Operations Prior to Closing (a) Seller agrees to operate the Property between the Execution Date and the Closing Date in the same general manner as Seller has operated the Property during the immediately preceding six (6) month period, paying all costs and expenses as they come due, and in any event prior to Closing, and maintaining all insurance coverage currently in force.
(b) Seller shall comply with all of the obligations of landlord under the Leases and all other agreements and contractual arrangements affecting the Real Property by which Seller is bound or to which the Real Property, or any of them, are subject, and which will be binding upon Buyer or a lien upon such Real Property, after the Closing.
(c) Seller shall notify Buyer promptly of Seller's receipt of any notice from any party alleging that Seller is in default of its obligations under any of the Leases or any Permit or agreement affecting the Real Property, or any portion or portions thereof.
(d) No contract for or on behalf of or affecting the Real Property shall be negotiated or entered into which cannot be terminated by Seller upon the Closing without the payment of a specific charge, cost, penalty or premium for such termination.
(e) Except with the prior written consent of Buyer, which Buyer agrees it shall not unreasonably withhold, condition or delay, Seller shall not enter into any new leases for any portion of the Real Property. Any new lease shall be on Buyer's customary form (which may vary to reflect customary negotiated revisions thereto), or such other form which is reasonably acceptable to Buyer. Further, except with the prior written consent of Buyer, which Buyer agrees it shall not unreasonably withhold, condition or delay, or as set forth above, Seller shall not amend, extend (except where required under the terms of the Lease in question), terminate (except by reason of a tenant's default), accept surrender of, or permit any assignments or subleases of, any of the Leases (except as may be required under such Lease), nor accept any rental more than one (1) month in advance (exclusive of any security deposit).
(f) Seller shall not make or permit to be made any capital improvements or additions to the Real Property, or any portion thereof, without the prior written consent of Buyer, except those made by Seller pursuant to the express requirements of this Agreement, those made by tenants pursuant to the right to do so under their Leases, or by Seller if required by applicable law or ordinance, or as required under any Lease.
(g) Seller shall timely xxxx all tenants for all rent billable under Leases, and use commercially reasonable efforts to collect any rent in arrears.
(h) Seller shall notify Buyer of any tax assessment disputes (pending or threatened) prior to Closing, and from and after the Due Diligence Expiration Date, Seller not agree to any changes in the real estate tax assessment, nor settle, withdraw or otherwise compromise any pending claims with respect to tax assessments relating to the current or any subsequent year, without Buyer's prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. If any proceedings shall result in any reduction of assessment and/or tax for the tax year in which the Closing occurs, it is agreed that the amount of tax savings or refund for such tax year, less the reasonable fees and disbursements in connection with such proceedings, shall be apportioned between the parties as of the date real estate taxes are apportioned under this Agreement. All refunds relating to any tax year prior to the Closing shall be the sole property of Seller, and all refunds relating to any year subsequent to the year in which Closing occurs shall be the sole property of Buyer. Each party agrees to promptly remit to the other any refund received by it which is the property of the other.
(i) Seller shall notify Buyer promptly of the occurrence of any of the following:
(i) Receipt of notice from any governmental or quasi-governmental agency or authority or insurance underwriter relating to the condition, use or occupancy of the Real Property, or any portion thereof;
(ii) Receipt of any notice of default from any tenant or from the holder of any lien or security interest in or encumbering the Real Property, or any portion thereof;
(iii) Notice of any actual or threatened litigation against Seller or affecting or relating to the Real Property, or any portion thereof which may materially and adversely affect the Real Property or Seller's ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and
(iv) Vacancy of any demised Property by a tenant, other than in accordance with a scheduled lease termination.
Actions Prior to Closing From the date hereof until the Closing Date, Contributor shall not take any action or fail to take any action the result of which could (1) have a material adverse effect on the Contributed Interests or the Operating Partnership’s ownership thereof, or any Material Adverse Effect on any Contributed Entity or Property after the Closing Date or (2) cause any of the representations and warranties contained in this Section 2.2 to be untrue as of the Closing Date.
