STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT Between ROHM AND HAAS COMPANY and K+S AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT Dated as of April 1, 2009
Exhibit 2.1
EXECUTION
COPY
____________________
____________________
Between
ROHM AND
XXXX COMPANY
and
K+S
AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Dated as
of April 1, 2009
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION
1.01.
|
Certain
Defined Terms
|
1
|
SECTION
1.02.
|
Definitions
|
11
|
SECTION
1.03.
|
Interpretation
and Rules of Construction
|
12
|
ARTICLE
II
PURCHASE
AND SALE
SECTION
2.01.
|
Purchase
and Sale of the Shares
|
13
|
SECTION
2.02.
|
Purchase
Price; Allocation of Purchase Price
|
13
|
SECTION
2.03.
|
Closing
|
14
|
SECTION
2.04.
|
Closing
Deliveries by the Seller
|
14
|
SECTION
2.05.
|
Closing
Deliveries by the Purchaser
|
15
|
SECTION
2.06.
|
Adjustment
of the Purchase Price
|
15
|
SECTION
2.07.
|
Designated
Purchaser
|
18
|
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
OF THE
SELLER
SECTION
3.01.
|
Organization,
Authority and Qualification of the Seller
|
18
|
SECTION
3.02.
|
Organization,
Authority and Qualification of the Xxxxxx Entities; Holdco
|
19
|
SECTION
3.03.
|
Capitalization;
Ownership of Shares
|
19
|
SECTION
3.04.
|
No
Conflict
|
20
|
SECTION
3.05.
|
Governmental
Consents and Approvals
|
21
|
SECTION
3.06.
|
Financial
Information
|
21
|
SECTION
3.07.
|
Absence
of Undisclosed Material Liabilities; Indebtedness
|
22
|
SECTION
3.08.
|
Conduct
in the Ordinary Course
|
22
|
SECTION
3.09.
|
Litigation;
Governmental Orders
|
22
|
SECTION
3.10.
|
Compliance
with Laws; Permits
|
23
|
SECTION
3.11.
|
Intellectual
Property
|
23
|
SECTION
3.12.
|
Real
Property
|
24
|
SECTION
3.13.
|
Employee
Benefit Matters
|
25
|
SECTION
3.14.
|
Labor
Matters
|
27
|
SECTION
3.15.
|
Taxes
|
27
|
SECTION
3.16.
|
Material
Contracts
|
28
|
SECTION
3.17.
|
Environmental
Matters
|
30
|
SECTION
3.18.
|
Certain
Business Relationships with Affiliates
|
31 |
i
SECTION
3.19.
|
Brokers
|
31
|
SECTION
3.20.
|
Sufficiency
of Assets
|
31
|
SECTION
3.21.
|
Books
and Records
|
31
|
SECTION
3.22.
|
Insurance
|
32
|
SECTION
3.23.
|
Mines
|
32
|
SECTION
3.24.
|
Disclaimer
of the Seller
|
33
|
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
OF THE
PURCHASER
SECTION
4.01.
|
Organization
and Authority of the Purchaser
|
33
|
SECTION
4.02.
|
No
Conflict
|
34
|
SECTION
4.03.
|
Governmental
Consents and Approvals
|
34
|
SECTION
4.04.
|
Investment
Purpose
|
34
|
SECTION
4.05.
|
Financing
|
35
|
SECTION
4.06.
|
Litigation
|
35
|
SECTION
4.07.
|
Brokers
|
35
|
SECTION
4.08.
|
Seller’s
Representations
|
35
|
ARTICLE
V
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
SECTION
5.01.
|
Conduct
of Business Prior to the Closing
|
35
|
SECTION
5.02.
|
Access
to Information and Employees
|
37
|
SECTION
5.03.
|
Confidentiality
|
39
|
SECTION
5.04.
|
Regulatory
and Other Authorizations; Notices and Consents
|
39
|
SECTION
5.05.
|
Transition
Services
|
42
|
SECTION
5.06.
|
Insurance
|
42
|
SECTION
5.07.
|
Privileged
Matters
|
43
|
SECTION
5.08.
|
Further
Action
|
43
|
SECTION
5.09.
|
Intercompany
Obligations; Third Party Assurances
|
43
|
SECTION
5.10.
|
Seller
Reorganization
|
44
|
SECTION
5.11.
|
Retained
Names and Marks
|
45
|
SECTION
5.12.
|
Credit
Sensitive Debentures
|
46
|
SECTION
5.13.
|
Non-Solicitation
|
46
|
SECTION
5.14.
|
Transaction
Fees and Expenses
|
47
|
SECTION
5.15.
|
2008
Company Financial Statements
|
47
|
SECTION
5.16.
|
MII
Legal Entity Agreement
|
47
|
SECTION
5.17.
|
Canadian
Filing
|
47
|
ii
ARTICLE
VI
EMPLOYEE
MATTERS
SECTION
6.01.
|
Terms
of Employment
|
47
|
SECTION
6.02.
|
Employee
Benefits
|
48
|
SECTION
6.03.
|
Pension
Plans; 401(k) Plan
|
49
|
SECTION
6.04.
|
Collective
Bargaining Agreements
|
49
|
SECTION
6.05.
|
Transferred
Plans
|
49
|
ARTICLE
VII
TAX
MATTERS
SECTION
7.01.
|
Tax
Indemnities
|
50
|
SECTION
7.02.
|
Tax
Refunds and Tax Benefits
|
51
|
SECTION
7.03.
|
Contests
|
51
|
SECTION
7.04.
|
Preparation
of Tax Returns
|
52
|
SECTION
7.05.
|
Tax
Cooperation and Exchange of Information
|
53
|
SECTION
7.06.
|
Conveyance
Taxes
|
53
|
SECTION
7.07.
|
Tax
Covenants
|
53
|
SECTION
7.08.
|
Miscellaneous
|
54
|
ARTICLE
VIII
CONDITIONS
TO CLOSING
SECTION
8.01.
|
Conditions
to Obligations of the Seller
|
55
|
SECTION
8.02.
|
Conditions
to Obligations of the Purchaser
|
56
|
ARTICLE
IX
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION
9.01.
|
Survival
of Representations and Warranties
|
57
|
SECTION
9.02.
|
Indemnification
by the Seller
|
57
|
SECTION
9.03.
|
Indemnification
by the Purchaser
|
58
|
SECTION
9.04.
|
Limits
on Indemnification
|
58
|
SECTION
9.05.
|
Notice
of Loss; Third Party Claims
|
59
|
SECTION
9.06.
|
Remedies
|
61
|
SECTION
9.07.
|
Environmental
Matters
|
61
|
SECTION
9.08.
|
Post-Retirement
Welfare Obligations
|
65
|
SECTION
9.09.
|
Status
as Purchaser Indemnified Party
|
65
|
iii
ARTICLE
X
TERMINATION
SECTION
10.01.
|
Termination
|
65
|
SECTION
10.02.
|
Effect
of Termination
|
66
|
ARTICLE
XI
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
SECTION
11.01.
|
Expenses
|
66
|
SECTION
11.02.
|
Notices
|
67
|
SECTION
11.03.
|
Public
Announcements
|
68
|
SECTION
11.04.
|
Severability
|
68
|
SECTION
11.05.
|
Entire
Agreement
|
68
|
SECTION
11.06.
|
Assignment
|
68
|
SECTION
11.07.
|
Amendment
|
68
|
SECTION
11.08.
|
Waiver
|
69
|
SECTION
11.09.
|
No
Third Party Beneficiaries
|
69
|
SECTION
11.10.
|
Specific
Performance
|
69
|
SECTION
11.11.
|
Governing
Law
|
69
|
SECTION
11.12.
|
Waiver
of Jury Trial
|
70
|
SECTION
11.13.
|
Counterparts
|
70
|
EXHIBITS
1.01(a)
|
Form
of Closing Statement
|
1.01(b)
|
Form
of Guarantee
|
1.01(c)
|
Seller’s
Knowledge
|
2.02(b)
|
Allocation
of Purchase Price
|
5.16
|
Form
of MII Legal Entity Agreement
|
iv
STOCK
PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated as of April 1, 2009, between ROHM AND XXXX COMPANY, a
Delaware corporation (the “Seller”), and K+S
AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, a German stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft) (the
“Purchaser”).
WHEREAS,
the Seller owns, directly or indirectly, (a) all of the issued and outstanding
shares (the “Company
Shares”) of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Xxxxxx
International, Inc., an Indiana corporation (the “Company”), and (b)
all of the issued and outstanding shares (the “Holdco Shares”, and
together with the Company Shares, the “Shares”) of common
stock, par value DKK1,000.00 per share, of Rohm and Xxxx Denmark China Salt
Holdings ApS, a Denmark company (“Holdco”), formed for
the purpose of holding a 45% equity interest (the “JV Interest”) in
Xxxxxx China National Salt (Shanghai) Salt Co., Ltd., a Chinese joint venture
company (the “China
JV”); and
WHEREAS,
the Seller wishes to sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser wishes to purchase
from the Seller, the Shares, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth herein.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements and
covenants hereinafter set forth, and intending to be legally bound, the Seller
and the Purchaser hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION
1.01. Certain Defined
Terms. For
purposes of this Agreement:
“Action” means any
claim, action, demand, lawsuit, arbitration, inquiry, notice of
violation, proceeding, litigation, citation, summons, subpoena or investigation
of any nature, including civil, criminal, administrative or regulatory, whether
at law or in equity.
“Affiliate” means,
with respect to any specified Person, any other Person that directly, or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is
under common control with, such specified Person.
“Affiliated Group”
means an affiliated group within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code
or any similar group defined under similar provisions of US state or local
law.
“Agreement” or “this Agreement” means
this Stock Purchase Agreement between the parties hereto (including the Exhibits
hereto and the Disclosure Schedule) and all amendments hereto made in accordance
with the provisions of Section 11.07.
“Ancillary Agreements”
mean the Transition Services Agreement, the MII Legal Entity Agreement, the
Guarantee and the Replacement Note.
“Business” means the
Xxxxxx Entities’ business of mining, extracting, producing, transporting and
supplying Salt products serving the premium branded consumer, industrial and
highway de-icing markets primarily in the US, Bahamas, Canada and
China.
“Business Day” means
any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banks are
required or authorized by Law to be closed in The City of New York or Frankfurt,
Germany.
“Closing Working Capital”
means the Current Assets minus the Current Liabilities determined, in each case,
as of the open of business on the Closing Date.
“Code” means the US
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“Company Indebtedness”
means (i) the consolidated amount of Indebtedness of the Group and (ii) the
amount of Indebtedness, if any, of Holdco, in each case at Closing.
“Competition Act”
means Part IX of the Competition Act (Canada), as amended, and includes the
regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Confidential Information
Memorandum” means the Confidential Information Memorandum, dated March
2009, provided in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
“control” (including
the terms “controlled
by” and “under
common control with”), with respect to the relationship between or among
two or more Persons, means the possession, directly or indirectly, or as
trustee, personal representative or executor, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the affairs or management of a Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, as trustee, personal representative or executor,
by contract, credit arrangement or otherwise.
“Conveyance Taxes”
means any sales, use, transfer, conveyance, ad valorem, stamp, stamp duty,
recording or other similar tax, fee or charge imposed by any Governmental
Authority upon the sale, transfer or assignment of real, personal, tangible or
intangible property or any interest therein, or upon the recording of any such
sale, transfer or assignment, together with any interest, additions or penalties
in respect thereof.
“Credit Sensitive
Debentures” means the Company’s 9¼% Credit Sensitive Debentures due June
1, 2020, issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of June 1, 1990 (as
supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 28, 1997,
among the Company, New Xxxxxx International, Inc. and First Trust National
Association and by the Supplemental Indenture, dated July 3, 2003, among the
Company, the Seller and X.X. Xxxxxx Trust Company, National Association),
between Xxxxxx International, Inc. and Continental Bank, National Association,
as Trustee.
“Current Assets” means
the total amount of each of the line items specified as “Current Assets” in
Exhibit 1.01(a), determined, in each case, as of the open of business on the
Closing Date, with respect to the Xxxxxx Entities on a consolidated
basis.
2
“Current Liabilities”
means the total amount of each of the line items specified as “Current
Liabilities” in Exhibit 1.01(a), determined, in each case, as of the open of
business on the Closing Date, with respect to the Xxxxxx Entities on a
consolidated basis.
“Disclosure Schedule”
means the Disclosure Schedule attached hereto, dated as of the date of this
Agreement, delivered by the Seller to the Purchaser in connection with this
Agreement.
“Dow” means The Dow
Chemical Company, a Delaware corporation.
“Dow Consolidated
Group” means the consolidated group of which Dow is the
parent.
“Ecuador JV” means
Ecuatoriana de Xxx y Productos Quimicos C.A., an Ecuadorian joint venture
company.
“Ecuador II JV” means
Morfecor, C.A., an Ecuadorian joint venture company.
“Encumbrance” means
any security interest, charge, pledge, hypothecation, mortgage, lien or
encumbrance of any kind, other than any license of, option to license, or
covenant not to assert claims of infringement, misappropriation or other
violation with respect to, Intellectual Property.
“Environmental Law”
means any Law that relates to (a) pollution or the protection of the environment
(including natural resources), (b) exposure to Hazardous Material or (c) human
health.
“Environmental Permit”
means any permit, approval, registration, identification number or license that
a Xxxxxx Entity is required to possess under Environmental Law.
“Excluded Taxes” means
(i) Taxes imposed on, payable by or attributable to the income of any
Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco for a Pre-Closing Period or Code Section 481(a)
adjustment resulting from an accounting method change in a Pre-Closing Period,
(ii) with respect to any Straddle Period, Taxes imposed on, payable by or
attributable to the income of any Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco which are allocable,
pursuant to Section 7.01(b), to the portion of such period ending on the
Closing Date and (iii) without duplication, any Taxes imposed on any gain
recognized on the sale of the Company Shares hereunder (provided, however, that
Excluded Taxes shall not include Taxes (A) resulting from any act,
transaction or omission outside the ordinary course of business of the Purchaser
or any Xxxxxx Entity, any JV Entity or Holdco occurring after the Closing Date
or any act, transaction or omission occurring after Closing on the Closing Date,
or (B) that would not have been imposed but for the Purchaser’s failure to
satisfy any of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement).
“Final Closing
Statement” means the statement setting forth the Purchase Price, the
Company Indebtedness and the Closing Working Capital as agreed or determined
pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 2.06.
“GAAP” means US
generally accepted accounting principles and practices in effect from time to
time applied consistently throughout the periods involved.
3
“Governing Documents”
means the charter, organizational and other documents by which any Person (other
than an individual) establishes its legal existence or which govern its internal
affairs, and shall include: (a) in respect of a corporation, its
certificate or articles of incorporation or association and/or its by-laws; (b)
in respect of a partnership, its certificate of partnership and its partnership
agreement; and (c) in respect of a limited liability company, its certificate of
formation and operating or limited liability company agreement.
“Governmental
Authority” means any federal, national, supranational, state, provincial,
local or other government, governmental, regulatory or administrative authority,
agency or commission or any court, tribunal, or judicial or arbitral body of
competent jurisdiction.
“Governmental Order”
means any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, penalty, stipulation,
determination or award entered by or with any Governmental
Authority.
“Group” means the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries.
“Guarantee” means a
guarantee from Dow in favor of the Purchaser Indemnified Parties in the form of
Exhibit 1.01(b).
“Hazardous Material”
means (a) petroleum and petroleum products, by-products or breakdown
products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials and
polychlorinated biphenyls and (b) any other chemicals, materials or
substances defined or regulated as toxic or hazardous or as a pollutant or
contaminant under any applicable Environmental Law.
“HSR Act” means the
Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to
the Group and Holdco, each of the line items specified as “Indebtedness” in
Exhibit 1.01(a), and to the extent not included therein, without
duplication: (i) the principal of and any premium in respect of
indebtedness for borrowed money, including any accrued interest and any cost or
penalty associated with prepaying any such indebtedness, and including any such
obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or inventory financing or
similar obligations or any guarantee of the foregoing, (ii) all capitalized
lease obligations that are classified as a balance sheet liability in accordance
with GAAP, (iii) all reimbursement or similar obligations in respect of letters
of credit, bank guarantees or similar obligations, (iv) all indebtedness arising
out of overdrafts, acceptance credit or similar facilities, (v) any accrued
and unpaid purchase price obligations related to acquisitions of the capital
stock or assets of any third Person, (vi) all guaranties, endorsements,
assumptions and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness for
borrowed money of any other Person other than a Xxxxxx Entity, (vii) any Pension
Deficit Amount and (viii) any Post-Retirement Welfare Amount; provided, however, the Credit
Sensitive Debentures and any accrued and unpaid interest thereon shall not be
considered Indebtedness for purposes of this definition or the preparation of
the Initial Closing Statement or the Final Closing Statement.
“Indemnified Party”
means a Purchaser Indemnified Party or a Seller Indemnified Party, as the case
may be.
4
“Indemnifying Party”
means the Seller pursuant to Section 9.02 and the Purchaser pursuant to
Section 9.03, as the case may be.
“Initial Closing
Statement” means a statement setting forth the Purchaser’s determination
of the Purchase Price, Company Indebtedness and the Closing Working Capital
prepared in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.06.
“Intellectual
Property” means (a) patents and patent applications (including reissues,
divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, extensions and reexaminations
thereof) Registered or applied for in the United States of America (“US”) and any other
nations throughout the world, and national and multinational statutory invention
registrations, (b) trademarks, service marks, trade dress, Internet domain
names, trade names and corporate names (whether or not Registered) in the US and
any other nations throughout the world, including registrations and applications
for registration of the foregoing and any goodwill associated therewith, (c)
copyrights (whether or not Registered) and registrations and applications for
registration thereof in the US and any other nations throughout the world,
including copyrights in computer software, and (d) trade secrets.
“JV Entities” means
each of (a) the Ecuador JV, (b) the Ecuador II JV and (c) the China
JV.
“Law” means any
federal, national, supranational, state, provincial, local or administrative
statute, law, ordinance, regulation, rule, code, order, requirement or rule of
law (including common law).
“Liabilities” means
any and all debts, liabilities and obligations, whether accrued or fixed,
absolute or contingent, known or unknown, matured or unmatured, or determined or
determinable, asserted or unasserted, including those arising under any Law,
Action or Governmental Order and those arising under any contract, lease,
agreement, arrangement, commitment or undertaking (excluding liabilities with
respect to Taxes and Conveyance Taxes).
“Licensed Intellectual
Property” means all Intellectual Property licensed to a Xxxxxx Entity
pursuant to the Xxxxxx IP Agreements.
“Material Adverse
Effect” means any event, circumstance, occurrence, development, change in
or effect on (any such item, an “Effect”) any Xxxxxx
Entity that individually or, when taken together with all other Effects,
is, or would reasonably be expected to be, (A) materially adverse to the
business, assets, liabilities, results of operations or the financial condition
of the Xxxxxx Entities, taken as whole, or that (B) prevents or materially
delays the ability of the Seller to carry out its obligations under, and to
consummate the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement; provided, however, that none of
the following, either alone or in combination, shall be considered in
determining whether there has been a “Material Adverse Effect” or a breach of a
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement that is qualified by the term
“Material Adverse Effect”: (a) events, circumstances, changes or
effects that generally affect the industries or segments thereof in which the
Business operates (including legal and regulatory changes), (b) general
business, economic or political conditions (or changes therein) or events,
circumstances, changes or effects affecting the securities markets generally,
(c) changes arising from the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by, or the
5
announcement
of the execution of, or any action taken pursuant to or in furtherance of, this
Agreement or at the request of the Purchaser, including, to the extent arising
therefrom, (i) any actions of competitors, (ii) any actions taken by
or losses of employees, customers, suppliers, landlords or distributors,
(iii) any delays or cancellations of orders for products or services, or
(iv) any actions taken in connection with obtaining regulatory consents or
approvals (d) any event, circumstance, change or effect caused by acts of
terrorism or war (whether or not declared) occurring after the date of this
Agreement, (e) changes or modifications in GAAP or applicable Law or
interpretations thereof and (f) the failure by the Xxxxxx Entities to meet any
estimates, expectations, projections or budgets (but not, the underlying causes
of such failure); provided, that in the cases of
clauses (a) and (b), such Effects shall not be excluded from the definition of
“Material Adverse Effect” hereunder to the extent that such Effects,
individually or in the aggregate, have a materially disproportionate effect on
the Xxxxxx Entities, taken as a whole.
“Mine” means the mines
listed in Section 1.01(a) of the Disclosure Schedule.
“Xxxxxx Employee”
means each current or former employee or director of the Xxxxxx
Entities.
“Xxxxxx Entities”
means each of the Company and the Subsidiaries, but not including JV
Entities.
“Xxxxxx Intellectual
Property” means the Owned Intellectual Property and the Licensed
Intellectual Property.
“Xxxxxx IP Agreements”
means licenses of Intellectual Property (a) from any Xxxxxx Entity to a third
party, excluding licenses to customers and end users granted in the ordinary
course of business, and (b) to any Xxxxxx Entity from a third party, excluding
“shrink-wrap” and “click-wrap” licenses and licenses of generally commercially
available software.
“Neutral Accountant” means KPMG
LLP.
“Non-Business Assets”
means any asset of any Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco (other than any JV entity) as at
Closing that is not used in the conduct of the Business.
“Non-Business
Liability” means (A) (i) any Liability of any Xxxxxx Entity or
Holdco at Closing to the extent it does not relate to the Business and
(ii) any Liability arising from (i) above in each case other than any
Pre-Closing Environmental Liability and (B) any such Liability (in (A) above)
transferred to, assumed by or imposed upon any Purchaser Reorganization
Transferee.
“Objection Deadline
Date” means the date 30 days after delivery by the Purchaser to the
Seller of the Initial Closing Statement.
“Owned Intellectual
Property” means all Intellectual Property owned by a Xxxxxx
Entity.
6
“Pension Deficit
Amount” means: (a) the difference between the projected benefit
obligation as defined by SFAS No. 87 under the Pension Plan for the Xxxxxx
Bahamas Limited Employees as of the Closing Date, determined using the
assumptions used in the 12/31/2008 year-end SFAS No. 158 plan disclosures for
the Pension Plan for the Xxxxxx Bahamas Limited Employees, except that the discount
rate actually used by such plan in such year-end disclosures shall be updated to
reflect any changes in such discount rate between year-end and Closing, and the
fair market value of the assets of the Pension Plan for the Xxxxxx Bahamas
Limited Employees as of the Closing Date; plus (b) the difference between the
projected benefit obligation as defined by SFAS No. 87 under the Canadian Salt
Company Limited Employees’ Pension Plan as of the Closing Date, determined using
the assumptions used in the 12/31/2008 year-end SFAS No. 158 plan disclosures
for the Canadian Salt Company Limited Employees’ Pension Plan, except that the discount
rate actually used by such plan in such year-end disclosures shall be updated to
reflect any changes in such discount rate between year-end and Closing, and the
fair market value of the assets of the Canadian Salt Company Limited Employees’
Pension Plan as of the Closing Date; plus (c) the projected benefit obligation
as defined by SFAS No. 87 under the Canadian Salt Company Limited Excess Pension
Plan at the Closing Date, determined using the assumptions used in the
12/31/2008 year-end SFAS No. 158 plan disclosures for the Canadian Salt Company
Limited Excess Pension Plan, except that the discount rate actually used by such
plan in such year-end disclosures shall be updated to reflect any changes in
such discount rate between year-end and Closing; plus (d) as to the Active
Xxxxxx Employees who are active participants in the Xxxxxx International, Inc.
Pension Plan for Collectively Bargained Employees (and, for the avoidance of
doubt, for no other US-based Xxxxxx Employees) as of the Closing Date, the
difference between the projected benefit obligation and the accumulated benefit
obligation as defined by SFAS No. 87 under the Xxxxxx International, Inc.
Pension Plan for Collectively Bargained Employees as of the Closing Date,
determined using the assumptions used in the 12/31/2008 year-end SFAS No. 158
plan disclosures for the Xxxxxx International, Inc. Pension Plan for
Collectively Bargained Employees, except that the discount rate actually used by
such plan in such year-end disclosures shall be updated to reflect any changes
in such discount rate between year-end and Closing.
