AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER By and among THE TALBOTS, INC., TAILOR ACQUISITION, INC. and BPW ACQUISITION CORP. Dated as of December 8, 2009
Exhibit 2.1
EXECUTION COPY
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
By and among
THE TALBOTS, INC.,
TAILOR ACQUISITION, INC.
TAILOR ACQUISITION, INC.
and
BPW ACQUISITION CORP.
Dated as of December 8, 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS |
1 | |||
ARTICLE II THE MERGER |
12 | |||
Section 2.1 The Merger |
12 | |||
Section 2.2 Closing and Closing Date |
12 | |||
Section 2.3 Effective Time |
12 | |||
Section 2.4 Effects of the Merger |
13 | |||
Section 2.5 Organizational Documents |
13 | |||
Section 2.6 Directors and Officers |
13 | |||
Section 2.7 Conversion of BPW Common Stock |
13 | |||
Section 2.8 Fractional Interests |
14 | |||
Section 2.9 Surrender of BPW Common Stock; Transfer Books |
15 | |||
Section 2.10 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates |
17 | |||
Section 2.11 Withholding Rights |
17 | |||
Section 2.12 Sponsors’ Agreement |
18 | |||
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY AND MERGER SUB |
18 | |||
Section 3.1 Organization and Qualification |
18 | |||
Section 3.2 Authorization; Validity and Effect of Agreement |
19 | |||
Section 3.3 Capitalization |
19 | |||
Section 3.4 Subsidiaries |
20 | |||
Section 3.5 Other Interests |
21 | |||
Section 3.6 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents |
21 |
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Page | ||||
Section 3.7 Compliance |
22 | |||
Section 3.8 SEC Documents |
23 | |||
Section 3.9 Absence of Certain Changes |
24 | |||
Section 3.10 Litigation |
24 | |||
Section 3.11 Taxes |
24 | |||
Section 3.12 Employee Benefit Plans |
25 | |||
Section 3.13 Properties |
27 | |||
Section 3.14 Contracts |
28 | |||
Section 3.15 Labor Relations |
28 | |||
Section 3.16 Environmental Matters |
29 | |||
Section 3.17 Opinion of Financial Advisor |
29 | |||
Section 3.18 Brokers |
30 | |||
Section 3.19 Vote Required |
30 | |||
Section 3.20 Insurance |
30 | |||
Section 3.21 Takeover Provisions Inapplicable |
30 | |||
Section 3.22 Affiliate Transactions |
31 | |||
Section 3.23 Intellectual Property |
31 | |||
Section 3.24 Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus; Form S-4 Registration Statement; Offer Documents; Other Information |
32 | |||
Section 3.25 Financial Ability |
33 | |||
Section 3.26 Trust Waiver |
33 | |||
Section 3.27 Merger Sub |
33 | |||
ARTICLE
IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BPW |
33 | |||
Section 4.1 Organization and Qualification |
34 | |||
Section 4.2 Authorization; Validity and Effect of Agreement |
34 |
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Page | ||||
Section 4.3 Capitalization |
34 | |||
Section 4.4 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents |
35 | |||
Section 4.5 Compliance |
36 | |||
Section 4.6 SEC Documents |
36 | |||
Section 4.7 Absence of Certain Changes |
37 | |||
Section 4.8 Litigation |
37 | |||
Section 4.9 Title to Property |
37 | |||
Section 4.10 Contracts |
37 | |||
Section 4.11 Intellectual Property |
38 | |||
Section 4.12 Employee Benefits Plans |
38 | |||
Section 4.13 Labor Matters |
38 | |||
Section 4.14 Taxes |
38 | |||
Section 4.15 Opinion of Financial Advisor |
38 | |||
Section 4.16 Brokers |
39 | |||
Section 4.17 Vote Required |
39 | |||
Section 4.18 Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus; Form S-4 Registration Statement; Offer Documents; Other Information |
39 | |||
Section 4.19 Affiliate Transactions |
40 | |||
Section 4.20 Trust Account |
40 | |||
ARTICLE V CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER |
41 | |||
Section 5.1 Conduct of Business of the Company Pending the Merger |
41 | |||
Section 5.2 Conduct of Business of BPW Pending the Merger |
44 | |||
Section 5.3 Information |
47 |
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Page | ||||
ARTICLE VI ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS |
47 | |||
Section 6.1 Preparation of Form S-4 and the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus; Stockholder Meeting; Warrant Exchange Offer |
47 | |||
Section 6.2 Cooperation; Notice; Cure |
49 | |||
Section 6.3 No Solicitation |
50 | |||
Section 6.4 Access to Information |
52 | |||
Section 6.5 Governmental Approvals |
52 | |||
Section 6.6 Publicity |
53 | |||
Section 6.7 Further Assurances and Actions |
53 | |||
Section 6.8 Stock Exchange Listing |
54 | |||
Section 6.9 Financing |
54 | |||
Section 6.10 Indemnification and Insurance |
55 | |||
Section 6.11 Takeover Laws |
56 | |||
Section 6.12 Trust Waiver |
58 | |||
Section 6.13 Pre-Closing Confirmation and Certification |
57 | |||
Section 6.14 Other Matters |
57 | |||
Section 6.15 Ancillary Agreements |
58 | |||
ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS OF MERGER |
58 | |||
Section 7.1 Conditions to Obligation of each Party to Effect the Merger |
58 | |||
Section 7.2 Conditions to Obligations of the Company and Merger Sub to Effect the Merger |
59 | |||
Section 7.3 Conditions to Obligations of BPW to Effect the Merger |
60 | |||
ARTICLE VIII TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER |
61 | |||
Section 8.1 Termination |
61 | |||
Section 8.2 Expenses; Termination Fee |
62 |
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Page | ||||
Section 8.3 Effect of Termination |
64 | |||
Section 8.4 Amendment |
65 | |||
Section 8.5 Waiver |
65 | |||
ARTICLE IX GENERAL PROVISIONS |
65 | |||
Section 9.1 Non-Survival of Representations, Warranties and Agreements |
65 | |||
Section 9.2 Notices |
65 | |||
Section 9.3 Severability |
66 | |||
Section 9.4 Entire Agreement; Assignment |
66 | |||
Section 9.5 No Third-Party Beneficiaries |
67 | |||
Section 9.6 GOVERNING LAW |
67 | |||
Section 9.7 SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION |
67 | |||
Section 9.8 NO TRIAL BY JURY |
68 | |||
Section 9.9 Action by Subsidiaries |
68 | |||
Section 9.10 Headings |
68 | |||
Section 9.11 Specific Performance |
68 | |||
Section 9.12 Mutual Drafting |
68 | |||
Section 9.13 Interpretation |
68 | |||
Section 9.14 Schedules |
68 | |||
Section 9.15 Counterparts |
69 |
Exhibits
Exhibit A
Repurchase, Repayment and Support Agreement
Exhibit B
Initial Charter Amendment
—v—
Exhibit C
Sponsors’ Agreement
Exhibit D
Written
Consent of Holders of Company Common Stock
Exhibit E
Commitment Letter
Exhibit F
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of BPW Acquisition Corp.
Exhibit G
Warrant Exchange Term Sheet
—vi—
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement”), is dated as of December 8, 2009,
and entered into by and among The Talbots, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
Tailor Acquisition Inc., a Delaware corporation and direct subsidiary of the Company (“Merger
Sub”), and BPW Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (“BPW”). The Company,
Merger Sub and BPW are sometimes referred to herein, individually, as a “Party,” and,
collectively, as the “Parties.”
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Company Board”), acting upon the
unanimous recommendation of the Audit Committee of the Company Board (the “Audit
Committee”), has determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and
its shareholders to enter into a series of transactions, including a merger transaction, on the
terms and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements;
WHEREAS, the Company Board (acting upon the unanimous recommendation of the Audit Committee),
the Board of Directors of Merger Sub and the Board of Directors of BPW have each approved this
Agreement, declared that this Agreement is advisable and determined that the merger of Merger Sub
with and into BPW, with BPW being the surviving corporation in such merger (the
“Merger”), and the other transactions contemplated hereby and by the Ancillary Agreements
are advisable, fair to and in the best interests of their respective companies and stockholders and
accordingly have agreed to effect the Merger and such other transactions upon the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth herein and therein; and
WHEREAS, the Company, Merger Sub and BPW desire to make certain representations, warranties
and agreements in connection with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby as
specifically set forth herein.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements
herein contained, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, and intending to be
legally bound hereby, the Company, Merger Sub and BPW hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Agreement, the term:
“A Agreement” shall mean the Repurchase, Repayment and Support Agreement entered into
concurrently with the execution of this Agreement and attached hereto as Exhibit A, among
BPW, the Company, Aeon (U.S.A.), Inc. (“A (USA)”) and Aeon Co., Ltd. (“A”).
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“Action” shall mean any action, order, writ, injunction, judgment or decree
outstanding or claim, suit, litigation, proceeding, arbitration, audit or investigation by or
before any Governmental Entity.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or
indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, such first Person. For the
purposes of this definition, “control” (including, the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and
“under common control with”), as applied to any Person, means the possession, directly or
indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of that
Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise.
“AMEX” shall mean the American Stock Exchange.
“Ancillary Agreements” shall mean the A Agreement and the Sponsors’ Agreement.
“Assets” shall mean, with respect to any Person, all land, buildings, improvements,
leasehold improvements, Fixtures and Equipment and other assets, real or personal, tangible or
intangible, owned or leased by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Average Company Stock Price” means the volume weighted average price per share
(calculated to the nearest one-hundredth of one cent) of the Company Common Stock on the NYSE (as
reported by Bloomberg L.P. or, if not reported thereby, by another authoritative source mutually
agreed by the parties) for the 15 consecutive trading days immediately preceding the fifth trading
day prior to the date of the BPW Stockholder Meeting.
“BPW Acquisition Proposal” means any proposal, offer or inquiry from a Third Party
for or with respect to the acquisition, directly or indirectly, of beneficial ownership (as defined
under Rule 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of assets, securities or ownership interests of or in BPW
representing 20% or more of the assets BPW, or of an equity interest representing a 20% or
greater economic interest in BPW, pursuant to a merger, consolidation or other business
combination, sale of shares of capital stock, sale of assets, share exchange, liquidation,
dissolution, recapitalization, tender offer, exchange offer or similar transaction with respect to
BPW.
“BPW Charter” shall mean the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
BPW.
“BPW Employee Plan” shall mean any employee benefit plan, program, policy,
practice, agreement, or other arrangement providing benefits to any current or former employee,
officer director, or other service provider of BPW or any beneficiary or dependent thereof that
is sponsored or maintained by BPW or to which BPW contributes, is obligated to contribute, or
is party, whether or not written, including any employee welfare benefit plan within the meaning of
Section 3(1) of ERISA, any employee pension benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(2) of
ERISA (in each case, whether or not such plan is subject to ERISA) and any bonus, incentive,
deferred compensation, vacation, stock purchase, stock option, severance, employment, change of
control or fringe benefit plan, program, policy, practice, agreement or arrangement.