Prior to Closing As used herein, “Compensation” shall mean the direct salaries and wages and other aggregate compensation paid to or accrued for the benefit of any employee together with all fringe benefits payable to or accrued for the benefit of such employee as to which the employer is responsible, including, without limitation, employer contributions under F.I.C.A., fringe benefits, annual bonuses, unemployment compensation or other employment taxes, pension fund contributions, vacation pay, sick leave, worker’s compensation, group life and accidental and health premiums, and pension or profit sharing, retirement, disability and other similar benefits. Purchaser shall be responsible for and shall pay (i) all Compensation with respect to the operations of the Property on and after the date of Closing and (ii) all Compensation which is accrued but not payable as of the Closing and for which Purchaser is credited at Closing. For these purposes, vacation benefits, sick leave, annual bonuses and related payroll expenses of Hotel Employees (the “Supplemental Employee Expenses”) as of the Closing shall be treated as accrued and subject to proration solely (A) if vested and not subject to expiration if not used or termination in the event of the employee’s departure or (B) to the extent of 70% of any such accrued Supplemental Employee Expenses subject to later vesting or expiration if not used or termination in the event of the employee’s departure. With respect to accrued bonuses for 2006, Seller’s pro-rated share at Closing shall be based upon Operator’s reasonable estimate of the bonuses to be paid to such Hotel Employees for 2006. No later than March 31, 2007, or earlier upon the mutual agreement of the parties, the parties shall adjust Seller’s pro-rated share of the bonuses paid to the Hotel Employees for 2006 based upon the actual amounts of such bonuses (as shown by such supporting documentation as may be reasonably required by either party), and Purchaser or Seller, as the case may be, shall make such additional payment or refund as shall be required by such adjustment. Purchaser acknowledges that the New HMA shall initially afford the Hotel Employees continuation of all rights under Operator’s existing Section 401(k) plans and health care plans, as previously afforded under the Current HMA.
COVENANTS PRIOR TO CLOSING 37 7.1 Access and Cooperation; Due Diligence...........................37 7.2 Conduct of Business Pending Closing.............................38 7.3
Conduct Prior to Closing 7.1 Conduct of Business by HL, the Company, Parent, and Merger Sub. During the period from the date of this Agreement and continuing until the earlier of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to its terms and the Closing (the “Interim Period”), each of HL, the Company, the Company’s Subsidiaries, Parent and Merger Sub shall, except to the extent that HL (in the case of a request by the Company) or the Company (in the case of a request by HL) shall otherwise consent in writing (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) or as set forth in Schedule 7.1 hereto or as contemplated by this Agreement, carry on its business in the usual, regular and ordinary course consistent with past practices, in substantially the same manner as heretofore conducted and in compliance with all applicable Legal Requirements (except as expressly contemplated by Schedule 7.1 hereto) and use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with past practices and policies to (i) preserve substantially intact its present business organization, (ii) keep available the services of its present key officers and employees, (iii) preserve its relationships with key customers, suppliers, distributors, licensors, licensees, and others with which it has significant business dealings. During the Interim Period, HL shall file all Certifications, registration statements, reports, schedules, forms, statements, and other documents required to be filed or furnished to the SEC (“Additional HL SEC Reports”), which Additional SEC Reports shall be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and which will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. In addition, except as required or permitted by the terms of this Agreement, the PIPE Subscription Agreements, or as set forth in Schedule 7.1 hereto, without the prior written consent of HL (in the case of a request by the Company) or the Company (in the case of a request by HL), which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, during the Interim Period, HL, the Company, the Company’s Subsidiaries, Parent, and Merger Sub shall not do any of the following:
(a) Waive any share repurchase rights, accelerate, amend or (except as specifically provided for herein) change the period of exercisability of options or restricted stock, or reprice options granted under any employee, consultant, director or other stock plans or authorize cash payments in exchange for any options granted under any of such plans;
(b) Grant any material severance or termination pay to (i) any officer or (ii) any employee, except pursuant to applicable Legal Requirements, written agreements outstanding, or Plans or policies existing on the date hereof and as previously or concurrently disclosed or made available to the other Party, or in the case of the Company and its Subsidiaries except in connection with the promotion, hiring or firing of any employee in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(c) Abandon, allow to lapse, transfer, sell, assign, or license to any Person or otherwise extend, amend or modify any material rights to any Intellectual Property or enter into grants to transfer or license to any Person future patent rights, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices;
(d) Declare, set aside or pay any dividends on or make any other distributions (whether in cash, stock, equity securities or property) in respect of any capital stock (other than any such dividend or distribution by a Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or another such Subsidiary), or split, combine or reclassify any capital stock or issue or authorize the issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in substitution for any capital stock;
(e) Purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock or other equity securities or ownership interests, except with respect to Converting Shareholders;
(f) Issue, deliver, sell, authorize, pledge or otherwise encumber, or agree to any of the foregoing with respect to, any shares of capital stock or other equity securities or ownership interests or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or other equity securities or ownership interests, or subscriptions, rights, warrants or options to acquire any shares of capital stock or other equity securities or ownership interests or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or other equity securities or other ownership interests, or enter into other agreements or commitments of any character obligating it to issue any such shares, equity securities or other ownership interests or convertible or exchangeable securities, except as contemplated by Section 8.2 hereunder;