“Permits” means all
franchises, grants, approvals, licenses, permits, awards, determinations,
registrations, identification numbers, rights related to mining, exploration,
surface and water, variances, consents, certificates and other authorizations of
any Governmental Authority.
“Permitted
Encumbrances” means (a) statutory liens for Taxes not yet due or
delinquent (or which may be paid without interest or penalties) or which are
being contested in good faith and for which appropriate provision has been made,
(b) mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairers’ and other similar liens
arising or incurred in the ordinary course of business relating to obligations
as to which there is no default on the part of the Seller or any Xxxxxx Entity,
as the case may be, (c) any Encumbrances that would be set forth in any title
policies, endorsements, title commitments, title certificates and/or title
reports relating to the Seller’s interests in real property, zoning,
entitlement, conservation restriction and other land use and environmental
regulations by Governmental Authorities which do not materially interfere with
the use of the assets of the Xxxxxx Entities as conducted at the date of this
Agreement, (d) all covenants, conditions, restrictions, easements,
rights-of-way, other Encumbrances and other similar matters of record set forth
in any state, local or municipal franchise under which the
7
Xxxxxx
Entities conduct their business, (e) any internal leases, subleases, occupancy
agreements or licenses between any of the Xxxxxx Entities, (f) minor
encroachments including but not limited to foundations and retaining walls, (g)
minor variations, if any, between tax lot lines and property lines, and (h)
minor deviations, if any, of fences or shrubs from designated property
lines.
“Person” means any
individual, partnership, firm, corporation, limited liability company,
association, trust, unincorporated organization or other entity, as well as any
syndicate or group that would be deemed to be a person under
Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
“Post-Closing Legal Entity
Transfer Right” means the right of the Purchaser to convey the Shares of
the MII Legal Entity (as defined in the MII Legal Entity Agreement) to the
Seller pursuant to the MII Legal Entity Agreement.
“Post-Retirement Welfare
Amount” means the value, at the Closing, of the accumulated
postretirement benefit obligations (as defined by SFAS No. 106) under any of the
Transferred Plans related to medical or health benefits, or life insurance or
other benefits (through insurance or otherwise) for any Xxxxxx Employee in
Canada or the Bahamas only or any eligible dependent or beneficiary of any
Xxxxxx Employee in Canada or the Bahamas after his or her retirement or other
termination of employment, determined using the assumptions used in the
12/31/2008 year-end SFAS No. 158 plan disclosures, except that the discount rate
actually used by such plan in such year-end disclosures shall be updated to
reflect any changes in such discount rate between year-end and
Closing.
“Pre-Closing Environmental
Liability” means any Liability relating to or arising from (a) (i) any
pre-Closing Release of any Hazardous Material (A) by a Xxxxxx Entity or any
predecessor of a Xxxxxx Entity or (B) at, on, in, from or migrating to or from
any Owned Real Property or any real property formerly owned or operated by a
Xxxxxx Entity or any predecessor of a Xxxxxx Entity, or (ii) any Release of any
Hazardous Material at any real property to which, prior to Closing, a Xxxxxx
Entity or any predecessor of a Xxxxxx Entity sent any such Hazardous Material
for treatment, storage or disposal that, in the case of (i) or (ii) requires
Remedial Action under applicable Environmental Law or results in a natural
resource damage claim, (b) any violation of or non-compliance with any
Environmental Law or Environmental Permit on or prior to Closing by a Xxxxxx
Entity or any predecessor of a Xxxxxx Entity, (c) any Action against any Xxxxxx
Entity or any Purchaser Reorganization Transferee relating to any violation or
alleged violation of Environmental Law on or prior to Closing, (d) any
pre-Closing exposure to any Hazardous Materials at any Owned Real Property or
Leased Real Property, and any exposure to any Hazardous Materials from any
product sold or distributed by a Xxxxxx Entity prior to Closing, (e) any
contractual defense or indemnification obligation, in either case entered into
prior to Closing, owed by a Xxxxxx Entity or any Purchaser Reorganization
Transferee to a third party relating to any pre-Closing Release of any Hazardous
Material or pre-Closing exposure to any Hazardous Material at any Owned Real
Property or Leased Real Property, and (f) remediation, reclamation or
rehabilitation of any mine that ceased operation prior to Closing, except to the
extent that any such Liability in (f) (i) has been accounted for in the
Business Financial Statements, or (ii) has been caused or exacerbated by the
negligence of Purchaser. For purposes of defining “Pre-Closing Environmental
Liability” only, “mine” shall mean any
real
8
property,
whether owned or leased, including subsurface, surface and the fixtures
associated therewith, of the Xxxxxx Entities that is used for mining or
extracting Salt. Without limiting the foregoing, Pre-Closing
Environmental Liability shall include any Liability relating to or arising from
pre-Closing Releases of any Hazardous Materials, or any pre-Closing or
post-Closing migration or leaching of such pre-Closing Released Hazardous
Materials, at or from the Ventron/Velsicol Superfund Site in Wood-Ridge, New
Jersey, the Xxxxx’x Creek Study Area, the Moss Point, Mississippi plant site,
the Kankakee, Illinois plant site, the plant sites divested by any Xxxxxx Entity
to BASF prior to Closing, the Lower Passaic River Study Area and Newark Bay
Study Area of the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site in Newark, New Jersey, the
Xxxx/Artel Superfund Site in Nitro, West Virginia, the North Enterprise disposal
site in Trenton, New Jersey, the disposal site in Kellet, South Carolina, and
the Xxxxxx Services Company Superfund Site in Texas City, Texas, and the Goose
Farm Superfund Site in Plumstead Township, New Jersey to the extent such
migration or leaching is not caused by any action or negligent omission of
Purchaser.
“Pre-Closing Period”
means any taxable period ending on or prior to the Closing Date.
“Purchase Price Bank
Account” means a bank account or accounts in the US to be designated by
the Seller in a written notice to the Purchaser at least five (5) Business
Days before the Closing.
“Purchaser
Reorganization” means the transaction or series of transactions
undertaken by the Purchaser and its Affiliates following the Closing in order
to, among other things, transfer, directly or indirectly, all of the Salt Assets
and Salt Liabilities to one or more Purchaser Reorganization
Transferees.
“Purchaser Reorganization
Transferee” means each Affiliate of the Purchaser that is a direct or
indirect transferee of any Salt Assets, or that assumes any Salt Liabilities, in
the Purchaser Reorganization.
“Reference Balance
Sheet” means the consolidated balance sheet of the Business as of the
Reference Balance Sheet Date.
“Reference Balance Sheet
Date” means December 31, 2008.
“Reference Working
Capital” means $215,000,000.
“Registered” means
issued by, registered or filed with, renewed by or the subject of a pending
application before any Governmental Authority or Internet domain name
registrar.
“Regulations” means
the Treasury Regulations (including Temporary Regulations) promulgated by
the US Department of Treasury with respect to the Code or other federal tax
statutes.
“Release” means
disposing, discharging, injecting, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring,
leaching, dumping, emitting, escaping or emptying into or upon any air, soil,
sediment, subsurface strata, surface water or groundwater.
9
“Relevant Proportion”
means (i) 45% with respect to the China JV, (ii) 50% with respect to each of the
Ecuador JV and the Ecuador II JV and (iii) 100% with respect to each Xxxxxx
Entity and Holdco.
“Remedial Action”
means any action required to investigate, clean up, remove or remediate, or
conduct remedial or corrective actions with respect to, Hazardous Materials in
the environment.
“Salt” means sodium
chloride and potassium chloride.
“Salt Asset” means any
asset used by any Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco in the conduct of the Business and
each JV Entity.
“Salt Liabilities”
means any Liability of any Xxxxxx Entity other than (i) any Non-Business
Liability and (ii) any Pre-Closing Environmental Liability to the extent not
relating to the Business.
“Securities Act” means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Seller’s Knowledge”,
“Knowledge of the
Seller” has the meaning set forth in Exhibit 1.01(c).
“Straddle Period”
means any taxable period beginning on or prior to the Closing Date and ending
after the Closing Date.
“Subsidiaries” means
the entities owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company and
identified in Section 1.01(b) of the Disclosure Schedule.
“Tax” or “Taxes” means all
income, capital gain, gross receipts, windfall profits, severance, property,
production, ad valorem, sales, use, transfer, conveyance, stamp, recording,
license, excise, net worth, franchise, capital, employment, withholding,
workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance contributions and employment
insurance contributions, goods and services, harmonized sales and other taxes,
duties and similar imposts, however denominated, together with any interest,
additions or penalties in respect thereof, imposed by any Governmental Authority
(but excluding any Conveyance Taxes covered by Section 7.06).
“Tax Returns” means
any and all returns, reports and forms (including elections, declarations,
amendments, schedules, information returns or attachments thereto) required to
be filed with a Governmental Authority with respect to Taxes.
“Third Party
Assurances” means all guarantees, indemnities, counter-indemnities and
letters of comfort of any nature given (i) to a third party by a Xxxxxx Entity
in respect of any obligation of the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller (other
than a Xxxxxx Entity); and/or (as the context may require) (ii) to a third party
by the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller in respect of any obligation of a
Xxxxxx Entity.
10
“2008 Company Financial
Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company
as of December 31, 2008 and the audited consolidated statements of income and
cash flows of the Company for the annual period ended on December 31,
2008.
“Unresolved
Objections” means the objections set forth on the Notice of Disagreement
delivered to the Purchaser pursuant to Section 2.06 that remain unresolved
pursuant to Section 2.06(e)(iii).
SECTION
1.02. Definitions. The
following terms have the meanings set forth in the Sections set forth
below:
Definition
|
Location
|
“Active Xxxxxx
Employee”
|
6.01
|
“Bahamas Pension
Plan”
|
6.03(b)
|
“Business Financial
Statements”
|
3.06(a)
|
“Canadian Pension
Plans”
|
6.03(b)
|
“China
JV”
|
Recitals
|
“Claim”
|
7.03(a)
|
“Closing”
|
2.03
|
“Closing
Date”
|
2.03
|
“Closing
Overpayment”
|
2.06(f)(ii)
|
“Closing
Underpayment”
|
2.06(f)(i)
|
“Company”
|
Recitals
|
“Company Financial
Statements”
|
3.06(a)
|
“Company
Shares”
|
Recitals
|
“Confidentiality
Agreement”
|
5.03(a)
|
“Contest”
|
7.03(b)
|
“Core
Matters”
|
9.01
|
“Cost-Effective
Manner”
|
9.07(a)(iii)
|
“Designation”
|
2.07
|
“Designated
Purchaser”
|
2.07
|
“Divestiture
Action”
|
5.04(b)
|
“Effect”
|
1.01
|
“ERISA”
|
3.13(a)
|
“Estimated Purchase
Price”
|
2.02(c)
|
“Existing
Stock”
|
5.11(c)
|
“Holdco”
|
Recitals
|
“Holdco
Shares”
|
Recitals
|
“Insurance
Policies”
|
3.22
|
“JV
Interest”
|
Recitals
|
“JV
Shares”
|
3.03(b)
|
“Leased Real
Property”
|
3.12(b)
|
“Loss”
|
9.02
|
“Material
Contracts”
|
3.16(a)
|
“Material
Permits”
|
3.10(b)
|
11
Definition | Location |
“MII Legal Entity
Agreement”
|
5.16
|
“MII Transfer End
Date”
|
5.06
|
“Non-Business
Insurance”
|
5.06
|
“Notice of
Acceptance”
|
2.06(d)
|
“Notice of
Disagreement”
|
2.06(d)
|
“Occurrence
Policies”
|
5.06
|
“Owned Real
Property”
|
3.12(a)
|
“Participants”
|
6.03(c)
|
“Plans”
|
3.13(a)
|
“Purchase Price”
|
2.02(a)
|
“Purchaser”
|
Preamble
|
“Purchaser Indemnified
Party”
|
9.02
|
“Relevant Purchaser
Employee”
|
5.13
|
“Replacement
Note”
|
5.12
|
“Retained Names and
Marks”
|
5.11
|
“Retained Real
Properties”
|
5.10
|
“Seller”
|
Preamble
|
“Seller 401(k)/ESOP
Plan”
|
6.03(c)
|
“Seller Indemnified
Party”
|
9.03
|
“Seller Pension
Plans”
|
6.03(a)
|
“Seller
Reorganization”
|
5.10
|
“Seller Reorganization
Transferee”
|
5.10
|
“Shares”
|
Recitals
|
“Subsidiary
Shares”
|
3.03(b)
|
“Termination
Date”
|
10.01(a)
|
“Third Party
Claim”
|
9.05(b)
|
“Transferred
Plan”
|
3.13(b)
|
“Transition Services
Agreement”
|
5.05
|
“US”
|
1.01
|
SECTION
1.03. Interpretation and Rules of
Construction. (a) In
this Agreement, except to the extent otherwise provided or that the context
otherwise requires:
(i) when
a reference is made in this Agreement to an Article, Section or Exhibit,
such reference is to an Article or Section of, or an Exhibit to, this
Agreement;
(ii) the
table of contents and headings for this Agreement are for reference purposes
only and do not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement;
(iii) whenever
the words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they
are deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”;
12
(iv) the
words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used
in this Agreement, refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
provision of this Agreement;
(v) all
terms defined in this Agreement have the defined meanings when used in any
certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto, unless
otherwise defined therein;
(vi) the
definitions contained in this Agreement are applicable to the singular as well
as the plural forms of such terms;
(vii) references
to a Person are also to its successors and permitted assigns;
(viii) the
use of “or” is not intended to be exclusive unless expressly indicated
otherwise; and
(ix) references
to sums of money are expressed in lawful currency of the US of America, and “$”
refers to US dollars.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in the Disclosure Schedule or in this
Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements, the information and disclosures contained
in any Section of Article III of the Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to be
disclosed and incorporated by reference in any other Section of Article III of
the Disclosure Schedule as though fully set forth in such other section to the
extent the relevance of such information to such other Section is reasonably
apparent. For the avoidance of doubt where a Section of the
Disclosure Schedule is in the form of a list, such list shall not be deemed
disclosure of any matters set forth in the documents set forth in such list,
unless such matters are specifically referred to in such Section. No
reference to or disclosure of any item or other matter in any Section of this
Agreement, including any Section of the Disclosure Schedule, shall be
construed as an admission or indication that such item or other matter is
material or that such item or other matter is required to be referred to or
disclosed in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, no such
reference to or disclosure of a possible breach or violation of any contract,
Law or Governmental Order shall be construed as an admission or indication that
a breach or violation exists or has actually occurred.
ARTICLE
II
PURCHASE
AND SALE
SECTION
2.01. Purchase and Sale of the
Shares. Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, at the Closing, the
Seller shall sell, or cause one of its subsidiaries to sell, to the Purchaser,
and the Purchaser shall purchase from the Seller, the Shares free and clear of
all Encumbrances.
SECTION
2.02. Purchase Price; Allocation
of Purchase Price. (a) Subject
to adjustment pursuant to Section 2.06, the purchase price for the Shares
shall be the aggregate of
(i)
|
$1,675,000,000;
|
13
(ii)
|
minus the Company
Indebtedness; and
|
|
(iii)
|
plus the amount of the
difference between the Closing Working Capital and the Reference Working
Capital if the Closing Working Capital is greater than the Reference
Working Capital or minus the amount of
such difference if the Closing Working Capital is less than the Reference
Working Capital,
|
(such
aggregate amount as so adjusted being the “Purchase
Price”).
(b) The
Purchase Price shall be allocated among the Company Shares and the Holdco Shares
as of the Closing in accordance with Exhibit 2.02(b).
(c) No
later than the seventh Business Day prior to the Closing Date, the Seller shall
prepare and deliver to the Purchaser a statement containing the Seller’s good
faith estimate of the Purchase Price (the “Estimated Purchase
Price”), with a calculation showing the Seller’s estimate of each of the
items set forth in Section 2.02(a).
SECTION
2.03. Closing. Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the sale and purchase of the
Shares contemplated by this Agreement shall take place at a closing (the “Closing”) to be held
at the offices of Shearman & Sterling LLP, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx at 10:00 a.m. New York time on the seventh Business Day following the
satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the obligations of the parties
hereto set forth in Article VIII (other than conditions that by their
nature are to be satisfied at Closing, and subject to the satisfaction or waiver
of such conditions) or at such other place or at such other time or on such
other date as the Seller and the Purchaser may mutually agree upon in writing
(the day on which the Closing takes place being the “Closing
Date”).
SECTION
2.04. Closing Deliveries by the
Seller. At
the Closing, the Seller shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the
Purchaser:
(a) stock
certificates evidencing the Shares duly endorsed in blank, or accompanied by
stock powers duly executed in blank, or other appropriate deed of
transfer;
(b) a
counterpart of each of the Ancillary Agreements executed by each party thereto
other than the Purchaser;
(c) a
receipt for the Estimated Purchase Price;
(d) the
certificate referenced in Section 8.02(a)(iv);
(e) a
certificate of the non-foreign status of the Seller pursuant to
Section 1.1445-2(b)(2) of the Regulations;
(f) a
true and complete copy, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of
the Seller, of the resolutions duly and validly adopted by the Board of
Directors of the Seller evidencing its authorization of the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the
14
Ancillary Agreements and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;
and
(g) a
letter of resignation from the position of officer or director, as applicable,
and release, duly executed by such officers and directors of any Xxxxxx Entity
as the Purchaser may notify to the Seller in writing not less than five Business
Days prior to Closing.
SECTION
2.05. Closing Deliveries by the
Purchaser. At
the Closing, the Purchaser shall deliver to the Seller:
(a) the
Estimated Purchase Price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the
Purchase Price Bank Account;
(b) a
counterpart of each of the Ancillary Agreements to be executed by the Purchaser,
so executed;
(c) a
true and complete copy, certified by an officer of the Purchaser, of the
resolutions duly and validly adopted by the supervisory board (Aufsichtsrat) of the
Purchaser evidencing its authorization of the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby; and
(d) the
certificate referenced in Section 8.01(a)(iii).
SECTION
2.06. Adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(a) Within
75 days after the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall prepare and deliver to the
Seller the Initial Closing Statement. The Initial Closing Statement
shall contain only the line items set forth on Exhibit 1.01(a). The
Initial Closing Statement shall be prepared in accordance with accounting
policies and practices consistent with those used in the preparation of the
Business Financial Statements and, to the extent not inconsistent with the
foregoing, GAAP.
(b) From
the Closing Date until the delivery of the Initial Closing Statement, in order
to allow the Purchaser to satisfy its obligations under this Section 2.06, the
Seller shall (i) provide, or cause to be provided, to the Purchaser and its
officers, employees and authorized agents and representatives, including any
accountants retained by the Purchaser, during normal business hours and upon
reasonable prior notice, reasonable access to the books, records and working
papers of the Seller to the extent that they relate to the Xxxxxx Entities or
are otherwise reasonably required for the preparation of the Initial Closing
Statement and (ii) procure, during normal business hours and upon reasonable
prior notice, that the individuals employed by the Seller or its Affiliates who
prepared or were responsible for the preparation of the Company Financial
Statements and the Business Financial Statements shall be made available to
respond to the reasonable inquiries of the Purchaser and its officers, employees
and authorized agents and representatives and shall otherwise cooperate with,
and provide reasonable assistance to, the Purchaser in connection with the
preparation of the Initial Closing Statement.
15
(c) During
the 30 days immediately following the Seller’s receipt of the Initial Closing
Statement, the Seller and its officers, employees and authorized agents and
representatives, including any accountants retained by the Seller shall be
permitted, during normal business hours and upon reasonable prior notice,
reasonable access to the books, records and working papers of the Xxxxxx
Entities and their Affiliates reasonably requested by the Seller, and the
Purchaser shall procure, during normal business hours and upon reasonable prior
notice, that the individuals employed by the Purchaser and the Xxxxxx Entities
who prepared or were responsible for the preparation of the Initial Closing
Statement shall be made available to the Seller and the Seller's accountants in
order to respond to the reasonable inquiries of the Seller and its officers,
employees and authorized agents and representatives.
(d) The
Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser on or before the Objection Deadline Date
either a notice indicating that the Seller accepts the Initial Closing Statement
(“Notice of
Acceptance”) or a detailed written statement specifying those items or
amounts with which the Seller disagrees in the Initial Closing Statement,
together with a reasonably detailed description of the reasons for its
objections to each such item or amount, and a calculation of the Purchase Price,
Company Indebtedness and Closing Working Capital based on such objections
(“Notice of
Disagreement”). If the Seller delivers to the Purchaser a
Notice of Acceptance, or the Seller does not deliver a Notice of Disagreement on
or before the Objection Deadline Date, then, effective as of the earlier of the
date of delivery of such Notice of Acceptance or the Objection Deadline Date,
the Initial Closing Statement shall be deemed to be the Final Closing
Statement. If the Seller timely delivers a Notice of Disagreement,
only those matters specified in such Notice of Disagreement shall be deemed to
be in dispute, and all other matters included in the Initial Closing Statement
shall be final and binding upon the Purchaser and the Seller.
(e) The
objections set forth on the Notice of Disagreement shall be resolved as
follows:
(i) The
Seller and the Purchaser shall first use reasonable efforts to resolve such
objections.
(ii) Any
resolution by the Seller and the Purchaser as to such objections shall be final
and binding on the parties hereto.
(iii) If
the Seller and the Purchaser do not reach a resolution of all objections set
forth on the Notice of Disagreement within 30 days after delivery of such Notice
of Disagreement, the Seller and the Purchaser shall, within 30 days following
the expiration of such 30-day period, engage the Neutral Accountant, pursuant to
an engagement agreement, including customary indemnities in favor of the Neutral
Accountant if so requested, executed by the Seller, the Purchaser and the
Neutral Accountant, to resolve any Unresolved Objections. The Neutral Accountant
shall be engaged as expert not arbitrator.
(iv) The
Neutral Accountant shall be instructed only to resolve the Unresolved Objections
and shall, in its sole discretion, be permitted to engage an independent actuary
to assist in the resolution of, or to resolve, any of the Unresolved Objections,
including, but not limited to, the determination of the Pension Deficit Amount
and the Post-
16
Retirement
Welfare Amount. The Purchaser and the Seller shall cause the Neutral
Accountant to make a final determination (which determination shall be binding
on the parties hereto) of the Purchase Price, Company Indebtedness and the
Closing Working Capital within 30 days from the date the Unresolved Objections
were submitted to the Neutral Accountant, and such final determination shall be
deemed the Final Closing Statement. During the 30-day review by the
Neutral Accountant, the Purchaser and the Seller shall each make available to
the Neutral Accountant such individuals and such information, books and records
as may be reasonably required by the Neutral Accountant to make its final
determination.
(v) The
resolution by the Neutral Accountant of the Unresolved Objections shall be
conclusive and binding upon the Seller and the Purchaser. The Seller
and the Purchaser agree that the procedure set forth in this Section 2.06(e) for
resolving disputes with respect to the calculation of the Final Closing
Statement shall be the sole and exclusive method for resolving any such
disputes.
(vi) The
Seller and the Purchaser shall share the fees and expenses of the Neutral
Accountant and any independent actuary engaged by the Neutral Accountant in the
ratio determined by such Neutral Accountant which ratio shall reflect the
inverse of the extent to which the relative position of the Purchaser in the
Initial Closing Statement and the Seller in the Notice of Disagreement are
reflected in the Final Closing Statement.
(f) The
Initial Closing Statement shall be deemed to be the Final Closing Statement and
binding on the Purchaser and the Seller for the purposes of this Section 2.06
upon the earliest of (x) the delivery by the Seller of the Notice of Acceptance
or the failure of the Seller to deliver the Notice of Disagreement by the
Objection Deadline Date pursuant to Section 2.06(d), (y) the resolution of
all disputes by the Seller and the Purchaser pursuant to
Section 2.06(e)(ii) and (z) the resolution of all disputes pursuant to
Section 2.06(e)(iv) by the Neutral Accountant. Within five Business
Days after the Final Closing Statement becomes or is deemed final and binding on
the parties hereto, a payment shall be made as follows:
(i) If
the Purchase Price, calculated in accordance with Section 2.02(a), using the
amounts of Company Indebtedness and of Closing Working Capital as shown on the
Final Closing Statement, exceeds the Estimated Purchase Price (such difference,
the “Closing
Underpayment”), the Purchaser shall deliver to the Seller payment of an
amount equal to such Closing Underpayment by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to the Purchase Price Bank Account.