—2—
“BPW Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any change, event, development, condition,
occurrence or effect that (a) has had a material and adverse effect on the financial condition of
BPW, or (b) prevents or materially impairs the ability of BPW to consummate the Merger before
the Termination Date.
“BPW Stockholder” shall mean a holder of record of one or more shares of BPW
Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time.
“BPW Stockholders Meeting” shall mean the meeting of the stockholders of BPW
held for the purpose of approving the BPW Voting Proposal.
“BPW Warrant Agreement” means that certain Warrant Agreement, dated as of February
26, 2008, by and between BPW and Mellon Investor Services, LLC, as amended.
“BPW Warrants” means warrants to acquire shares of BPW Common Stock issued
pursuant to the terms of the BPW Warrant Agreement.
“Business Combination” shall have the meaning set forth in the BPW Charter.
“Business Day” shall mean each day other than Saturdays, Sundays and days when
commercial banks are authorized or required to be closed for business in New York, New York.
“Certificates” shall mean outstanding certificates which immediately prior to the
Effective Time represented BPW Common Stock.
“Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Company Common Stock” shall mean the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per
share.
“Company Acquisition Proposal” means any proposal, offer or inquiry from a Third Party
for or with respect to the acquisition, directly or indirectly, of beneficial ownership (as defined
under Rule 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of assets, securities or ownership interests of or in the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries representing 20% or more of the consolidated assets of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or of an equity interest representing a 20% or
greater economic interest in the Company and such Subsidiaries taken as whole, pursuant to a
merger, consolidation or other business combination, sale of shares of capital stock, sale of
assets, share exchange, liquidation, dissolution, recapitalization, tender offer, exchange offer or
similar transaction with respect to either the Company or any of such Subsidiaries; provided, that
the possible financing transactions described in Section 5.1(II) of the Company Disclosure Schedule
shall be deemed not to be Company Acquisition Proposals, provided that the Company complies with
its obligations under Section 6.1 hereof with respect thereto.
“Company Employee Plan” shall mean any employee benefit plan, program, policy,
practice, agreement, or other arrangement providing benefits to any current or former employee,
officer director, or other service provider of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any
beneficiary or dependent thereof that is sponsored or maintained by the Company or any of
—3—
its Subsidiaries or to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries contributes, is obligated
to contribute, or is party, whether or not written, including any employee welfare benefit plan
within the meaning of Section 3(1) of ERISA, any employee pension benefit plan within the meaning
of Section 3(2) of ERISA (in each case, whether or not such plan is subject to ERISA) and any
bonus, incentive, deferred compensation, vacation, stock purchase, stock option, severance,
employment, change of control or fringe benefit plan, program, policy, practice, agreement or
arrangement.
“Company IP” means all Intellectual Property that is owned solely or jointly, used,
held for use or exploited by Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the current
conduct of their businesses.
“Company Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any change, event, development,
condition, occurrence or effect that (a) has had a material and adverse effect on the business,
financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
or (b) prevents or materially impairs the ability of the Company to consummate the Merger before
the Termination Date; provided, that to the extent any such change, event, development, condition,
occurrence or effect having the results described in the foregoing clause (a) results from any of
the following, it shall not constitute or be taken into account in determining whether there has
been a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i) changes generally affecting the economy, financial,
credit or securities markets; (ii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the announcement
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (iii) any change in market price or trading
volume of the Company Common Stock (it being understood that the facts or occurrences giving rise
to such change may be deemed to constitute or be taken into account in determining whether there
has been a Company Material Adverse Effect); (iv) any failure of the Company to meet any internal
or published projections, forecasts, estimates or predictions in respect of revenues, earnings or
other financial or operating metrics for any period (it being understood that the facts or
occurrences giving rise to such failure may be deemed to constitute or be taken into account in
determining whether there has been a Company Material Adverse Effect); (v) any outbreak or
escalation of war or any act of terrorism; (vi) general conditions in the industries in which the
Company and its Subsidiaries operate; or (vii) a change in law, rule or regulation, or GAAP or
interpretations thereof (provided, however, that such matters in the case of clauses (i), (v), (vi)
and (vii) shall be taken into account in determining whether there has been a Company Material
Adverse Effect to the extent of any disproportionate impact on the Company and its Subsidiaries
taken as a whole, relative to other companies operating in the same industries).
“Company Options” shall mean all options to acquire Company Common Stock granted,
awarded or earned under the Company Stock Plans.
“Company Restricted Stock” shall mean all restricted awards of Company Common Stock
granted, awarded, earned or purchased under the Company Stock Plans.
“Company Stock Award” shall mean each right of any kind, contingent or accrued, to
receive shares of Company Common Stock or benefits measured by the value of a number of shares of
Company Common Stock, and each award of any kind consisting of shares of Company Common Stock,
granted under the Company Stock Plans (including restricted stock
—4—
units, deferred stock units, phantom stock units and dividend equivalents), other than Company
Options and Company Restricted Stock.
“Company Stock Plans” shall mean The Talbots, Inc. 2003 Executive Stock Based
Incentive Plan, as amended and restated, The Talbots, Inc. 1993 Executive Stock Based Incentive
Plan and The Talbots, Inc. Restated Directors Stock Plan as amended through March 5, 2005.
“Company Stock Rights” shall mean all Company Options, Company Restricted Stock awards
and Company Stock Awards granted, awarded, earned or purchased under the Company Stock Plans.
“Company Stockholder” shall mean a holder of record of one or more shares of Company
Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time.
“Confidentiality Agreement” means that certain confidentiality agreement dated
November 2, 2009 between the Company and BPW.
“DGCL” shall mean the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended.
“Encumbrances” shall mean any claim, lien, pledge, option, right of first refusal,
charge, security interest, deed of trust, mortgage, restriction or encumbrance pertaining to the
Assets held by or in favor of Third Parties.
“Environmental Laws” shall mean any federal, state or local law, statute, ordinance,
order, decree, rule, regulation or policies relating (a) to releases, discharges, emissions or
disposals to air, water, land or groundwater of Hazardous Materials; (b) to the use, handling or
disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls, asbestos or urea formaldehyde or any other Hazardous
Material; (c) to the treatment, storage, disposal or management of Hazardous Materials; (d) to
exposure to toxic, hazardous or other controlled, prohibited or regulated substances; or (e) to the
transportation, release or any other use of Hazardous Materials, including the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. 9601, et seq. (“CERCLA”),
the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. 6901, et seq. (“RCRA”), the Toxic
Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. 2601, et seq. (“TSCA”), those portions of the
Occupational, Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. 651, et seq. relating to Hazardous Materials
exposure and compliance, the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq., the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251, et seq., the Safe Drinking Xxxxx Xxx, 00 X.X.X. 000x, et seq., the
Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. 1802 et seq. (“HMTA”) and the Emergency
Planning and Community Right to Xxxx Xxx, 00 X.X.X. 00000, et seq. (“EPCRA”), and other
comparable state and local laws and all rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto or
published thereunder.
“ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended and
the regulations promulgated thereunder.
“ERISA Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any entity, trade or business, any other
entity, trade or business that is, or was at the relevant time, a member of a group described
—5—
in Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA that includes or
included the first entity, trade or business, or that is, or was at the relevant time, a member of
the same “controlled group” as the first entity, trade or business pursuant to Section 4001(a)(14)
of ERISA.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Exchange Ratio” means an amount equal to the quotient (rounded to the nearest
ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing $11.25 by the Average Company Stock Price; provided, however,
that if such quotient is: (a) greater than 1.3235, the Exchange Ratio shall be 1.3235 (the
“Exchange Ratio Ceiling”); or (b) less than 0.9000, the Exchange Ratio shall be 0.9000.
“Financing” shall mean the full amount of the debt financing required (taking into
account the net proceeds in the Trust Account at Closing and other available cash) to consummate
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, including the
repayment in full of all amounts due or outstanding as of the Closing Date in respect of the (i) A
Financing Agreements, (ii) the Support Letters and (iii) any Third Party Credit Facilities, each as
defined in the A Agreement, on the terms contemplated hereby, to pay related fees and expenses and
to have, immediately following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
and the Ancillary Agreements, cash on hand or available to be borrowed under one or more bank
credit facilities included in the Financing in an amount sufficient to fund ordinary course working
capital and other general corporate purposes.
“Fixtures and Equipment” shall mean, with respect to any Person, all of the furniture,
fixtures, furnishings, machinery and equipment owned or leased by such Person and located in, at or
upon the Assets of such Person.
“GAAP” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, as in
effect from time to time, consistently applied.
“Governmental Entities” shall mean all courts, regulatory or administrative agencies,
commissions or other governmental authorities, bodies or instrumentalities with jurisdiction,
including for the avoidance of doubt any self regulatory organizations.
“Hazardous Materials” shall mean each and every element, compound, chemical mixture,
contaminant, pollutant, material, waste or other substance which is defined, determined or
identified as hazardous or toxic under applicable Environmental Laws or the release of which is
regulated under Environmental Laws. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term
includes: “hazardous substances” as defined in CERCLA; “extremely hazardous substances” as defined
in EPCRA; “hazardous waste” as defined in RCRA; “hazardous materials” as defined in HMTA; a
“chemical substance or mixture” as defined in TSCA; crude oil, petroleum products or any fraction
thereof; radioactive materials, including source, byproduct or special nuclear materials; asbestos
or asbestos-containing materials; chlorinated fluorocarbons (“CFCs”); and radon.
“HSR Act” shall mean the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as
amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
—6—
“Indebtedness” means, without duplication, any obligations, contingent or otherwise,
in respect of (a) the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of all indebtedness for borrowed
money, including accrued interest and any cost associated with prepaying any such debt, (b)
capitalized lease obligations, (c) obligations under interest rate agreements and currency
agreements, (d) letters of credit, (e) the principal of and premium in respect of obligations
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes and similar instruments and all other obligations of a Person
upon which interest is paid by such Person, including accrued interest, (f) the principal component
of all obligations to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property and equipment which
have been delivered, (g) negative balances in bank accounts, (h) amounts in respect of checks in
transit, (i) net cash payment obligations under swaps, options, derivatives and other hedging
agreements or arrangements that will be payable upon termination thereof (assuming they were
terminated on the date of determination), (j) all liabilities relating to securitization or
factoring programs or arrangements, and (k) all Indebtedness of another Person referred to in
clauses (a) through (j) above guaranteed (including keep well arrangements) directly or indirectly,
jointly or severally, in any manner.
“Initial Charter Amendment” means an amendment, substantially in the form attached
hereto as Exhibit B, to the BPW Charter to extend BPW’s corporate existence by two
(2) months beyond the “Original Termination Date”, as such term is defined in the BPW Charter,
to twenty-six (26) months in total from the date of the final prospectus relating to the IPO.