(g) Amend its Charter Documents in any material respect, except as contemplated by Section 8.2 hereunder;
(h) Acquire or agree to acquire by merging or consolidating with, or by purchasing any equity interest in or a material portion of the assets of, or by any other manner, any business or any corporation, partnership, association, or other business organization or division thereof, or otherwise acquire or agree to acquire outside the ordinary course of business any assets which are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the business of such Party or enter into any joint ventures, strategic partnerships or alliances, or other arrangements that provide for exclusivity of territory or otherwise restrict such Party’s ability to compete or to offer or sell any products or services to other Persons. For purposes of this paragraph, “material” includes the requirement that, as a result of such transaction, financial statements of the acquired, merged, or consolidated entity be included in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus;
(i) Sell, lease, license, encumber or otherwise dispose of any properties or assets, except (A) sales in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, and (B) the sale, lease or disposition of property or assets that are not material, individually or in the aggregate, to the business of such Party (measured with all of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole);
(j) Except incurrences of indebtedness under the Company’s existing credit facilities (and, in the case of the Company and its Subsidiaries, extensions of credit in the ordinary course with employees and among the Company and its Subsidiaries), incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such indebtedness of another Person or Persons (other than Affiliates), issue or sell any debt securities or options, warrants, calls or other rights to acquire any debt securities, enter into any “keep well” or other agreement to maintain any financial statement condition or enter into any arrangement having the economic effect of any of the foregoing;
(k) Except as contemplated by Section 8.15 hereunder, or as otherwise required by applicable Legal Requirements or pursuant to an existing Plan, policy or Company Contract, (i) adopt or materially amend any Plan (including any Plan that provides for severance), or enter into any employment contract or collective bargaining agreement (other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), (ii) pay any special bonus or special remuneration to any director or employee, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, or (iii) materially increase the salaries or wage rates or fringe benefits (including rights to severance or indemnification) of its directors, officers, employees or consultants, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices;
(l) (i) Pay, discharge, settle or satisfy any material claims, liabilities or obligations (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted, contingent or otherwise), or litigation (whether or not commenced prior to the date of this Agreement) other than the payment, discharge, settlement or satisfaction of any claims, liabilities or obligations in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices or in accordance with their terms, or recognized or disclosed in the most recent Company Financial Statements or in the HL SEC Reports, as applicable, or incurred since the date of such financial statements, (ii) settle any material litigation where the consideration given by the Party is other than monetary or to which an officer, director or employee of such Person is a party in his or her capacity as such, or (iii) waive the benefits of, agree to modify in any material manner, terminate, release any Person from or knowingly fail to enforce any material confidentiality or similar agreement to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or of which the Company any of its Subsidiaries is a beneficiary (other than with customers and other counterparties in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices) or to which HL is a party or of which HL is a beneficiary, as applicable;
(m) Except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, modify in any material respect or terminate (other than in accordance with its terms) any Company Material Contract or HL Contract, as applicable, or waive, delay the exercise of, release or assign any material rights or claims thereunder;
(n) Except as required by law, U.S. GAAP, or IFRS, revalue any of its assets in any material manner or make any material change in accounting methods, principles or practices;
(o) Except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, incur or enter into any agreement, contract or commitment requiring such Party to pay in excess of $1,000,000 in any 12-month period;
(p) Make or rescind any Tax elections that, individually or in the aggregate, would be reasonably likely to adversely affect the Tax liability or Tax attributes of such Party, settle or compromise any income Tax liability outside the ordinary course of business or, except as required by applicable Legal Requirements, change any method of accounting for Tax purposes or prepare or file any Return in a manner inconsistent with past practice;
(q) Form or establish any subsidiary except in the ordinary course of business consistent with prior practice or as contemplated by this Agreement;
(r) Permit any Person to exercise any of its discretionary rights under any Plan to provide for the automatic acceleration of any outstanding options, the termination of any outstanding repurchase rights or the termination of any cancellation rights issued pursuant to such Plans;
(s) Make capital expenditures in excess of $500,000;
(t) Enter into any material transaction with or distribute or advance any assets or property to any of its officers, directors, partners, shareholders, managers, members or other Affiliates other than (i) the payment of salary and benefits and the advancement of expenses in the ordinary course of business consistent with prior practice or (ii) such distributions or advancements by a Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or another such Subsidiary; or
(u) Agree in writing or otherwise agree or commit to take any of the actions described in Section 7.1(a) through (t) above. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of Sections 7.1(d), (f), and (g) as set forth above, HL hereby consents to the Company’s adoption of its Amended and Restated Articles of Association, the creation of the Company Class A Shares thereunder, and the issuance of an aggregate of 100 Company Class A Shares to certain Company Shareholders, and waives any noncompliance with such Sections. Nothing in this Section 7.1 shall prohibit a Party from taking any action or omitting to take any action as required by this Agreement.
