Organization and Ownership of Shares of Subsidiaries; Affiliates (a) Schedule 5.4 contains (except as noted therein) complete and correct lists of (1) the Parent Guarantor’s Subsidiaries, showing, as to each Subsidiary, the name thereof, the jurisdiction of its organization, the percentage of shares of each class of its Capital Stock outstanding owned by the Parent Guarantor and each other Subsidiary and whether such Subsidiary is a Qualified Asset Guarantor or another Subsidiary Guarantor, (2) the Unconsolidated Affiliates, and (3) each Constituent Company’s directors and senior officers.
(b) All of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock of each Subsidiary shown in Schedule 5.4 as being owned by the Parent Guarantor and its Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Parent Guarantor or another Subsidiary free and clear of any Lien that is prohibited by this Agreement.
(c) Each Subsidiary (other than a Subsidiary Guarantor) is a corporation or other legal entity duly organized, validly existing and, where applicable, in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other legal entity and, where applicable, is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other than those jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each such Subsidiary has the corporate or other power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease and to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact, except where the failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) No Subsidiary is subject to any legal, regulatory, contractual or other restriction (other than the agreements listed on Schedule 5.4 and customary limitations imposed by corporate law or similar statutes) restricting the ability of such Subsidiary to pay dividends out of profits or make any other similar distributions of profits to the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries that owns outstanding shares of Capital Stock of such Subsidiary.
Securities Held by the Company Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities is required hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its affiliates (other than subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.
Waiver by the Company The Company irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest and any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any Person against any Eligible Subsidiary or any other Person.
Suits by the Corporation The Corporation shall have the right to enforce full payment of the Exercise Price of all Common Shares issued by the Warrant Agent to a Registered Warrantholder hereunder and shall be entitled to demand such payment from the Registered Warrantholder or alternatively to instruct the Warrant Agent to cancel the share certificates and amend the securities register accordingly.
No Solicitation by the Company (a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 5.4, from the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the First Effective Time and the Termination Date, the Company agrees that it shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and its and their respective directors and officers not to, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its other Representatives not to, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate or knowingly encourage or knowingly facilitate any inquiry regarding, or the making or submission of any proposal, offer or indication of intent that constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to lead to, or result in, a Company Alternative Proposal, (ii) engage in, continue or otherwise participate in any discussions or negotiations with any Person regarding a Company Alternative Proposal or any inquiry, proposal or offer that would reasonably be expected to lead to, or result in, a Company Alternative Proposal (except to notify such Person that the provisions of this Section 5.4 prohibit any such discussions or negotiations), (iii) furnish any nonpublic information relating to the Company or its Subsidiaries in connection with or for the purpose of facilitating a Company Alternative Proposal or any inquiry, proposal or offer that would reasonably be expected to lead to, or result in, a Company Alternative Proposal; (iv) recommend or enter into any other letter of intent, memorandum of understandings, agreement in principle, option agreement, acquisition agreement, merger agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement or other similar agreement with respect to a Company Alternative Proposal (except for confidentiality agreements permitted under Section 5.4(b)); or (v) approve, authorize or agree to do any of the foregoing or otherwise knowingly facilitate any effort or attempt to make a Company Alternative Proposal.
(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5.4 to the contrary, at any time prior to, but not after, obtaining the Company Stockholder Approval, if the Company receives a bona fide, unsolicited Company Alternative Proposal that did not result from the Company’s violation of this Section 5.4, the Company and its Representatives may contact the third party making such Company Alternative Proposal to clarify the terms and conditions thereof. If (i) such Company Alternative Proposal constitutes a Company Superior Proposal or (ii) the Company Board determines in good faith after consultation with outside legal and financial advisors that such Company Alternative Proposal could reasonably be expected to lead to a Company Superior Proposal, the Company may take the following actions: (A) furnish nonpublic information to the third party making such Company Alternative Proposal (including its Representatives and prospective equity and debt financing sources) in response to a request therefor, if, and only if, prior to so furnishing such information, the third party has executed a confidentiality agreement with the Company having confidentiality and use provisions that, in each case, are not less restrictive in the aggregate to such third party than the provisions in the Confidentiality Agreement are to Parent (it being understood that such confidentiality agreement need not contain any “standstill” or similar provisions or otherwise prohibit the making or amendment of any Company Alternative Proposal), provided, however, that if the third party making such Company Alternative Proposal is a known competitor of the Company, the Company shall not provide any commercially sensitive non-public information to such third party in connection with any actions permitted by this Section 5.4(b) other than in accordance with customary “clean room” or other similar procedures designed to limit the disclosure of competitively sensitive information, and (B) engage in discussions or negotiations with the third party (including its Representatives) with respect to the Company Alternative Proposal. The Company shall promptly (and in any event within 48 hours) notify Parent in writing if: (i) any inquiries, proposals or offers with respect to a Company Alternative Proposal are received by the Company or any of its Representatives or (ii) any information is requested from the Company or any of its Representatives that, to the Knowledge of the Company, has been or is reasonably likely to have been made in connection with any Company Alternative Proposal, which notice shall identify the material terms and conditions thereof (including the name of the applicable third party and, if applicable, complete copies of any written requests, proposals or offers and any other material documents, including proposed agreements). It is understood and agreed that any contacts, disclosures, discussions or negotiations permitted under this Section 5.4(b), including any public announcement that the Company or the Company Board has made any determination contemplated under this Section 5.4(b) to take or engage in any such actions, shall not constitute a Company Change of Recommendation or otherwise constitute a basis for Parent to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(ii). The Company shall keep Parent reasonably informed on a reasonably current basis of any material developments regarding any Company Alternative Proposals or any material change to the terms of any such Company Alternative Proposal and any material change to the status of any such discussions or negotiations with respect thereto.