“Intellectual Property” means (a) United States and international patents, patent
applications and invention registrations of any type (“Patents”), (b) trademarks, service
marks, trade dress, logos, trade names, domain names, corporate names and other source identifiers,
and registrations and applications for registration thereof (“Trademarks”), (c)
copyrightable works, copyrights, and registrations and applications for registration thereof, (d)
confidential and proprietary information, including trade secrets and know-how (“Trade
Secrets”) and (e) software (excluding any off-the-shelf shrinkwrap, clickwrap or similar
commercially available non-custom software), computerized databases, and internet domain names.
“IRS” shall mean the United States Internal Revenue Service or any successor agency.
“Knowledge” shall mean with respect to (a) the Company, the actual knowledge of those
individuals listed in Section 1(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, and (b) BPW, the actual
knowledge of those individuals listed in Section 1(a) of the BPW Disclosure Schedule.
“Licensed Company IP” means all Company IP that is not owned solely or jointly by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has a right to
use or exploit by virtue of any agreement entered into with the sole owner, or one or more joint
owner(s), of such Company IP.
“Material Contracts” shall mean (a) with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, (i) any “material contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation
S-K of the Securities Act), whether or not filed by the Company with the SEC, (ii)
—7—
any agreement relating to the disposition or acquisition, directly or indirectly (by merger or
otherwise), by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries after the date of this Agreement of assets
with a fair market value in excess of $5,000,000, (iii) any mortgages, indentures, guarantees,
loans or credit agreements, security agreements or other agreements, in each case relating to
Indebtedness, whether as borrower or lender, in each case in excess of $10,000,000, other than (x)
accounts receivables and payables, and (y) loans to direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries of
the Company, (iv) any agreement between or among A and/or any of its Affiliates (other than the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries), on the one hand, and the Company and/or any of its
Subsidiaries, on the other hand, or (v) any other agreement under which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is obligated to make payment or incur costs in excess of $5,000,000 in any year and
which is not otherwise described in clauses (i)–(v) above; or (b) with respect to BPW, (i) any
“material contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K of the Securities
Act), whether or not filed by BPW with the SEC, (ii) any agreement relating to the disposition
or acquisition, directly or indirectly (by merger or otherwise), by BPW after the date of this
Agreement of assets with a fair market value in excess of $1,000,000, (iii) any mortgages,
indentures, guarantees, loans or credit agreements, security agreements or other agreements, in
each case relating to Indebtedness, whether as borrower or lender, in each case in excess of
$1,000,000, other than accounts receivables and payables, (iv) any employee collective bargaining
agreement or other agreement with any labor union, or (v) any other agreement under which BPW is
obligated to make payment or incur costs in excess of $1,000,000 in any year and which is not
otherwise described in clauses (i)–(iv) above.
“Maximum Expense Amount” shall mean an amount equal to $3,000,000.
“Multiemployer Plan” shall mean any “multiemployer” plan, within the meaning of
Section 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“NYSE” shall mean The New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
“Organizational Documents” means, with respect to any entity, the charter, certificate
of incorporation, articles of incorporation, bylaws, partnership agreement, operating agreement,
declaration of trust or other governing documents of such entity, including any documents
designating or certifying the terms of any securities of such entity.
“Owned Company IP” means all Company IP that is not Licensed Company IP.
“Permitted Encumbrances” shall mean (a) any and all Encumbrances which result from all
statutory or other liens for Taxes or assessments and are not yet due and payable or delinquent or
the validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings by a Party
hereto; (b) all material cashiers’, landlords’, workers’, mechanics’, carriers’, repairers’ and
other similar liens imposed by law and incurred in the ordinary course of business; and (c) other
Encumbrances which individually or in the aggregate do not materially detract from the value of or
materially interfere with the present use of the property subject thereto or affected thereby and
would not otherwise reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
—8—
“Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, joint venture, real estate investment trust, other organization (whether incorporated or
unincorporated), governmental agency or instrumentality, or any other legal entity.
“Representative” shall mean, with respect to any Person, that Person’s officers,
directors, employees, financial advisors, agents or other representatives.
“SEC” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Subsidiary” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership,
limited liability company, joint venture, real estate investment trust, or other organization,
whether incorporated or unincorporated, or other legal entity of which (a) such Person directly or
indirectly owns or controls at least a majority of the capital stock or other equity interests
having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or others
performing similar functions; (b) such Person is a general partner, manager or managing member; or
(c) such Person holds a majority of the equity economic interest.
“Tax” or “Taxes” shall mean all federal, state, local, foreign and other
taxes, levies, fees, imposts, assessments, impositions or other similar government charges,
including income, estimated income, business, occupation, franchise, real property, payroll,
personal property, sales, transfer, stamp, use, employment, commercial rent or withholding
(including dividend withholding and withholding required pursuant to Section 1445 and 1446 of the
Code), occupancy, premium, gross receipts, profits, windfall profits, deemed profits, license,
lease, severance, capital, production, corporation, ad valorem, excise, duty or other taxes,
including interest, penalties and additions (to the extent applicable) thereto, whether disputed or
not.
“Tax Return” shall mean any report, return, document, declaration or other information
or filing required to be supplied to any Taxing Authority with respect to Taxes, including any
schedule or attachment thereto and any amendment thereof, any information returns, any documents
with respect to or accompanying payments of estimated Taxes, or with respect to or accompanying
requests for the extension of time in which to file any such report, return, document, declaration
or other information.
“Taxing Authority” shall mean any Governmental Entity charged with the administration
of any law, rule or regulation relating to Taxes.
“Third Party” shall mean any person other than the Company, Merger Sub, BPW and
their respective Affiliates; provided that, for all purposes under this Agreement, A and its
Subsidiaries (excluding the Company and each of its Subsidiaries) shall each be deemed a “Third
Party”.
“Transfer Taxes” shall mean any real property transfer or gains, sales, use, transfer,
value added, stock transfer and stamp Taxes, any transfer, recording, registration and other fees
and any similar Taxes (together with any related interest, penalties or additions).
—9—
“Willful and Material Breach” means a material breach of this Agreement that is a
consequence of an act undertaken by the breaching party with the actual knowledge that the taking
of such act would, or would be reasonably expected to, cause a material breach of this Agreement.
“Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a
complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as those terms are defined in Part I
of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
Table of Other Defined Terms
Cross Reference | ||
Terms | in Agreement | |
$150M Revolving Credit Agreement
|
Section 3.25(c) | |
A
|
“A Agreement” | |
A (USA)
|
“A Agreement” | |
Agreement
|
Preamble | |
Audit Committee
|
Recitals | |
Blue Sky Laws
|
Section 3.6(c) | |
BNYH
|
Section 2.12 | |
BPW
|
Preamble | |
BPW Board
|
Section 4.2 | |
BPW Charter Amendment
|
Section 4.2 | |
BPW Common Stock
|
Section 4.3(a) | |
BPW Disclosure Schedule
|
ARTICLE IV | |
BPW Financial Advisor
|
Section 4.15 | |
BPW Preferred Stock
|
Section 4.3(a) | |
BPW Recommendation
|
Section 6.1(a) | |
BPW Requisite Vote
|
Section 4.17 | |
BPW SEC Reports
|
Section 4.6(a) | |
BPW Voting Proposal
|
Section 4.2 | |
CERCLA
|
“Environmental Laws” | |
Certificate of Merger
|
Section 2.3 | |
CFCs
|
“Hazardous Materials” | |
Claims
|
Section 6.10(b) | |
Closing
|
Section 2.2 | |
Closing Date
|
Section 2.2 | |
Commitment Letter
|
Section 3.25(a) | |
Common Shares Trust
|
Section 2.8(b) | |
Company
|
Preamble | |
Company Board
|
Recitals | |
Company Disclosure Schedule
|
ARTICLE III | |
Company Financial Advisor
|
Section 3.17 | |
Company Insurance Policies
|
Section 3.20 |
—10—
Cross Reference | ||
Terms | in Agreement | |
Company Leased Property
|
Section 3.13(a)(ii) | |
Company Owned Property
|
Section 3.13(a)(i) | |
Company Real Property
|
Section 3.13(a)(ii) | |
Company SEC Reports
|
Section 3.8(a) | |
Delaware Secretary of State
|
Section 2.3 | |
Effective Time
|
Section 2.3 | |
EPCRA
|
“Environmental Laws” | |
Excess Shares
|
Section 2.8(a) | |
Exchange Agent
|
Section 2.9(a) | |
Exchange Ratio Ceiling
|
“Exchange Ratio” | |
Expenses
|
Section 8.2(a) | |
Governmental Approvals
|
Section 6.5(a) | |
HMTA
|
“Environmental Laws” | |
Indemnified Parties
|
Section 6.10(a) | |
Indemnifying Parties
|
Section 6.10(b) | |
Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus
|
Section 3.6(c) | |
Internal Controls
|
Section 3.8(d) | |
IPO
|
Section 4.20(a) | |
Lender
|
Section 3.25(a) | |
Mellon
|
Section 4.20(a) | |
Merger
|
Recitals | |
Merger Consideration
|
Section 2.7(a) | |
Merger Sub
|
Preamble | |
Minimum Warrant Exchange Participation
|
Section 6.1(b) | |
Multiple Employer Plan
|
Section 3.12(e) | |
New Warrant Shares
|
Section 6.1(b) | |
New Warrant Term Sheet
|
Section 6.1(b) | |
New Warrants
|
Section 6.1(b) | |
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan
|
Section 3.12(h) | |
Offer Documents
|
Section 6.1(b) | |
Other Entity
|
Section 3.5 | |
Parties
|
Preamble | |
Party
|
Preamble | |
Patents
|
“Intellectual Property” | |
PBGC
|
Section 3.12(d) | |
PWP
|
Section 2.12 | |
Qualified Plans
|
Section 3.12(a) | |
RCRA
|
“Environmental Laws” | |
Registration Statement
|
Section 3.24 | |
Schedule
|
Section 9.14 | |
Schedules
|
Section 9.14 | |
Sponsors
|
Section 2.12 |
—11—
Cross Reference | ||
Terms | in Agreement | |
Sponsors’ Agreement
|
Section 2.12 | |
Support Letters
|
Section 3.25(b) | |
Surviving Company
|
Section 2.1 | |
Term Loan Facility
|
Section 6.9(a) | |
Terminating BPW Breach
|
Section 8.1(g) | |
Terminating Company Breach
|
Section 8.1(f) | |
Termination Date
|
Section 8.1(b) | |
Termination Fee
|
Section 8.2(d) | |
Third Party Approvals
|
Section 6.5(a) | |
Trade Secrets
|
“Intellectual Property” | |
Trademarks
|
“Intellectual Property” | |
Transaction
|
Section 6.12 | |
Trust Account
|
Section 4.20(a) | |
Trust Account Agreement
|
Section 4.20(a) | |
TSCA
|
“Environmental Laws” | |
Voting Debt
|
Section 3.3(e) | |
Warrant Exchange Offer
|
Section 6.1(b) | |
Warrant Registration Statement
|
Section 6.1(b) |
ARTICLE II
THE MERGER
THE MERGER
Section 2.1 The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with the
DGCL,
at the Effective Time, Merger Sub shall be merged with and into BPW. Following the Merger, the
separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall cease and BPW shall continue as the surviving
entity (the “Surviving Company”) in accordance with the DGCL.