(ii) If
the Purchase Price, calculated in accordance with Section 2.02(a), using the
amounts of Company Indebtedness and of Closing Working Capital as shown on the
Final Closing Statement, is less than the Estimated Purchase Price (such
difference, the “Closing
Overpayment”), the Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser payment of an
amount equal to such Closing Overpayment by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to a bank account designated in writing by Purchaser
(such designation to be made at least three (3) Business Days prior to such
payment).
17
(g) Any
payment required to be made by the Seller or the Purchaser pursuant to this
Section 2.06 shall bear interest from the Closing Date through the date of
payment at the interest rate per annum equal to the prime rate as published in
The Wall Street Journal on the Friday before the payment is to be
made.
(h) If
the delivery deadline date for the Initial Closing Statement or the Objection
Deadline Date is a day that is not a Business Day, the applicable delivery
deadline date shall be the immediately following Business Day.
SECTION
2.07. Designated
Purchaser. After
the date of this Agreement but not less than five (5) Business Days prior to the
Closing Date, the Purchaser may, upon prior written notice to the Seller,
designate (a “Designation”) either
one or more wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Purchaser, whether or not existing
as of the date hereof, as a “Designated Purchaser” hereunder (each such Person,
a “Designated
Purchaser”). The Designation shall set forth: (a)
the name of the Designated Purchaser, (b) the jurisdiction of organization of
the Designated Purchaser, (c) the Company Shares or Holdco Shares that
the Designated Purchaser shall acquire at the Closing and (d) an acknowledgment
of the Designation by the Designated Purchaser in accordance with the following
sentence. Upon the Designation, each Designated Purchaser shall be
deemed a “Purchaser” for purposes of this Agreement in connection with the
acquisition of such Shares (and any reference to “Purchaser” herein in
connection therewith shall automatically be deemed to include reference to such
Designated Purchaser) and such Designated Purchaser shall automatically be
assigned the rights and obligations under this Agreement necessary in connection
with such Designation; provided, that
following such Designation: (i) the Purchaser shall be jointly and
severally liable with each such Designated Purchaser (on the one hand) to the
Seller (on the other hand) for all such rights and obligations so assigned to
such Designated Purchaser and (ii) the Purchaser shall cause each Designated
Purchaser to appoint either the Purchaser or another Designated Purchaser (or in
the event there is only one Designated Purchaser, such Designated Purchaser) as
its agent in connection with the exercise of its rights and remedies under this
Agreement. No such Designation shall relieve the Purchaser of its
obligations hereunder.
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
OF THE
SELLER
The
Seller hereby represents and warrants to the Purchaser (i) as of the date
hereof and (ii) as of the Closing Date (unless in the case of clause (ii)
specifically made by its terms as of another date, in which case as of such
specified date), subject to such exceptions as are disclosed in writing in the
Disclosure Schedules, as follows:
SECTION
3.01. Organization, Authority and
Qualification of the Seller. The
Seller is a legal entity duly organized and validly existing under the Laws of
the State of Delaware and has all necessary power and authority to enter into
this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to carry out its obligations
hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby. The Seller is duly licensed or qualified to do business
and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the properties owned or
leased by
18
it or the
operation of its business makes such licensing or qualification necessary,
except to the extent that the failure to be so licensed, qualified or in good
standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The execution and
delivery by the Seller of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, the
performance by the Seller of its obligations hereunder and thereunder and the
consummation by the Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
have been duly authorized by all requisite action on the part of the
Seller. This Agreement has been, and upon its execution, each
Ancillary Agreement shall have been, duly executed and delivered by the Seller,
and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Purchaser) this
Agreement constitutes, and upon its execution, each Ancillary Agreement
(assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties
thereto) shall constitute, legal, valid and binding obligations of the Seller,
enforceable against the Seller in accordance with their respective terms subject
to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization,
moratorium and other similar Laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights
generally and general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding
in equity or at law).
SECTION
3.02. Organization, Authority and
Qualification of the Xxxxxx Entities;
Holdco. (a)
Each of the Xxxxxx Entities and Holdco is a legal entity duly organized,
validly existing and (where applicable) in good standing under the Laws of the
jurisdiction of its organization and has all necessary power and authority to
own, operate or lease the properties and assets now owned, operated or leased by
it and to carry on its business as it is currently conducted. Each of
the Xxxxxx Entities and Holdco is duly licensed or qualified to do business and
(where applicable) is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the
properties owned or leased by it or the operation of its business makes such
licensing or qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to
be so licensed, qualified or in good standing would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) The
Seller has made available the Purchaser complete and correct copies of the
Governing Documents of each Xxxxxx Entity and each JV Entity as currently in
effect.
(c) Section
1.01(b) of the Disclosure Schedule contains a true, accurate and complete list
of all Subsidiaries.
(d) Holdco
was incorporated for the sole purpose of holding the JV Interest and has no
interest in, or claim over or to, any assets other than the JV Interest and the
amount of cash representing the initial capital contribution of
Holdco. Since its incorporation Holdco has not engaged in any trade
or business, employed any Person or incurred any Liability, other than, in each
case, incidental to its organization. Except as may arise out of the
Governing Documents of any JV Entity, neither Holdco, nor any Xxxxxx Entity, has
any Liability to, or with respect to, any JV Entity.
SECTION
3.03. Capitalization; Ownership of
Shares. (a)
Section 3.03(a) of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth with respect to each
Xxxxxx Entity, Holdco and each of the JV Entities its name, the jurisdiction of
its organization, its outstanding shares of capital stock or other ownership
interests and the current ownership, record and beneficial, of such shares or
other ownership interests.
19
(b) All
of (x) the Shares, (y) all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock
or other ownership interests of the Subsidiaries (the “Subsidiary Shares”)
and (z) the Relevant Proportion of all of the issued and outstanding shares of
capital stock or other ownership interests of the JV Entities (the “JV Shares”) are owned
of record and beneficially, directly or indirectly, by the Seller free and clear
of all Encumbrances, other than those that will be removed prior to
Closing. All of the Shares, the Subsidiary Shares and the JV Shares
have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable and were not issued in violation of any right of first refusal,
purchase option, call option, subscription right, preemptive right or any
similar right.
(c) There
are no options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights, agreements,
arrangements or commitments relating to the Shares or the Subsidiary Shares or
obligating the Seller, Holdco or any Xxxxxx Entity to issue or sell any shares
of capital stock of, or any other interest in, Holdco or any Xxxxxx Entity to
any third person nor are there any voting trusts, stockholder agreements,
proxies or other agreements or understandings with third parties in effect with
respect to the voting or transfer of any of the Shares or the Subsidiary
Shares. There are no bonds, debentures, notes or other Indebtedness
of, Holdco or any Xxxxxx Entity having, absent default, the right to vote (or
that are convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to
vote) on any matters on which holders of Shares or Subsidiary Shares may vote,
or whose holders' consent is required in connection with this Agreement or by
the Ancillary Agreements.
(d) Other
than as made available to the Purchaser prior to the date hereof, there are no
stockholders’ agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the JV
Entities and there are no interests in any JV Entity held by any third party
other than as identified in such documents. None of the Xxxxxx
Entities, Holdco nor any of the JV Entities have any outstanding or authorized
stock appreciation, phantom stock, profit participation or similar
rights. Other than the Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco and the JV Entities,
there are no other corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, or other entities
in which Holdco, any Xxxxxx Entity or any JV Entity owns, of record or
beneficially, any direct or indirect equity or other interest or any right to
acquire the same. Upon the transfer of the Shares to the Purchaser on
the Closing Date in accordance with this Agreement, the Seller will deliver to
the Purchaser good and valid title to the Shares, free and clear of all
Encumbrances other than restrictions imposed by applicable securities
Laws.
SECTION
3.04. No
Conflict. Assuming
compliance with the pre-merger notification and waiting period requirements of
the HSR Act and the Competition Act and the making and obtaining of all filings,
notifications, consents, approvals, authorizations and other actions referred to
in Section 3.05, and except as may result from any facts or circumstances
relating solely to the Purchaser, the execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements by the Seller does not and will not
(a) violate, conflict with or result in the breach of the Governing
Documents of the Seller, Holdco or any Xxxxxx Entity, (b) conflict in any
material respect with or violate in any material respect any Law or Governmental
Order applicable to the Seller, Holdco or any Xxxxxx Entity or (c) (i)
conflict in any material respect with, result in any material breach of,
constitute a material default (or event which with or without the giving of
notice or lapse of time, or both, would become a material default) under,
require any consent under, or give to others any rights of termination,
amendment, acceleration,
20
suspension,
revocation, or cancellation of, any Material Contract or, (ii) in the case of
any written contract or agreement to which any Xxxxxx Entity is a party that is
not a Material Contract, conflict in any respect with, result in any breach of,
constitute a default (or event which with or without the giving of notice or
lapse of time, or both, would become a default) under, require any consent
under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration,
suspension, revocation, or cancellation of, any such contract or agreement,
except, in each case, as would not be material to the Xxxxxx Entities, taken as
a whole).
SECTION
3.05. Governmental Consents and
Approvals. The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements by the Seller does not and will not require any consent, approval,
authorization or Governmental Order or declaration of, action by, filing with,
notification to or Permit from, any Governmental Authority, other than
(a) compliance with, and filings required under, the HSR Act and the
Competition Act, and (b) any additional consents, approvals,
authorizations, filings and notifications under any other applicable antitrust,
competition, or trade regulation Law, except (i) where the failure to
obtain any such consent, approval, authorization or action, or to make any such
filing or notification would not be material or would not prevent or materially
delay the consummation by the Seller of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, or (ii) as may be necessary as a
result of any facts or circumstances relating solely to the Purchaser or any of
its Affiliates.
SECTION
3.06. Financial
Information. (a) True
and complete copies of each of (i) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet
of the Company as of December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2007, and the unaudited
consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Company for the annual
periods ended on December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2007
(collectively, the “Company Financial
Statements”) and (ii) the Reference Balance Sheet and the unaudited
consolidated statement of income of the Business for the annual period ended on
December 31, 2008 (collectively, the “Business Financial
Statements”) have been made available by the Seller to the Purchaser and
are set forth on Section 3.06(a) of the Disclosure Schedule.
(b) The
Company Financial Statements (i) were properly derived from the consolidated
financial statements and accounting records of the Seller, (ii) properly include
adjustments for instances where the adjustments were material to the Company but
were not material for the Seller’s financial statements, (iii) can properly be
reconciled with the books and records of the Company, (iv) present fairly in all
material respects the consolidated financial position, results of operations and
cash flows of the Company as of the dates thereof and for the periods covered
thereby and (v) were prepared in accordance with GAAP, consistently
applied.
(c) The
Business Financial Statements (i) were properly derived from the audited
financial statements of Seller (in each case, as such audited financial
statements were included in the Seller’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by
the Seller with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for the applicable
fiscal year of the Seller), (ii) were prepared in accordance with the books of
account and other financial records of the Xxxxxx Entities (except as may be
indicated in the notes thereto), (iii) can properly be reconciled with the books
and records of the Xxxxxx Entities and (iv) present fairly in all material
respects the consolidated
21
financial
position and results of operations of the Business, as of the dates thereof or
for the periods covered thereby and (v) were prepared in accordance with GAAP,
consistently applied.
(d) The
2008 Company Financial Statements, when prepared, (i) shall be properly derived
from the consolidated financial statements and accounting records of the Seller,
(ii) shall properly include adjustments for instances where the adjustments were
material to the Company but were not material for the Seller’s financial
statements, (iii) shall be able to be properly reconciled with the books and
records of the Company and (iv) shall present fairly in all material respects
the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the
Company as of the dates thereof and for the periods covered thereby and (v) will
be prepared in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied.
SECTION
3.07. Absence of Undisclosed
Material Liabilities;
Indebtedness. (a) The
Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material Liabilities of a nature
required to be reflected on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP,
except: (i) as disclosed, reflected or reserved against in the Reference Balance
Sheet, (ii) for items set forth in the Disclosure Schedule and (iii) for
liabilities and obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice since the Reference Balance Sheet Date and not in
violation of this Agreement. Except as shown in the Reference Balance
Sheet and expressly described in the notes to the Company Financial Statements
and Business Financial Statements, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is
directly or indirectly liable upon or with respect to (by discount, repurchase
agreements or otherwise), or obligated in any other way to provide funds in
respect of, or to guarantee or assume, any debt, obligation or dividend of any
Person, except endorsements in the ordinary course of business (consistent with
past practice) in connection with the deposit of items for
collection.
(b) The
Company’s system of internal controls over the Business’ financial reporting is
sufficient, in all material respects, to provide reasonable assurance that
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with GAAP.
SECTION
3.08. Conduct in the Ordinary
Course. (a) Since
December 31, 2007, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Effect,
(b) since the Reference Balance Sheet Date, (i) the Xxxxxx Entities
have conducted their businesses in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practices and (ii) no action has been taken by the Seller or any
Xxxxxx Entity that would, if taken after the date of this Agreement, constitute
a breach of Sections 5.01(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k)
or, with respect to renewals of Material Contracts, Section 5.01(m) of this
Agreement.
SECTION
3.09. Litigation; Governmental
Orders. (a) There
is no Action by or against any Xxxxxx Entity, or by or against the Seller (to
the extent relating to any Xxxxxx Entity), pending or, to the Seller’s
Knowledge, threatened before any Governmental Authority and (b) there is no
Governmental Order to which any Xxxxxx Entity or any of its assets or properties
are subject that, in the case of (a) and (b), would be material to the Xxxxxx
Entities, taken as a whole, or would affect the legality, validity or
enforceability of this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements or the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
22
SECTION
3.10. Compliance with
Laws;
Permits. (a)
Except with respect to Environmental Laws, the Xxxxxx Entities and Holdco have
each conducted their businesses in all material respects since January 1,
2003 and conduct their businesses in all material respects in accordance with
all Laws and Governmental Orders to which they are subject and none of the
Seller, Holdco or any Xxxxxx Entity is in violation in any material respect of
any such Law or Governmental Order.
SECTION
3.11. Intellectual
Property. (a) Section
3.11(a) of the Disclosure Schedule contains a list of each item of Registered
Owned Intellectual Property, specifying as to each item of such Registered Owned
Intellectual Property, as applicable: (i) the owner of such
Registered Owned Intellectual Property; (ii) the jurisdictions by or in which
such Registered Owned Intellectual Property has been issued or registered or in
which an application for such issuance or registration has been filed; and (iii)
the registration or application numbers thereof.
(b) The
Xxxxxx Entities have the right to use the Owned Intellectual Property and, to
the Seller’s Knowledge, the Licensed Intellectual Property, in connection with
the conduct of the Business as currently conducted.
(c) To
the Seller’s Knowledge, the use of the Xxxxxx Intellectual Property by the
Xxxxxx Entities in connection with the conduct of the Business as currently
conducted does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate any valid,
enforceable and unexpired Intellectual Property of any other
Person. There is no Action initiated by any Person pending or, to the
Seller’s Knowledge, threatened in writing, against any Xxxxxx Entity or the
Seller (to the extent relating to any Xxxxxx Entity): (i) challenging, or
seeking to deny or restrict, the rights of any Xxxxxx Entity in any of the
Xxxxxx Intellectual Property, (ii) alleging that the use of the Xxxxxx
Intellectual Property or any services provided, processes used or products
manufactured, used, imported or sold with respect to the Business do or may
misappropriate, infringe or otherwise violate any Intellectual Property of any
Person, or (iii) alleging that any Xxxxxx Entity has infringed, misappropriated
or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property of any other Person; provided, that for
purposes of this clause (c), any Action that has been initiated but with respect
to which process or other comparable notice has not been served on or delivered
to a Xxxxxx Entity or Seller shall be deemed to be “threatened” rather than
“pending”.
(d) A
Xxxxxx Entity owns all right, title and interest in each item of Registered
Owned Intellectual Property, free and clear of any Encumbrances other than
Permitted Encumbrances. Each item of Registered Owned Intellectual
Property is in full force and effect and has not been adjudged invalid or
unenforceable.
(e) No
Person is infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating any Owned
Intellectual Property in any manner that would reasonably be expected to have a
Material
23
Adverse
Effect and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, no Person is engaging in any material
infringement, misappropriation or other violation of any Owned Intellectual
Property.
(f) Either
Seller or the Xxxxxx Entities have taken reasonable steps in accordance with
generally accepted industry practices to maintain the confidentiality of all
material Xxxxxx Intellectual Property of a confidential nature, including
material trade secrets.
(g) To
the Seller’s Knowledge, (i) none of the Registered Owned Intellectual Property
is the subject of a pending trademark or service xxxx opposition or cancellation
proceeding, and (ii) none of the patents and patent applications included in the
Owned Intellectual Property is the subject of a pending interference, protest,
public use proceeding or request for reexamination.
(h) The
representations and warranties contained in Section 3.11(c) and Section 3.11(e)
are the only representations and warranties being made by the Seller in this
Agreement with respect to any activity that constitutes, or otherwise relates
to, infringement, misappropriation or other violation of Intellectual
Property.
SECTION
3.12. Real
Property. (a) Section 3.12(a)
of the Disclosure Schedule lists each parcel of real property owned by the
Xxxxxx Entities, except the Retained Real Property, identified by its street
address for the US and Canadian properties, other than the undeveloped parcels
of land for which no street addresses are available (the “Owned Real
Property”). The Xxxxxx Entities own all of the Owned Real
Property with good and valid title, free and clear of all Encumbrances, other
than Permitted Encumbrances.
(b) Section 3.12(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule lists the street address of each parcel of real
property leased, subleased, or licensed by any Xxxxxx Entity which has an annual
lease, sublease or license rate in excess of $500,000 (the “Leased Real
Property”) and there is no oral or other non-written agreement for the
lease, sublease or license of real property by any Xxxxxx Entity for a charge in
excess of $500,000 annually. Assuming good fee title vested in the
applicable landlord, each Xxxxxx Entity has a valid, binding and, to Seller’s
Knowledge, enforceable leasehold interest in the Leased Real Property of which
such Xxxxxx Entity is the lessee, sublessee or licensee, free and clear of all
Encumbrances, except Permitted Encumbrances, and none of the Xxxxxx Entities
have received written notice that they are in breach of or default under any
such lease, sublease or license, and, to Seller’s Knowledge, no event has
occurred which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute a material
breach or default by any Xxxxxx Entity or permit termination, modification or
acceleration by any Person thereunder.
(c) Except
as set forth in Section 3.12(c) of the Disclosure Schedule, none of the Xxxxxx
Entities have leased any Owned Real Property, Leased Real Property or any
portion thereof and, to Seller’s Knowledge, there are no outstanding purchase
options, rights of first offer or rights of first refusal granted to any Person
to purchase or lease such Owned Real Property, Leased Real Property or any
portion thereof or interest therein.
(d) Except
as set forth in Section 3.12(d) of the Disclosure Schedule, no written notice of
any current or future condemnation, requisition, expropriation or taking by
any
24
Governmental
Authority has been received with respect to the whole or any material portion of
the Owned Real Property or the Leased Real Property and to Seller’s Knowledge,
no condemnation, requisition, expropriation or taking by any Governmental
Authority of the whole or any material portion of the Owned Real Property or the
Leased Real Property is threatened or contemplated.
(e) To
the Seller’s Knowledge, the Owned Real Property and Leased Real Property are in
material compliance with all applicable building, zoning, subdivision, health
and safety, other land use and all other related Laws, except where the failure
or omission to so comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, be
material to the Xxxxxx Entities, taken as a whole, and, to the Seller’s
Knowledge, the current use and occupancy of the Owned Real Property and the
Leased Real Property do not materially violate any such Laws.
SECTION
3.13. Employee Benefit
Matters. (a) Plans and Material
Documents. Section 3.13(a) of the Disclosure Schedule lists
all employee benefit plans (as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)), all
material stock option, stock purchase, restricted stock, deferred compensation,
retiree medical or life insurance, health, dental, disability, sick leave,
vacation, welfare, fringe, pension, retirement, supplemental retirement, or
other benefit plans or programs to which the Seller or any Xxxxxx Entity is a
party, with respect to which the Seller or any Xxxxxx Entity has any obligation
or which are maintained, contributed to or sponsored by the Seller or any Xxxxxx
Entity for the benefit of any Xxxxxx Employee (collectively, the “Plans”). The
Seller has made available to the Purchaser a true and complete copy of each
Plan.
(b) Section
3.13(b) of the Disclosure Schedule lists each Plan that is sponsored by any
Xxxxxx Entity, or that will be transferred to or assumed by any Xxxxxx Entity,
the Purchaser or its Affiliates under this Agreement (each, a “Transferred
Plan”). None of the Transferred Plans is a material individual
employment, consulting, bonus, incentive, termination, severance, change in
control or other similar contract or arrangement, entered into with any Xxxxxx
Employee with respect to which any Xxxxxx Entity shall have any obligation on or
after the Closing Date. Each Transferred Plan has been established,
operated, administered and invested in all material respects in accordance with
its terms, the terms of any applicable collective bargaining agreement and the
requirements of all applicable Laws. Each of the Seller and the
Xxxxxx Entities has performed all material obligations required to be performed
by it and made all required contributions under, is not in any material respect
in default under or in material violation of, and, to the Seller’s Knowledge,
there is no material default or violation by any other party to, any Transferred
Plan. No Action is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller,
threatened with respect to any Transferred Plan (other than claims for benefits
in the ordinary course) and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, no fact or event
exists that could give rise to any such Action.
(c) None
of the Transferred Plans is: (i) a “multiemployer plan” (within the meaning of
Section 3(37) of ERISA) or a multi-employer pension plan pursuant to any
applicable Laws; (ii) a “multiple employer plan” (within the meaning of Section
413(c) of the Code); (iii) a “voluntary employees’ beneficiary association”
(within the meaning of Section 501(c)(9) of the Code); (iv) a “multiple
employer welfare arrangement” (within the meaning of Section 3(40) of ERISA); or
(v) subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the
25
Code. No
employee of any JV Entity, except to the extent such an employee is also a
Xxxxxx Employee, participates in any Transferred Plans.
(d) The
Seller has made available to the Purchaser true and complete copies of all
documents, plan texts and amendments, funding and insurance agreements and
summary plan descriptions of the Transferred Plans or summary descriptions of
any such Transferred Plan not otherwise in writing. The Seller has
made available to the Purchaser true and complete copies of the most recent
determination letters and opinion letters and the actuarial reports for the most
recent three plan years with respect to any Transferred Plan, including all
schedules thereto and financial statements with attached opinions of independent
accountants. All information not subject to applicable privacy Laws
necessary to administer each Transferred Plan, and all data and plan
documentation necessary to discharge the obligations set forth in Section 6.01
and 6.02, shall be delivered to Purchaser at least 15 days prior to Closing; all
other relevant information shall be provided as soon as reasonably possible
following the Closing.
(e) Except
as set forth on Section 3.13(e) of the Disclosure Schedule or to the extent
necessary to satisfy an obligation under a current collective bargaining
agreement assumed by the Purchaser upon Closing, no Transferred Plan provides
for or continues medical or health benefits, or life insurance or other benefits
(through insurance or otherwise) for any Person or any dependent or beneficiary
of any Person after such Person’s retirement or other termination of employment
except as may be required by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
of 1985, as amended, Section 4980B of the Code, Title I Part 6 of ERISA, and any
similar state group health plan continuation law, together with all regulations
promulgated thereunder.
(f) Each
Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code or
Section 401(k) of the Code has timely received a favorable determination letter
from the Internal Revenue Service covering all of the provisions applicable to
the Plan for which determination letters are currently available that the Plan
is so qualified and each trust established in connection with any Plan which is
intended to be exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a) of the
Code has received a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service that
it is so exempt, and no fact or event has occurred since the date of such
determination letter or letters from the Internal Revenue Service to adversely
affect the qualified status of any such Plan or the exempt status of any such
trust.
(g) Except
with respect to the Transferred Plans, the benefits required under Section
6.02(c)(ii), and post-retirement welfare benefits required under any collective
bargaining agreement assumed by Purchaser at Closing, neither any Xxxxxx Entity,
the Purchaser nor any of its Affiliates shall incur, or could reasonably be
expected to incur, by operation of law or otherwise, any liability with respect
to, or in any way related to, any plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (including
without limitation, any multiemployer plan) or any post-retirement welfare plan
or arrangement.