(c) Except as set forth in this Section 5.4, the Company Board, including any committee thereof, shall not (i) withdraw, withhold, qualify or modify, or propose publicly to withdraw, withhold, qualify or modify, the Company Recommendation, (ii) fail to include the Company Recommendation in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus that is mailed by the Company to the stockholders of the Company; (iii) if any Company Alternative Proposal that is structured as a tender offer or exchange offer for the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock is commenced pursuant to Rule 14d-2 under the Exchange Act (other than by Parent or an Affiliate of Parent), fail to recommend, within ten Business Days after such commencement, against acceptance of such tender offer or exchange offer by its stockholders; (iv) approve, adopt, recommend or declare advisable any Company Alternative Proposal or publicly propose to approve, adopt or recommend, or declare advisable any Company Alternative Proposal; or (v) approve, adopt or recommend, or declare advisable or enter into, any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, acquisition agreement, merger agreement, option agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement or other agreement (other than a confidentiality agreement referred to in and entered into compliance with Section 5.4(b)) with respect to any Company Alternative Proposal (any such action set forth in the foregoing clauses (i) through (v), a “Company Change of Recommendation”). Anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement notwithstanding, prior to obtaining the Company Stockholder Approval, the Company Board may, in response to a Company Superior Proposal, (x) make a Company Change of Recommendation and/or (y) cause the Company to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(ii); provided, that the Company Board shall not be entitled to make such a Company Change of Recommendation or cause any termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(ii) (A) unless the Company shall have given Parent at least five Business Days’ written notice (a “Company Superior Proposal Notice”) advising Parent of its intention to make such a Company Change of Recommendation or terminate this Agreement, which Company Superior Proposal Notice shall include a description of the terms and conditions of the Company Superior Proposal that is the basis for the proposed action of the Company Board, the identity of the Person making the Company Superior Proposal and a copy of any proposed definitive agreement for such Company Superior Proposal, if any, and the Company shall have negotiated in good faith with Parent (to the extent Parent wishes to negotiate) to enable Parent to make such amendments to the terms of this Agreement as would permit the Company Board not to effect a Company Change of Recommendation or terminate this Agreement in connection with such Company Superior Proposal, and (B) unless, at the end of the five-Business Day period following the delivery of such Company Superior Proposal Notice (the “Company Superior Proposal Notice Period”), after taking into account any firm commitments made by Parent in writing to amend the terms of this Agreement and any other proposals or information offered by Parent during the Company Superior Proposal Notice Period, the Company Board concludes that the Company Superior Proposal giving rise to the Company Superior Proposal Notice continues to constitute a Company Superior Proposal if such amendments were to be given effect; provided, that any material modifications to the terms of the Company Superior Proposal (including any change in the amount or form of consideration) shall commence a new notice period pursuant clause (A) of three Business Days.
(d) Anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement notwithstanding, prior to obtaining the Company Stockholder Approval, but not after, the Company Board may, in response to a Company Intervening Event, make a Company Change of Recommendation if the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with the Company’s outside legal counsel, that the failure of the Company Board to take such action would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law; provided, that the Company Board shall not be entitled to make such a Company Change of Recommendation unless (i) the Company shall have given Parent at least five Business Days’ written notice (a “Company Intervening Event Notice”) advising Parent of its intention to make such a Company Change of Recommendation, which Company Intervening Event Notice shall include a description of the applicable Company Intervening Event and (ii) unless, at the end of the five-Business Day period following the delivery of such Company Intervening Event Notice (the “Company Intervening Event Notice Period”), after taking into account any firm commitments made by Parent in writing to amend the terms of this Agreement and any other proposals or information offered by Parent during the Company Intervening Event Notice Period, the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with the Company’s outside legal counsel, that the failure of the Company Board to make such Company Change of Recommendation would continue to be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law if such amendments were to be given effect.