Section 2.2 Closing and Closing Date. The closing of the Merger (the “Closing”) shall take place
(a) at 10:00 a.m., New York
time, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the third Business Day, after the last of
all of the conditions to the respective obligations of the Parties set forth in Article VII shall
have been satisfied or waived (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied
at the Closing, but subject to the fulfillment or waiver of those conditions), or (b) at such other
time and date as BPW and the Company shall mutually agree (such date and time on and at which
the Closing occurs being referred to herein as the “Closing Date”). The Closing shall take
place at the offices of Wachtell, Lipton, Xxxxx & Xxxx, 00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000. At the Closing, the documents, certificates and instruments referred to in Article
VII shall be executed and delivered to the applicable Party.
Section 2.3 Effective Time. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after
the
Closing Date, the Parties shall file with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the
“Delaware Secretary of State”) the certificate of merger or other appropriate documents
(the “Certificate of Merger”) in such form as is required
—12—
by, and executed in accordance
with, the relevant provisions of the DGCL and make all other filings, recordings or publications
required under the DGCL in connection with the Merger. The Merger shall become effective
immediately upon the filing of the Certificate of Merger with, and acceptance for record of such
Certificate of Merger by, the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the DGCL, or at such
other time as the Parties shall agree as specified in such filings in accordance with applicable
law (the “Effective Time”).
Section 2.4 Effects of the Merger. The Merger shall have the effects set forth in the applicable provisions of the
DGCL and this
Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Effective
Time of the Merger, all of the property, rights, privileges and powers of BPW and Merger Sub
will vest in the Surviving Company, and all of the debts, liabilities and duties of BPW and
Merger Sub will become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Company.
Section 2.5 Organizational Documents. At the Effective Time, (a) the charter of the Surviving Company shall be
the BPW Charter
Amendment and (b) the bylaws of the Surviving Company shall be the bylaws of Merger Sub. Such
charter and bylaws shall not be inconsistent with Section 6.10.
Section 2.6 Directors and Officers.
(a) The directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be elected as
the initial directors of the Surviving Company, each to hold office in accordance with the charter
and bylaws of the Surviving Company. The officers of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective
Time shall be elected as the initial officers of the Surviving Company, each to hold office in
accordance with the charter and bylaws of the Surviving Company.
(b) On or prior to the Effective Time, the Company Board shall cause the number of directors
that will comprise the Company Board at the Effective Time to be seven. At the Effective Time, the
Company Board shall be comprised of (i) the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company as
of the Effective Time, (ii) three additional members of the Company Board immediately prior to the
Effective Time, each of whom shall qualify as “independent directors” of the Company as of the
Effective Time under the rules of the NYSE, and (iii) three Persons to be mutually agreed upon by
BPW and the Audit Committee after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time.
Section 2.7 Conversion of BPW Common Stock. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action
on the part of Merger Sub,
BPW or the holder of any of the following securities:
(a) Subject to Sections 2.7(b) and 2.8, each share of BPW Common Stock issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than shares of BPW Common Stock held
by BPW Stockholders that shall have validly exercised their conversion rights pursuant to
Section 9.3 of the BPW Charter) shall be converted into and represent the right to receive a
number of fully paid and nonassessable shares of Company Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio
(such number of shares the “Merger Consideration”). The Merger Consideration shall be
payable upon the surrender of the Certificate formerly representing such
—13—
BPW Common Stock,
subject to Sections 2.9 and 2.11. As of the Effective Time, all such shares of BPW Common Stock
shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and retired and shall cease to
exist, and each holder of a Certificate representing any such shares of BPW Common Stock shall
cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive (i) the Merger
Consideration, (ii) any cash in lieu of fractional shares of Company Common Stock, if any, to be
issued or paid in consideration therefor upon surrender of such Certificate in accordance with
Section 2.9 and (iii) any dividends or distributions in accordance with Section 2.9(e).
(b) Each share of BPW Common Stock that is owned by the Company or Merger Sub immediately
prior to the Effective Time or held by BPW immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, by
virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, be cancelled and
retired and shall cease to exist, and no consideration shall be delivered in exchange for such
cancellation and retirement.
(c) Each share of common stock of Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall be converted into and be exchanged for one newly and validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable share of common stock of the Surviving Company.
(d) Each share of BPW Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time with respect to which a BPW Stockholder shall have validly exercised its
conversion rights pursuant to Section 9.3 of the BPW Charter shall be converted into the right
to receive, in cash, an amount per share calculated in accordance with Section 9.3 of the BPW
Charter. At, or as promptly following the Closing as practicable, the Company shall, or shall
cause the Surviving Company to, make the cash payments required under Section 9.3(b) of the BPW
Charter to each such converting BPW Stockholder. As of the Effective Time, all such shares of
BPW Common Stock shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and retired
and shall cease to exist, and each holder of a Certificate representing any such shares of BPW
Common Stock shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive the
cash payments referred to in the immediately preceding sentence.
(e) The Merger Consideration shall be adjusted to reflect fully the effect of any stock split,
reverse split, stock dividend, reorganization, recapitalization, consolidation, exchange or other
like change with respect to Company Common Stock or BPW Common Stock occurring after the date
hereof and prior to the Effective Time (including any dividend or distribution on the Company
Common Stock or BPW Common Stock of securities convertible into Company Common Stock or BPW
Common Stock, as applicable). For the avoidance of doubt, the Merger Consideration shall not be
adjusted to reflect the Warrant Exchange Offer or
any change in connection with the exercise of conversion rights by stockholders of BPW
pursuant to Section 9.3 of the BPW Charter).
Section 2.8 Fractional Interests.
(a) No fractional shares of Company Common Stock shall be issued in the Merger, but in lieu
thereof each holder of shares of BPW Common Stock otherwise entitled to a
—14—
fractional share of
Company Common Stock pursuant to Section 2.7(a) will be entitled to receive, from the Exchange
Agent in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.8, a cash payment in lieu of such
fractional share of Company Common Stock representing such holder’s proportionate interest, if any,
in the proceeds from the sale by the Exchange Agent (reduced by any fees of the Exchange Agent
attributable to such sale) in one or more transactions of shares of Company Common Stock equal to
the excess of (i) the aggregate number of shares of Company Common Stock to be delivered to the
Exchange Agent by the Company pursuant to Section 2.9(a) over (ii) the aggregate number of whole
shares of Company Common Stock to be distributed to the holders of shares of BPW Common Stock
pursuant to Section 2.9(b) (such excess being herein called the “Excess Shares”). The
Parties acknowledge that payment of cash in lieu of fractional shares of Company Common Stock is
solely for the purpose of avoiding the expense and inconvenience to the Company of issuing
fractional shares and does not represent separately bargained-for consideration. As soon as
practicable after the Effective Time, the Exchange Agent, as agent for the holders of shares of
BPW Common Stock that would otherwise receive fractional shares of Company Common Stock, shall
sell the Excess Shares at then prevailing prices on the NYSE in the manner provided in the
following paragraph.
(b) The sale of the Excess Shares by the Exchange Agent, as agent for the holders of shares of
BPW Common Stock that would otherwise receive fractional shares of Company Common Stock, shall
be executed on the NYSE through one or more member firms of the NYSE and shall be executed in round
lots to the extent practicable. Until the proceeds of such sale or sales have been distributed to
the holders of shares of BPW Common Stock, the Exchange Agent shall hold such proceeds in trust
for the holders of shares of BPW Common Stock that would otherwise receive fractional shares of
Company Common Stock (the “Common Shares Trust”). The Exchange Agent shall determine the
portion of the Common Shares Trust to which each holder of shares of BPW Common Stock shall be
entitled, if any, by multiplying the amount of the aggregate proceeds comprising the Common Shares
Trust by a fraction, the numerator of which is the amount of the fractional share interest to which
such holder of shares of BPW Common Stock would otherwise be entitled and the denominator of
which is the aggregate amount of fractional share interests to which all holders of shares of
BPW Common Stock would otherwise be entitled.
(c) As soon as practicable after the determination of the amount of cash, if any, to be paid
to holders of shares of BPW Common Stock in lieu of any fractional shares of Company Common
Stock, the Exchange Agent shall make available such amounts to such holders without interest,
subject to and in accordance with Section 2.9.
Section 2.9 Surrender of BPW Common Stock; Transfer Books.
(a) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall designate a bank or trust company reasonably
acceptable to BPW to act as agent for BPW Stockholders in connection with the Merger (the
“Exchange Agent”). The Exchange Agent shall receive the Merger Consideration to which
BPW Stockholders shall become entitled pursuant to Section 2.7(a). Prior to the Effective Time,
the Company will make available to the Exchange Agent sufficient shares of Company Common Stock to
make all exchanges pursuant to Section 2.9(b). The Exchange Agent shall cause the shares of
Company Common Stock and dividends or distributions with respect thereto deposited by the Company
to be (i) held for the benefit of
—15—
BPW Stockholders and (ii) promptly applied to making the
exchanges and payments provided for in Section 2.9(b). Such shares of Company Common Stock and
dividends or distributions with respect thereto shall not be used for any purpose that is not
provided for herein.
(b) Promptly after the Effective Time, the Company shall, or shall cause the Exchange Agent
to, mail to each BPW Stockholder whose shares were converted pursuant to Section 2.7(a) into the
right to receive the Merger Consideration (i) a form of letter of transmittal (which shall specify
that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only
upon proper delivery of the Certificates to the Exchange Agent) and (ii) instructions for use in
effecting the surrender of the Certificates in exchange for the Merger Consideration and the cash
in lieu of fractional shares pursuant to Section 2.8. Upon surrender to the Exchange Agent of a
Certificate, together with such letter of transmittal, duly completed and validly executed in
accordance with the instructions thereto, and such other documents as may be reasonably required
pursuant to such instructions, the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled to receive in
exchange therefor, after giving effect to any required withholding of Taxes pursuant to Section
2.11 hereof (A) a certificate in respect of the Merger Consideration representing that number of
whole shares of Company Common Stock, if any, which such holder has the right to receive pursuant
to the provisions of Section 2.7(a), with respect to each Certificate formerly representing shares
of BPW Common Stock, (B) cash in lieu of any fractional shares of Company Common Stock to which
such holder is entitled pursuant to Section 2.8, and (C) any dividends or distributions to which
such holder is entitled pursuant to Section 2.9(e), in each case without interest, and the
Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be canceled. Until so surrendered and exchanged, each
Certificate shall represent solely the right to receive the Merger Consideration into which the
shares of BPW Common Stock it theretofore represented shall have been converted pursuant to
Section 2.7(a), cash in lieu of any fractional shares pursuant to Section 2.8 and any dividends or
distributions pursuant to Section 2.9(e), in each case without interest. If the exchange of
certificates representing shares of Company Common Stock in respect of the Merger Consideration is
to be made to a Person other than the Person in whose name the surrendered Certificate is
registered, it shall be a condition of exchange that the Certificate so surrendered shall be
properly endorsed or shall be otherwise in proper form for transfer and that the Person requesting
such exchange shall have paid any Transfer Taxes and other Taxes required by reason of the payment
of cash or exchange of certificates representing shares of Company Common Stock to a Person other
than the registered holder of the Certificate surrendered or shall have established to the
reasonable satisfaction of the Company that such Tax either has been paid or is not applicable.