Conduct Prior to the Closing Antisense and Biophan covenant and agree that, after the date hereof and prior to the Closing (unless ITI shall otherwise approve in writing, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld):
(a) Antisense will not declare, set aside or pay any dividends or distributions payable in cash, stock or property, in respect of its capital stock;
(b) Antisense will not amend, nor will Biophan cause the amendment of the Antisense Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws;
(c) Antisense and Biophan will comply with all requirements which federal or state law may impose on it with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, and will promptly cooperate with and furnish written information to ITI in connection with any such requirements imposed upon the parties hereto in connection therewith;
(d) Except within the regular course of business, Antisense will not incur any indebtedness for money borrowed, issue or sell any debt securities, incur or suffer to be incurred any liability or obligation of any nature whatsoever, cause or permit any lien, encumbrance or security interest to be created or arise on or in any of its properties or assets, acquire or dispose of fixed assets, change employment terms, enter into any material or long-term contract, guarantee obligations of any third party, settle or discharge any balance sheet receivable for less than its stated amount or enter into any other transaction, except to comply with the terms of this Agreement; and
(e) Antisense and Biophan shall grant to ITI and its counsel, accountants and other representatives, full access during normal business hours during the period prior to the Closing to all Antisense's respective properties, books, contracts, commitments and records and, during such period, furnish promptly to ITI and such representatives all information relating to Antisense as ITI may reasonably request, and shall extend to ITI the opportunity to meet with Antisense's accountants and attorneys to discuss the financial condition of Antisense.
Transfers prior to Detachment Prior to the Detachment Date, the Public Warrants may be transferred or exchanged only together with the Unit in which such Warrant is included, and only for the purpose of effecting, or in conjunction with, a transfer or exchange of such Unit. Furthermore, each transfer of a Unit on the register relating to such Units shall operate also to transfer the Warrants included in such Unit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 5.7 shall have no effect on any transfer of Warrants on or after the Detachment Date.