(h) The
value, at the Closing Date, of the accumulated post-retirement benefit
obligation (as defined by SFAS No. 106) for retiree medical and life insurance
benefits to be provided to any Active Xxxxxx Employees employed at Xxxxxx
Entities in the US who retire on and after the Closing Date (and their covered
dependents), determined using the assumptions
26
used in
the 12/31/2008 year-end SFAS No. 158 plan disclosures, except that the discount
rate actually used by such plan in such year-end disclosures shall be updated to
reflect any changes in such discount rate between year-end and the Closing Date,
does not exceed the amount set forth in Section 3.13(h) of the Disclosure
Schedule.
SECTION
3.14. Labor
Matters. Section
3.14 of the Disclosure Schedule lists each collective bargaining agreement that
is applicable to the current Xxxxxx Employees in the US and Canada, except for
those agreements required by other applicable foreign Law. As of the
date hereof, (a) there are no strikes or lockouts with respect to any Xxxxxx
Employee pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened, (b) there is no
union organizing effort pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened
against any Xxxxxx Entity, (c) except as set forth on Section 3.14(c) of the
Disclosure Schedule, there is no unfair labor practice, labor dispute (other
than routine individual grievances) or labor arbitration proceeding pending or,
to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened with respect to any Xxxxxx Employee,
(d) there is no slowdown, boycott or work stoppage in effect or, to the
Knowledge of the Seller, threatened with respect to the Xxxxxx Employees, (e) no
Xxxxxx Entity is delinquent in any material respect in payments to any Xxxxxx
Employee for any wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses or other material amount
of direct compensation for any services performed for it or amounts required to
be reimbursed to such employees, (f) each Xxxxxx Entity is in compliance in all
material respects with (i) all Laws and Governmental Orders respecting labor,
employment, fair employment practices, immigration, terms and conditions of
employment including, without limitation, all Laws and Governmental Orders
related to Taxes, employment standards, workers’ compensation, occupational
health and safety, disability benefits, wages and hours, termination of
employment, human rights, pay equity and employment discrimination and (ii) all
Laws relating to employment, including those respecting affirmative action and
equal employment opportunity obligations, arising under or in connection with
any Contract with any Governmental Authority or any related
subcontract.
SECTION
3.15. Taxes.
(a) All
material Tax Returns required to have been filed by or with respect to the
Xxxxxx Entities, any Affiliated Group of which a Xxxxxx Entity has been a member
since 2000, and Holdco have been timely filed (taking into account any extension
of time to file granted or obtained) and all the information contained in such
Tax Returns is correct and complete in all material respects and reflects
accurately all liabilities for Taxes for the period covered by such Tax
Returns;
(b) all
Taxes shown as payable on such Tax Returns have been paid or will be timely
paid;
(c) no
deficiency for any material amount of Tax has been asserted or assessed by a
Governmental Authority in writing against any Xxxxxx Entity, any Affiliated
Group of which a Xxxxxx Entity has been a member since 2000 or Holdco that has
not been satisfied by payment, settled or withdrawn;
(d) there
are no Tax liens on any assets of any Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco (other than
Permitted Encumbrances);
27
(e) neither
of the Xxxxxx Entities or Holdco is party to or bound by any Tax sharing
agreement, Tax indemnity obligation or similar agreement with respect to Taxes
(including any private letter ruling, advance pricing agreement, closing
agreement or other contract relating to Taxes with any Governmental
Authority);
(f) the
Xxxxxx Entities and Holdco have complied with all Laws relating to the payment
and withholding of Taxes and have, within the time and in the manner prescribed
by Law, withheld from and paid over to the proper Governmental Authorities all
amounts required to be so withheld and paid over under Law;
(g) none
of the Xxxxxx Entities or Holdco has participated in, is obligated to
participate in or is currently negotiating participation in any transaction that
is a listed transaction within the meaning of Regulations Section 1.6011-4(b)(2)
or, subsequent to 2004, has been a “material advisor” within the meaning of
Regulations Section 301.611-3(b);
(h) To
the best of Seller’s Knowledge no material Tax Return of a Xxxxxx Entity, any
Affiliated Group of which any Xxxxxx Entity is a member or Holdco is under audit
or examination by any Governmental Authority and no notice of such an audit or
examination has been received by a Xxxxxx Entity, Holdco or relevant Affiliated
Group;
(i) the
Xxxxxx Entities and Holdco have made available to the Purchaser for inspection
(i) complete and correct copies of all material Tax Returns of the Xxxxxx
Entities and Holdco relating to Taxes for all Tax periods for which the
applicable statute of limitations has not yet expired and (ii) complete and
correct copies of all material private letter rulings, revenue agent reports,
information document requests, notices of proposed deficiencies, deficiency
notices, protests, petitions, closing agreements, settlement contracts and
pending ruling requests, submitted by, received by or agreed to by or on behalf
of any Xxxxxx Entity and subsequent to 2005;
(j) At
no time during the 60 month period ending immediately prior to Closing was more
than 50% of the fair market value of the Company Shares derived directly or
indirectly from one or any combination of real property situated in the Province
of Quebec or Quebec Resource Properties; and
(k) Seller
is a resident of the US and a “qualifying person” for purposes of the Canada-US
Tax Convention (1980), as amended; and
(l) The
financial statements of the JV Entities for those taxable years prior to 2007
reflect any reserves required to be shown under the applicable accounting
principles, and in respect of the relevant period to which such accounts relate,
for all Taxes assessed or required to be assessed on the JV
Entities.
SECTION
3.16. Material
Contracts. (a) Section
3.16(a) of the Disclosure Schedule lists each of the following written contracts
and agreements to which any Xxxxxx Entity is a party in effect as of the date of
this Agreement (such contracts and agreements so required to be disclosed, being
“Material
Contracts”):
28
(i)
any agreement for the purchase of products or for the receipt of services, the
performance of which will extend over a period of more than one year and which
involved consideration or payments by the Xxxxxx Entities in excess of
$1,000,000 in the aggregate during the year ended December 31,
2008;
(ii)
any agreement for the furnishing of products or services by the Xxxxxx Entities
to their customers, the performance of which will extend over a period of more
than one year and which involved consideration or payments by such customers in
excess of $2,500,000 in the aggregate during the year ended December 31,
2008;
(iii) any
agreement concerning the establishment or operation of a partnership, joint
venture or limited liability company;
(iv) any
agreement under which any Xxxxxx Entity created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed
any Indebtedness in excess of $5,000,000 or under which there has been imposed
any Encumbrances on any of the assets, tangible or intangible, of any Xxxxxx
Entity;
(v)
any agreement entered into in the past four years (or with respect to which any
material obligation of any Xxxxxx Entity is outstanding) for the disposition of
any material assets or business of any Xxxxxx Entity (other than sales of
products in the ordinary course of business) or any agreement entered into in
the past four years for the acquisition of the assets or business of any other
Person (other than purchases of products in the ordinary course of business), in
each case involving consideration in excess of $5,000,000;
(vi)
any agreement that limits or purports to limit the ability of any Xxxxxx Entity
to compete in any line of business or with any Person or in any geographic area
or during any period of time;
(vii) the
lease and, if applicable, sublease agreements pertaining to each parcel of
Leased Real Property;
(viii) all
agreements related to mining operations at the Mines involving annual
consideration in excess of $1,000,000 or that are otherwise material to the
conduct of the business of the Xxxxxx Entities taken as a whole;
(ix)
all material contracts and agreements between or among any Xxxxxx Entity, on the
one hand, and the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller, on the other
hand;
(x)
all collective bargaining agreements or other contracts with any labor
organization, union or other similar association;
(xi)
any employment related (including consulting) contract or arrangement that is a
Transferred Plan or that provides for total annual compensation in excess of
$250,000;
29
(xii)
any contract that contains exclusivity or “most favored nation” obligations or
similar restrictions binding on any Xxxxxx Entity or that would be binding on
Purchaser or its Affiliates after the Closing;
(xiii) any
material Xxxxxx IP Agreement, other than non-disclosure agreements entered into
in the ordinary course of business;
(xiv) any
contract to which any Xxxxxx Entity is a party containing a standstill or
similar agreement pursuant to which one party has agreed not to acquire assets
or securities of the other party or any of its Affiliates;
(xv)
any contract relating to any interest rate, currency or commodity derivative,
hedge, derivative transactions or similar transactions;
(xvi) any
contract containing a put, call or similar right pursuant to which any Xxxxxx
Entity could be required to purchase or sell, as applicable, any securities or
assets; and
(xvii) any
contract other than described above to which any Xxxxxx Entity is a party or by
which it or they or any of its or their assets or properties or business is
bound or subject that: (A) is material to the Xxxxxx Entities, taken
as a whole, or the use or operation of any of its assets or properties, taken as
a whole, or (B) if breached, terminated or not renewed could have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(b)
Each Material Contract (i) is valid and binding on the applicable Xxxxxx
Entity, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, the counterparties thereto, and is
in full force and effect and (where applicable) Registered or filed with any
relevant Governmental Authority, (other than, in respect of the making of this
representation and warranty as of the Closing Date in accordance with the first
paragraph of this Article III, where such Material Contract expires in
accordance with its terms without a right of renewal or is terminated in
accordance with its terms by a counterparty other than due to a Xxxxxx Entity’s
breach) and (ii) upon consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, except to the extent that any consents set forth in
Section 3.04(c) of the Disclosure Schedule are not obtained, shall continue
in full force and effect without penalty or other adverse
consequence. None of the Xxxxxx Entities is in material breach of, or
material default under, any Material Contract to which it is a
party.
SECTION
3.17. Environmental
Matters. (a) (i)
None of the Xxxxxx Entities is in material violation of any Environmental Law
and all past violations have been resolved without any ongoing or pending costs
or obligations that are material to the Business, (ii) the Xxxxxx Entities
have obtained and are in material compliance with all Environmental Permits that
are material to the operations of the Xxxxxx Entities as a whole, and any past
non-compliance has been resolved without any ongoing or pending costs or
obligations that are material to the Business, (iii) no Xxxxxx Entity has
Released any Hazardous Materials that require any Remedial Action pursuant to
Environmental Law that is or that would reasonably be expected, individually or
in the aggregate, to be materially adverse to the operations of the Business,
(iv) there has been no Release of any Hazardous Materials at any Owned Real
Property that requires any Remedial Action pursuant to Environmental Law that is
or that would reasonably be
30
expected,
individually or in the aggregate, to be materially adverse to the operations of
the Business, (v) no Xxxxxx Entity is conducting or funding any Remedial Action
that, individually or in the aggregate, is materially adverse to the operations
of the Business, and (vi) there is no written Action pending or, to the
Seller’s Knowledge, threatened in writing against any Xxxxxx Entity that relates
to any violation or alleged violation of, or any Liability or alleged Liability
under, Environmental Law where such violation, alleged violation, Liability or
alleged Liability would reasonably be expected, individually or in the
aggregate, to be materially adverse to the operations of the Business; provided, that for
purposes of the foregoing clause (a)(vi) of this Section 3.17, any Action that
has been initiated but with respect to which process or other comparable notice
has not been served on or delivered to a Xxxxxx Entity or Seller shall be deemed
to be “threatened” rather than “pending”.
(b) The
representations and warranties contained in Section 3.17 are the only
representations and warranties being made by the Seller in this Agreement with
respect to compliance with or Liability under Environmental Laws or
Environmental Permits or with respect to any environmental, health or safety
matter related in any way to this Agreement or its subject matter.
SECTION
3.18. Certain Business
Relationships with Affiliates. No
Affiliate of the Seller (other than a Xxxxxx Entity) (a) owns any property
or right, tangible or intangible, which is used exclusively by the Xxxxxx
Entities or owns any other property or right, tangible or intangible, that is
material to the conduct of the Business, (b) has any Action against any
Xxxxxx Entity or (c) except as set forth in the Business Financial
Statements, owes any money to, or is owed any money by, any Xxxxxx
Entity.
SECTION
3.19. Brokers. Except
for Barclays Capital Inc., no broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to
any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements based
upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Seller. The Seller
shall be solely responsible for the fees and expenses of Barclays Capital
Inc.
SECTION
3.21. Books
and Records. The
minute books and stock or share record books of each Xxxxxx Entity since January
1, 2005 have been made available to the Purchaser; and such minute books of each
Xxxxxx Entity contain accurate and complete records of all meetings, and actions
taken by written consent of, the stockholders or shareholders, the board of
directors and any committees of the board of directors of each Xxxxxx Entity,
respectively. At the Closing, each Xxxxxx Entity will have possession
of all of their respective books and records.
31
SECTION
3.22. Insurance. The
insurance policies in the name of any Xxxxxx Entity material to the conduct of
the Xxxxxx Entities, taken as a whole, (the “Insurance Policies”)
are in full force and effect and will remain in full force upon the consummation
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Neither the
Seller nor any Xxxxxx Entity has received any written notice of cancellation of,
premium increase with respect to, or alteration of coverage under, any of such
Insurance Policies. All premiums due on such Insurance Policies have
been paid. The Insurance Policies do not provide for any material
retrospective premium adjustment or other experience-based liability on the part
of Seller or any Xxxxxx Entity. All such Insurance Policies (a) are
valid and binding on the Xxxxxx Entities in accordance with their terms, (b) to
the Seller’s Knowledge are provided by carriers who are financially solvent; and
(c) have not been subject to any lapse in coverage. The Insurance
Policies are in compliance with all applicable Laws, Permits and contracts or
agreements to which the Xxxxxx Entities are a party or by which they are
bound.
SECTION
3.23. Mines. (a)
Except as would not be material to the Xxxxxx Entities taken as whole, (i) the
Mines are all of the locations, at which, the Xxxxxx Entities engage in the
mining or extracting of Salt, or for which the Xxxxxx Entities have the right to
explore for and/or extract Salt, and (ii) with respect to each of the
Mines, the Xxxxxx Entities possess either good and valid fee simple title or a
valid leasehold interest, and a valid mineral right to the Salt being mined or
extracted, if required, free and clear of any Encumbrance other than Permitted
Encumbrances.
(b) The
Xxxxxx Entities’ current reserves of Salt will, assuming the due and proper
maintenance and upkeep by the owner or operator of the Mines in accordance with
sound industry practices, and barring future unforeseen events beyond the
control of Seller, provide sufficient sources of recoverable Salt at current
rates of extraction until at least the tenth anniversary of the date of this
Agreement at each such Mine. Except as would not be material to the
Xxxxxx Entities taken as whole, there are no deficiencies in title to the Salt
or to the interest that gives rise to the right of the Xxxxxx Entities to mine
the Salt with respect to that part of the Mines upon or in which mining
operations are conducted that would, in each case, in accordance with their
terms, prevent the Xxxxxx Entities from continuing to mine the Mines as such
mining is currently conducted.
(c) Each
Xxxxxx Entity (i) possesses all material Permits necessary to carry out its
mining operations, (ii) is in compliance with such material Permits and with
Law, in all material respects, in respect of its mining operations and (iii)
none of the Xxxxxx Entities have received any notice of proceedings relating to
the revocation or modification of any such Permits or has received notice of the
revocation or cancellation of, or any intention to revoke or cancel, any of the
material contracts relating to the Mines, nor, to the Seller’s Knowledge, are
any such proceedings, revocations, modifications, or any cancellations
threatened.
(d) There
are no material property payments, royalties, fees or monies payable or required
to be paid to any Person, other than material amounts payable that have arisen
since the Reference Balance Sheet Date in the ordinary and usual course of
business with regard to the Mines and there are no outstanding contracts
relating to or options to acquire any part of, or all of, any of the
Mines.
32
SECTION
3.24. Disclaimer of the
Seller. (A) EXCEPT
AS SET FORTH IN THIS ARTICLE III, NONE OF THE SELLER, ITS AFFILIATES OR ANY
OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES OR REPRESENTATIVES MAKES OR
HAS MADE ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AT LAW OR IN
EQUITY, IN RESPECT OF THE XXXXXX ENTITIES, HOLDCO, THE SHARES OR THE SUBSIDIARY
SHARES, INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO (I) MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY
PARTICULAR USE OR PURPOSE, (II) THE OPERATION OF THE XXXXXX ENTITIES OR
HOLDCO BY THE PURCHASER AFTER THE CLOSING IN ANY MANNER OTHER THAN AS USED AND
OPERATED BY THE SELLER OR (III) THE PROBABLE SUCCESS OR PROFITABILITY OF
THE XXXXXX ENTITIES OR HOLDCO AFTER THE CLOSING, (B) OTHER THAN THE
INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATIONS OF THE SELLER SET FORTH IN ARTICLE IX, NONE OF
THE SELLER, ITS AFFILIATES OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS,
EMPLOYEES OR REPRESENTATIVES WILL HAVE OR BE SUBJECT TO ANY LIABILITY OR
INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATION TO THE PURCHASER OR TO ANY OTHER PERSON RESULTING
FROM THE DISTRIBUTION TO THE PURCHASER, ITS AFFILIATES OR REPRESENTATIVES OF, OR
THE PURCHASER’S USE OF, ANY INFORMATION RELATING TO THE XXXXXX ENTITIES OR
HOLDCO, INCLUDING THE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION MEMORANDUM AND ANY INFORMATION,
DOCUMENTS OR MATERIAL MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PURCHASER, WHETHER ORALLY OR IN
WRITING, IN CERTAIN “DATA ROOMS,” MANAGEMENT PRESENTATIONS,
FUNCTIONAL “BREAK-OUT” DISCUSSIONS, RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED ON BEHALF
OF THE PURCHASER OR IN ANY OTHER FORM IN EXPECTATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS
CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT (AND ANY SUCH OTHER REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY IS
HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED) AND (C) NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, NONE OF THIS
SECTION 3.24, THE SCOPE OF THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES SET FORTH IN THIS
AGREEMENT, NOR THE ABSENCE OF ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY FROM THIS
AGREEMENT, SHALL (OR SHALL BE DEEMED TO) LIMIT, MODIFY OR OTHERWISE AFFECT, ANY
CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED ON FRAUD.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
OF THE
PURCHASER
The
Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to the Seller as follows:
SECTION
4.01. Organization and Authority
of the Purchaser. The
Purchaser is a German stock corporation duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the Laws of Germany and has all necessary power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, to carry
out its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby. The Purchaser is duly licensed or
qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which
the properties owned or leased by it or the operation of its business makes such
licensing or qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to
be so licensed, qualified or in good standing would not adversely
33
affect
the ability of the Purchaser to carry out its obligations under, and to
consummate the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements. The execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, the performance by the Purchaser of its
obligations hereunder and thereunder, and the consummation by the Purchaser of
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by
all requisite corporate action on the part of the Purchaser. This
Agreement has been, and upon its execution each of the Ancillary Agreements
shall have been, duly executed and delivered by the Purchaser, and (assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by the Seller) this Agreement constitutes,
and upon its execution the Ancillary Agreements to which the Purchaser is a
party (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties
thereto) shall constitute, legal, valid and binding obligations of the
Purchaser, enforceable against the Purchaser in accordance with their respective
terms subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
reorganization, moratorium and other similar Laws relating to or affecting
creditors’ rights generally and general equitable principles (whether considered
in a proceeding in equity or at law).
SECTION
4.02. No
Conflict. Assuming
compliance with the pre-merger notification and waiting period requirements of
the HSR Act and the Competition Act and the making and obtaining of all filings,
notifications, consents, approvals, authorizations and other actions referred to
in Section 4.03, and except to the extent resulting from any facts and
circumstances relating solely to the Seller, the execution, delivery and
performance by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the Transition Services
Agreement do not and will not (a) violate, conflict with or result in the
breach of any provision of the Governing Documents of the Purchaser,
(b) conflict in any material respect with or violate in any material
respect any Law or Governmental Order applicable to the Purchaser or
(c) conflict in any material respect with, result in any material breach
of, constitute a material default (or event which with or without the giving of
notice or lapse of time, or both, would become a material default) under,
require any consent under, or give to others any rights of termination,
amendment, acceleration, suspension, revocation or cancellation of, any material
note, bond, mortgage or indenture, contract, agreement, lease, sublease,
license, Permit, franchise or other instrument or arrangement to which the
Purchaser is a party.
SECTION
4.03. Governmental Consents and
Approvals. The
execution, delivery and performance by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the
Transition Services Agreement do not and will not require any consent, approval,
authorization or Governmental Order, action by, filing with, or notification to,
any Governmental Authority, except (a) compliance with, and filings under,
the HSR Act and the Competition Act and (b) any additional consents,
approvals, authorizations, filings and notifications under any other applicable
antitrust, competition, or trade regulation Law, except where failure to obtain
such consent, approval, authorization or action, or to make such filing or
notification, would not prevent or materially delay the consummation by the
Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements or as may be necessary as a result of any facts or circumstances
relating solely to the Seller or any of its Affiliates.
SECTION
4.04. Investment
Purpose. The
Purchaser is acquiring the Shares solely for the purpose of investment and not
with a view to, or for offer or sale in connection with, any distribution
thereof other than in compliance with all applicable Laws, including
US
34
federal
securities Laws. The Purchaser agrees that the Shares may not be
sold, transferred, offered for sale, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise disposed
of without registration under the Securities Act and any applicable State
securities Laws, except pursuant to an exemption from such registration under
the Securities Act and such Laws. The Purchaser is able to bear the
economic risk of holding the Shares for an indefinite period (including total
loss of its investment), and (either alone or together with its advisors) has
sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and business matters so as to
be capable of evaluating the merits and risk of its investment.
SECTION
4.05. Financing. The
Purchaser will have prior to the Closing, sufficient cash, available lines of
credit or other sources of immediately available funds to enable it to pay, in
cash, the Purchase Price and all other amounts payable pursuant to this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements or otherwise necessary to consummate all
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
SECTION
4.06. Litigation. No
Action by or against the Purchaser is pending or, to the knowledge of the
Purchaser, threatened, which could affect the legality, validity or
enforceability of this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreements or the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
SECTION
4.07. Brokers. Except
for Xxxxxxx Sachs & Co. oHG, no broker, finder or investment banker is
entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements
made by or on behalf of the Purchaser. The Purchaser shall be solely
responsible for payment of the fees and expenses of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co.
oHG.
SECTION
4.08. Seller’s
Representations. The
Purchaser hereby represents, acknowledges and agrees with the statement set
forth in Section 3.24 of this Agreement.
ARTICLE
V
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
SECTION
5.01. Conduct of Business Prior to
the Closing. The
Seller covenants and agrees that, except as described in Section 5.01 of
the Disclosure Schedule or contemplated, permitted or required by this
Agreement, between the date of this Agreement and the Closing, the Seller: (i)
shall cause each Xxxxxx Entity to conduct its business in the ordinary course
and in all material respects in a manner consistent with past practice, and
(ii) shall use its reasonable best efforts to preserve intact in all
material respects the business organization, rights, franchises and goodwill of
each Xxxxxx Entity, and the relationships between each Xxxxxx Entity and its
employees, customers, lenders, suppliers, regulators and others having business
relationships with such Xxxxxx Entity. Except as described in
Section 5.01 of the Disclosure Schedule or as expressly permitted or
required by this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements, the Seller covenants and
agrees that no Xxxxxx Entity shall, between the date of this Agreement and the
Closing, without the prior written consent of the Purchaser:
35
(a) issue,
sell, transfer or create any Encumbrance (that will not be removed prior to
Closing) over or amend the terms of any capital stock, notes, bonds or other
securities of any Xxxxxx Entity (or any option, warrant or other right to
acquire the same) or redeem or repurchase any of the capital stock of any Xxxxxx
Entity;
(b) amend
or restate the certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or similar organizational
documents) of any Xxxxxx Entity;
(c) grant
or announce any increase in the salaries, bonuses or other benefits payable by
any Xxxxxx Entity to any Xxxxxx Employee, other than as required by Law,
pursuant to the express terms of any Plans as in effect as of the date of this
Agreement or other ordinary increases consistent with the past practices of such
Xxxxxx Entity;
(d) grant
any rights to retention, severance or termination pay to, or enter into any
material new (or materially amend any existing) employment, retention, severance
or other agreement or arrangement with any director, officer, employee, agent or
consultant of any Xxxxxx Entity;
(e) other
than in the ordinary course of business (including preparation of Tax Returns)
or as not inconsistent with past practice from time to time, make, revoke or
change any material Tax election, method of tax accounting or reporting where
applicable law permits a choice between two or more alternative methods, file
any amended return, or settle or compromise any material Tax liability, if such
action would reasonably be expected to cause Tax to be materially lower for a
taxable period or portion thereof ending on or prior to the Closing Date and
correspondingly higher for a period ending after the Closing Date; provided, however, that nothing
herein shall preclude the Seller and its Affiliates from claiming a deduction
for any depreciation, amortization, depletion or similar amount and, provided, further, that the
Seller must also provide written notice of its intent to settle or compromise
any Tax liability of more than $2,500,000 or make any Tax election affecting Tax
liability in any year by more than $2,500,000. For purposes of this
Section 5.01(e), an item of Tax will be considered to be materially lower if it
is at least $10,000,000 lower than the amount that it otherwise would have
been.