(c) At any time after the twelve month anniversary of the Effective Time, the Company shall be
entitled to require the Exchange Agent to deliver to the Company shares of Company Common Stock,
cash and any other instruments in its possession relating to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement which had been made available to the Exchange Agent and which have not been distributed
to holders of Certificates. Thereafter, each holder of a Certificate, representing shares
converted pursuant to Section 2.7(a) may surrender such Certificate to the Company and (subject to
applicable abandoned property, escheat or other similar laws) receive in exchange therefor the
consideration payable in respect thereto pursuant to Section 2.7(a), Section 2.8 or Section 2.9(e),
as applicable, in each case without interest, but shall have no greater rights against the Company
than may be accorded to general creditors of the Company under applicable law in respect of the
Merger Consideration. If any Certificates
—16—
shall not have been surrendered prior to two years after
the Effective Time (or immediately prior to such earlier date on which any Merger Consideration
would otherwise escheat to or become the property of any Governmental Entity), any such Merger
Consideration shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, become the property of the
Surviving Company, free and clear of all claims or interest of any Person previously entitled
thereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the Company, the Surviving Company or the Exchange
Agent shall be liable to any stockholder of BPW (or BPW Stockholder) for any part of the
Merger Consideration that has been delivered to a public official pursuant to any applicable
abandoned property, escheat or similar law.
(d) At the Effective Time, the stock transfer books of BPW shall be closed and thereafter
there shall be no further registration of transfers of shares of BPW Common Stock on the records
of BPW. From and after the Effective Time, the holders of Certificates representing ownership
of BPW Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall cease to have any
rights with respect to such shares of BPW Common Stock, except as otherwise provided for herein
or by applicable law.
(e) No dividends or other distributions declared or paid after the Effective Time with respect
to shares of Company Common Stock shall be paid to the holder of any unsurrendered Certificate with
respect to the shares of Company Common Stock to which such Person is entitled, if any, and no
Merger Consideration, or any cash in lieu of fractional shares pursuant to Section 2.8, shall be
paid to such holder until the holder of such Certificate surrenders such Certificate in accordance
with the provisions of this Agreement. Upon such surrender or submission, the Company shall cause
to be paid to the Person in whose name the certificates representing the Company Common Stock shall
be issued in respect of such surrendered Certificate any dividends or distributions with respect to
such shares of Company Common Stock to which such Person is entitled, if any, which have a record
date after the Effective Time and shall have become payable between the Effective Time and the time
of such surrender, in each case without interest. In no event shall the Person entitled to receive
such dividends or distributions be entitled to receive interest thereon.
Section 2.10 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. In the event any Certificates shall have been lost, stolen or
destroyed, the Exchange Agent
shall issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificates, upon the making of an
affidavit of that fact by the holder thereof, such shares of Company Common Stock (and cash in lieu
of any fractional shares
of Company Common Stock) in respect of the Merger Consideration, if any, and dividends or
distributions, if any, as may be required to be issued or paid pursuant to Section 2.7(a), Section
2.8 and Section 2.9(e); provided, however, that the Company may, in its discretion and as a
condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed
Certificates to deliver a bond in such sum as it may reasonably direct as indemnity against any
claim that may be made against the Company or the Exchange Agent with respect to the Certificates
alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
Section 2.11 Withholding Rights.
(a) The Company or the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Merger
Consideration, cash in lieu of fractional shares, if any, or dividends or
—17—
distributions, if any,
otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement to any stockholder of BPW (or BPW Stockholder)
such amounts as the Company or the Exchange Agent are required to deduct and withhold with respect
to the making of such payment under the Code or any provision of state, local, or foreign Tax law.
To the extent that amounts are so withheld by the Company or the Exchange Agent, such withheld
amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the BPW
Stockholder in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made by the Company or the
Exchange Agent.
(b) Not more than 30 days prior to the Closing Date, BPW shall deliver to the Company a
certificate, substantially in the form provided for in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1445-2(c)(3)
and 1.897-2(h), certifying that BPW is not a “United States real property holding corporation”
within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code, and has not been such a United States real
property holding corporation within the five year period ending on the Closing Date. If no such
certificate is delivered, the Company shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Merger
Consideration and cash in lieu of fractional shares, if any, otherwise payable pursuant to this
Agreement to any stockholder of BPW (or BPW Stockholder) such amounts as the Company is
required to withhold pursuant to section 1445 of the Code.
Section 2.12 Sponsors’ Agreement. BPW, the Company, BNYH BPW Holdings LLC (“BNYH”) and
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Partners
Acquisition LP (“PWP” and, together with BNYH, the “Sponsors”) will enter into the
Sponsors’ Agreement (the “Sponsors’ Agreement”) attached hereto as Exhibit C
concurrently with the execution of this Agreement..
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY AND MERGER SUB
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY AND MERGER SUB
The Company and Merger Sub represent and warrant to BPW that the statements contained in
this Article III are true and correct except as set forth herein, in the disclosure schedule
delivered by the Company to BPW concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the
“Company Disclosure Schedule”), as disclosed in any Company SEC Document filed with the SEC
on or after January 1, 2008 and prior to the date of this Agreement and publicly available on XXXXX
(but excluding any risk factor disclosures contained under the heading “Risk Factors,” any
disclosure of risks included in any “forward-looking statements” disclaimer
or any other statements that are similarly non-specific or predictive or forward-looking in
nature) or as otherwise limited herein.
Section 3.1 Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly
existing and in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with the corporate, partnership or
limited liability company power and authority to own and operate its business as presently
conducted. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or
other entity to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or
operation of its properties or the nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary,
except for such failures of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries to be so qualified as would
not, when taken with all other such failures, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have
previously made
—18—
available to BPW true and correct copies of their respective Organizational
Documents as in effect on the date hereof.
Section 3.2 Authorization; Validity and Effect of Agreement.
(a) Each of the Company and Merger Sub has the requisite corporate power and authority to
execute, deliver and perform its respective obligations under this Agreement and each Ancillary
Agreements to which it is a party and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreements to which the
Company or Merger Sub is a party by the Company or Merger Sub, as the case may be, and the
performance by the Company and Merger Sub of their respective obligations hereunder and thereunder
and the consummation by the Company and Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby have been duly authorized and approved by the Company Board (acting upon the unanimous
recommendation of the Audit Committee) and the Company Stockholders, and all other necessary
corporate action on the part of the Company and Merger Sub, and no other corporate proceedings on
the part of the Company or Merger Sub are necessary to authorize this Agreement, any Ancillary
Agreement to which the Company or Merger Sub is a party or the transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby. Each of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which the Company or Merger Sub is
a party has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and/or Merger Sub, as
applicable, and assuming the same are legally binding on the other parties thereto constitutes a
legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and/or Merger Sub, as applicable, enforceable
against the Company and/or Merger Sub, as applicable, in accordance with its terms, subject to the
effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other
similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and
general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(b) The Audit Committee’s charter provides it with the authority to, among other things,
review and approve all material transactions with affiliated entities or other related persons,
including the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements.
Section 3.3 Capitalization.
(a) As of the date hereof and as of the date of the Effective Time, the authorized shares of
capital stock of the Company consists of 200,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock. As of the
close of business on October 31, 2009, (i) 55,068,373 shares of Company Common Stock were issued
and outstanding, which includes 1,308,665 shares of Company Restricted Stock, (ii) 10,525,635
shares of Company Common Stock were subject to Company Options and (iii) no shares of Company
Common Stock were subject to Company Stock Awards. From October 31, 2009 to the date hereof, no
shares of Company Common Stock have been issued or reserved for issuance, except for shares of
Company Common Stock issued in respect of the exercise, conversion or exchange of Company Stock
Rights outstanding on October 31, 2009 or as set forth in Section 3.3(a) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule.
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(b) Section 3.3(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth as of the date hereof, for
the Company Stock Plans, the dates on which each outstanding Company Stock Right under such plan
was granted, the number of outstanding Company Stock Rights granted on each such date, the number
and class of shares of Company Common Stock for or into which each such Company Stock Right is
exercisable, convertible or exchangeable, and, where applicable, the vesting schedule and/or
exercise price thereof. Except (i) as set forth in this Section 3.3(b) and (ii) as described in
Section 3.3(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there are no securities, options, warrants,
calls, rights, commitments, agreements, arrangements or undertakings of any kind to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them is bound obligating the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or
sold, additional shares of Company Common Stock or any other equity interests of the Company or its
Subsidiaries or other voting securities of the Company or its Subsidiaries or obligating the
Company or its Subsidiaries to issue, grant, extend or enter into any such security, option,
warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement, arrangement or undertaking and neither the Company nor
its Subsidiaries has granted any share appreciation rights or any other contractual rights the
value of which is derived from the financial performance of the Company or the value of Company
Common Stock or any other equity interests of the Company.
(c) There are no outstanding or contingent obligations of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of Company Common Stock or any
other equity interests in the Company or the capital stock or ownership interests of any Subsidiary
of the Company.
(d) All shares of Company Common Stock subject to issuance as specified in Section 3.3(b)
hereof or in Section 3.3(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, are duly authorized and, upon
issuance on the terms and conditions specified in the instruments pursuant to which they are
issuable, including payment of any exercise price in respect thereof, will be validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
(e) There are no bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness having voting rights (or
convertible into securities having such rights) (“Voting Debt”) of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries issued and outstanding. Except for the A Agreement, there are no voting trusts,
proxies or other voting agreements with respect to the equity interests in the Company to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party. No Subsidiary of the Company owns
any capital stock of the Company.
(f) As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of Merger Sub consists of 100 shares
of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, all of which have been validly issued, are fully paid
and nonassessable and are, and will, as of the Effective Time, be, owned by the Company, free and
clear of any lien other than Permitted Encumbrances.
Section 3.4 Subsidiaries. The only Subsidiaries of the Company are those set forth in Section 3.4 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule. Section 3.4 of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth the equityholder(s)
of each Subsidiary, the percentage of ownership of the equityholder(s) of each Subsidiary and the
jurisdiction of incorporation of each Subsidiary. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock
of each of the Company’s Subsidiaries
—20—
that is a corporation are duly authorized, validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable. All equity interests in each of the Company’s Subsidiaries that is a
partnership or limited liability company are duly authorized and validly issued. All shares of
capital stock of (or other ownership interests in) each of the Company’s Subsidiaries which may be
issued upon exercise of outstanding options or exchange rights are duly authorized and, upon
issuance will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Except as set forth in Section 3.4
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and
outstanding capital stock and other ownership interests of each of its Subsidiaries, free and clear
of all Encumbrances other than Permitted Encumbrances, and there are no existing options, warrants,
calls, subscriptions, convertible securities or other securities, agreements, commitments or
obligations of any character relating to the outstanding capital stock or other securities of any
Subsidiary of the Company or which would require any Subsidiary of the Company to issue or sell any
shares of its capital stock, ownership interests or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
shares of its capital stock or ownership interests.