Termination Prior to Closing Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties will be relieved of the obligation to consummate the Closing and purchase or sell the Assets:
(a) By the mutual written consent of the Buyer and the Seller;
(b) By the Seller in writing, without liability, if the Buyer (i) fails to perform in any material respect its agreements contained herein required to be performed by it on or prior to the Closing Date, or (ii) materially breaches any of its representations, warranties or covenants contained herein, which in either case is not cured within ten (10) days after the Seller has notified the Buyer of its intent to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this subparagraph;
(c) By the Buyer in writing, without liability, if the Seller (i) fails to perform in any material respect its agreements contained herein required to be performed by them on or prior to the Closing Date, or (ii) materially breaches any of its representations, warranties or covenants contained herein, which in either case is not cured within ten (10) days after the Buyer has notified the Seller of its intent to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this subparagraph;
(d) Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, by either the Seller or the Buyer in writing, without liability, if there is issued any order, writ, injunction or decree of any court or governmental or regulatory agency binding on the Buyer or the Seller which prohibits or materially restrains the Buyer or the Seller from consummating the transactions contemplated hereby; provided that the Buyer and the Seller have used their reasonable, good faith efforts to have any such order, writ, injunction or decree lifted and the same has not been lifted within sixty (60) days after entry, by any such court or governmental or regulatory agency;
(e) By the Buyer in writing, without liability, if Buyer elects to terminate pursuant to Section 6.1 or Section 6.2 hereof;
(f) By either the Seller or the Buyer in writing, without liability, if for any reason the Closing has not occurred by March 31, 1999 other than as a result of the breach of this Agreement by the party attempting to terminate this Agreement;
(g) By Seller in writing, without liability, upon a "Change of Control" of Buyer (for purposes of this Agreement, a "Change of Control" means (i) the acquisition by any individual, corporation, company, association, joint venture or other entity, of beneficial ownership of 25% or more of the voting securities of the Buyer; or (ii) individuals who, as of the date of this Agreement, constitute the Board of Directors of the Buyer cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the Buyer; or (iii) the consummation by the Buyer of a reorganization, merger or consolidation, or exchange of shares or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Buyer, if immediately after giving effect to such transaction the individuals or entities who beneficially own voting securities immediately prior to such transaction beneficially own
Operations Prior to the Closing Date (a) From the ------------------------------------ date hereof through the Closing Date, Parent shall cause the Companies to operate and carry on the Business in the ordinary course in accordance with past practice and in compliance with all applicable Requirements of Law, including Environmental Laws. Consistent with the foregoing, Parent shall cause each of the Companies to use its reasonable efforts consistent with good business practice to (i) maintain the business organization of the Companies intact, (ii) keep available the services of any key employees of the Companies and (iii) preserve the goodwill and beneficial relationships of the suppliers, contractors, licensors, employees, customers, distributors and others having business relations with the Companies.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 7.4(a), except as set forth in Schedule -------------- -------- 7.4, except as contemplated by this Agreement or except with the express written --- approval of Buyer (which, in the case of clauses (ii), (iii), (vi), (ix), (x) and (xviii), Buyer agrees shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), Parent shall cause each of the Companies not to:
(i) make any material change in the Business or its operations, except such changes as may be required to comply with any applicable Requirements of Law;
(ii) make any capital expenditure or enter into any contract or commitment therefor, other than in the ordinary course of the Business, which is in excess of $50,000;
(iii) other than in the ordinary course of the Business, enter into any contract, agreement, undertaking or commitment which would have been required to be set forth in Schedule 5.14(a) or 5.14(b) if in effect on the ---------------- ------- date hereof or amend any Business Agreement in any material respect;
(iv) enter into any contract that contains a "change of control" provision that would give the other party a right to terminate such contract upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or under which the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby would constitute a default;
(v) enter into any contract for the purchase of real property or exercise any option to extend a lease listed in Schedule 5.9; ------------
(vi) sell, lease (as lessor), transfer or otherwise dispose of (including any transfers to any of its Affiliates), or mortgage or pledge, or impose or suffer to be imposed any Encumbrance on, any of its properties, rights or assets, other than inventory and minor amounts of personal property sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of the Business consistent with past practice and other than Permitted Encumbrances;
(vii) cancel any debts owed to or claims held by it or pay, settle or discharge any claims/litigation, proceedings, actions or liabilities, other than in the ordinary course of the Business consistent with past practice;
(viii) create, incur or assume, or agree to create, incur or assume, any Indebtedness for Borrowed Money (other than money borrowed or advances from any of its Affiliates in the ordinary course of the Business consistent with past practice) or enter into, as lessee, any capitalized lease obligations (as defined in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 13);
(ix) accelerate or delay collection of any notes or accounts receivable in advance of or beyond their regular due dates or the dates when the same would have been collected in the ordinary course of the Business consistent with past practice;
(x) delay or accelerate payment of any account payable or other liability beyond or in advance of its due date or the date when such liability would have been paid in the ordinary course of the Business consistent with past practice;