(f) adopt
or establish any new employee benefit plan for Xxxxxx Employees or amend in any
material respect any existing Plan covering Xxxxxx Employees except for
amendments required by Law (following notice to the Purchaser);
(g) change
any method of accounting or accounting practice or policy used by any of the
Xxxxxx Entities, other than (following notice to the Purchaser) such changes as
are required by GAAP or a Governmental Authority or as are necessary to conform
with the accounting practice or policy used by the Dow Consolidated Group (it
being understood that any such change shall not affect the basis of preparation
of the Initial Closing Statement or the Final Closing Statement);
(h) fail
to exercise any rights of renewal with respect to any Leased Real Property that
by its terms would otherwise expire;
36
(i) compromise
or settle any Action (A) resulting in an obligation of any Xxxxxx Entity to
pay more than $1,000,000 in respect of compromising or settling such Action,
(B) in respect of any claim of any Xxxxxx Entity to receive any payment of
more than $1,000,000 in respect of settling any such Action or (C) that is
otherwise material to the conduct of the business of the Xxxxxx Entities taken
as a whole;
(j) acquire
(by merger or stock or asset purchase or otherwise) any corporation,
partnership, other business organization or any business or division
thereof;
(k) incur,
create, assume or otherwise become liable for any Indebtedness, or guarantee any
Indebtedness of any Person or otherwise become responsible for any Liability of
any Person, except for any Indebtedness, guarantee or responsibility that will
be repaid, cancelled or discharged in full prior to the open of business on the
Closing Date;
(l) factor
any accounts receivable in any material amounts, other than on commercial terms
and in the ordinary course of business;
(m) enter
into, renew, extend, materially amend, fail to renew, cancel or terminate any
Material Contract or agreement which if entered into prior to the date hereof
would be a Material Contract, other than customer or supplier contracts in the
ordinary course of business;
(n) abandon,
assign or grant any security interest in any material Owned Intellectual
Property, other than in the ordinary course of business; or
(o) agree
to take any of the actions specified in Sections 5.01(a)-(n).
The
Seller further covenants and agrees that between the date of this Agreement and
Closing it shall procure that each Xxxxxx Entity shall make capital expenditures
and investments in the ordinary course of business.
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, subject to compliance with
applicable Law and contractual obligations, the Xxxxxx Entities shall be
permitted to declare and pay any dividends or make distributions or cash
transfers (including in connection with any “cash sweep” arrangements with the
Seller or its Affiliates) prior to the Closing Date. The Seller
agrees to procure that the Company and the Subsidiaries shall have at Closing an
aggregate balance of cash and cash equivalents of not less than $5,000,000 and
not greater than $25,000,000. The Seller agrees to procure that
Xxxxxx Bahamas Limited and Inagua General Store Ltd. shall have at Closing an
aggregate balance of cash and cash equivalents equal to zero.
SECTION
5.02. Access to
Information and
Employees. (a) From
the date of this Agreement until the Closing, upon reasonable notice, the Seller
shall, and shall cause each Xxxxxx Entity and each of their respective officers,
directors, employees, agents, representatives, accountants and counsel to
(i) afford the Purchaser and its officers, employees and authorized agents
and representatives reasonable access to, and the right to inspect, the offices,
properties
37
and books
and records, contracts and other documents and data of each Xxxxxx Entity and
reasonable access to the employees of each Xxxxxx Entity, and (ii) furnish
to the Purchaser and its officers, employees and authorized agents and
representatives such additional financial and operating data and other
information regarding the Xxxxxx Entities (or copies thereof) as the Purchaser
may from time to time reasonably request; provided, however, that any
such access or furnishing of information shall be conducted at the Purchaser’s
expense, during normal business hours, under the supervision of the Seller’s
personnel and in such a manner as not to unreasonably interfere with the normal
operations of the Xxxxxx Entities. The access referenced in the
immediately preceding sentence shall include access to conduct environmental
site assessments of any Owned Real Property and, subject to the rights of any
landlord, any real property leased, subleased, used or occupied by any Xxxxxx
Entity; provided, however, that the
Purchaser shall not conduct any sampling and analysis of any environmental media
or building material without the consent of the Seller, such consent to be
withheld at the absolute discretion of the Seller. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Seller shall not be required to
disclose any information to the Purchaser if, after consultation with its
counsel, the Seller determines in good faith that such disclosure would
(i) cause significant competitive harm to the Xxxxxx Entities if the
transactions contemplated hereby are not consummated, (ii) jeopardize any
attorney-client or other legal privilege or (iii) contravene any applicable
Laws, fiduciary duty or binding agreement entered into prior to the date of this
Agreement. When accessing any of Seller’s properties, Purchaser and
its officers, employees and authorized agents and representatives shall comply
with all of Seller’s safety and security requirements for the applicable
property. No investigation by the Purchaser or information made
available by the Purchaser (whether before or after the date hereof) shall
operate as a waiver or otherwise affect any of its rights under this Agreement,
including pursuant to Articles VIII, IX and X hereof, or any representation,
warranty or agreement of the Seller in this Agreement nor shall any such
investigation or information be deemed to amend or supplement the Disclosure
Schedule.
(b) In
order to facilitate the resolution of any claims made against or incurred by the
Seller or its Affiliates relating to the Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco or the JV
Entities and for purposes of compliance by the Seller and its Affiliates with
securities, environmental, employment and other Laws, until the later of the
seventh anniversary of the Closing or the expiration of the relevant period for
the statutes of limitations (including any extensions thereof), the Purchaser
shall (i) retain the books and records relating to the Xxxxxx Entities,
Holdco and the JV Entities for periods prior to the Closing, and (ii) upon
reasonable notice, at the Seller's expense, afford the officers, employees,
agents and representatives of the Seller reasonable access (including the right
to make, at the Seller’s expense, copies), during normal business hours, to such
books and records; provided, that any such access or
furnishing of information shall be conducted in such a manner as not to
unreasonably interfere with the normal operations of the Xxxxxx
Entities.
(c) In
order to facilitate the resolution of any claims made against or incurred by the
Purchaser or any Xxxxxx Entity, Holdco or the JV Entities relating to any Xxxxxx
Entity, Holdco or JV Entity and for purposes of compliance with securities,
environmental, employment and other Laws, until the later of the seventh
anniversary of the Closing or the expiration of the relevant period for the
statutes of limitations (including any extensions thereof), the Seller shall
(i) retain the books and records relating to the Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco
and the JV Entities, relating to periods prior to the Closing which shall not
otherwise have been delivered to the
38
Purchaser
and (ii) upon reasonable notice, at the Purchaser's expense, afford the
officers, employees, agents and representatives of the Purchaser reasonable
access (including the right to make, at the Purchaser’s expense, copies), during
normal business hours, to such books and records; provided, that any such access or
furnishing of information shall be conducted in such a manner as not to
unreasonably interfere with the normal operations of the Xxxxxx
Entities.
SECTION
5.03. Confidentiality. (a) The
terms of the letter agreement, dated as of March 18, 2009 (the “Confidentiality
Agreement”), between the Seller and Purchaser are hereby incorporated
herein by reference and shall continue in full force and effect until the
Closing and shall survive the Closing and remain in full force and effect until
their expiration in accordance with the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement;
provided, however, that upon
the Closing, the confidentiality obligations contained in the Confidentiality
Agreement shall terminate in respect of that portion of the Information (as
defined in the Confidentiality Agreement) exclusively relating to the Xxxxxx
Entities, Holdco and any JV Entity, and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. If this Agreement is, for any reason, terminated prior to
the Closing, the Confidentiality Agreement shall nonetheless continue in full
force and effect in accordance with its terms.
(b) Nothing
made available to the Purchaser pursuant to Section 5.02(a) shall in any
way amend or diminish the Purchaser’s obligations under the Confidentiality
Agreement. The Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that any Information
made available to the Purchaser pursuant to Section 5.02(a) or otherwise by
any of the Seller, the Xxxxxx Entities or any officer, director, employee,
agent, representative, accountant or counsel thereof shall be subject to the
terms and conditions of the Confidentiality Agreement.
(c) From
and after Closing, the Seller shall, and shall cause its Affiliates to, hold,
and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its or their representatives
to hold, in confidence any and all information, whether written or oral,
concerning the Xxxxxx Entities except to the extent that such information (i) is
generally available to and known by the public through no fault of the Seller,
or any of its Affiliates or their respective representatives, or (ii) is
lawfully acquired by the Seller, any of its Affiliates or their respective
representatives from and after Closing from sources other than the Purchaser or
any of its Affiliates, and any Xxxxxx Entity which, to the knowledge of the
Seller, are not prohibited from disclosing such information by a legal,
contractual or fiduciary obligation. If the Seller or any of its
Affiliates or their respective representatives are compelled to disclose any
information by judicial or administrative process or by other requirements of
Law, the Seller shall promptly notify the Purchaser in writing, and in so far as
is practicable, consult with the Purchaser regarding the disclosure of such
information, and shall disclose only that portion of such information which the
Seller is advised by its counsel is legally required to be disclosed; provided, that the Seller shall use
its reasonable best efforts to obtain any appropriate protective order or other
reasonable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded such
information.
SECTION
5.04. Regulatory and Other
Authorizations; Notices and Consents.
(a) The
Purchaser shall (i) promptly obtain all authorizations, consents, orders
and approvals of all Governmental Authorities and officials that may be or
become necessary for its execution and delivery of, and the performance of its
obligations pursuant to, this Agreement, (ii) cooperate fully with the
Seller in promptly seeking to obtain all such authorizations, consents, orders
and
39
approvals
and (iii) provide such other information to any Governmental Authority as
such Governmental Authority may reasonably request in connection
herewith. Each party hereto agrees to make promptly (but in no event
later than five Business Days after the date of this Agreement) its respective
filing, if necessary, pursuant to the HSR Act with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and to supply as promptly as practicable to the
appropriate Governmental Authorities any additional information and documentary
material that may be requested pursuant to the HSR Act. Each party
hereto agrees to make as promptly as practicable (but in no event later than ten
Business Days after the date of this Agreement) its respective filings and
notifications, if any, under any other applicable antitrust, competition, or
trade regulation Law and to supply as promptly as practicable to the appropriate
Governmental Authorities any additional information and documentary material
that may be requested pursuant to the applicable antitrust, competition, or
trade regulation Law. The Purchaser will pay all fees or make other
payments to any Governmental Authority in order to obtain any such
authorizations, consents, orders or approvals.
(b) Without
limiting the generality of the Purchaser’s undertaking pursuant to
Section 5.04(a), the Purchaser agrees to use its best efforts and to take
any and all steps necessary to avoid or eliminate each and every impediment
under any antitrust, competition or trade regulation Law that may be asserted by
any antitrust or competition Governmental Authority or any other party so as to
enable the parties hereto to close the transactions contemplated hereby as
promptly as practicable, and in any event prior to the Termination Date,
including proposing, negotiating, committing to and effecting, by consent
decree, hold separate orders, or otherwise, the sale, divestiture or disposition
of such of its assets, properties or businesses or of the assets, properties or
businesses to be acquired by it pursuant hereto (a “Divestiture Action”),
and the entrance into such other arrangements, as are necessary or advisable in
order to avoid the entry of, and the commencement of litigation seeking the
entry of, or to effect the dissolution of, any injunction, temporary restraining
order or other order in any suit or proceeding, which would otherwise have the
effect of preventing the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or
of delaying such consummation until after the Termination Date. In
addition, the Purchaser shall defend through litigation on the merits any claim
asserted in court by any party in order to avoid entry of, or to have vacated or
terminated, any decree, order or judgment (whether temporary, preliminary or
permanent) that would prevent the Closing prior to the Termination Date; provided, however, that such
litigation in no way limits the obligation of the Purchaser to use its best
efforts, and to take any and all steps necessary to eliminate each and every
impediment under any antitrust, competition or trade regulation Law to close the
transactions contemplated hereby prior to the Termination Date.
(c) The
Purchaser shall be entitled to direct the antitrust defense of the transaction
contemplated by this Agreement in any investigation or litigation by, or
negotiations with, any Governmental Authority or other Person relating to the
Agreement or regulatory filings under any applicable antitrust, competition, or
trade regulation Law, including any communications with any Governmental
Authority relating to any contemplated or proposed Divestiture
Action. Without limiting the foregoing and subject to applicable
legal limitations and the instructions of any Governmental Authority, each party
to this Agreement shall promptly notify the other party hereto of any
communication it or any of its Affiliates receives from any Governmental
Authority relating to the matters that are the subject of this Agreement and
permit the other party to review in advance any proposed communication by such
party to any
40
Governmental
Authority. Neither of the parties to this Agreement shall agree to
participate in any meeting with any Governmental Authority in respect of any
filings, investigation (including any settlement of the investigation),
litigation or other inquiry unless it consults with the other party in advance
and, to the extent permitted by such Governmental Authority, gives the other
party the opportunity to attend and participate at such meeting. The
parties to this Agreement will coordinate and cooperate fully with each other in
exchanging such information and providing such assistance as the other party may
reasonably request in connection with the foregoing and in seeking early
termination of any applicable waiting periods, including under the HSR
Act. The parties to this Agreement will provide each other with
copies of all correspondence, filings or communications between them or any of
their representatives, on the one hand, and any Governmental Authority or
members of its staff, on the other hand, with respect to this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that
materials may be redacted (x) to remove references concerning the valuation
of the Xxxxxx Entities, (y) as necessary to comply with contractual
arrangements, and (z) as necessary to address reasonable attorney-client or
other privilege or confidentiality concerns. Without limiting the
parties’ mutual obligations in this Section 5.04, the Seller and its counsel
shall not communicate with any Governmental Authority regarding Purchaser’s
obligations under Section 5.04(b) or regarding any proposed or possible
divestitures or any other settlement by the Purchaser with the Governmental
Authority in connection with the HSR Act or the Competition Act.
(d) The
Purchaser shall not enter into any transaction, or any agreement to effect any
transaction (including any merger or acquisition) that might reasonably be
expected to make it more difficult, or to increase the time required, to
(i) obtain the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the
HSR Act, or any other applicable antitrust, competition, or trade regulation
Law, applicable to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
(ii) avoid the entry of, the commencement of litigation seeking the entry
of, or to effect the dissolution of, any injunction, temporary restraining order
or other order that would materially delay or prevent the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby or (iii) obtain all authorizations,
consents, orders and approvals of Governmental Authorities necessary for the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(e) From
the date of this Agreement until Closing, the Seller shall as promptly as
reasonably practicable notify the Purchaser in writing of: (i) any
notice from any Person alleging that the consent of such Person is or may be
required in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; or
(ii) any Action commenced or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened against,
relating to or involving or otherwise affecting the Seller or the Xxxxxx
Entities that, if pending on the date of this Agreement, would have been
required to have been disclosed pursuant to Section 3.09 or that relates to the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(f) The
Purchaser’s receipt of information pursuant to this Section 5.04 shall not
operate as a waiver or otherwise affect any right of the Purchaser under this
Agreement, including pursuant to Articles VIII, IX and X hereof, or any
representation, warranty or agreement of the Seller in this Agreement and shall
not be deemed to amend or supplement the Disclosure Schedule.
41
SECTION
5.05. Transition
Services. From
and after Closing, the Seller (or one or more of its Affiliates) shall provide
to the Purchaser transition services reasonably requested by the
Purchaser. The scope of such transition services shall be consistent
with the services currently provided by the Seller to the Xxxxxx
Entities. The term of the transition services shall be based on a
reasonable amount of time that will be necessary for the Xxxxxx Entities to make
arrangements for such services with third parties or with the Purchaser or its
Affiliates, but shall not exceed 12 months. The fees for the
provision of each transition service shall be equal to the internal cost of the
Seller in providing such service. Without prejudice to the foregoing,
prior to the Closing Date, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith an
agreement setting out the detailed scope and term of such transition services
(the “Transition
Services Agreement”).
SECTION
5.06. Insurance. From
and after Closing, the Xxxxxx Entities shall cease to be insured by the Seller’s
or its Affiliates’ insurance policies or by any of their self-insured programs,
other than by any third party insurance policies acquired directly by and in the
name of any Xxxxxx Entity or self-insurance programs of the Xxxxxx Entities
directly. The Seller shall provide, at the sole cost and expense of
Purchaser, such assistance as the Purchaser may reasonably request between the
date of this Agreement and Closing to assist the Purchaser in obtaining
insurance policies and programs with respect to the Xxxxxx Entities (or any
Purchaser Reorganization Transferee) at Closing. Prior to Closing,
the Seller shall cause the third party insurance policies (and/or the rights to
coverage thereunder) of the Xxxxxx Entities solely relating to the Non-Business
Assets or Non-Business Liabilities or Pre-Closing Environmental Liabilities to
the extent not relating to the Business (the “Non-Business
Insurance”) to be transferred, conveyed or otherwise assigned to the
Seller or one or more of its Affiliates to the extent
practicable. With respect to events or circumstances relating to the
Xxxxxx Entities (i) that are covered by such Non-Business Insurance, the Xxxxxx
Entities and any Purchaser Reorganization Transferee may, during the period from
Closing until the last day for exercise of the Post-Closing Legal Entity
Transfer Right (the “MII Transfer End
Date”), cause the Seller to make claims (on behalf, and for the benefit,
of the Purchaser) under such Non-Business Insurance to the extent such coverage
and limits are available under such Non-Business Insurance and to the extent
such claims are not covered by insurance policies or self-insurance programs of
any of the Xxxxxx Entities and (ii) that existed prior to the Closing Date that
are covered by the Seller’s or its Affiliates’ occurrence based third party
liability insurance policies (the “Occurrence
Policies”), the Xxxxxx Entities may, during the period described in (i)
above, make claims under such policies; provided, in each
case however, that by making any such claims, the Purchaser agrees to reimburse,
or cause the Xxxxxx Entities to reimburse, the Seller and its Affiliates for any
increased insurance costs incurred by the Seller or any of its Affiliates as a
result of such claims, including any premium adjustments associated with such
policies, as such amounts are determined in accordance with those policies and
programs generally applicable from time to time to the Seller and its
Affiliates; and provided, further,
that the Purchaser or the Xxxxxx Entities shall bear (and the Seller and its
Affiliates shall have no obligation to repay or reimburse the Purchaser or the
Xxxxxx Entities for) a proportionate amount of any “deductibles” associated with
claims under such policies. As of the MII Transfer End Date, the
Purchaser and the Xxxxxx Entities shall no longer be permitted to make any
claims under such Non-Business Insurance or under the Occurrence
Policies. For the avoidance of doubt, the Seller and its Affiliates
shall retain all rights to control its insurance policies and programs,
including the right to exhaust, release, commute, buy-back or otherwise remove
its insurance policies and programs, and to settle or otherwise resolve any
disputes (provided any
42
such
settlement or resolution is reasonable with respect to any claim by the
Purchaser) notwithstanding whether any such policies or programs apply to any
Liabilities of the Purchaser. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained herein, neither the Xxxxxx Entities nor the Purchaser shall
make any claims under any other insurance policies (including any claims-based
insurance policies) or any other self-insured programs of the Seller or its
Affiliates.
SECTION
5.07. Privileged
Matters. The
parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the legal advice or services that have
been or will be provided prior to the Closing Date for the benefit of both
(a) the Seller and its Affiliates (other than the Xxxxxx Entities and
Holdco) and (b) the Xxxxxx Entities and Holdco shall be subject to a shared
privilege between the Seller and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Xxxxxx
Entities and Holdco, on the other hand, and the Seller and its Affiliates, and
the Xxxxxx Entities and Holdco shall have equal right to assert all such shared
privileges in connection with privileged information under any applicable Law
and no such shared privilege may be waived by (i) any of the Seller or its
Affiliates without the prior written consent of the Purchaser or (ii) by
any of the Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco or the Purchaser without the prior written
consent of the Seller, except as may be required or permitted by Law; provided, however, that any
legal advice or services provided, whether before or after the Closing Date,
with respect to any matter for which the Indemnifying Party agrees in writing
that, with respect to such matters, it has an indemnification obligation
hereunder, shall be subject to the sole and separate privilege of the
Indemnifying Party, and the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to control the
assertion or waiver of all such separate privileges under any applicable Law in
connection with any privileged information, whether or not such information is
in the possession of or under the control of any of the Indemnified
Parties.
SECTION
5.08. Further
Action. From
time to time after the Closing, without additional consideration, each party
hereto will (or, if appropriate, will cause its Affiliates to) execute and
deliver such further instruments and take such other action as may be reasonably
requested by the other party to make effective the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and, without prejudice to the
foregoing, enter into good faith discussions with respect
thereto. The Seller shall provide and shall cause the Xxxxxx Entities
to provide, at the sole cost and expense of Purchaser, such assistance as the
Purchaser may reasonably request between the date of this Agreement and Closing
to assist the Purchaser in replacing any outstanding Indebtedness (other than
the Credit Sensitive Debentures) or letters of credit of the Xxxxxx
Entities. Without limiting the foregoing, upon reasonable request of
the Purchaser, the Seller shall, and shall cause its Affiliates to, execute,
acknowledge and deliver all such further assurances, deeds, assignments,
consequences, powers of attorney and other instruments and papers as may be
required to sell, transfer, assign, convey and deliver to the Purchaser, the
Xxxxxx Entities or any Purchaser Reorganization Transferee, all right, title and
interest in and to the Shares and to assets, rights and properties of the
Business. In addition, if any of the Seller and its Affiliates (on
the one hand), and the Purchaser and its Affiliates (on the other hand) shall,
following the Closing, have in their possession any property, asset or right,
which under this Agreement should be in the possession of the other, such Person
shall promptly deliver such property, asset or right as contemplated by this
Agreement to such party.
SECTION
5.09. Intercompany
Obligations;
Third Party Assurances. (a) Except
with respect to the arrangements contemplated by the Ancillary Agreements, all
obligations or agreements between the Xxxxxx Entities and Holdco, on the one
hand, and the Seller and its
43
Affiliates
(other than the Xxxxxx Entities and Holdco), on the other hand, and, subject to
receipt of notice from the Purchaser within 30 days of the date hereof, any
long-term Indebtedness in the amount of at least $25,000,000 owed between any
two Xxxxxx Entities or between any Xxxxxx Entity and Holdco, shall, at the
Seller’s discretion after reasonable consultation with the Purchaser be either
terminated, repaid, capitalized or cancelled, as applicable, prior to the open
of business on the Closing Date, such that at Closing no such obligations or
agreements are outstanding.
(b) The
Seller shall use its reasonable efforts to ensure that as soon as reasonably
practicable after Closing, each Xxxxxx Entity, Holdco and each JV Entity are
released from all Third Party Assurances (including those listed in Section
5.09(b) of the Disclosure Schedule) given by such Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco or
such JV Entity in respect of obligations of the Seller or any of its
Affiliates. Pending release of any such Third Party Assurance, the
Seller shall indemnify the Purchaser and each of its Affiliates against any and
all Losses arising after Closing under or by reason of any such Third Party
Assurance.
(c) Except
with respect to the Credit Sensitive Debentures, the Purchaser shall use its
reasonable efforts to ensure that as soon as reasonably practicable after
Closing, the Seller and any of the Seller's Affiliates are released from all
Third Party Assurances given by the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller in
respect of obligations of any Xxxxxx Entity and listed in Section 5.09(c)
of the Disclosure Schedule and such other Third Party Assurances disclosed to
the Purchaser prior to Closing, to the extent such Third Party Assurances are
not material. Pending release of any such Third Party Assurance, the
Purchaser shall indemnify the Seller or such Affiliate of the Seller against any
and all Losses arising after Closing under or by reason of any such Third Party
Assurance.