Section 3.5 Other Interests. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries owns or has the right or option to
acquire,
directly or indirectly, any interest or investment in (whether equity or debt) any corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, business, trust or other Person (“Other
Entity”), other than the rights held by the Company or its Subsidiaries identified in Section
3.4 of the Company Disclosure Schedule. Section 3.5 of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth
the authorized capital stock, the number of shares duly issued and outstanding, the number so owned
by each stockholder of the entity and the jurisdiction of incorporation of each Other Entity.
Section 3.6 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents.
(a) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement to which
the Company or Merger Sub is a party by the Company or Merger Sub, as the case may be, nor the
performance by the Company and Merger Sub of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder,
nor the consummation by the Company and Merger Sub of any of the transactions contemplated hereby
or thereby, will: (i) conflict with the Company’s Organizational Documents or the Organizational
Documents of any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) assuming satisfaction of the requirements set forth in
Section 3.6(b) below, violate any statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation, applicable to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their Assets; or (iii) violate, breach, require consent under, be in conflict with or
constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a
default) under, or permit the termination of any provision of, or result in the termination of, the
acceleration of the maturity of, or the acceleration of the performance of any obligation of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien upon
any Assets or business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under, or give rise to any Third
Party’s right of first refusal, termination or other similar right under, any note, bond,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, or permit, authorization, license, contract, instrument
or other agreement or commitment or any order, judgment or decree to which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
respective Assets are bound or encumbered, or give any Person the right to require the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries to purchase or repurchase any notes, bonds or instruments of any kind,
except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for such violations, breaches, conflicts, defaults,
—21—
consents, liens or other occurrences which, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably
be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Company Material Adverse Effect, neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement to which the Company or Merger Sub is a party by the Company or Merger Sub, as
the case may be, nor the performance by the Company and Merger Sub of their respective obligations
hereunder or thereunder, nor the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby, will violate, breach, require consent under, be in conflict with or constitute a default
(or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default) under, or
permit the termination by any Third Party of any provision of, or result in the termination of, the
acceleration of the maturity of, or the acceleration of the performance of any obligation of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien upon
any Assets or business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under, any Indebtedness.
(c) No consent, approval or authorization of, permit from, or declaration, filing or
registration with, any Governmental Entity is required to be made or obtained by the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement to which the Company or Merger Sub is a party by the Company or Merger Sub, as
the case may be, or the consummation by the Company and Merger Sub of any of the transactions
contemplated by hereby or thereby, other than (A) the filing with the SEC of (1) the joint
information statement/proxy statement/prospectus to be sent to the stockholders of the Company and
BPW, including in connection with the BPW Stockholders Meeting (the “Information
Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus”), (2) the Registration Statement and (3) the Offer
Documents, and such other compliance with the Exchange Act and the Securities Act as may be
required in connection with this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement to which the Company or
Merger Sub is a party; (B) compliance with the applicable requirements of the HSR Act; (C) the
filing of the Certificate of Merger pursuant to the DGCL; (D) filings with the NYSE, AMEX and NASD;
(E) such filings and approvals as may be required by any applicable state securities or “blue sky”
laws (“Blue Sky Laws”); (F) business, operating and occupancy licenses and permits; and (G)
such consents, approvals, authorizations, permits, registrations, declarations and filings the
failure to make or obtain which would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 3.7 Compliance. To the Company’s Knowledge, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance in
all
material respects with all foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations applicable to
their operations or with respect to which compliance is a condition of engaging in the business
thereof, except to the extent that failure to comply would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has received any written notice since January 1, 2007, or has Knowledge of any
written notice received by it at any time, in each case, other than routine customer and employee
claims and complaints, asserting a failure, or possible failure, to comply with any such law or
regulation, the subject of which written notice has not been resolved as required thereby or
otherwise to the reasonable satisfaction of the party sending the notice, except for (A) matters
being contested in good faith and set forth in Section
—22—
3.7 of the Company Disclosure Schedule and
(B) such failures as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.8 SEC Documents.
(a) The Company has filed with the SEC all reports, schedules, statements and other documents
required to be filed by the Company with the SEC since December 31, 2006 (collectively, the
“Company SEC Reports”). As of their respective dates, with respect to Company SEC Reports
filed pursuant to the Exchange Act, and as of their respective effective dates, as to Company SEC
Reports filed pursuant to the Securities Act, the Company SEC Reports (i) complied in all material
respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and (ii) did
not, or, with respect to those not yet filed, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. No Subsidiary of the Company is required to make any filing with the SEC.
(b) Each of the consolidated balance sheets included in or incorporated by reference into the
Company SEC Reports (including the related notes and schedules) fairly presents, in all material
respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as
of its date, and each of the consolidated statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows
of the Company included in or incorporated by reference into the Company SEC Reports (including any
related notes and schedules) fairly presents, in all material respects, the results of operations,
stockholders’ equity and cash flows, as the case may be, of the Company and its Subsidiaries for
the periods set forth therein (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end
audit adjustments), in each case in accordance with GAAP consistently applied during the periods
involved, except as may be noted therein and, in the case of unaudited quarterly financial
statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act.
(c) Except as set forth in the Company SEC Reports, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has any liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute,
contingent or otherwise) that would be required to be reflected on, or reserved against in, a
balance sheet of the Company or in the notes thereto prepared in accordance with GAAP
consistently applied, except for (i) liabilities or obligations that were so reserved on, or
reflected in (including the notes to), the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of October
31, 2009, (ii) liabilities or obligations arising in the ordinary course of business on or after
October 31, 2009 and prior to the date hereof, (iii) liabilities incurred on or after the date
hereof that are permitted by Section 5.1 and (iv) other liabilities or obligations which would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(d) The financial records, systems, controls, data and information of the Company and its
Subsidiaries are recorded, stored, maintained and operated under means that are under the exclusive
ownership and direct control of the Company or its Subsidiaries or accountants, except for any
non-exclusive ownership and non-direct control that would not reasonably be expected to adversely
effect the system of internal accounting controls described in the following sentence. The Company
and its Subsidiaries have devised and maintain a
—23—
system of internal accounting controls sufficient
to provide reasonable assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP (“Internal
Controls”). Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries (x) has designed disclosure controls and
procedures (within the meaning of Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to ensure that
material information relating to such entity and its Subsidiaries is made known to the management
of such entity by others within those entities as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure and to make the certifications required by the Exchange Act with respect to the
Company SEC Documents, and (y) has disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation prior to the date
of this Agreement, to its auditors and the Audit Committee (A) any significant deficiencies in the
design or operation of Internal Controls which could adversely affect its ability to record,
process, summarize and report financial data and have disclosed to its auditors any material
weaknesses in internal controls and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
management or other employees who have a significant role in its Internal Controls.
Section 3.9 Absence of Certain Changes. From October 31, 2009, the Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted
their respective
businesses in the ordinary and usual course consistent with past practices, and there has not been
any change in the Company’s business, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), results of
operations, Assets or liabilities, except for changes which, individually or in the aggregate,
would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.10 Litigation. There is no Action (i) instituted, (ii) pending and served upon the Company or any
of its
Subsidiaries, or (iii) to the Knowledge of the Company, pending and not served upon the Company or
its Subsidiaries, or threatened, in each case against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any
of their respective Assets which, individually or in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, would
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, nor is there any outstanding
judgment, decree or injunction, in each case against the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their respective Assets or any statute, rule or order of any Governmental Entity applicable to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.11 Taxes. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have prepared and timely
filed (taking into account any extension of time within which to file), or have had timely filed on
its behalf all Tax Returns required to be filed by any of them and all such filed Tax Returns are
true, complete and accurate in all respects, (ii) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have
paid all Taxes that are required to be paid by any of them prior to the Closing Date, or, with
respect to Taxes not yet due and payable, have established in the financial statements of the
Company adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP for the payment of such Taxes, (iii) all
deficiencies asserted or assessed by a Taxing Authority against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries have been paid in full or are adequately reserved in the Financial Statements of the
Company, in accordance with GAAP, (iv) as of the date of this Agreement, there are not pending or,
to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing, any audits, examinations, investigations or
other proceedings in respect of Taxes and there are no currently effective waivers (or requests for
waivers) of the time to assess any Taxes
—24—
or Tax deficiencies, (v) there are no Encumbrances for
Taxes on any of the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than Permitted
Encumbrances, (vi) no power of attorney granted by the Company or its Subsidiaries with respect to
Taxes is currently in force, (vii) the Company has not been a “controlled corporation” or a
“distributing corporation” in any distribution occurring during the two-year period ending on the
date hereof that was purported or intended to be governed by Section 355 of the Code, (viii)
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (A) is a party to or is bound by any Tax sharing,
allocation or indemnification agreement or (B) has any liability for Taxes of any other Person
(other than the Company and its Subsidiaries) pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or
any similar provision of state, local or foreign Tax law), as a transferee or successor, by
contract or otherwise, and (ix) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has participated in
any “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4.
Section 3.12 Employee Benefit Plans.
(a) The Company has listed in Section 3.12(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule all Company
Employee Plans. Section 3.12(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule identifies each Company
Employee Plan that is intended to be a “qualified plan” within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the
Code (“Qualified Plans”). The IRS has issued a favorable determination letter with respect
to each Qualified Plan and the related trust that has not been revoked, and, to the Knowledge of
the Company, there are no existing circumstances and no events have occurred that could adversely
affect the qualified status of any Qualified Plan or the related trust.
(b) With respect to each Company Employee Plan, the Company has made available to BPW a
true and correct copy of (i) each writing constituting a part of such Company Employee Plan,
including without limitation all plan documents, material employee communications, benefit
schedules, trust agreements, group annuity contracts and insurance contracts and other funding
vehicles, (ii) the most recent annual report (Form 5500) filed with the IRS and accompanying
schedule, if any, (iii) the current summary plan description and summaries of any material
modifications thereto, if any, (iv) the most recent actuarial valuation
relating to a Company Employee Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA and (v) the most recent
determination letter from the IRS, if any.