(e) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall prohibit the Company or the Company Board or any committee thereof from (i) complying with its disclosure obligations under applicable Law or rules and policies of the NYSE, including taking and disclosing to its stockholders a position contemplated by Rule 14d-9 or Rule 14e-2(a) or Item 1012(a) of Regulation M-A under the Exchange Act (or any similar communication to stockholders) or from issuing a “stop, look and listen” statement pending disclosure of its position thereunder or (ii) making any disclosure to its stockholders if the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with the Company’s outside legal counsel, that the failure of the Company Board to make such disclosure would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties to the Company’s stockholders under applicable Law.
Termination by the Corporation If the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Corporation upon the giving of written notice of such termination to the Executive at any time within the 6 month period following a Change of Control (other than for Just Cause, Disability or Death), then the Executive shall be entitled to the following:
i. such payments on account of severance as provided for under Section 12(b) of this Agreement; and
ii. notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 12 hereof or in this Agreement, all options granted by the Corporation to the Executive shall, following the giving of any notice by the Corporation under this Section 14(a), be deemed to vest immediately and shall be exercisable by the Executive for a period of 90 days following the giving of such notice by the Corporation hereunder.
Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger From the date of this Agreement until the Merger Effective Time, except as required by this Agreement, as may be required by applicable Law or as set forth in Section 6.01 of the Company Disclosure Schedule or except with the prior written consent of Parent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned (provided that consent of Parent shall be deemed to have been given if Parent does not object within three (3) Business Days after request for such consent is actually received by Parent), the Company shall, and shall cause each of the Company Subsidiaries to, conduct its business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to preserve substantially intact the business, assets and organization of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries and to preserve the current beneficial relationships of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries with any Person with which the Company or any Company Subsidiary has material business relations (including customers, suppliers, directors, officers and key employees). Except as required by this Agreement, as may be required by applicable Law or as set forth in Section 6.01 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary shall, between the date of this Agreement and the Merger Effective Time, do any of the following without the prior written consent of Parent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned; provided, however, that consent of Parent shall be deemed to have been given if Parent does not object within three (3) Business Days after request for such consent is actually received by Parent.
(a) amend or otherwise change any provision of the Company Charter or Company Bylaws, or similar organizational or governance documents;
(b) (i) authorize for issuance, issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant or transfer or agree or commit to issue, sell, dispose of, grant or transfer any shares of any class of capital stock of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or any options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights of any kind to acquire any shares of such capital stock, or any other ownership interest, of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, other than the issuance of Company Common Shares issuable pursuant to Company Stock Awards outstanding on the date hereof, (ii) repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any securities or equity equivalents except in connection with the exercise of Company Stock Options or the vesting of Company Stock Awards, (iii) declare, set aside or pay any dividends on, or make any other actual, constructive or deemed distributions (whether in cash, shares, property or otherwise) in respect of, any shares of the Company’s capital stock or the shares of stock or other equity interests in any Company Subsidiary that is not directly or indirectly wholly owned by the Company, other than (A) dividends by any direct or indirect wholly owned Company Subsidiary to the Company or any other Company Subsidiary and (B) dividend equivalents already accrued as of the date hereof and paid with respect to Company Stock Awards outstanding on the date hereof and set forth in Section 6.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or (iv) split, combine or reclassify any shares, stock or other equity interests of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or issue or authorize the issuance of any securities in respect of, in lieu of or in substitution for shares of such shares, stock or other equity interests;
(c) merge or consolidate with any other Person or adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization of the Company or any Company Subsidiary (other than the Merger), except (i) that a Company Subsidiary may merge with another Company Subsidiary or (ii) for acquisitions (including by way of merger, consolidation, acquisition of equity interests or assets or any other business combination) by the Company or any Company Subsidiary of any Person providing for purchase price consideration (including any related amounts or promissory notes) of an amount less than Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) individually or Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000) in the aggregate;
(d) sell, lease, license, subject to a Lien (other than a Permitted Lien) or otherwise surrender, relinquish or dispose of any assets or property of the Company or any Company Subsidiary other than in the ordinary course of business, except for (i) sales of investment assets by the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (ii) transfers and pledges of assets in connection with the conduct of the insurance business, including pursuant to reinsurance, coinsurance, ceding of insurance, assumption of insurance or indemnification with respect to insurance and similar arrangements, in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (iii) sales or transfers of assets between wholly owned Company Subsidiaries, (iv) pursuant to existing written contracts or commitments as set forth in Section 6.01(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or (v) in an amount not in excess of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) in the aggregate;