(d) The
Seller shall at Closing on behalf of itself and each of its Affiliates (other
than the Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco and the JV Entities) irrevocably waive any
right of subrogation, contribution or reimbursement or any claim against the
Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco or the JV Entities in respect of any guarantee,
indemnity or undertaking by the Seller or any such Affiliate in respect of any
Indebtedness of or for the benefit of any Xxxxxx Entity, Holdco or any JV
Entity. The Seller shall and shall cause each of its Affiliates
(other than the Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco and JV Entities) to execute any release,
termination statement or waiver reasonably requested by the Purchaser to give
effect to the foregoing.
SECTION
5.10. Seller
Reorganization. Prior
to Closing, (i) the Seller shall sell, assign, transfer, convey and deliver all
of the Non-Business Assets, (including the assets listed on Section 5.10 of the
Disclosure Schedule and described as the “Retained Real
Property”), to a controlled Affiliate of the Seller that upon Closing
shall not be a Xxxxxx Entity, Holdco or any JV Entity (the “Seller Reorganization
Transferee”) and (ii) the Seller shall cause the Seller Reorganization
Transferee to assume and agree to pay, perform and discharge all of the
Non-Business Liabilities and Pre-Closing Environmental Liabilities to the extent
they are not related to the Business and, to the maximum extent allowable by
Law, the Company shall be released from any Liability with respect thereto (the
“Seller
Reorganization”). Prior to effecting such Seller
Reorganization, the Seller shall, giving reasonable notice, consult with the
Purchaser with respect to the steps and documentation for such Seller
Reorganization. Prior to Closing, the Seller and the Purchaser agree
to mutually cooperate to subdivide the Weeks Island, Louisiana,
44
property
(as described on Schedule 5.10 of the Disclosure Schedule) so as to
separate the Non-Business Assets from the Business and if such subdivision is
legally impossible or economically unfeasible, the parties will thereafter
negotiate in good faith so as to cause a division of the Weeks Island property
in a manner that will preserve and protect the Seller’s interest in the
Non-Business Assets and the Purchaser’s interest in the remaining Weeks Island
property. The Seller shall procure that no Xxxxxx Entity nor Holdco
shall provide or agree to any representation, warranty, covenant or other
agreement with respect to the Seller Reorganization or incur any Liability with
respect thereto other than any obligation of such Person to sell, assign,
transfer, convey and deliver all of the Non-Business Assets.
SECTION
5.11. Retained Names and
Marks. (a) The
Purchaser hereby acknowledges that all right, title and interest in and to the
“ROHM AND XXXX” name, together with all variations and acronyms thereof and all
trademarks, service marks, Internet domain names, trade names, trade dress,
company names and other identifiers of source or goodwill to the extent
containing or incorporating any of the foregoing (the “Retained Names and
Marks”) are owned exclusively by the Seller, and that, except as
expressly provided below, any and all right of the Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco and
each JV Entity to use the Retained Names and Marks shall terminate as of the
Closing and shall immediately revert to the Seller, along with any and all
goodwill associated therewith. The Purchaser further acknowledges
that it has no rights, and is not acquiring any rights, to use the Retained
Names and Marks, except as expressly provided herein.
(b) The
Purchaser shall, as soon as practicable after the Closing, but in no event later
than ten (10) Business Days thereafter, cause Holdco to submit to appropriate
Governmental Authorities amended articles of incorporation (or similar
organizational documents) changing its corporate name, “doing business as” name,
trade name and any other similar corporate identifier to a corporate name,
“doing business as” name, trade name or any other similar corporate identifier
that does not contain any Retained Names and Marks, and to supply promptly any
additional information, documents and materials that may be requested by the
Seller with respect to such submissions and the Seller shall provide such
reasonable assistance to the Purchaser as the Purchaser shall request in
connection therewith.
(c) Each
of the Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco and each JV Entity shall, for a period of 90
calendar days after the date of the Closing, with respect to (i) below and until
March 31, 2010, with respect to (ii) below, be entitled to use, solely in
connection with the operation of the Business as operated immediately prior to
the Closing, all of (i) its existing signage and stocks of signs,
letterheads, invoice stock, advertisements and promotional materials, and other
documents and materials (“Existing Stock”) and
(ii) inventory, in each case, containing the Retained Names and Marks,
after which periods the Purchaser shall cause each such entity to remove or
obliterate all Retained Names and Marks from such Existing Stock or cease using
such Existing Stock.
(d) Except
as expressly provided in this Section 5.11, no other right to use the Retained
Names and Marks is granted by the Seller to the Purchaser or its Affiliates
(including, for purposes of this Section 5.11, the Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco and
each JV Entity), whether by implication or otherwise, and nothing hereunder
permits the Purchaser or its Affiliates to use the Retained Names and Marks in
any manner other than in connection with Existing Stock. The
Purchaser shall ensure that all its uses of the Retained Names and Marks as
provided in this
45
Section
5.11 shall be only with respect to goods and services of a level of quality
equal to or greater than the quality of goods and services with respect to which
the Retained Names and Marks were used in the Business prior to the
Closing. Any and all goodwill generated by the use of the Retained
Names and Marks under this Section 5.11 shall inure solely to the benefit of the
Seller. In no event shall the Purchaser or its Affiliates use the
Retained Names and Marks in any manner that may damage or tarnish the reputation
of the Seller or the goodwill associated with the Retained Names and
Marks.
(e) The
Purchaser agrees that the Seller shall have no responsibility for claims by
third parties arising out of, or relating to, the use by Purchaser or its
Affiliates of any Retained Names and Marks after the Closing. In
addition to any and all other available remedies, the Purchaser shall indemnify
and hold harmless the Seller and its Affiliates, and their officers, directors,
employees, agents, successors and assigns, from and against any and all such
claims that may arise out of the use of the Retained Names and Marks by the
Purchaser or its Affiliates (i) in accordance with the terms and conditions of
this Section 5.11, other than such claims that the Retained Names and Marks
infringe the Intellectual Property rights of any third party, or (ii) in
violation of or outside the scope permitted by this Section
5.11. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the
Purchaser hereby acknowledges that in the event of any breach or threatened
breach of this Section 5.11, the Seller, in addition to any other remedies
available to it, shall be entitled to a preliminary injunction, temporary
restraining order or other equivalent relief restraining the Purchaser and any
of its Affiliates from any such breach or threatened breach.
SECTION
5.12. Credit Sensitive
Debentures. From
and after Closing, the Seller shall pay, on behalf of the Company (for purposes
of this Section 5.12, as defined in Section 5.12 of the Disclosure Schedule), to
the indenture trustee of the Credit Sensitive Debentures, or directly to the
holders thereof to the extent provided in the Credit Sensitive Debentures, any
and all amounts due to the indenture trustee and to the holders thereof (whether
principal, interest (including accrued and unpaid interest at Closing) or,
subject to the penultimate paragraph of Section 5.12 of the Disclosure Schedule,
other amounts provided for in the Credit Sensitive Debentures when such amounts
are due and payable), not later than three (3) Business Days prior to such
amounts being due and payable to the indenture trustee or holders of the Credit
Sensitive Debentures, as the case may be. The Seller shall enter into a
note in favor of the Company prior to the Closing (the “Replacement Note”)
which shall reflect the covenants in the prior sentence, contain the terms and
conditions set forth in Section 5.12 of the Disclosure Schedule and contain such
other terms and conditions as the parties reasonably agree..
SECTION
5.13. Non-Solicitation. The
Seller shall procure that neither it nor any of its Affiliates shall (whether
alone, jointly with another, directly or indirectly), for two (2) years
after the Closing Date, offer to employ or to solicit any managerial employee of
the Xxxxxx Entities (each, a “Relevant Purchaser
Employee”); provided, that the
foregoing provisions shall not operate to prevent the Seller or any of its
Affiliates from employing: (A) any Relevant Purchaser Employee
who makes initial contact with the Seller or such Affiliate or who responds to
an advertisement for employment that is placed by or on behalf of the Seller or
any such Affiliate in a medium of general circulation, or any Relevant Purchaser
Employee who is recruited through an employment agency; provided, that in
each case such advertisement or recruitment is not specifically targeted at such
Relevant Purchaser Employee, or (B) any
46
Person
(including any Relevant Purchaser Employee) whose employment has been terminated
by the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates (including the Xxxxxx Entities), prior
to such offer of employment.
SECTION
5.14. Transaction Fees and
Expenses. The
Seller shall cause the Xxxxxx Entities to pay in full, prior to the Closing, any
(i) transaction costs to third parties incurred by the Xxxxxx Entities in the
course of the transaction contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) sale or other
bonuses, retention or severance payments or any other kind of monetary awards or
amounts resulting from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
(including but not limited to any sale bonus to Greenbrier Consulting Group, LLC
pursuant to that certain Consulting Agreement by and among the Seller,
Greenbrier Consulting Group, LLC and Xxx Xxxxx, dated August 1,
2008).
SECTION
5.15. 2008
Company Financial Statements. On
or prior to the date that falls seven Business Days prior to the Closing Date,
the Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser the 2008 Company Financial
Statements.
SECTION
5.16. MII
Legal Entity Agreement. On
or prior to the Closing Date, the Purchaser and the Seller shall enter into an
agreement in the form of Exhibit 5.16 (the “MII Legal Entity
Agreement”).
SECTION
5.17. Canadian
Filing. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary herein, Purchaser agrees to timely file an accurate and
complete CRA Form T2062CE (and a comparable form for provincial income tax
purposes) under subsection 116(5.02) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (and the
corresponding provision of nay Canadian provincial statute) with respect to the
purchase of the Company Shares and the Seller agrees to certify and sign any
such form as appropriate (and, otherwise provide the Purchaser with such
assistance and co-operation as is necessary in that regard).
ARTICLE
VI
EMPLOYEE
MATTERS
SECTION
6.01. Terms
of Employment. For
a period of two years following the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall provide,
or shall cause its Affiliates to provide, each Xxxxxx Employee who was in active
employment status (including Xxxxxx Employees who are on authorized leave of
absence, short-term disability, workers’ compensation leave or vacation leave)
as of the Closing Date, and Xxxxxx Employees who are on long-term disability on
the Closing Date upon their return to work (each such individual, an “Active Xxxxxx
Employee”) with (a) at least the same salary or wage level and the same
bonus opportunity as in effect immediately prior to the Closing, (b) severance
benefits (for Active Xxxxxx Employees who terminate after Closing) in accordance
with the severance practice of the Seller and its Affiliates as in effect
immediately prior to the Closing Date and (c) employee benefit plans and
arrangements that are not less favorable in the aggregate than those that are in
effect immediately prior to the Closing. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Purchaser shall not be obligated to provide comparable
compensation or benefits under the provisions of any individual employment
agreement or arrangement, consulting, severance (other than as required
by
47
(b) above),
change in control, retention or sale bonus agreement. Nothing in this
Section 6.01 shall be construed in any way to relieve the Purchaser or the
Xxxxxx Entities from their respective obligations under the terms of the
Transferred Plans, whether before, during or after the two-year period described
in this Section 6.01. In addition, nothing contained in this
Agreement shall confer upon any Xxxxxx Employee any right to continued
employment with Purchaser or its Affiliates, nor shall anything herein interfere
with the right of Purchaser or its Affiliates to relocate or terminate the
employment of any of the Xxxxxx Employees at any time after the Closing
Date.
SECTION
6.02. Employee
Benefits. (a) As
of the Closing, each Active Xxxxxx Employee shall cease to be an active
participant under the Plans (other than the Transferred Plans), and each Active
Xxxxxx Employee shall be entitled to participate in the employee benefit plans
and arrangements maintained by the Purchaser and its Affiliates, subject to
applicable Law and the terms of such plans and arrangements. Each
Active Xxxxxx Employee shall receive credit for service with the Seller, the
Xxxxxx Entities and their Affiliates and predecessors under such employee
benefit plans and arrangements of the Purchaser and its Affiliates for purposes
of eligibility, vesting and benefit accrual (other than benefit accrual under
any pension or retirement plan that is not a Transferred Plan); provided, however, that in no
event shall such credit result in the duplication of benefits or the funding
thereof. In addition, the Purchaser shall waive, or shall cause to be
waived, any limitations as to pre-existing conditions, evidence of insurability,
exclusions and waiting periods with respect to participation and coverage
requirements for such Active Xxxxxx Employees under such plans (to the extent
that such conditions, evidence of insurability, exclusions and waiting periods
had been satisfied or waived under the Plans as of the Closing Date) and shall
credit such Active Xxxxxx Employees for co-payments and deductibles paid on or
prior to the Closing Date during the year in which the Closing Date occurs in
satisfying any deductible or out-of-pocket requirements.
(b) The
Purchaser shall assume from the Seller and shall be responsible for, and shall
indemnify and hold harmless the Seller and its Affiliates against the actual
cost of all hospital, medical, dental, vision, workers’ compensation,
unemployment compensation and other welfare expenses and benefits for Active
Xxxxxx Employees, including, if applicable, continuation coverage provided under
Section 4980B(f) of the Code (COBRA) with respect to claims incurred by Active
Xxxxxx Employees or their covered dependents on and after the Closing
Date. For purposes of this Section 6.02(b), claims for services will
be incurred on each date the service giving rise to the claim is performed and
claims for workers’ compensation will be incurred on each date the claim is
paid.
(c) The
Purchaser shall assume, or shall cause its Affiliates to assume, the liability
of the Seller for the provision of retiree health and welfare benefits, in
accordance with the eligibility provisions of the relevant Plans of the Seller
as in effect immediately prior to the Closing Date, to (i) all Xxxxxx Employees
employed at Xxxxxx Entities outside of the US (and their covered dependents)
regardless of such Xxxxxx Employees’ dates of retirement and (ii) Active Xxxxxx
Employees employed at Xxxxxx Entities in the US who retire on and after the
Closing Date (and their covered dependents). The Seller shall retain
and shall remain liable for the provision of retiree health and welfare benefits
to Xxxxxx Employees employed at Xxxxxx Entities in the US who retire prior to
the Closing Date (and their covered dependents) under the retiree health and
welfare benefit plans of the Seller and its Affiliates.
48
SECTION
6.03. Pension Plans; 401(k)
Plan. (a) Except
as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, effective as of the Closing
Date, the Xxxxxx Employees shall be considered terminated participants under the
defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans (including the employee
stock ownership plan and all deferred compensation plans) of the Seller and its
Affiliates (other than the Xxxxxx Entities) (the “Seller Pension
Plans”) and shall cease to accrue benefits thereunder. In
addition, the Seller and its Affiliates shall amend the Seller Pension Plans to
provide that the Xxxxxx Employees be fully vested in all benefits under such
Seller Pension Plans as of the Closing Date. The Seller and its
Affiliates shall amend or shall effect such other modifications as may be
appropriate to each Seller Pension Plan to provide that, effective as of the
Closing Date, none of the Xxxxxx Entities shall be a contributing sponsor
thereto.
(b) Effective
as of the Closing Date, the Purchaser or one of its Affiliates shall assume the
sponsorship of the Canadian Salt Company Limited Employees’ Pension Plan, the
Canadian Salt Company Limited Excess Pension Plan and the related trust
agreement (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Canadian Pension
Plans”) and the Pension Plan for the Xxxxxx Bahamas Limited Employees and
the related trust agreement (the “Bahamas Pension
Plan”). The Purchaser or its Affiliates shall as of the
Closing Date assume, and be liable for the payment of, all benefits (whether
existing on the Closing Date or arising in the future) provided for in the
Canadian Pension Plans and the Bahamas Pension Plan. The employment
of any Xxxxxx Employee who continues in the employ of the Purchaser as of the
Closing Date shall not be deemed to have been severed or terminated for any
purpose under the Canadian Pension Plans or the Bahamas Pension Plan by reason
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) Effective
as of the Closing Date, contributions under the Seller 401(k) Employee Stock
Ownership and Savings Plan, or any successor plan (the “Seller 401(k)/ESOP
Plan”) in respect of the Xxxxxx Employees who participated in such plan
(the “Participants”) shall
cease. As soon as practicable after the Closing Date, the
Participants shall be permitted to transfer their individual account balances
from the Seller 401(k)/ESOP Plan (including any promissory notes held in such
accounts) in a direct rollover distribution to a defined contribution plan
sponsored by the Purchaser and its Affiliates in which the Participants are
eligible to participate and that meets the qualification requirements of
Section 401(a) of the Code; provided, however, that nothing
contained herein shall compel the Purchaser to accept rollover contributions in
the form of common stock or other securities.
SECTION
6.04. Collective Bargaining
Agreements. Purchaser
shall recognize, and shall cause the Xxxxxx Entities to recognize, each
bargaining unit applicable to the Xxxxxx Employees and shall cause the Xxxxxx
Entities to perform all obligations under each collective bargaining agreement
set forth in Section 3.14 of the Disclosure Schedule. The Purchaser
shall honor, and shall cause the Xxxxxx Entities to honor, the obligations under
the National Labor Relations Act. On or prior to the Closing, Seller
shall, or shall cause the Xxxxxx Entities to, provide any required notice of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement to each bargaining unit set forth in
Section 3.14 of the Disclosure Schedule.
SECTION
6.05. Transferred
Plans. Effective
as of the Closing Date, the Seller or one of its Affiliates shall take all
actions necessary to transfer any and all assets of any funded
49
Transferred
Plan to a Xxxxxx Entity. To the extent such assets are held in a
master trust, the amounts shall be transferred in cash or such other form as
acceptable to the Purchaser.
ARTICLE
VII
TAX
MATTERS
SECTION
7.01. Tax
Indemnities. (a) From
and after the Closing, the Seller agrees to indemnify and hold the Purchaser and
its Affiliates harmless against any Excluded Taxes, for any breach of the
warranties contained in Section 3.15(e), (j), (k) and (l) of this Agreement, and
for any Taxes for which the Purchaser is liable under section 116 of the Income
Tax Act (Canada), or sections 1094 and 1102.4 of the Taxation Act (Quebec), as a
result of the purchase of the Company Shares from the Seller. The
Purchaser shall be responsible for and shall indemnify and hold the Seller and
its Affiliates harmless against the Relevant Proportion of all Taxes imposed on
or relating to the Xxxxxx Entities, Holdco other than Excluded
Taxes. The parties hereto agree that all payments by the Purchaser
pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence shall be made to the Seller or
its designee.
(b) In
the case of Taxes with respect to a Straddle Period, the portion of any such Tax
that is allocable to the portion of the taxable period ending on the Closing
Date shall be:
(i) in
the case of Taxes that are either (x) based upon or related to income or
receipts or (y) imposed in connection with any sale or other transfer or
assignment of property (real or personal, tangible or intangible) (other than
Conveyance Taxes covered by Section 7.06), deemed equal to the amount which
would be payable (after giving effect to amounts which may be deducted from or
offset against such Taxes) if the taxable period ended on the Closing Date;
and
(ii) in
the case of Taxes imposed on a periodic basis with respect to the assets of any
Xxxxxx Entity, Holdco or any JV Entity, or otherwise measured by the level of
any item, deemed to be the amount of such Taxes for the entire Straddle Period
(after giving effect to amounts which may be deducted from or offset against
such Taxes) (or, in the case of such Taxes determined on an arrears basis, the
amount of such Taxes for the immediately preceding period), multiplied by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of days in the period ending on
the Closing Date and the denominator of which is the number of days in the
entire Straddle Period.
Any
credit or refund resulting from an overpayment of Taxes for a Straddle Period
shall be prorated based upon the method employed in this paragraph
(b) taking into account the type of Tax to which the refund
relates. In the case of any Tax based upon or measured by capital
(including net worth or long-term debt) or intangibles, any amount thereof
required to be allocated under this Section 7.01(b) shall be computed by
reference to the level of such items on the Closing Date.
(c) Payment
by the Indemnifying Party of any amount due under this Section 7.01 shall
be made within 30 days following written notice by the Indemnified Party
that
50
payment
of such amounts to the appropriate taxing authority is due; provided, that the
Purchaser shall comply with its obligation to promptly notify the Seller under
Section 7.03(a) and provided, further, that the
Indemnifying Party shall not be required to make any payment earlier than two
Business Days before it is due to the appropriate taxing
authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if the
Seller receives an assessment or other notice of Taxes due with respect to any
Xxxxxx Entity, Holdco or any JV Entity for which the Seller is not responsible,
in whole or in part, pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 7.01,
then the Purchaser shall pay such Taxes, or if the Seller pays such Taxes, then
the Purchaser or any Xxxxxx Entity, Holdco or any JV Entity shall pay to the
Seller the amount of such Taxes for which the Seller is not responsible within
five days following such payment (but in no event less than 30 days of receiving
notice of such Tax). In the case of a Tax that is contested in
accordance with the provisions of Section 7.03, payment of the Tax to the
appropriate taxing authority will be considered to be due no earlier than the
date a final determination to such effect is made by the appropriate taxing
authority or court.
SECTION
7.02. Tax
Refunds and Tax Benefits. (a) Any
Tax refund, credit or similar benefit (including any interest paid or credited
with respect thereto) relating to Excluded Taxes or any period prior to the
Closing Date shall be the property of the Seller, and if received by the
Purchaser, any Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco, shall be paid over promptly to the
Seller; provided, that any
such amounts shall be net of any reasonable costs of obtaining such refund or
credit and any net Tax borne by the Purchaser on account of the receipt of such
refund and/or the payment of such amounts to the Seller. The
Purchaser shall, if the Seller so requests and at the Seller’s expense, cause
the relevant Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco to file for and use its reasonable best
efforts to obtain and expedite the receipt of any refund to which the Seller
would be entitled under this Section 7.02. Any Tax refund,
credit or similar benefit (including any interest paid or credited with respect
thereto) of a Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco relating to any period beginning
after the Closing shall be for the account of the Purchaser, and if received by
the Seller, shall be paid over promptly to the Purchaser; provided, that any
such amounts shall be net of any reasonable costs of obtaining such refund or
credit and any net Tax borne by the Seller on account of the receipt of such
refund and/or the payment of such amounts to the Purchaser
(b) Any
amount otherwise payable under Section 7.01 shall be reduced by any Tax
benefit for the current, or any prior, taxable year available to the other party
or its Affiliates arising in connection with any underlying adjustment resulting
in the obligation of the other party or its Affiliates to pay Taxes or other
amounts for which the payee party is responsible under Section 7.01 or the
accrual or payment of such Taxes. Any amount paid under
Section 7.01 shall be refunded to the extent any such Tax benefit becomes
available to the other party or its Affiliates in a subsequent taxable year as
and when such Tax benefit is realized.
SECTION
7.03. Contests. (a) After
the Closing, the Purchaser shall promptly notify the Seller in writing of the
proposed assessment or the commencement of any Tax audit or administrative or
judicial proceeding or of any demand or claim on the Purchaser, its Affiliates
or any of the Xxxxxx Entities which, if determined adversely to the taxpayer or
after the lapse of time, could be grounds for indemnification by the Seller
under Section 7.01 (a “Claim”). Such
notice shall contain factual information (to the extent known to the Purchaser,
its Affiliates or any Xxxxxx Entity) describing the Claim in reasonable detail
and shall include copies of any notice or other document received from any
taxing authority in respect of any such Claim. If the
51
Purchaser
fails to give the Seller prompt notice of a Claim as required by this
Section 7.03, then the Seller shall not have any obligation to indemnify
for any Loss arising out of such Claim, but only to the extent that failure to
give such notice results in a detriment to the Seller.
(b) In
the case of a Tax audit or administrative or judicial proceeding (a “Contest”) that
relates to taxable periods ending on or before the Closing Date, the Seller
shall have the sole right, at its expense, to control the conduct of such
Contest.
