock") set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II hereto (as may be appropriately adjusted for stock splits, reverse stock splits and/or stock dividends). In the event that the Board of Directors of Group 1 approves a reverse stock split upon the recommendation of the Representatives of the Underwriters in connection with the IPO, the number of shares of Group 1 Common Stock to be received by the shareholders of the Founding Companies shall be decreased proportionately as a result of the reverse stock split; provided, however, that in the event that the number of shares of Group 1 Common Stock resulting from the reverse stock split recommended by the Representatives of the Underwriters is less than the number of shares resulting from a 4.444 for 5 reverse stock split, a 4.444 for 5 reverse stock split shall be implemented and the number of shares of Group 1 Common Stock resulting from such 4.444 for 5 reverse stock split to be received by the shareholders of the Founding Companies shall be further decreased proportionately to the number of shares that would have been issued to the shareholders of the Founding Companies had the reverse stock split recommended by the Representatives of the Underwriters been implemented. If the number of shares of Group 1 Common Stock received by a Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement includes a fractional share as a result of a reverse stock split affecting the Group 1 Common Stock, such fractional share shall be rounded up to the nearest whole share of Group 1 Common Stock.
COVENANTS OF THE ACQUIRING FUND AND THE ACQUIRED FUND 5.1 The Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund each will operate its business in the ordinary course between the date hereof and the Closing Date, it being understood that such ordinary course of business will include customary dividends and distributions.
5.2 The Trust will call a meeting of the Acquired Fund Shareholders to consider and act upon this Agreement and to take all other action necessary to obtain approval of the transactions contemplated herein.
5.3 Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund will each take, or cause to be taken, all action, and do or cause to be done, all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
5.4 As promptly as practicable, but in any case within sixty days after the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall furnish the Acquiring Fund, in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund, a statement of the earnings and profits of the Acquired Fund for federal income tax purposes which will be carried over to the Acquiring Fund as a result of Section 381 of the Code and which will be certified by the Trust's President and its Treasurer.
5.5 The Acquired Fund will provide the Acquiring Fund with information reasonably necessary for the preparation of the Prospectus/Proxy Statement, referred to in paragraph 4.1(o), all to be included in a Registration Statement on Form N-14 of the Acquiring Fund (the "Registration Statement"), in compliance with the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the 1940 Act in connection with the meeting of the Acquired Fund Shareholders to consider approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein.
5.6 The Acquiring Fund agrees to use all reasonable efforts to obtain the approvals and authorizations required by the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act as it may deem appropriate in order to continue its operations after the Closing Date.
5.7 Prior to the Valuation Date, the Acquired Fund shall have declared a dividend or dividends, with a record date and ex-dividend date prior to the Valuation Date, which, together with all previous dividends, shall have the effect of distributing to its shareholders all of its investment company taxable income, if any, plus the excess of its interest income, if any, excludable from gross income under Section 103(a) of the Code over its deductions disallowed under Sections 265 and 171(a)(2) of the Code for the taxable periods or years ended on or before December 31, 1996 and for the period from said date to and including the Closing Date (computed without regard to any deduction for dividends paid), and all of its net capital gain, if any, realized in taxable periods or years ended on or before December 31, 1996 and in the period from said date to and including the Closing Date.
REPRESENTATIONS OF THE ACQUIRING FUND The Corporation, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, represents and warrants to the Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, as follows:
a) The Acquiring Fund is a legally designated, separate series of a corporation, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland.
b) The Corporation is registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and the Trust's registration with the Commission as an investment company under the 1940 Act is in full force and effect.
