Treatment of Stock Options At the Effective Time, with respect to each outstanding option to purchase Shares (a “Company Option”) under the Company Stock Plans, whether vested or unvested, (x) if the exercise price of such Company Option is equal to or greater than the Cash Election Consideration, such Company Option shall terminate and be cancelled as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, without any consideration being payable in respect thereof, and have no further force or effect, and (y) if the exercise price of such Company Option is less than the Cash Election Consideration, thirty percent (30%) of such Company Options held by each holder thereof (rounded to the nearest whole share), other than any Company Option that is not held by a Company Employee and any Company Option held by a non-employee Director, shall be deemed to be “Rollover Options” and the remaining Company Options (other than Company Options cancelled pursuant to clause (x) above) shall be deemed to be “Cash-Out Options”. At the Effective Time, automatically and without any required action on the part of the holder thereof:
(i) each such Cash-Out Option shall terminate and be cancelled as of immediately prior to the Effective Time in exchange for the right to receive, in accordance with this Section 4.6(a), a lump sum cash payment in the amount equal to (i) the number of Shares subject to the Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, multiplied by (ii) the excess, if any, of the dollar value of the Cash Election Consideration (the “Cash Award Consideration”), over the applicable exercise price (the “Option Payment”). The Option Payment (if any) payable under this Section 4.6(a) to each former holder of a Company Option that was outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be paid through the Surviving Company’s payroll to such former holder as soon as practicable following the Effective Time (but in any event not later than ten (10) Business Days thereafter), net of any Taxes withheld pursuant to Section 4.2(h); and
(ii) each Rollover Option shall be assumed and converted automatically into a fully-vested option (an “Adjusted Stock Option”) to purchase, on substantially the same terms and conditions (other than vesting) as were applicable under such Rollover Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, the number of shares of Series C Common Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole number of shares) equal to the product of (A) the number of Shares subject to such Rollover Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, multiplied by (B) the Option Exchange Ratio, which Adjusted Stock Option shall have an exercise price per share of Series C Common Stock equal to the quotient (rounded up to the nearest whole cent) obtained by dividing (x) the exercise price per Share subject to such Rollover Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, by (y) the Option Exchange Ratio. The “Option Exchange Ratio” shall equal the quotient (rounded to four decimal places) obtained by dividing (i) the weighted average price of the Class A Shares on the NASDAQ on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of the Effective Time by (ii) the Average Parent Stock Price.
Treatment of Taxes Except as otherwise provided in the Loan Agreement, the proceeds of the Loan may be withdrawn to pay for taxes levied by, or in the territory of, the Borrower or the Guarantor on the goods or services to be financed under the Loan, or on their importation, manufacture, procurement or supply. Financing of such taxes is subject to the Bank’s policy of requiring economy and efficiency in the use of the proceeds of its loans. To that end, if the Bank shall at any time determine that the amount of any taxes levied on or in respect of any item to be financed out of the proceeds of the Loan is excessive or otherwise unreasonable, the Bank may, by notice to the Borrower, adjust the percentage for withdrawal set forth or referred to in respect of such item in the Loan Agreement as required to be consistent with such policy of the Bank.”
(b) Section 6.03 (c) of the General Conditions is amended by replacing the words “corrupt or fraudulent” with the words “corrupt, fraudulent, collusive or coercive”.
Section 1.02. Unless the context otherwise requires, the several terms defined in the General Conditions and in the Preamble to this Agreement have the respective meanings therein set forth and the following additional terms have the following meanings:
Treatment of Options (a) Upon and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, immediately prior to the Effective Time, each option to purchase Company Common Stock then outstanding (each, a “Company Option”) to the extent then exercisable (after giving effect to any acceleration resulting from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement), at an exercise price per share less than the Merger Consideration (each such Company Option, a “Cashed Out Option”), shall entitle the holder thereof to receive from Parent as soon as practicable following the Effective Time, an amount in cash, without interest, equal to the product of (x) the total number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Option multiplied by (y) the excess of the amount of the Merger Consideration over the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock under such Company Option (with the aggregate amount of such payment rounded up to the nearest cent, less applicable taxes, if any, required by Applicable Law to be withheld by the Company or Merger Sub on behalf of such holder).
(b) Upon and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Effective Time, each Company Option other than a Cashed Out Option, granted under any Company Stock Plan and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into an option to acquire such number of shares of Parent Common Stock (a “Converted Option”) equal to the product obtained by multiplying (x) the aggregate number of shares of Company Common Stock that were issuable upon exercise of such Converted Option immediately prior to the Effective Time and (y) the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the Merger Consideration by (2) the average of the closing prices of one (1) share of Parent Common Stock, as quoted on NASDAQ for the ten (10) consecutive trading days immediately preceding the Closing Date (the “Exchange Ratio”), rounded down to the nearest whole number of shares of Parent Common Stock. The terms and conditions of the Converted Option, including the vesting schedule thereof (except to the extent otherwise provided in any agreement between the Company and the holder of such Converted Option), shall otherwise remain the same as the terms and conditions of the Company Option, except that the exercise price per share of each Converted Option shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the exercise price per share of such Converted Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the Exchange Ratio, rounded up to the nearest whole cent.