(c) With respect to the Company Employee Plans, individually and in the aggregate, no event
has occurred, and there exists no condition or set of circumstances, in connection with which the
Company could be subject to any liability (other than liability for the payment of benefits) that
individually or in the aggregate would reasonably be expected to result in liability to the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of the Company, to any fiduciary of a Company
Employee Plan under ERISA, the Code, any other applicable law or otherwise, which, as the case may
be, would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Each Company Employee
Plan has been administered in all respects in accordance with its terms, except as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company
Material Adverse Effect, there is not now, nor do any circumstances exist that could give rise to,
any requirement for the posting of security with respect to a Company Employee Plan or the
imposition of any lien on the assets of
—25—
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under ERISA or the
Code. With respect to the Company Employee Plans, individually and in the aggregate, there are no
funded benefit obligations for which contributions have not been made or properly accrued and there
are no unfunded benefit obligations which have not been accrued or otherwise properly disclosed in
the footnotes in accordance with GAAP, in the financial statements of the Company. To the
Company’s Knowledge, none of the Company and its Subsidiaries nor any other person, including any
fiduciary, has engaged in any “prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 4975 of the Code or
Section 406 of ERISA), which could subject any of the Company Employee Plans or their related
trusts, the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any person that the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries has an obligation to indemnify, to any material Tax or penalty imposed under Section
4975 of the Code or Section 502 of ERISA.
(d) With respect to each Company Employee Plan that is subject to Title IV or Section 302 of
ERISA or Section 412 or 4971 of the Code: (i) there does not exist any accumulated funding
deficiency within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, whether or not
waived, (ii) except as set forth in Section 3.12(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the fair
market value of the assets of such Company Employee Plan equals or exceeds the actuarial present
value of all accrued benefits under such Plan (whether or not vested), (iii) no reportable event
within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA for which the 30-day notice requirement has not been
waived has occurred, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
the Ancillary Agreements will not result in the occurrence of any such reportable event, (iv) all
premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (the “PBGC”) have been timely paid in
full, (v) no liability (other than for premiums to the PBGC) under Title IV of ERISA has been or is
expected to be incurred by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (vi) the PBGC has not
instituted proceedings to terminate any such Company Employee Plan and, to the Company’s Knowledge,
no condition exists that presents a risk that such proceedings will be instituted or which would
constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a
trustee to administer, any such Company Employee Plan.
(e) Section 3.12(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists each Company Employee Plan that
is a Multiemployer Plan or a plan that has two or more contributing sponsors at least two of whom
are not under common control, within the meaning of Section 4063 of ERISA (a “Multiple Employer
Plan”). Except with respect to the plans so listed, none of the Company and its Subsidiaries
nor any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has, at any time during the last six years,
contributed to or been obligated to contribute to any Multiemployer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan.
None of the Company and its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has incurred
any Withdrawal Liability that has not been satisfied in full. If the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates were to experience a withdrawal or partial
withdrawal from any Multiemployer Plan, no Withdrawal Liability would be incurred. None of the
Company and its Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective ERISA Affiliates, has received any
notification, nor has any reason to believe, that any Multiemployer Plan in which they participate
is in reorganization, has been terminated, is insolvent, or may reasonably be expected to be in
reorganization, to be insolvent, or to be terminated.
—26—
(f) (i) There has been no communication to employees by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
which could reasonably be interpreted to promise or guarantee retiree health or life insurance or
other retiree death benefits on a permanent basis, and (ii) the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries has reserved the right to amend, terminate or modify at any time all plans or
arrangements providing for retiree health or life insurance coverage.
(g) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, nor the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, will (either alone or in
conjunction with any other event) result in, cause the accelerated vesting, funding or delivery of,
or increase the amount or value of, any payment or benefit to any employee, officer, consultant or
director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or result in any limitation on the right of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to amend, merge, terminate or receive a reversion of assets from
any Company Employee Plan or a related trust. No amount paid or payable (whether in cash, in
property, or in the form of benefits) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with
the transactions contemplated hereby or any of the Ancillary Agreements to which the Company or
Merger Sub is a party (either solely as a result thereof or as a result of such transactions in
conjunction with any other event) will be an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of
Section 280G of the Code. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any indemnity
obligation for any Taxes imposed under Section 4999 or 409A of the Code.
(h) From January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2008, each Company Employee Plan that is a
“nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A(d)(1) of the Code (a
“Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan”) and any award thereunder, in each case that is
subject to Section 409A of the Code, was maintained in good faith operational compliance with the
requirements of (i) Section 409A of the Code and (ii) (x) the proposed regulations issued
thereunder, (y) the final regulations issued thereunder or (z) Internal Revenue Service Notice
2005-1. From and after January 1, 2009, each Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan and any award
thereunder has been maintained in operational compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of
the Code the final regulations issued
thereunder. As of December 31, 2008, each Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan and any
award thereunder is in documentary compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and
the final regulations issued thereunder.
Section 3.13 Properties.
(a) Section 3.13(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule identifies:
(i) all real properties (by name and location) owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries
(the “Company Owned Property”) as of the date hereof, which are all of the real
properties owned by them as of the date hereof; and
(ii) all material leases for real properties and interests in real properties leased or
operated by the Company or its Subsidiaries as lessee (the “Company Leased
Property”) as of the date hereof. The Company Owned Property and the Company Leased
Property is referred to herein collectively as the “Company Real Property.”
—27—
(b) The Company or its Subsidiaries have good and valid title to the Company Owned Property,
and a valid leasehold interest in the Company Leased Property, sufficient to allow each of the
Company and its Subsidiaries to conduct their business as and where currently conducted in all
material respects. To the Company’s Knowledge, each Company Real Property is (i) not subject to any
Encumbrances, except for any Permitted Encumbrances and (ii) not encumbered by any Indebtedness.
(c) All (i) certificates, permits or licenses from any Governmental Entity having jurisdiction
over any Company Real Property and (ii) agreements, easements or other rights, necessary to permit
the lawful use and operation of the buildings and improvements on any of the Company Real Property
or to permit the lawful use and operation of all driveways, roads, and other means of egress and
ingress to and from any Company Real Property have been obtained and are in full force and effect,
except where the failure to obtain or maintain the same would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, and to the Company’s
Knowledge there is no pending threat of modification or cancellation of the same, except as would
not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect. No Company Real Property is located outside of the United States.
Section 3.14 Contracts.
(a) Section 3.14(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and accurate list
of all Material Contracts of the Company in effect as of the date hereof. Each such Material
Contract has been delivered to, or made available for review by, BPW and is a true and correct
copy of such Material Contract (including all amendments thereto).
(b) (i) There is no breach or violation of or default by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries under any of such Material Contracts, except such breaches, violations and defaults as
have been waived, and (ii) no event has occurred with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, or, to the Company’s Knowledge, with respect to a Third Party, which, with
notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach, violation or default, or give rise
to a right of termination, modification, cancellation, foreclosure, imposition of a lien,
prepayment or acceleration under any of such Material Contracts, except, in the case of clause (i)
and (ii) above, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.15 Labor Relations. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or otherwise subject, to any
collective bargaining agreement or similar contract; (ii) there are no proceedings asserting unfair
labor practice charges pending against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries before the National
Labor Relations Board, or any similar foreign labor relations governmental bodies, or any current
union representation questions involving employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and
(iii) there is no strike, slowdown, work stoppage or lockout, or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
threat thereof, by or with respect to any employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
except in the case of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, as would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company, its
Subsidiaries and each member of their respective business enterprises have in all material respects
complied, and are in material
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compliance, with all laws and regulations in respect of wages and
employment (including, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and all similar state,
local and foreign laws). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each individual who
renders services to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries who is classified by the Company or such
Subsidiary, as applicable, as having the status of an independent contractor or other non-employee
status for any purpose (including for purposes of Tax and Tax reporting and under Company Employee
Plans) is properly so characterized, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.16 Environmental Matters.
(a) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries, to the Company’s Knowledge, (i) have obtained
all permits, licenses and other authorizations which are required to be obtained under all
applicable Environmental Laws with respect to the Company Real Property and (ii) are in compliance
with all terms and conditions of such required permits, licenses and authorizations, and also are
in compliance with all other applicable limitations, restrictions, conditions, standards,
prohibitions, requirements, obligations, schedules and timetables contained in applicable
Environmental Laws, except, in the case of clause (i) and (ii) above, as would not reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, to the Company’s Knowledge, neither the Company
nor any its Subsidiaries has received a written notice of, or has any Knowledge of, any present or
unremediated past violations of Environmental Laws, or of any event, incident or Action preventing
continued compliance with such Environmental Laws, or which would reasonably be expected to give
rise to any common law environmental liability, or form the basis of any Action against the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries based on or resulting from the manufacture, processing, use, treatment,
storage, disposal, transport or handling, or the emission, discharge or release into the
environment, of any Hazardous Material or otherwise relating to protection of human health or the
environment.
(c) Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, to the Company’s Knowledge, (i) no underground
storage tank or other underground storage receptacle for Hazardous Material is located on any
Company Real Property; (ii) no Company Real Property contains any Hazardous Material that would
reasonably be expected to give rise to any common law environmental liability; and (iii) the
Company is conducting all monitoring and remediation of Hazardous Materials present at any Company
Real Property as required by Environmental Laws or any Governmental Entities.
Section 3.17 Opinion of Financial Advisor. The Audit Committee has received the opinion of Barclays Capital Inc. (the
“Company
Financial Advisor”), as of the date of this Agreement, to the effect that the Merger
Consideration is fair to the holders of Company Common Stock (other than A and its Subsidiaries)
from a financial point of view and such opinion has not been rescinded or amended in any material
respect.
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Section 3.18 Brokers. No broker, finder or investment banker (other than the Company Financial Advisor, the fees and
expenses of which shall be paid by the Company) is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee
or commission in connection with the Merger or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
any Ancillary Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries. The Company has heretofore furnished to BPW a complete and correct copy of all
agreements (including any amendments thereto) between the Company and the Company Financial Advisor
pursuant to which such firm would be entitled to any such payment.
Section 3.19 Vote Required. The Company Board, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of the Audit Committee, at a
meeting
duly called and held (a) determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby
and by the Ancillary Agreements, including the Merger and the issuance of Company Common Stock in
connection therewith, are fair to, and in the best interests of, the stockholders of the Company,
(b) approved this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements, the Merger, the issuance of Company Common
Stock in connection therewith and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and (c)
declared that this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements, the Merger, the issuance of Company Common
Stock in connection therewith and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby are
advisable. This Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements, the Merger, the issuance of Company Common
Stock in connection therewith and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been
duly approved by the written consent of the holders of the requisite number of shares of Company
Common Stock (which written consent is attached hereto as Exhibit D) and no other vote or
action of the Company Stockholders is necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby
and by the Ancillary Agreements.
Section 3.20 Insurance. The Company maintains insurance coverage with reputable insurers or self insurance practices,
in
such amounts and covering such risks which in its judgment are reasonable for the business of the
Company and its Subsidiaries. Section 3.20 of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list as
of the date hereof of all material insurance policies in respect of any Assets of the Company and
its Subsidiaries naming the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any employees thereof as an insured
or beneficiary or as a loss payable payee or for which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has
paid or is obligated
to pay all or part of the premiums (together, “Company Insurance Policies”). There is no
claim by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pending under any such policies which (a) has been
denied or disputed by the insurer and (b) individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s Knowledge, all such insurance
policies are in full force and effect in all material respects, all premiums due and payable
thereon have been paid, and no written notice of cancellation or termination has been received by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any such policy which has not been replaced
on substantially similar terms prior to the date of such cancellation.