c) The current prospectus and statement of additional information of the Acquiring Fund conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and do not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated or necessary to make such statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
d) The Acquiring Fund is not, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not, result in a violation of the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws or of any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, or other undertaking to which the Acquiring Fund is a party or by which it is bound. e) Except as otherwise disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquired Fund, no litigation, administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or to its knowledge threatened against the Acquiring Fund or any of its properties or assets, which, if adversely determined, would materially and adversely affect its financial condition, the conduct of its business or the ability of the Acquiring Fund to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Acquiring Fund knows of no facts that might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings and it is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree, or judgment of any court or governmental body that materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transaction contemplated herein. f) The financial statements of the Acquiring Fund as of April 30, 2003 and for the fiscal year then ended have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and such statements (copies of which have been furnished to the Acquired Funds) fairly reflect the financial condition of the Acquiring Fund as of such date, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Acquiring Fund as of such date that are not disclosed in such statements. g) The unaudited financial statements of the Acquiring Fund as of October 31, 2003, and for the fiscal year then ended have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and such statements (copies of which have been furnished to the Acquired Fund) fairly reflect the financial condition of the Acquiring Fund as of such date, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Acquiring Fund as of such date that are not disclosed in such statements. h) Since the date of the financial statements referred to in paragraph (g) above, there have been no material adverse changes in the Acquiring Fund's financial condition, assets, liabilities or business (other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business), or any incurrence by the Acquiring Fund of indebtedness maturing more than one year from the date such indebtedness was incurred, except as otherwise disclosed to and accepted by the Acquired Fund. For the purposes of this paragraph (h), a decline in the net asset value of the Acquiring Fund shall not constitute a material adverse change. i) All federal and other tax returns and reports of the Acquiring Fund required by law to be filed, have been filed. All federal and other taxes shown due on such returns and reports have been paid or provision shall have been made for their payment. To the best of the Acquiring Fund's knowledge, no such return is currently under audit, and no assessment has been asserted with respect to such returns.
Representations of the Acquiring Funds (a) In connection with any investment by an Acquiring Fund in an Acquired Fund in excess of the limitations in Section 12(d)(1)(A), the Acquiring Fund agrees to: (i) comply with all conditions of the Rule, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, applicable to Acquiring Funds; (ii) comply with its obligations under this Agreement; and (iii) promptly notify the Acquired Fund if such Acquiring Fund fails to comply with the Rule with respect to its investment in such Acquired Fund, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, or this Agreement.
(b) An Acquiring Fund shall promptly notify an Acquired Fund:
i. of any purchase or acquisition of shares in an Acquired Fund that causes such Acquiring Fund to hold 3% or more of such Acquired Fund’s total outstanding voting securities;
ii. of any purchase or acquisition of shares in an Acquired Fund that causes such Acquiring Fund to hold 5% or more of such Acquired Fund’s total outstanding voting securities;
iii. where an Acquiring Fund and its Advisory Group (as defined in the Rule), individually or in the aggregate, hold more than 25% of such Acquired Fund’s total outstanding voting securities; and
iv. if at any time an Acquiring Fund no longer holds voting securities of an Acquired Fund in excess of an amount noted in (i), (ii), or (iii) above.
(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Acquiring Fund that has an “affiliated person” (as defined under the 1940 Act) that is: (i) a broker-dealer, (ii) a broker-dealer or bank that borrows as part of a securities lending program, or (iii) a futures commission merchant or a swap dealer, will: (a) not make an investment in an Acquired Fund that causes such Acquiring Fund to hold 5% or more of such Acquired Fund’s total outstanding voting securities without prior approval from the Acquired Fund, and (b) notify the Acquired Fund if any investment by the Acquiring Fund that complied with (a) at the time of purchase no longer complies.
(d) The requirements set forth in Sections 3(b)(i), 3(b)(ii), and 3(c) shall not apply where the Acquiring Fund’s full portfolio is sub-advised by any affiliate of BlackRock, Inc.
(e) An Acquiring Fund shall provide an Acquired Fund with information regarding the amount of such Acquiring Fund’s investments in the Acquired Fund, and information regarding affiliates of the Acquiring Fund, upon the Acquired Fund’s reasonable request.
(f) Each Acquiring Fund acknowledges that it may not rely on this Agreement to invest in the Ineligible Funds (as defined in Schedule B) and that the Enumerated Funds are subject to certain additional conditions described on the list of Ineligible Funds and Enumerated Funds (the “12d1-4 List”). Each Acquiring Fund acknowledges that the 12d1-4 List is available as described in Schedule B, and further acknowledges that it is an Acquiring Fund’s obligation to review the 12d1-4 List on an ongoing basis for any changes which may occur from time to time.