(c) On the Closing Date, Parent shall file a registration statement on Form S-3 or Form S-8, as the case may be (or any successor or other appropriate forms), with respect to the shares of Parent Common Stock subject to the Converted Options and shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement or registration statements (and maintain the current status of the prospectus or prospectuses contained therein) for so long as such Converted Options remain outstanding.
Payment of Taxes and Claims; Tax Consolidation The Company shall pay, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay, (a) all material taxes, assessments and other governmental charges imposed upon it or on any of its properties or assets or in respect of any of its franchises, business, income or property before any penalty or interest accrues thereon, and (b) all claims (including, without limitation, claims for labor, services, materials and supplies) for sums which have become due and payable and which by law have or may become a Lien (other than a Lien permitted by Section 7.03) upon any of the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s property or assets, prior to the time when any penalty or fine shall be incurred with respect thereto; provided, however, that no such taxes, assessments and governmental charges referred to in clause (a) above or claims referred to in clause (b) above (and interest, penalties or fines relating thereto) need be paid if being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently instituted and conducted and if such reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required in conformity with Agreement Accounting Principles shall have been made therefor.
Federal Income Tax Treatment of the Trust (a) For so long as the Trust has a single owner for federal income tax purposes, pursuant to Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 7701 of the Code, it will be disregarded as an entity distinct from the Certificateholder for all federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, for federal income tax purposes, the Certificateholder will be treated as (i) owning all assets owned by the Trust and (ii) having incurred all liabilities incurred by the Trust, and all transactions between the Trust and the Certificateholder will be disregarded. The parties agree that, unless otherwise required by appropriate tax authorities, the Trust will file or cause to be filed annual or other necessary returns, reports and other forms consistent with the characterization of the Trust as provided in the preceding sentence for such tax purposes.
(b) Neither the Owner Trustee nor the Certificateholder will make an election on IRS Form 8832 or otherwise to classify the Trust as an association taxable as a corporation for federal, State, or any other applicable tax purpose.
(c) In the event that the Trust has two (2) or more owners for federal income tax purposes, pursuant to Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 7701 of the Code, it will be treated as a partnership. At any such time that the Trust has two (2) or more equity owners, this Agreement will be amended, in accordance with Section 10.1 herein, and appropriate provisions will be added so as to provide for treatment of the Trust as a partnership.
(d) In the event that the Trust is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, (i) the Depositor (or if the Depositor is no longer a Certificateholder, the Majority Certificateholder) is hereby designated as the “partnership representative” under Section 6223(a) of the Code and (ii) the partnership representative will or will cause the Trust, to the extent eligible, to make the election under Section 6221(b) of the Code with respect to determinations of adjustments at the partnership level and take any other action (such as disclosures and notifications) necessary or appropriate to effectuate such election. If the election described in the preceding sentence is not available, to the extent applicable, the partnership representative will or will cause the Trust to make the election under Section 6226(a) of the Code with respect to the alternative to payment of imputed underpayment by a partnership and take any other action such as filings, disclosures and notifications necessary or appropriate to effectuate such election. The partnership representative is authorized, in its sole discretion, to make any available election with respect to the BBA Partnership Audit Rules and take any action it deems necessary or appropriate to comply with the requirements of the Code and to conduct the Trust’s affairs with respect to the BBA Partnership Audit Rules. Each Certificateholder and, if different, each beneficial owner of a Certificate, shall promptly provide the partnership representative any requested information, documentation or material to enable the partnership representative to make any of the elections described in this clause (d) and otherwise comply with the BBA Partnership Audit Rules. The provisions of this Section 2.11(d) shall survive any termination of this Agreement. In addition, should the Trust be classified as a partnership, the partnership representative, may, in its sole discretion, cause the Trust to make an election under Section 754 of the Code.
Incentive Stock Options If the Shares are held for more than twelve (12) months after the date of the transfer of the Shares pursuant to the exercise of an ISO and are disposed of more than two (2) years after the Date of Grant, any gain realized on disposition of the Shares will be treated as long term capital gain for federal and California income tax purposes. If Shares purchased under an ISO are disposed of within the applicable one (1) year or two (2) year period, any gain realized on such disposition will be treated as compensation income (taxable at ordinary income rates) to the extent of the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price.