(e) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or issue any debt securities or assume, guarantee or endorse, or otherwise as an accommodation become responsible for, the obligations of any person (other than a Company Subsidiary) for borrowed money, other than indebtedness for borrowed money incurred in the ordinary course of business and pursuant to any credit agreement to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party as of the date of this Agreement (which shall be deemed to include draws or standby letters of credit under the Company’s line of credit facility or other similar lines of credit);
(f) except as required by the terms of the Plans or awards made thereunder prior to the date of this Agreement, (i) increase the compensation or benefits payable to its directors, officers or employees (other than increases for employees or officers below the level of senior vice president made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), (ii) amend, change, terminate or waive any rights under any Employment Agreement or (iii) establish, adopt, enter into or amend to materially increase benefits under any collective bargaining, bonus, profit sharing, thrift, compensation, stock option, restricted stock, pension, retirement, deferred compensation, employment, loan, retention, consulting, indemnification, termination, severance or other similar plan, agreement, trust, fund, policy or arrangement with any director, officer or employee (other than with respect to (A) agreements for new hires of non-executive officers in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice that do not provide any change in control benefits and (B) each award under the Company’s Performance Incentive Plan and the Company’s Long Term Incentive Plan;
(g) pre-pay any long-term debt (which shall be deemed to include pre-payments or repayments of lines of credit facilities or other similar lines of credit or payments made in respect of any termination or settlement of any interest rate swap or other similar hedging instrument relating thereto) in an amount exceeding Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) in the aggregate for the Company and the Company Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and in accordance with the terms of such debt;
(h) except as required by Law or changes in GAAP or SAP which become effective after the date of this Agreement, materially change any of its accounting policies (whether for financial accounting or Tax purposes);
(i) authorize, or enter into any commitment for, any new material capital expenditures (such authorized or committed new material capital expenditures being referred to hereinafter as the “Capital Expenditures”) in an amount in excess of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) in the aggregate;
(j) pay, discharge, settle or satisfy any material litigation, arbitrations, proceedings, claims, liabilities or obligations other than any payment, discharge, settlement or satisfaction in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice (which includes payment of policyholders’ claims) where the amounts paid or to be paid, except in the case of policyholder claims, (i) are covered by insurance coverage maintained by the Company or (ii) are in an amount less than Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) in the aggregate;
(k) take any action that would cause any of the representations or warranties of the Company contained herein to become inaccurate in any material respect or any of the covenants of the Company to be breached in any material respect or result in the failure to be satisfied of any of the conditions set forth in Section 8.02;
(l) create or have any subsidiary of the Company other than the Company Subsidiaries as of the date of this Agreement;
(m) (A) amend, change, cancel, terminate or waive or release, in any material respect, any rights under any Company Material Contract that was required to be filed as an exhibit to the Company SEC Reports pursuant to Regulation S-K of the Securities Act or (B) enter into any new contract, agreement or arrangement that would be required to be filed as an exhibit to the Company SEC Reports pursuant to Regulation S-K of the Securities Act;
(n) (i) settle or compromise any material Tax audit, (ii) make or change any material Tax election or file any material amendment to a material Tax Return, except, in each case, as required by applicable Law, or (iii) surrender any right to claim a material refund of Taxes;
(o) enter into (i) any agreement or arrangement that would be required to be reported by the Company pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC or (ii) any agreement or arrangement with Alleghany Corporation or its Affiliates; or
(p) enter into any agreement or otherwise make a commitment to do any of the foregoing.
Securities Held by the Company, etc Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities or New Securities is required hereunder, Securities or New Securities, as applicable, held by the Company or its Affiliates (other than subsequent Holders of Securities or New Securities if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be Affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities or New Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.
Securities Held by the Company or Its Affiliates Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Securities is required hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.
Indemnification by the Corporation The Corporation shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Annex A, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder and their agents, counsel, brokers, investment advisors and employees of each of them and each underwriter of the Registrable Securities and their officers, directors, Affiliates, partners and any broker or dealer through whom such shares may be sold and each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act) such Holder or any such underwriter to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, costs of preparation and attorneys’ fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Corporation by such Holder expressly for use therein, which information was reasonably relied on by the Corporation for use therein or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto. The Corporation shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the Corporation is aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Annex A.