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).
Representations of the Acquired Funds In connection with any investment by an Acquiring Fund in an Acquired Fund in excess of the limitations in Section 12(d)(1)(A), the Acquired Fund agrees to: (i) comply with all conditions of the Rule, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, applicable to Acquired Funds; (ii) comply with its obligations under this Agreement; and (iii) promptly notify the Acquiring Fund if such Acquired Fund fails to comply with the Rule with respect to an investment by the Acquiring Fund, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, or this Agreement.
Acquisition For the purpose of this Warrant, “Acquisition” means any transaction or series of related transactions involving: (i) the sale, lease, exclusive license, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (ii) any merger or consolidation of the Company into or with another person or entity (other than a merger or consolidation effected exclusively to change the Company’s domicile), or any other corporate reorganization, in which the stockholders of the Company in their capacity as such immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or reorganization, own less than a majority of the Company’s (or the surviving or successor entity’s) outstanding voting power immediately after such merger, consolidation or reorganization (or, if such Company stockholders beneficially own a majority of the outstanding voting power of the surviving or successor entity as of immediately after such merger, consolidation or reorganization, such surviving or successor entity is not the Company); or (iii) any sale or other transfer by the stockholders of the Company of shares representing at least a majority of the Company’s then-total outstanding combined voting power.
Merger Agreement The term "Merger Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the preface.
Failure to Consummate a Business Combination; Trust Account Waiver (a) The Sponsor and each Insider hereby agree, with respect to itself, herself or himself, that in the event that the Company fails to consummate its initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter, the Sponsor and each Insider shall take all reasonable steps to cause the Company to (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously release to the Company to pay income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining shareholders and the Board, liquidate and dissolve, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and in all cases subject to the other requirements of applicable law. The Sponsor and each Insider agree not to propose any amendment to the Charter (i) that would modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to provide holders of the Public Shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with an initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if the Company does not complete an initial Business Combination within the required time period set forth in the Charter or (ii) with respect to any provision relating to the rights of holders of Public Shares unless the Company provides its Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay taxes, if any, divided by the number of then-outstanding Public Shares.
(b) The Sponsor and each Insider, with respect to itself, herself or himself, acknowledges that it, she or he has no right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or any other asset of the Company as a result of any liquidation of the Company with respect to the Founder Shares held by it, her or him, if any. The Sponsor and each of the Insiders hereby further waive, with respect to any Founder Shares and Public Shares held by it, her or him, as applicable, any redemption rights it, she or he may have in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, including, without limitation, any such rights available in the context of a shareholder vote to approve such Business Combination or a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Charter (i) that would modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to provide holders of the Public Shares the right to have their shares redeemed in connection with an initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter or (ii) with respect to any provision relating to the rights of holders of Public Shares (although the Sponsor and the Insiders shall be entitled to liquidation rights with respect to any Public Shares they hold if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within the required time period set forth in the Charter).
Shareholder Transactions (i) Process shareholder purchase and redemption orders in accordance with conditions set forth in the Trust's prospectus.
(ii) Set up account information, including address, dividend option, taxpayer identification numbers and wire instructions.
(iii) Issue confirmations in compliance with Rule 10b-10 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act").
(iv) Issue periodic statements for shareholders.
(v) Process transfers and exchanges.
(vi) Act as a service agent and process dividend payments, including the purchase of new shares, through dividend reimbursement.
(vii) Record the issuance of shares and maintain pursuant to Rule 17Ad-10(e) of the 1934 Act a record of the total number of shares of each Portfolio which are authorized, based upon data provided to it by the Trust, and issued and outstanding.
(viii) Perform such services as are required to comply with Rules 17a-24 and 17Ad-17 of the 1934 Act (the "Lost Shareholder Rules").
(ix) Administer and/or perform all other customary services of a transfer agent.