Requirements Pertaining Only to Federal Grants and Subrecipient Agreements If this Agreement is a grant that is funded in whole or in part by Federal funds:
Certain Tax Matters (a) The parties hereto shall (and shall cause their respective affiliates to) reasonably cooperate with one another in providing information with respect to the Transactions that is reasonably requested by one another and reasonably necessary to enable the parties hereto to (i) determine the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Transactions to holders of Class A Common Stock, Founder Shares or SPAC Warrants, (ii) prepare disclosure in the Registration Statement regarding such U.S. federal income tax treatment, (iii) prepare U.S. federal income Tax Returns reporting relevant portions of the Transactions consistent with the U.S. federal income tax treatment as mutually agreed by the parties hereto and (iv) respond to requests in connection with any audits, examinations or other proceedings before the IRS relating to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of relevant portions of the Transactions. While the parties hereto do not anticipate that any opinion of counsel with respect to Tax matters will be required to be rendered in connection with the Transactions, the parties hereto agree that in no event will counsel to a party hereto be required to render an opinion regarding the Tax consequences or considerations of any person other than its client or such client’s shareholders or warrantholders immediately prior to the Transactions in their capacity as such.
(b) Any transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration, excise, recording, registration value added and other similar Taxes (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Taxes imposed under Section 4501 of the Code (as amended by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, H.R. 5376) (“Stock Buyback Tax”)) (collectively, “Transfer Taxes”) that become payable by any of the parties hereto in connection with or by reason of the execution of this Agreement and the Transactions shall be borne by the Company. The party hereto responsible for filing any necessary Tax Returns with respect to Transfer Taxes under applicable Law shall cause such Tax Returns to be filed, and if required by applicable Law, the other parties hereto shall join in the execution of any such Tax Returns.
U.S. Tax Matters (a) The Parties intend that (a) upon completion of the Continuance, the Resulting Issuer is treated as a U.S. domestic corporation under Section 7874 of the Code and (b) the Section 351 Transactions are interdependent steps in a single transaction, to which the Parties are legally committed as provided herein, and to which the Parties intend to treat as a single integrated transaction qualifying as a tax-deferred transaction within the meaning of Section 351 of the Code. Each Party hereto agrees to not take any position on any Tax Return or otherwise take any Tax reporting position inconsistent with the treatment set forth in this Section 2.15, unless otherwise required by applicable Law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Parties do not make any representation, warranty or covenant to any other Party or to their shareholders or members (and including, without limitation, holders of stock options, warrants, debt instruments or other similar rights or instruments) regarding the U.S. tax treatment of the Business Combination, including, but not limited to, whether the Section 351 Transactions will qualify as a tax-deferred transaction within the meaning of Section 351 of the Code or as tax-deferred transactions for purposes of any United States state or local income tax law.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Contemporaneous Agreements, and any other agreements or documents required or contemplated to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith, to the contrary:
(i) no Transacting Party is permitted to hire employees based in Canada unless immediately after the transactions consummated in connection with the Business Combination, the Resulting Issuer, together with all of its Subsidiaries (including each of the Transacting Parties), would have less than 25% of their employees (by number) based in Canada as determined for purposes of Section 7874 of the Code;
(ii) no Party shall knowingly take any action, cause any action to be taken, fail to take any commercially reasonable action or cause any commercially reasonable action to fail to be taken, which action or failure to act would reasonably be expected to prevent the Section 351 Transactions from qualifying as tax-deferred transactions within the meaning of Section 351 of the Code;
(iii) the number of Resulting Issuer Common Shares to be issued to the SVT Shareholders shall not exceed 15.00% of the stock of the Resulting Issuer as determined under Section 7874 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder; and
(iv) if, as a result of the adoption, implementation, promulgation, repeal, modification, amendment or change in applicable Law (including with respect to U.S. Treasury Regulations under Section 7874 of the Code) after the date hereof, upon completion of the Continuance, the Resulting Issuer would not be treated as a U.S. domestic corporation under Section 7874 of the Code, the Parties, upon unanimous agreement, shall take actions as to ensure that the Resulting Issuer is so treated.
Treatment of Company Equity Awards (i) All options to acquire shares of Company Common Stock and other awards (collectively, “Company Equity Awards”) made under the Company’s stock plans (collectively, the “Company Stock Plans”) prior to the Effective Time, which are outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, are identified in Section 4.1(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter.
(ii) In the event a Company Equity Award constitutes a grant of restricted stock and to the extent such award is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (“Company Restricted Stock Award”), such Company Restricted Stock Award shall be deemed to be fully vested as of the Effective Time, and the holder of such Company Restricted Stock Award shall receive the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Restricted Stock Award in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable Company Stock Plan, including any terms and conditions regarding any Taxes required by Applicable Law to be withheld, if any, with respect to the vesting of such Company Restricted Stock Award.