(xi) make, or agree to make, any distribution of assets (other than cash) to Parent or any of its Affiliates;
(xii) institute any increase in any benefit provided, or loan or advance any money or property, to any present or former director, officer, consultant or employee of any of the Companies, other than in the ordinary course of the Business consistent with past practice or as required by any Company Plan, Parent Plan or Requirements of Law;
(xiii) make any material change in the compensation of its employees, other than changes made in accordance with normal compensation practices of the Companies or pursuant to existing contractual commitments and consistent with past compensation practices, or grant any severance or termination pay to any of its employees or amend the form of retention and severance agreement contained in Schedule 7.4; ------------
(xiv) establish, adopt, enter into, amend or terminate any Company Plan, or any plan, agreement, program, policy, trust, fund or other arrangement that would be a Company Plan if it were in existence on the date hereof, other than in the ordinary course of the Business consistent with past practice or as required by any Company Plan, Parent Plan or Requirement of Law;
(xv) make any material change in the accounting policies applied in the preparation of the Interim Financial Statements, unless such change is required by GAAP;
(xvi) make any change in its charter, by-laws or other organizational document or issue any capital stock (or securities exchangeable, convertible or exercisable for capital stock);
(xvii) split, combine or reclassify any shares of its capital stock or partnership or membership interests or declare, set aside or pay any dividends or make any other distributions (whether in cash, stock or other property) in respect of such shares or interests, except for cash dividends and distributions payable by a Conveyed Companies Subsidiary to any of the Companies, Parent or Affiliates of Parent;
(xviii) except as required by law, and except in cases where doing so would not have a material adverse consequence to Buyer Group Members with respect to taxable years or periods beginning after the Closing Date or, with respect to any Straddle Period, the portion of such Straddle Period beginning after the Closing Date, file any Tax Return in a manner inconsistent with past practice or take any position, make any election, or adopt any method that is inconsistent with positions taken, elections made or methods used in prior periods in filing Tax Returns (including any such position, election or method which would have the effect of deferring income to periods for which Buyer is liable or accelerating deductions to periods for which Parent is liable);
(xix) amend any Tax Returns or settle or compromise any proceeding relating to Tax liabilities of any Company, in either case if doing so would, or would reasonably be expected to, materially adversely affect any Buyer Group Member with respect to taxable years or periods beginning after the Closing Date or, with respect to any Straddle Period, the portion of such Straddle Period beginning after the Closing Date;
(xx) enter into or amend any aviation, manufacturing or transportation customer contract, other than new contracts with existing customers and amendments to existing contracts, in each case, where the terms of such new contract or amendment are not materially less favorable to the Companies than existing contracts with such customers;
(xxi) enter into any joint venture, partnership or similar arrangement or acquire or agree to acquire by merging or consolidating with, or by purchasing a substantial portion of the assets of, or by any other manner, any business or any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture association or other business organization or division thereof;
(xxii) merge or consolidate with or into any other Person or dissolve or liquidate; or
(xxiii) authorize, commit or agree, whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of the foregoing.
Prior to the Closing the Buyer shall provide to Seller a list of those employees of the Company whose employment Buyer intends to terminate after the Closing (the "Identified Employees") and Seller shall cause the Company prior to the Closing to show on its Financial Statements and the Preliminary Closing Balance Sheet, a liability equal to the amount that the Identified Employees would be eligible to receive under Company's severance pay plan and any pay-in-lieu-of-vacation arrangement offered by the Company and all employment taxes thereon computed as if the Company had terminated such employees' employment at Closing. As to such Identified Employees, Seller shall have the sole option to determine if the Identified Employees shall continue to be employed by Seller or its Affiliates or be transferred to other divisions or facilities of the Seller or its Affiliates. Buyer shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to retain as many of the Company employees as is feasible. Buyer shall treat all service completed by an employee with the Company or any Affiliate thereof, and any predecessor thereto, the same as service completed with Buyer for all purposes, including waiting periods relating to preexisting conditions under medical plans, vacations, severance pay, eligibility to participate in, vesting or payment of benefits under, and eligibility for early retirement or any subsidized benefit provided for under, any employee benefit plan (including, but not limited to, any "employee benefit plan" as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) maintained by Buyer on or after the Closing Date, except for purposes of computing benefits under the actual benefit formula in a defined benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(35) of ERISA). Prior to the Closing, Seller shall furnish Buyer with a list of the length of service with the Company or its Affiliates, or any predecessor thereof, for each of the Employees. For purposes of computing deductible amounts (or like adjustments or limitations on coverage) under any employee welfare benefit plan (including, without limitation, any "employee welfare benefit plan" as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA), expenses and claims previously recognized for similar purposes under the applicable welfare benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate shall be credited or recognized under the comparable plan maintained after the Closing Date by Buyer. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Buyer shall not be required to permit the employees of the Company to participate in the Buyer's 401(k) plan prior to the first day of the first calendar quarter commencing after the Closing Date.