(c) With
respect to Straddle Periods, the Seller may elect to direct and control, through
counsel of its own choosing, any Contest involving any asserted Tax liability
with respect to which Seller acknowledges liability indemnity may be sought from
the Seller pursuant to Section 7.01. If the Seller elects to direct a
Contest, the Seller shall within 60 days of receipt of the notice of asserted
Tax liability notify the Purchaser of its intent to do so, and the Purchaser
shall cooperate and shall cause the Xxxxxx Entities to fully cooperate, at the
Seller’s expense, in each phase of such Contest. If the Seller elects
not to direct the Contest, the Purchaser or any Xxxxxx Entity may assume control
of such Contest (at the Purchaser’s expense). However, in such case,
none of the Purchaser or any Xxxxxx Entity may settle or compromise any asserted
liability without prior written consent of the Seller; provided, however, that consent
to settlement or compromise shall not be unreasonably delayed or
withheld. In any event, the Seller may participate, at its own
expense, in the Contest.
(d) The
Purchaser and the Seller agree to cooperate, and the Purchaser agrees to cause
the Xxxxxx Entities to cooperate, in the defense against or compromise of any
Claim or Contest.
SECTION
7.04. Preparation of Tax
Returns. (a) The
Seller shall prepare and file (or cause the Xxxxxx Entities or Holdco to prepare
and file) all Tax Returns relating to the Xxxxxx Entities and Holdco for any
Pre-Closing Period. Such Tax Returns shall be prepared on a basis consistent
with those prepared by the Seller or Dow for prior taxable periods unless a
different treatment of any item is required by Law. With respect to
any such Tax Return required to be filed with respect to any Xxxxxx Entity or
Holdco after the Closing Date, the Seller shall provide the Purchaser and its
authorized representative with a copy of such completed Tax Return at least 30
Business Days prior to the due date (including any extension thereof) for filing
of such Tax Return, and the Purchaser and its authorized representative shall
have the right to review and comment on such Tax Return prior to the filing of
such Tax Return. The Seller and the Purchaser agree to consult and to
attempt in good faith to resolve any issues arising as a result of the review of
such Tax Return by the Purchaser or its authorized representative.
(b) The
Purchaser shall prepare and file (or cause the Xxxxxx Entities or Holdco to
prepare and file) all Tax Returns that relate to any Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco for
any Straddle Period, it being understood that all Taxes shown as due and payable
on such Tax Returns shall be the responsibility of the Purchaser, except for
such Taxes which are the responsibility of the Seller pursuant to Section 7.01
which the Seller shall pay in accordance with this Article VII. Such
Tax Returns shall be prepared on a basis consistent with those prepared for
prior taxable periods unless a different treatment of any item is required by
Law. With respect to any Tax Return required to be filed with respect
to any Xxxxxx Entity or Holdco after
52
the
Closing Date and as to which the Taxes due (or a portion thereof) are Excluded
Taxes, the Purchaser shall provide the Seller and its authorized representative
with a copy of such completed Tax Return and a statement (with which the
Purchaser will make available supporting schedules and information) certifying
the amount of Tax shown on such Tax Return that is included in Excluded Taxes
pursuant to Section 7.01 at least 30 Business Days prior to the due date
(including any extension thereof) for filing of such Tax Return, and the Seller
and its authorized representative shall have the right to review and comment on
such Tax Return and statement prior to the filing of such Tax
Return. The Seller and the Purchaser agree to consult and to attempt
in good faith to resolve any issues arising as a result of the review of such
Tax Return and statement by the Seller or its authorized
representative.
SECTION
7.05. Tax
Cooperation and Exchange of Information. The
Seller and the Purchaser shall provide each other with such cooperation and
information as either of them reasonably may request of the other (and the
Purchaser shall cause the Xxxxxx Entities to provide such cooperation and
information) in filing any Tax Return, amended Tax Return or claim for refund,
determining a liability for Taxes or a right to a refund of Taxes or
participating in or conducting any audit or other proceeding in respect of
Taxes. Such cooperation and information shall include providing
copies of relevant Tax Returns or portions thereof, together with related work
papers and documents relating to rulings or other determinations by taxing
authorities. The Seller and the Purchaser shall make themselves (and
their respective employees) reasonably available on a mutually convenient basis
to provide explanations of any documents or information provided under this
Section 7.05. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
Section 5.02, each of the Seller and the Purchaser shall retain all Tax
Returns, work papers and all material records or other documents in its
possession (or in the possession of its Affiliates) relating to Tax matters of
any Xxxxxx Entity for any taxable period that includes the Closing Date and for
all prior taxable periods until the later of (i) the expiration of the
statute of limitations of the taxable periods to which such Tax Returns and
other documents relate, or (ii) six years following the due date (without
extension) for such Tax Returns. After such time, before the Seller
or the Purchaser shall dispose of any such documents in its possession (or in
the possession of its Affiliates), the other party shall be given an
opportunity, after 90 days prior written notice, to remove and retain all
or any part of such documents as such other party may select (at such other
party’s expense). Any information obtained under this
Section 7.05 shall be kept confidential, except as may be otherwise
necessary in connection with the filing of Tax Returns or claims for refund or
in conducting an audit or other proceeding.
SECTION
7.06. Conveyance
Taxes. Any
Conveyance Taxes imposed upon, or payable or collectible or incurred in
connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be
paid by the party upon which such Conveyance Taxes are imposed and the other
party shall indemnify the party paying such Conveyance Taxes for an amount equal
to fifty percent (50%) of such Conveyance Taxes; such indemnification to be made
not less than two (2) Business Days before the date payment of the Conveyance
Taxes is due to the applicable Governmental Authority. The Purchaser
and the Seller agree to cooperate in the execution and delivery of all
instruments and certificates necessary to enable the appropriate party to comply
with any pre-Closing filing requirements.
SECTION
7.07. Tax
Covenants. (a) Neither
the Purchaser nor any Affiliate of the Purchaser shall take, or cause or permit
any Xxxxxx Entity to take, any action outside of the
53
ordinary
course of business or omit to take any action which is reasonably likely to
increase the Seller’s or any of its Affiliates’ liability for Taxes without the
prior written consent of the Seller (such consent not to be unreasonably delayed
or withheld).
(b) Neither
the Purchaser nor any Affiliate of the Purchaser shall amend, refile or
otherwise modify, or cause or permit any Xxxxxx Entity to amend, refile or
otherwise modify, any Tax election or Tax Return with respect to any taxable
period (or portion of any taxable period) ending on or before the Closing Date
without the prior written consent of the Seller (such consent not to be
unreasonably delayed or withheld). For the avoidance of doubt,
neither the Purchaser nor any Affiliate (including, after the Closing Date, the
Xxxxxx Entities) shall carryback any tax attribute from any tax period after the
Closing Date.
SECTION
7.08. Miscellaneous. (a) For
Tax purposes, the parties hereto agree to treat all payments made pursuant to
any indemnification obligation under this Agreement (including, without
limitation, pursuant to this Article VII) as adjustments to the Purchase
Price.
(b) This
Article VII shall be the sole provision governing indemnities for Taxes
under this Agreement; provided, however, that the
Purchaser shall not be precluded by this Section 7.08(b) from making a claim
under Article IX for breach of the representation contained in Section
3.06(c).
(c) For
purposes of this Article VII, all references to the Purchaser, the Seller,
Affiliates and any Xxxxxx Entity, Holdco or any JV Entity include
successors.
(d) Notwithstanding
any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the covenants and agreements of
the parties hereto contained in this Article VII shall survive the Closing
and shall remain in full force until thirty days after the expiration of the
applicable statutes of limitations for the Taxes in question (taking into
account any extensions or waivers thereof).
(e) Any
Tax sharing agreement or arrangement between any of the Seller or any of its
Affiliates (other than the Xxxxxx Entities), on the one hand, and any of the
Xxxxxx Entities, on the other hand, shall have been terminated. After
the Closing Date, no party shall have any rights or obligations under any such
Tax sharing agreement or other similar contract.
(f) Payments
by the Seller under this Article VII shall be limited to the amount of any
liability or damage that remains after deducting therefrom any indemnity,
contribution or other similar payment recovered by the Purchaser or any of the
Xxxxxx Entities or any Affiliates of the Purchaser from any third party with
respect thereto.
(g) For
purposes of this Article VII, all references to the Seller shall be deemed to
include any designee of the Seller designated by the Seller from time to time or
for certain purposes.
(h) If
the Company Shares are “loss shares” for purposes of Regulations Section
1.1502-36, and if a reduction in tax attributes of the Company would otherwise
be required under Regulations Section 1.1502-36(d), the Seller shall, if
directed by the
54
Purchaser, make
an election pursuant to Regulations Section 1.1502-36(d)(6)(i)(A) to reduce the
basis in such Shares.
(i) While
the Purchaser acknowledges that the purchase of the Shares pursuant to this
Agreement will constitute a qualified stock purchase within the meaning of
Section 338(d)(3) of the Code, it agrees that neither it nor any of its
Affiliates (including, after the Closing Date, the Xxxxxx Entities) shall make
any election under Section 338 of the Code with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or in respect of the Xxxxxx Entities other than
as provided by Section 7.08(j).
(j) The
Seller shall, if so directed by the Purchaser, (i) sell all but not some of the
shares of either or both of Canadian Salt Finance Company and Xxxxxx Bahamas
Limited to the Purchaser or an Affiliate of the Purchaser provided that such
sale can be effected without delaying the Closing or any other adverse impact to
or on the Seller or its Affiliates that is not fully compensated for by the
Purchaser at the time of such sale, if any, (ii) take reasonable efforts to
effect any other restructuring of the Xxxxxx Entities, included but not limited
to selling, or internal restructuring to permit the sale of, any Xxxxxx
Entity other than Company, or any asset of any Xxxxxx Entity, to the Purchaser
or an Affiliate of the Purchaser, provided that such restructuring can be
effected without delaying the Closing and without any other adverse impact,
present or future, on the Seller or its Affiliates that is not fully compensated
for by the Purchaser at the time of the restructuring, and (iii) join the
Purchaser in making an election under Section 338(h)(10) of the Code, with
respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that the
Purchase Price or other consideration shall be adjusted to the extent necessary,
in each case but without duplication, to compensate the Seller for any
additional Taxes, costs and other expenses (including any Tax liability of the
Xxxxxx Entities for which Seller or its Affiliates is liable under this
Agreement, and determined without regard to any Tax losses, Tax credits or other
Tax attributes of Seller or its Affiliates other than Tax losses, Tax credits or
other Tax attributes that otherwise would have been available for use by the
Xxxxxx Entities, the Purchaser or its Affiliates for any tax year beginning
after the Closing Date) that it and its Affiliates would not have incurred but
for such direction or other election, and provided, further, that any direction
must be made within 45 days of signing this Agreement and any action requested
pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) must be able to be completed within 60 days of
signing this Agreement. In the event that the amount of any payment
required to be made under clause (i) or (ii) above is not known at the time of
the restructuring or sale, the Purchaser shall pay the Seller an amount equal to
a reasonable estimate of the payment, and the difference between the amount of
any initial payment and the amount of the actual payment required by this
Section 7.08(j) shall be paid or refunded, as the case may be, within five
days of the amount of the payment becoming known.
ARTICLE
VIII
CONDITIONS
TO CLOSING
SECTION
8.01. Conditions to Obligations of
the Seller. The
obligations of the Seller to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment or written waiver, at or prior to
the Closing, of each of the following conditions:
55
(a) Representations, Warranties
and Covenants. (i) The representations and warranties of
the Purchaser contained in this Agreement (A) that are not qualified by a
“materiality” qualification shall have been true and correct in all material
respects as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct in all
material respects as of the Closing Date and (B) that are qualified by a
“materiality” qualification shall have been true and correct in all respects as
so qualified as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct in
all respects as so qualified as of the Closing, except to the extent such
representations and warranties are made as of another date, in which case such
representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material
respects or true and correct in the manner set forth in the foregoing clauses
(A) or (B), as applicable, as of such other date, (ii) the covenants and
agreements contained in this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the
Purchaser on or before the Closing shall have been performed or complied with in
all material respects (provided, that with
respect to covenants and agreements where the obligations therein are qualified
by materiality, the Purchaser shall have performed or complied with such
covenants and agreements, as so qualified, in all respects) and (iii) the
Seller shall have received a certificate of the Purchaser signed by a duly
authorized officer thereof dated as of the Closing Date certifying the matters
set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) above;
(b) Governmental
Approvals. Any waiting period (and any extension thereof)
under the HSR Act and the Competition Act shall have expired or shall have been
terminated; and
(c) No
Order. No Governmental Authority shall have enacted, issued,
promulgated, enforced or entered any Law or Governmental Order (whether
temporary, preliminary or permanent) that has the effect of making the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements illegal
or otherwise restraining or prohibiting the consummation of such
transactions.
SECTION
8.02. Conditions to Obligations of
the Purchaser. The
obligations of the Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment or written waiver, at or prior to
the Closing, of each of the following conditions:
(a) Representations, Warranties
and Covenants. (i) The representations and warranties of
the Seller contained in this Agreement (other than with respect to the Core
Matters) that are (A) qualified by a “Material Adverse Effect” qualification
shall have been true and correct in all respects as so qualified as of the date
of this Agreement and shall be true and correct in all respects as so qualified
as of the Closing and (B) not qualified by a “Material Adverse Effect”
qualification shall have been true and correct as of the date of this Agreement
and shall be true and correct in all respects as of the Closing, except for such
failures to be true and correct as, individually or in the aggregate, would not
have a Material Adverse Effect (except, with respect to the foregoing clauses
(A) and (B), to the extent such representations and warranties are made as of
another date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true
and correct in the manner set forth in the foregoing clauses (A) or (B), as
applicable, as of such specified date), (ii) the representation and warranties
of the Seller with respect to the Core Matters shall be true and correct in all
respects as of the date of this Agreement and
56
as of the
Closing, (iii) the covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement to be
performed or complied with by the Seller at or before the Closing shall have
been performed or complied with in all material respects (provided, that with
respect to covenants and agreements where the obligations therein are qualified
by materiality, the Seller shall have performed or complied with such covenants
and agreements, as so qualified, in all respects) and (iv) the Purchaser
shall have received a certificate of the Seller signed by a duly authorized
officer thereof dated as of the Closing Date certifying the matters set forth in
clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above;
(b) Governmental
Approvals. Any waiting period (and any extension thereof)
under the HSR Act and the Competition Act shall have expired or shall have been
terminated; and
(c) No
Order. No Governmental Authority shall have enacted, issued,
promulgated, enforced or entered any Law or Governmental Order (whether
temporary, preliminary or permanent) that has the effect of making the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements illegal
or otherwise restraining or prohibiting the consummation of such
transactions.
ARTICLE
IX
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION
9.01. Survival of Representations
and Warranties. The
representations and warranties of the parties hereto contained in Articles III
and IV of this Agreement shall survive the Closing for a period of 15 months
after the Closing, except for (i) the representations and warranties set forth
in Sections 3.01, 3.03(b), 3.03(c) and 3.19 which shall survive indefinitely
(the matters contemplated by the representations and warranties referred to in
this clause (i), the “Core Matters”) and
(ii) Sections 3.15 and 3.17, which shall terminate at Closing; provided, however, that any
claim made with reasonable specificity (but only to the extent known at such
time) by the party seeking to be indemnified within the time periods set forth
in this Section 9.01 shall not thereafter be barred by the expiration of
the relevant representation or warranty and shall survive until such claim is
finally and fully resolved.
SECTION
9.02. Indemnification by the
Seller. The
Purchaser and its Affiliates from time to time (including, following the
Closing, the Xxxxxx Entities, any Purchaser Reorganization Transferee and any
Designated Purchaser) and their respective, officers, directors, employees,
agents, successors and assigns (each a “Purchaser Indemnified
Party”) shall from and after Closing be indemnified and held harmless by
the Seller for and against (and the Seller hereby agrees to indemnify and hold
each Purchaser Indemnified Party harmless in respect of) all losses, damages,
claims, costs and expenses, interest, awards, judgments and penalties (including
any expense of enforcement of obligations, and all reasonable attorneys’ and
consultants’ fees and expenses and other fees and expenses reasonably incurred
in connection with the investigation, defense or settlement thereof) actually
suffered or incurred by, or imposed on, them (hereinafter a “Loss”), arising out
of or resulting from: (a) any breach of any representation or
warranty made by the Seller contained in this Agreement or in any
certificate
57
delivered
pursuant hereto; (b) any breach of any covenant or agreement of the Seller
contained in this Agreement; (c) any Pre-Closing Environmental Liability,
(d) any Non-Business Liability including, for the avoidance of doubt, the
“Friction Division Asbestos Cases,” and “Weeks Island, Louisiana Asbestos
Cases,” and “Paterson Plant Bladder Cancer” cases described in items (4), (5)
and (6), respectively, in Section 3.09(a) of the Disclosure Schedule or (e)
any Liability included in the balance sheet included as part of the 2008 Company
Financial Statements that was not included in the Reference Balance Sheet, with
respect to (e), to the extent, and only to the extent (i) such Liability was not
cancelled, terminated, repaid, capitalized or otherwise satisfied prior to
Closing, (ii) such Liability was not included as an item of Current Liabilities
or Company Indebtedness on the Final Closing Statement, (iii) the Purchaser is
not otherwise entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement or (iv) the
Seller is not otherwise required to pay for or discharge such Liability pursuant
to any covenant in this Agreement. Nothing contained in any of the
Disclosure Schedules shall qualify, limit or exclude the obligations pursuant to
Sections 9.02(b), (c), (d) and (e) except, with respect to Section 9.02(b),
to the extent a reference to any Disclosure Schedule is specifically referenced
in the relevant covenant or agreement.
SECTION
9.03. Indemnification by the
Purchaser. The
Seller and its Affiliates, and its and their respective officers, directors,
employees, agents, successors and assigns (each a “Seller Indemnified
Party”) shall from and after Closing be indemnified and held harmless by
the Purchaser for and against (and the Purchaser hereby agrees to indemnify and
hold each Seller Indemnified Party harmless in respect of) any and all Losses,
arising out of or resulting from: (a) any breach of any
representation or warranty made by the Purchaser contained in this Agreement or
in any certificate delivered pursuant hereto; or (b) any breach of any
covenant or agreement of the Purchaser contained in this Agreement.
SECTION
9.04. Limits on
Indemnification. (a) No
claim may be asserted nor may any Action be commenced against either party
hereto for breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement
contained herein, unless written notice of such claim or Action is received by
such party, describing (with reasonable specificity, but only to the extent
known at the time of such notice) the facts and circumstances with respect to
the subject matter of such claim or Action, on or prior to the date on which the
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on which such claim or Action is
based ceases to survive as set forth in Section 9.01, irrespective of
whether the subject matter of such claim or Action shall have occurred before or
after such date.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement: (i) the
Seller shall not be liable for any claim for indemnification pursuant to
Section 9.02(a) unless and until the aggregate amount of indemnifiable
Losses (on a cumulative basis) which may be recovered from the Seller equals or
exceeds an amount equal to 1.0% of the Purchase Price, whereupon the
Purchaser shall be entitled to, and the Seller shall be obligated to provide,
indemnification for the amount of such Losses in excess of such amount, (ii) no
claim for Losses may be made under Section 9.02(a) by the Purchaser or
shall be reimbursable by or shall be included in calculating the aggregate
Losses set forth in clause (i) above unless the Losses resulting from
such claim or series of related claims is in excess of $100,000, (iii) the
maximum amount of indemnifiable Losses which may be recovered from the Seller
arising out of or resulting from the causes set forth in Section 9.02(a)
shall be an amount equal to 20% of the
58
Purchase
Price and (iv) no breach by the Seller of any representation, warranty,
covenant or agreement in this Agreement shall be deemed to be a breach of this
Agreement for any purpose hereunder, and neither the Purchaser nor any Affiliate
of the Purchaser shall have any claim or recourse against the Seller or its
directors, officers, employees, Affiliates, controlling Persons, agents,
advisors or representatives with respect to such breach, under Article VII, this
Article IX or otherwise, to the extent the Seller was required to take any
action or not to take any action pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, where
such requirement gave rise to such breach, or to the extent the Purchaser or any
Affiliate of the Purchaser has directed or requested the Seller to take or not
take action that gave rise to such breach; provided, that (A)
the limitations in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) shall not apply to claims for
indemnification for breach of Core Matters or any breach of Section 3.13(h),
3.18 or 3.20, (B) the limitations in clauses (i) and (ii) shall not apply to
claims for indemnification for breach of the representations and warranties set
forth in Section 3.02(d) and (C) the maximum amount of indemnifiable Losses
which may be recovered from the Seller hereunder with respect to Non-Business
Liabilities and Pre-Closing Environmental Liabilities to the extent not relating
to the Business shall not exceed an amount equal to $1 billion and the Seller
shall not be liable for any such claim for indemnification that is made after
the thirtieth anniversary of the Closing Date (provided that any claim made with
reasonable specificity prior to such date shall survive until resolved), it
being agreed and understood that all Pre-Closing Environmental Liabilites to the
extent relating to the Business shall be subject to the maximum amount and
survival period set forth in Section 9.07(d).
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, none of the parties hereto
shall have any liability under any provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary
Agreements for any punitive, consequential or indirect damages, relating to the
breach or alleged breach of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreements; provided, however, that such
limitations shall not limit the Seller’s right to recover contract damages in
connection with the Purchaser’s failure to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement in violation of this Agreement; and provided, further, that the
foregoing shall not apply to claims for indemnification with respect to Third
Party Claims.
(d) For
all purposes of this Article IX, Losses shall be net of (i) any insurance or
other recoveries actually paid to the Indemnified Party or any of its Affiliates
in connection with the facts giving rise to the right of indemnification (but
increased by any increase in premium payable by an Indemnified Party under any
such insurance), and (ii) any Tax benefit available to the Indemnified
Party or any of its Affiliates arising in connection with the accrual,
incurrence or payment of any such Losses. Any amount paid as Losses shall be
refunded to the extent any Tax benefit becomes available to the Indemnified
Party or its Affiliates in a subsequent taxable year arising in connection with
the accrual, incurrence or payment of any such Losses as and when such Tax
benefit is realized.
SECTION
9.05. Notice of Loss; Third Party
Claims. (a) An
Indemnified Party shall give the Indemnifying Party notice of any matter which
an Indemnified Party has determined has given rise to a right of indemnification
under this Agreement, within 30 days of such determination, stating the
amount of the Loss, if known, and method of computation thereof, and containing
a reference to the provisions of this Agreement in respect of which such right
of indemnification is claimed or arises; provided, that any
failure to give such notice shall
59
not
relieve the Indemnifying Party of its indemnification obligations, except and
only to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is actually prejudiced as a
result of such failure.
(b) If
an Indemnified Party shall receive notice of any Action, audit, claim, demand or
assessment (each, a “Third Party Claim”)
against it which may give rise to a claim for Loss under this Article IX,
within 30 days of the receipt of such notice (or within such shorter period
as may be required at Law to permit the Indemnifying Party to respond to any
such claim), the Indemnified Party shall give the Indemnifying Party notice of
such Third Party Claim; provided, that any
failure to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its
indemnification obligations, except and only to the extent that the Indemnifying
Party is actually prejudiced as a result of such failure. The Indemnifying Party
shall be entitled to assume and control the defense of any Third Party Claim at
its expense and through counsel of its choice if it gives notice of its
intention to do so to the Indemnified Party within 30 days of the receipt
of such notice from the Indemnified Party. If the Indemnifying Party
elects to undertake any such defense against a Third Party Claim, the
Indemnified Party may participate in such defense at its own expense, provided, that if, in
the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Indemnified Party, (A) there are
legal defenses available to an Indemnified Party that are different from or
additional to those available to the Indemnifying Party or (B) there exists a
conflict of interest between the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party
that cannot be waived, the Indemnifying Party shall be liable for (as “Losses”
hereunder) the reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel to the Indemnified
Party. If the Indemnifying Party elects to undertake such defense
against a Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party shall cooperate with the
Indemnifying Party in such defense and make available to the Indemnifying Party,
at the Indemnifying Party’s expense, all witnesses, pertinent records, materials
and information in the Indemnified Party’s possession or under the Indemnified
Party’s control relating thereto as is reasonably required by the Indemnifying
Party. If the Indemnifying Party elects to direct the defense of any
such claim or proceeding, the Indemnified Party shall not pay, or permit to be
paid, any part of such Third Party Claim unless the Indemnifying Party consents
in writing to such payment or unless the Indemnifying Party withdraws from the
defense of such Third Party Claim liability or unless a final judgment from
which no appeal may be taken by or on behalf of the Indemnifying Party is
entered against the Indemnified Party for such Third Party Claim. If
the Indemnified Party assumes the defense of any such claims or proceeding
pursuant to this Section 9.05 because the Indemnifying Party elects not to
defend such Third Party Claim, or fails to notify the Indemnified Party in
writing of its election to defend as provided for in this Section 9.05, the
Indemnified Party may, with the prior written consent of the Indemnifying Party
(such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) pay, compromise,
settle or defend such Third Party Claim, including settling such claims or
proceeding prior to a final judgment thereon or forgoing any appeal with respect
thereto, and the aggregate amount of all Losses in connection therewith shall be
indemnifiable by the Indemnifying Party hereunder. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if the Seller is the Indemnifying Party, the Seller shall not be
entitled to assume the defense of any Third Party Claim (but the fees and
expenses of counsel incurred by the Indemnified Party in defending such Third
Party Claim shall nonetheless be considered Losses for purposes of this
Agreement) if the Third Party Claim: (i) seeks an order, injunction,
equitable relief or other relief other than money damages against any Purchaser
Indemnified Party that cannot reasonably be separated from any related claim for
money damages or (ii) seeks money damages which, together with any other Losses
reasonably
60
expected
in connection therewith, are reasonably likely to exceed by a material amount
the aggregate amount remaining from indemnification with respect
thereto.