(iii) In the event a Company Equity Award constitutes a stock option grant and to the extent such award is outstanding during the 30-day period that ends immediately prior to the Effective Time (“Company Stock Option Award”), (A) such Company Stock Option Award shall be deemed to be fully vested and exercisable during such period, and (B) to the extent such Company Stock Option Award is exercised during such period, the holder of such Company Stock Option Award shall receive the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Stock Option Award (to the extent exercised) in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable Company Stock Plan, including any terms and conditions regarding the payment of the exercise price and any Taxes required by Applicable Law to be withheld, if any, with respect to the exercise of such Company Stock Option Award. To the extent any Company Stock Option Awards remain outstanding and unexercised as of the close of the 30-day period that ends immediately prior to the Effective Time, such Company Stock Option Awards (A) shall be deemed to be fully vested and exercisable and (B) shall be continued and assumed by Parent as of the Effective Time pursuant to their terms (such awards are referred to herein as the “Rollover Awards”); provided, however, that Parent Common Stock shall replace the shares of Company Common Stock subject to such awards pursuant to this Agreement and the exercise price, if any, for such awards, if any, shall be adjusted as provided pursuant to this Agreement.
(iv) The assumption of Rollover Awards shall be made pursuant to this Section 4.1(f), so that at the Effective Time, the applicable Company Stock Plans shall be assumed by Parent (with such adjustments thereto as may be required to reflect the Merger, including the substitution of Parent Common Stock for Company Common Stock thereunder) and the Rollover Awards shall be assumed and adjusted by Parent, subject to the same terms and conditions as set forth in the applicable Company Stock Plans and the applicable award agreements entered into pursuant thereto; provided, however, that for periods beginning immediately following the Effective Time, (A) each Rollover Award shall be exercisable only for that whole number of shares of Parent Common Stock equal to the product (rounded down to the nearest whole share) of the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Rollover Award immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by the Exchange Ratio, and (B) the exercise price per share of Parent Common Stock shall be an amount equal to the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock subject to such Rollover Award in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time divided by the Exchange Ratio (the price per share, as so determined, being rounded up to the nearest whole cent); provided, that in no event shall the exercise price per share be less than the par value of Parent Common Stock. For the avoidance of doubt, any exercise of a Rollover Award shall be made in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable Company Stock Plan, including any terms and conditions regarding the payment of the exercise price and any Taxes required by Applicable Law to be withheld, if any, with respect to the exercise of such Rollover Award. The adjustments provided in this paragraph with respect to any Rollover Awards shall be and are intended to be effective in a manner which is consistent with Section 424(a) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, and, to the extent applicable, Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.
(v) Except as otherwise provided herein or as set forth in Section 4.1(f)(v) of the Company Disclosure Letter, from and after the period that begins as of the date of this Agreement, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall take no action to provide for the extension of the term or exercise period with respect to any Company Equity Award (unless such extension is required under such Company Equity Awards or any applicable employment or change in control agreement pursuant any terms thereunder that are in effect as of the date of this Agreement). To the extent such extension is required under the terms of such Company Equity Awards (or any applicable employment or change in control agreement) or as set forth in Section 4.1(f)(v) of the Company Disclosure Letter, the Company shall, prior to the Effective Time, take all actions (if any) as may be required to cause such extension to occur at the Effective Time and immediately prior to any assumption of the Company Stock Plan by Parent (to the extent permitted under the terms of such Company Stock Plan as of the date of this Agreement).
(vi) Promptly following the Closing Date, Parent shall file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (or any successor form) covering the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable upon exercise or vesting of the Company Equity Awards, and shall cause such registration statement to remain effective for as long as there are outstanding any such Company Equity Awards. Except as otherwise specifically provided by this Section 4.1(f), the terms of the Company Equity Awards and the relevant Company Stock Plans, as in effect on the Effective Time, shall remain in full force and effect with respect to the Company Equity Awards after giving effect to the Merger and the assumptions by Parent as set forth above. As soon as practicable following the Effective Time, Parent shall deliver to the holders of Rollover Awards appropriate notices stating that such Rollover Awards and such agreements shall have been assumed by Parent and shall continue in effect on the same terms and conditions (subject to the adjustments required by this Section 4.1(f)).
(vii) Nothing in this Section 4.1(f) is intended to release any employee or service provider to the Company from any provisions relating to any non-competition, non-solicitation, or confidentiality provisions (or similar provisions) of any Company Equity Award and any associated damages or forfeitures (the “Equity Award Restrictive Covenants”), which shall survive the Effective Time. The Company shall take such action as may be necessary to ensure the survival of the Equity Award Restrictive Covenants and the succession of Parent to the benefits of the Equity Award Restrictive Covenants.