(c) Whether
or not the Indemnifying Party assumes the defense of a Third Party Claim, an
Indemnified Party shall not admit any liability with respect to, or settle,
compromise or discharge, such Third Party Claim, without the Indemnifying
Party’s consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or
conditioned. If the Indemnifying Party assumes the defense of a Third
Party Claim, the consent of the Indemnified Party shall be required prior to any
admission of liability with respect to, or settlement, compromise or discharge
of, such Third Party Claim which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld,
delayed or conditioned in the event that (i) the admission, settlement,
compromise or discharge relates to a claim or Action for monetary damages and
(ii) the terms of any such admission, settlement, compromise or discharge
obligate the Indemnifying Party to pay the full amount of the liability in
connection with such Third Party Claim, and which releases the Indemnified Party
completely (including for claims under this Agreement) in connection with such
Third Party Claim.
SECTION
9.06. Remedies. The
Purchaser and the Seller acknowledge and agree that following the Closing,
except with respect to matters covered by Section 2.06 and other than as
provided in Section 11.10, the indemnification provisions of
Article VII and Sections 9.02, 9.03, 9.07 and 9.08 shall be the sole and
exclusive remedies of the Purchaser and the Seller, as applicable, for any
breach by the other party of the representations and warranties in this
Agreement and for any failure by the other party to perform and comply with any
covenants and agreements in this Agreement; provided, that
nothing in this Section 9.06 shall (or shall be deemed to) limit, modify or
otherwise affect, any Action based on fraud. No breach of any
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained herein shall give rise
to any right on the part of the Purchaser or the Seller, after the consummation
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, to rescind this Agreement or
any of the transactions contemplated hereby. After the Closing, each
party hereto shall take all reasonable steps to mitigate its Losses upon and
after becoming aware of any event which could reasonably be expected to give
rise to any Losses, provided, however, that costs
and expenses of such mitigation shall be deemed to be Losses to the extent
arising out of such event. No party shall be entitled to any payment,
adjustment or indemnification more than once with respect to the same
matter. To the extent that an adjustment has been made to the
Purchase Price pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Agreement or any item is
included in the Company Indebtedness or any payments are made hereunder in
respect of any matter relating to or arising out of this Agreement, an
Indemnified Party will not be entitled to any indemnification with respect to
such matter to the extent of such adjustment, inclusion or payment.
SECTION
9.07. Environmental
Matters. (a) With
respect to any Remedial Action conducted or to be conducted at or from an Owned
Real Property or a Leased Real Property that gives rise to an indemnification
obligation of the Seller under Section 9.02(c), to the extent such Remedial
Action relates to the Business:
(i) The
Seller shall have the right, but not the obligation, to conduct and control the
Remedial Action, provided, however, that if the
Seller opts to conduct such Remedial Action the Seller shall do so without
unreasonably interfering with the Purchaser’s or a Xxxxxx Entity’s operations
thereon.
61
(ii) The
Purchaser will, and will cause the applicable Xxxxxx Entity to, cooperate with
the Seller, including providing reasonable access to the subject real property,
including reasonable access to install, maintain, replace and operate xxxxx and
remove impacted soil and/or groundwater.
(iii) The
Seller shall only be liable for its share of the costs incurred to the extent
such Remedial Action is conducted in a cost-effective and commercially
reasonable manner (“Cost-Effective
Manner”). The Cost-Effective Manner shall incorporate the
least stringent clean-up standards that, based upon the use classification
(industrial, commercial or residential) of a subject real property as of the
Closing Date, are allowed under applicable Environmental Law and, so long as
commercially reasonable, the least costly methods that are allowed under
applicable Environmental Law and that are approved by or otherwise acceptable to
applicable Governmental Authorities to achieve such standards, including the use
of engineering and institutional controls to eliminate or minimize exposure
pathways. The Purchaser shall be responsible for any operation and
maintenance with respect to any such institutional or engineering controls,
including any deed restriction or cap, subsequent to the completion of their
initial installation and such post-installation costs shall not be subject to
indemnification; provided, however, that
Purchaser shall remain responsible for any groundwater monitoring or pumping, or
pump and treat system, or other system providing on-going treatment or removal
of Hazardous Materials from the environment until such is no longer required by
the relevant Governmental Authority.
(iv) The
Seller shall not be responsible for Losses to the extent they are caused,
triggered, increased or have their timing accelerated by (A) any act or omission
of the Purchaser or a Xxxxxx Entity subsequent to the Closing (except to the
extent required to remedy a violation of Law existing prior to the Closing), (B)
any changes in Environmental Law coming into effect subsequent to the Closing,
(C) the change in use classification of a subject real property subsequent to
the Closing from industrial to commercial or residential or from commercial to
residential, (D) any voluntary disclosure to a Governmental Authority subsequent
to the Closing by or on behalf of the Purchaser or any Xxxxxx Entity of any
information, (E) any decommissioning, closure or shutdown of a facility
unless ordered or required by a Governmental Authority, and (F) any sampling and
analysis of any environmental media conducted subsequent to the Closing by or on
behalf of, or at the request or solicitation of, the Purchaser or any Xxxxxx
Entity unless such sampling and analysis is (v) conducted as part of the
ordinary course of environmental and safety management procedures of the
relevant Xxxxxx Entity that accords and is consistent with the pre-Closing
practices of the relevant Xxxxxx Entity, (w) for the purposes of a geotechnical
probe conducted in connection with the expansion of a building or other facility
improvement or repair where such probe is required by Environmental Law or
accords with industry practice, (x) required by Environmental Law or by a
Governmental Authority, (y) conducted in response to a Third Party Claim
alleging that Hazardous Materials have migrated offsite from a subject Owned
Real Property or Leased Real Property or (z) expressly and affirmatively
required: (i) at any Leased Real Property pursuant to any lease
to which a Xxxxxx Entity is a party prior to Closing, (ii) by any prospective
buyer of any Owned Real Property or Leased Real Property, or (iii) by a lender
or prospective lender.
62
(b) With
respect to any Remedial Action conducted or to be conducted at or from an Owned
Real Property or a Leased Real Property that gives rise to an indemnification
obligation of the Seller under Section 9.02(c) to the extent such Remedial
Action does not relate to the Business:
(i) the
Seller shall have the right, but not the obligation, to conduct and control
the Remedial Action; provided, however, that, if the
Seller opts to conduct such Remedial Action the Seller shall do so without
unreasonably interfering with the Purchaser’s or a Xxxxxx Entity’s operations
thereon;
(ii) the
Purchaser will, and will cause the applicable Xxxxxx Entity to, cooperate with
the Seller, including providing reasonable access to the subject real property,
including reasonable access to install, maintain, replace and operate xxxxx and
remove impacted soil and/or groundwater;
(iii) the
Seller shall only be liable for its share of the costs incurred to the extent
such Remedial Action is conducted in the Cost-Effective Manner; and
(iv) the
Seller shall not be responsible for Losses to the extent they are caused,
triggered, increased or have their timing accelerated by: (A) any act or
omission of the Purchaser or a Xxxxxx Entity subsequent to the Closing (except
to the extent required to remedy a violation of Law existing prior to the
Closing), (B) the change in use classification of a subject real property
subsequent to the Closing from industrial to commercial or residential or from
commercial to residential, (C) any sampling and analysis of any
environmental media conducted subsequent to the Closing by or on behalf of, or
at the request or solicitation of, the Purchaser or any Xxxxxx Entity unless
such sampling and analysis is (v) conducted as part of the ordinary course of
environmental and safety management procedures of the relevant Xxxxxx Entity
that accords and is consistent with the pre-Closing practices of the relevant
Xxxxxx Entity, (w) for the purposes of a geotechnical probe conducted in
connection with the expansion of a building or other facility improvement or
repair where such probe is required by Environmental Law or accords with
industry practice, (x) required by Environmental Law or by a Governmental
Authority, (y) conducted in response to a Third Party Claim alleging that
Hazardous Materials have migrated offsite from a subject Owned Real Property or
Leased Real Property or (z) expressly and affirmatively
required: (i) at any Leased Real Property pursuant to any lease
to which a Xxxxxx Entity is a party prior to Closing, (ii) by any prospective
buyer of any Owned Real Property or Leased Real Property, or (iii) by a lender
or prospective lender.
(c) The
Purchaser acknowledges that its sole and exclusive remedy against the Seller for
any Losses relating to any Environmental Law or Environmental Permit or with
respect to any environmental, health or safety matter related in any way to this
Agreement or its subject matter, or to any Pre-Closing Environmental Liability,
is under Section 9.02(c), and Section 9.02(d) and 9.02(e) and
Purchaser hereby waives, on its behalf and on behalf of its parents,
subsidiaries (including the Xxxxxx Entities), divisions and affiliates, their
predecessors, successors and assigns, and their officers, directors, employees,
agents and partners, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable Law, any
other claim or remedy against Seller now or
63
hereafter
available under any applicable Environmental Law related in any way to any
Xxxxxx Entity prior to Closing or to any Pre-Closing Environmental
Liability.
(d) To
the extent that any environmental matter relates to Remedial Action related to
the Business (it being agreed and understood that all other Pre-Closing
Environmental Liabilities shall not be subject to this clause (d)) and it cannot
clearly be demonstrated to be a Pre-Closing Environmental Liability, and
Purchaser and Seller are not able to resolve in good faith within a reasonable
period of time which portion of the matter is such a Pre-Closing Environmental
Liability (and therefore subject to Seller’s indemnification obligations
hereunder) and which portion is a post-Closing matter (and therefore not subject
to Seller’s indemnification obligations hereunder), the Seller and Purchaser
shall be responsible for the Losses associated with any part of such matter for
which there is no such agreed attribution in the following
proportions:
If
the claim for indemnification is made by Purchaser for
Losses
associated with the matter:
|
Seller
(in
%)
|
Purchaser
(in
%)
|
Within
one year after the Closing Date
|
90
|
10
|
In
the second year after the Closing Date
|
80
|
20
|
In
the third year after the Closing Date
|
70
|
30
|
In
the fourth year after the Closing Date
|
60
|
40
|
In
the fifth year after the Closing Date
|
50
|
50
|
In
the sixth year after the Closing Date
|
40
|
60
|
In
the seventh year after the Closing Date
|
30
|
70
|
In
the eighth year after the Closing Date
|
20
|
80
|
In
the ninth year after the Closing Date
|
10
|
90
|
Thereafter
|
0
|
100
|
Purchaser
and Seller acknowledge that, with respect to any Release of any Hazardous
Material that constitutes a Pre-Closing Environmental Liability Seller shall be
responsible for Losses attributable to any post-Closing migration or leaching of
any such Hazardous Material; provided, that, to
the extent such Pre-Closing Environmental Liability relates to the Business the
Seller shall be responsible for Losses attributable to any such migration or
leaching to the extent such migration or leaching is not caused by any action or
negligent omission of Purchaser, and to the extent such Pre-Closing
Environmental Liability does not relate to the Business the Seller shall be
responsible for Losses attributable to any such migration or leaching to the
extent such migration or leaching is not caused by any negligence of the
Purchaser.
64
(e) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, with respect to any
Pre-Closing Environmental Liability to the extent relating to the Business, the
Seller shall not be liable for any claim for indemnification that is made after
the tenth anniversary of the Closing Date, provided, however, that any
such claim made with reasonable specificity by the Purchaser prior to the tenth
anniversary of the Closing Date shall survive until such claim is finally and
fully resolved. With respect to Pre-Closing Environmental Liabilities
to the extent relating to the Business, the maximum amount of indemnifiable
Losses which may be recovered from the Seller shall be an amount equal to 25% of
the Purchase Price, it being agreed and understood that all Pre-Closing
Environmental Liabilities to the extent not related to the Business shall be
subject to the maximum amount and survival period set forth in
Section 9.04(b)(C).
SECTION
9.08. Post-Retirement Welfare
Obligations. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, Seller shall indemnify and hold harmless each
Purchaser Indemnified Party against all Losses arising out of or resulting from
any obligation to pay or provide any post-retirement welfare benefits to any
US-located employees of the Xxxxxx Entities who retired prior to the Closing
Date. Seller shall indemnify and hold harmless each Purchaser
Indemnified Party against any liability relating to post-retirement welfare
obligations connected to the litigation in the matter of Xxxxx Xxxxx, et. al.,
US District Court of the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division for only
those employees of the Xxxxxx Entities who retired prior to the Closing
Date.
SECTION
9.09. Status as Purchaser
Indemnified Party. The
parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, for purposes of this Agreement, (i)
prior to the consummation of the Post-Closing Legal Entity Transfer Right, the
Company shall be a “Purchaser Indemnified Party” for purposes of this Agreement
and (ii) following the consummation of the Post-Closing Legal Entity Transfer
Right, the Company shall not be a “Purchaser Indemnified Party”. The
Seller covenants and agrees with the Purchaser that following the transfer of
the MII Legal Entity (as defined in the MII Legal Entity Agreement) to the
Seller pursuant to the MII Legal Entity Agreement and for a period thereafter
ending not earlier than the tenth anniversary of the Closing Date, it shall take
all reasonable action to ensure that the MII Legal Entity is able to satisfy on
a timely basis all of its obligations. The parties hereto agree that
the MII Legal Entity shall have full power and authority to enforce the
obligations of the Seller set forth in the second sentence of this Section 9.09
as if the MII Legal Entity were a party hereto.
ARTICLE
X
TERMINATION
SECTION
10.01. Termination. This
Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein may be terminated at any time
prior to the Closing:
(a) by
either the Seller or the Purchaser if the Closing shall not have occurred by the
first Business Day following the date that falls 9 months after the date of this
Agreement (the “Termination Date”);
provided, however, that the
right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 10.01(a) shall not be
available to any party hereto whose failure to fulfill any obligation under this
Agreement shall have been the cause of, or shall
65
have
resulted in, the failure of the Closing to occur on or prior to such date,
including the Purchaser’s failure to fulfill its obligations under
Section 5.04(b);
(b) by
either the Purchaser or the Seller in the event that (i) there shall be any
Law that makes consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
illegal or (ii) any Governmental Order restraining, enjoining or otherwise
prohibiting the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have become
final and nonappealable; provided, however, that the
Purchaser’s right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 10.01(b)
shall not be available to the Purchaser if the Purchaser has failed to fulfill
any of its obligations under Section 5.04(b);
(c) by
the Seller if there has been a breach in any representation or warranty or a
failure to perform any covenant or agreement on the part of the Purchaser set
forth in this Agreement (including an obligation to consummate the Closing) that
would, if occurring or continuing on the Closing Date, cause the condition set
forth in Section 8.01(a) not to be satisfied, and such condition is not
cured, or is incapable of being cured, by the Termination Date; provided, that the
Seller is not then in breach of this Agreement so as to cause any of the
conditions set forth in Section 8.02 not to be satisfied;
(d) by
the Purchaser if there has been a breach in any representation or warranty or a
failure to perform any covenant or agreement on the part of the Seller set forth
in this Agreement (including an obligation to consummate the Closing) that
would, if occurring or continuing on the Closing Date, cause the condition set
forth in Section 8.02(a) not to be satisfied, and such condition is not
cured, or is incapable of being cured, by the Termination Date; provided, that the
Purchaser is not then in breach of this Agreement so as to cause any of the
conditions set forth in Section 8.01 not to be satisfied; or
(e) by
the mutual written consent of the Seller and the Purchaser.
SECTION
10.02. Effect of
Termination. In
the event of termination of this Agreement as provided in Section 10.01,
this Agreement shall forthwith become void and there shall be no liability on
the part of any party hereto except that (a) Section 5.03, this
Section 10.02 and Article XI shall survive any termination and
(b) nothing herein shall relieve any party from liability for any breach of
this Agreement occurring prior to such termination.
ARTICLE
XI
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
SECTION
11.01. Expenses. Except
as otherwise specified in this Agreement, all costs and expenses, including fees
and disbursements of counsel, financial advisors and accountants, incurred in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement shall be borne by the party incurring such costs and expenses, whether
or not the Closing shall have occurred.
66
SECTION
11.02. Notices. All
notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be given or made (and shall be deemed to have been duly
given or made upon receipt) by (i) delivery in person, (ii) an internationally
recognized overnight courier service, (iii) facsimile or (iv) by registered or
certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective
parties hereto at the following addresses (or at such other address or facsimile
number for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with
this Section 11.02):
(a) if
to the Seller:
Rohm and
Xxxx Co.
000
Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
Attention: General
Counsel
with a
copy to:
The Dow
Chemical Company
0000 Xxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
Attention: Executive
Vice President and General Counsel
and
to:
Shearman
& Sterling LLP
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000-0000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx, Esq.
(b) if
to the Purchaser or Designated Purchaser:
K+S
Aktiengesellschaft
Postfach
102029
34111
Kassel
Germany
Facsimile: x00
000 0000 0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, General Counsel
with a
copy to:
Freshfields
Bruckhaus Xxxxxxxx US LLP
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx
Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
67
Attention: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
SECTION
11.03. Public
Announcements. None
of the parties to this Agreement shall make, or cause to be made, any press
release or public announcement in respect of this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise communicate with any news media in
respect of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
without the prior written consent of the other party unless such press release
or public announcement is required by Law or applicable stock exchange
regulation, in which case the parties to this Agreement shall, to the extent
practicable, consult with each other as to the timing and contents of any such
press release, public announcement or communication; provided, that
neither party shall be required to consult with the other prior to making any
communications substantially similar to communications previously issued after
consultation with such other party.
SECTION
11.04. Severability. If
any term or other provision (or portion thereof) of this Agreement is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced by any Law or public policy, all other
terms and provisions (or remaining portions thereof) of this Agreement shall
nevertheless remain in full force and effect for so long as the economic or
legal substance of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is not
affected in any manner materially adverse to either party
hereto. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is
invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall
negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original
intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in
order that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated as
originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.
SECTION
11.05. Entire
Agreement. This
Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements, the Confidentiality Agreement and the
Disclosure Schedule constitute the entire agreement of the parties hereto with
respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior
agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the Seller and the
Purchaser with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
SECTION
11.06. Assignment. This
Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned by
operation of Law or otherwise without the express written consent of the Seller
and the Purchaser (which consent may be granted or withheld in the sole
discretion of the Seller or the Purchaser, as the case may be), and any such
purported assignment shall be void; provided, however, that prior
to the Closing Date, either party hereto may, without the prior written
consent of the other party, assign all or any portion of its rights under
this Agreement to one or more of its direct or indirect wholly-owned
subsidiaries (including, in the case of the Purchaser, any Designated Purchaser)
for so long as such assignee remains a wholly-owned subsidiary of such
party. Any attempted assignment in violation of this Section 11.06
shall be null and void and of no effect. No assignment shall relieve
the assigning party of its obligations hereunder.
SECTION
11.07. Amendment. This
Agreement may not be amended or modified except (a) by an instrument in
writing signed by, or on behalf of, the Seller and the
68
Purchaser
that expressly references the Section(s) of this Agreement to be amended or
(b) by a waiver in accordance with Section 11.08.
SECTION
11.08. Waiver. Any
party to this Agreement may (a) extend the time for the performance of any
of the obligations or other acts of the other party, (b) waive any
inaccuracies in the representations and warranties of the other party contained
herein or in any document delivered by the other party pursuant hereto or
(c) waive compliance with any of the agreements of the other party or
conditions to such party’s obligations contained herein. Any such
extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing
signed by the party to be bound thereby. Any waiver of any term or
condition shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach or a
subsequent waiver of the same term or condition, or a waiver of any other term
or condition of this Agreement. The failure of any party hereto to
assert any of its rights hereunder shall not constitute a waiver of any of such
rights.
SECTION
11.09. No
Third Party Beneficiaries. This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of the parties
hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. The
Indemnified Parties shall be express third party beneficiaries of the provisions
of this Agreement in Article IX and the Company shall be an express third party
beneficiary of Section 9.09. Except for the prior sentence, nothing
herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person
any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever,
including any rights of employment for any specified period, under or by reason
of this Agreement. Furthermore, nothing contained herein shall (i) be
treated as an amendment to any particular Plan or (ii) prevent any Xxxxxx
Entity, Purchaser or its Affiliates from amending or terminating any benefit
arrangement.
SECTION
11.10. Specific
Performance. The
parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the parties would be irreparably
damaged if any of the provisions of this Agreement (including, without
limitation, the covenants of Dow set forth in the signature page hereto) are not
performed in accordance with their specific terms or are otherwise breached and
that any non-performance or breach of this Agreement by any party hereto could
not be adequately compensated by monetary damages alone and that the parties
hereto would not have any adequate remedy at law. Accordingly, in
addition to any other right or remedy to which the Purchaser or the Seller, as
the case may be, may be entitled, at law or in equity (including monetary
damages), such party shall be entitled to enforce any provision of this
Agreement by a decree of specific performance and to temporary, preliminary and
permanent injunctive relief to prevent breaches or threatened breaches of any of
the provisions of this Agreement without posting any bond or other
undertaking.
SECTION
11.11. Governing
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws of
the State of New York. All Actions arising out of or relating to this
Agreement shall be heard and determined exclusively in any New York federal
court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan of The City of New York; provided, however, that if such
federal court does not have jurisdiction over such Action, such Action shall be
heard and determined exclusively in any New York state court sitting in the
Borough of Manhattan of The City of New York. Consistent with the
preceding sentence, the parties hereto hereby (a) submit to the exclusive
jurisdiction of any federal or state court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan
of The City of New York for the purpose of any Action arising out of or relating
to this Agreement
69
brought
by either party hereto and (b) irrevocably waive, and agree not to assert
by way of motion, defense, or otherwise, in any such Action, any claim that it
is not subject personally to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts, that
its property is exempt or immune from attachment or execution, that the Action
is brought in an inconvenient forum, that the venue of the Action is improper,
or that this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement may
not be enforced in or by any of the above-named courts.
SECTION
11.12. Waiver of Jury
Trial. EACH
OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY
APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY
ACTION OR LIABILITY DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN
CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS
AGREEMENT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY (A) CERTIFIES THAT
NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED,
EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY
SUCH ACTION OR LIABILITY, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND
(B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND
THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, AS APPLICABLE, BY, AMONG OTHER
THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS
SECTION 11.12.
SECTION
11.13. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile or electronic
transmission) in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto
in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an
original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement.
[SIGNATURE
PAGE FOLLOWS]
70
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Seller and the Purchaser have caused this Agreement to be
executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers
thereunto duly authorized.
ROHM AND XXXX COMPANY | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Authorized Signatory | |||
K+S AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Head of Corporate Development | |||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |||
Title: | Head of Legal, Insurance and Compliance | |||
Subject
to the satisfaction of the conditions in Article VIII, The Dow Chemical Company
hereby covenants and agrees to execute and deliver at Closing the
Guarantee. The provisions of Section 11.10 shall apply to this
covenant.
THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||
Title: |
Executive
Vice President, General Counsel
and
Corporate Secretary
|
|||