Section 3.21 Takeover Provisions Inapplicable. The Company Board, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of the
Audit Committee, has adopted
resolutions sufficient to render inapplicable the limitations on “business combinations” contained
in Section 203 of the DGCL to BPW and the BPW Stockholders, this Agreement, the Ancillary
Agreements, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby and by the Ancillary
Agreements. No other state anti-takeover statute or regulation, nor any takeover-related provision
in the Company
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Organizational Documents, is applicable to BPW or the BPW Stockholders, this
Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby and
by the Ancillary Agreements that would (i) prohibit or restrict the ability of the Company to
perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Certificate of Merger or its ability to
consummate the Merger or the other transactions contemplated hereby or by the Ancillary Agreements,
(ii) have the effect of invalidating or voiding this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements,
or the Certificate of Merger, or any provision hereof or thereof, or (iii) subject BPW or the
BPW Stockholders to any impediment or condition in connection with the exercise of any of its
rights under this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements or the Certificate of Merger.
Section 3.22 Affiliate Transactions. From January 1, 2008 through the date of this Agreement there have been no
transactions,
agreements, arrangements or understandings between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the
one hand, and any Affiliates (other than Subsidiaries of the Company) of the Company or other
Persons, on the other hand, that would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K
under the Securities Act and that have not been so disclosed in the Company SEC Reports or Section
3.22 of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
Section 3.23 Intellectual Property.
(a) To the Company’s Knowledge, the Company owns or has the right to use all Intellectual
Property that is necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as
currently conducted, as identified in Section 3.23(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, except
where the failure of the foregoing to be true and correct would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Company Material Adverse Effect, all registrations of Owned Company IP are currently in good
standing.
(c) The Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ title in all Owned Company IP is valid, subsisting and
enforceable, except where the failure to be so valid, subsisting and
enforceable would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Company Material Adverse Effect.
(d) The Company or one of its Subsidiaries owns all right, title and interest in each item of
Owned Company IP, free and clear of all Encumbrances other than Permitted Encumbrances. No
additional material license fees in respect of any Owned Company IP that is owned by any Person
jointly with the Company or its Subsidiaries will be payable the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
following the Closing to any such Person for the use or exploitation of such Owned Company IP as a
result of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement.
(e) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has taken all commercially reasonable steps to
protect and preserve the secrecy and confidentiality of all Trade Secrets that are included in the
Owned Company IP, except where the failure to take such actions would not reasonably be expected to
have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
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(f) To the Knowledge of the Company, as of the date hereof, no Person or any of such Person’s
products or services, Intellectual Property or other operation of such Person’s business is
infringing upon, violating or misappropriating any Owned Company IP, except where any such
infringement, misappropriation or violation would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(g) As of the date hereof, there is no Action pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
threatened with respect to: (i) any alleged infringement, misappropriation or violation of the
Intellectual Property of any Person by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of its or
their current products or services; (ii) any claim challenging the validity or enforceability of
any Owned Company IP, or the ownership by the Company or the respective Subsidiary of such Owned
Company IP; or (iii) any claim contesting the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ rights with
respect to any Licensed Company IP, except in the case of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), for any of
the foregoing, that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Company Material Adverse Effect. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company and its Subsidiaries
are not subject to any order, judgment or decree that restricts or impairs the use of any Company
IP, except (x) for any such order, judgment or decree that is generally applicable to Persons
engaged in the businesses engaged in by the Company and its Subsidiaries or (y) where compliance
with such order, judgment or decree would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.24 Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus; Form S-4 Registration
Statement; Offer Documents; Other Information. None of the information with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries supplied by the Company
in writing specifically for inclusion in the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus or
any amendments thereof or supplements thereto, in the registration statement on Form S-4 pursuant
to which the issuance of shares of Company Common Stock to be issued in the Merger will be
registered under the Securities Act (the “Registration Statement”), of which the
Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus will form a part, or any amendments thereof or
supplements thereto, or in the Offer Documents or any amendments thereof or supplements thereto,
will (i) in the case of
the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus or any amendments thereof or supplements
thereto, at the time of the mailing of the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus and at
the time of the BPW Stockholders Meeting, (ii) in the case of the Registration Statement or any
amendments thereof or supplements thereto, at the time it becomes effective, or (iii) in the case
of the Offer Documents or any amendments thereof or supplements thereto, at the time of the mailing
of the Offer Documents, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that no
representation is made by the Company with respect to information related to BPW or any of its
Affiliates included in the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus or any amendments
thereof or supplements thereto, the Registration Statement or any amendments thereof or supplements
thereto, or the Offer Documents or any amendments thereof or supplements thereto, as the case may
be.
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Section 3.25 Financial Ability.
(a) The Company has received and entered into, and furnished to BPW, an executed commitment
letter, dated as of the date hereof (the “Commitment Letter”) from the lender party thereto
(the “Lender”), a complete and correct copy of which is attached as Exhibit E
relating to the commitment of the Lender to provide a portion of the Financing on the terms set
forth therein.
(b) The Commitment Letter is valid, binding and in full force and effect and enforceable
against the parties thereto in accordance with its terms, and no event has occurred that, with or
without notice, lapse of time, or both, would reasonably be expected to constitute a default or
breach or a failure to satisfy a condition precedent on the part of the Company under the terms and
conditions of the Commitment Letter, other than any such default, breach or failure that has been
waived by the Lender, or otherwise cured in a timely manner by the Company to the satisfaction of
the Lender. Except to the extent replaced after the date hereof by amendment or restatement of the
$150M Revolving Credit Agreement, each of the Support Letters (as defined in the A Agreement) is
valid, binding and in full force and effect and enforceable against the parties thereto in
accordance with its terms, and no event has occurred that, with or without notice, lapse of time,
or both, would reasonably be expected to constitute a default or breach or a failure to satisfy a
condition precedent on the part of the Company under the terms and conditions of any Support
Letter, other than any such default, breach or failure that has been waived by A, or otherwise
cured in a timely manner by the Company.
(c) As of the date hereof, there is no amount due or outstanding in respect of the Secured
Revolving Loan Agreement, dated as of April 10, 2009 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time, the “$150M Revolving Credit Agreement”), by and between A and
the Company. The $150M Revolving Credit Agreement is valid, binding and in full force and effect
and enforceable against the parties thereto in accordance with its terms, and no event has occurred
that, with or without notice, lapse of time, or both, would reasonably be expected to constitute a
default or breach or a failure to satisfy a condition precedent on the part of the Company under
the terms and conditions of such agreement, other than any such default, breach or failure that has
been waived by A, or otherwise cured in a timely manner by the Company.
Section 3.26 Trust Waiver. The Company hereby acknowledges that it has reviewed the final prospectus of BPW, dated
February 26, 2008, and the Trust Account Agreement, and is aware that disbursements from the Trust
Account are available in the circumstances set forth therein and as described in Section 6.12.
Section 3.27 Merger Sub. Merger Sub was formed on December 7, 2009 solely for the purpose of engaging in the
transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and has engaged in no other business activities other than incident
to its formation and related to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BPW
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BPW
BPW represents and warrants to the Company and Merger Sub that the statements contained in
this Article IV are true and correct except as set forth herein, in the
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disclosure schedule
delivered by BPW to the Company concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the
“BPW Disclosure Schedule”), as disclosed in any BPW SEC Document filed with the SEC
prior to the date of this Agreement and publicly available on XXXXX (but excluding any risk factor
disclosures contained under the heading “Risk Factors,” any disclosure of risks included in any
“forward-looking statements” disclaimer or any other statements that are similarly non-specific or
predictive or forward-looking in nature) or as otherwise limited herein.
Section 4.1 Organization and Qualification. BPW is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of the
jurisdiction of its organization, with the corporate power and authority to own and operate its
business as presently conducted. BPW is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other entity
to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or operation of its
properties or the nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary, except for such
failures of BPW to be so qualified as would not, when taken with all other such failures,
reasonably be expected to have a BPW Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.2 Authorization; Validity and Effect of Agreement. BPW has the requisite corporate power and authority to
execute, deliver and perform its
obligations under this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party and to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, subject only to the BPW Requisite
Vote (i) adopting and approving this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and approving the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, (ii) approving amendments to the BPW Charter as
required so that the BPW Charter can be amended and restated, effective upon the Closing, in
substantially the form set forth on Exhibit F (the “BPW Charter Amendment”) and
(iii) approving the Initial Charter Amendment (together, such approvals being the “BPW
Voting Proposal”). The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreements
to which BPW is a party by BPW, and the performance by BPW of its obligations hereunder
and thereunder and the consummation by BPW of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
have been duly authorized by the Board of Directors of BPW (the “BPW Board”) and all
other necessary corporate action on the part of BPW, other than the BPW Voting Proposal, and
no other proceedings on the part of BPW are necessary to authorize this Agreement, any Ancillary
Agreement to which BPW is a party or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. Each of
this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which BPW is a party has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by BPW and assuming the same are legally binding on the other parties
thereto constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of BPW, enforceable against BPW in
accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting
creditors’ rights generally and general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law).
Section 4.3 Capitalization.
(a) As of the date hereof and as of the Effective Time, the authorized stock of BPW
consists of 200,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“BPW Common
Stock”) and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“BPW
Preferred Stock”). As of the close of business on December 7, 2009, 41,176,471 shares of
BPW Common Stock were issued and outstanding and no shares of BPW Preferred Stock were issued
or outstanding.
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(b) Section 4.3(b) of the BPW Disclosure Schedule sets forth, as of the date hereof, the
number of issued and outstanding BPW Warrants, the exercise prices with respect thereto and the
number of shares of BPW Common Stock into which such BPW Warrants are exercisable; provided
that no BPW Warrants are exercisable until the consummation of a Business Combination. Except
(i) as set forth in this Section 4.3(b), (ii) as described in Section 4.3(b) of the BPW
Disclosure Schedule and (iii) for rights of holders of BPW Common Stock to convert their shares
of BPW Common Stock into cash held in the Trust Account, there are no securities, options,
warrants, calls, rights, commitments, agreements, arrangements or undertakings of any kind to which
BPW is a party or by which any of them is bound obligating BPW to issue, deliver or sell, or
cause to be issued, delivered or sold, additional shares of BPW Common Stock or any other equity
interests of BPW or other voting securities of BPW or obligating BPW to issue, grant,
extend or enter into any such security, option, warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement,
arrangement or undertaking and BPW has not granted any share appreciation rights or any other
contractual rights the value of which is derived from the financial performance of BPW or the
value of BPW Common Stock or any other equity interests of BPW.
(c) BPW does not own, directly or indirectly, any capital stock, membership interest,
partnership interest, joint venture interest or other interest in any Person.
Section 4.4 No Conflict; Required Filings and
Consents.
(a) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement
or any Ancillary Agreement to which
BPW is a party, nor the performance by BPW of its obligations hereunder and thereunder, nor
the consummation by BPW of any of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, will: (i)
conflict with BPW’s Organizational Documents; (ii) assuming satisfaction of the requirements set
forth in Section 4.4(b) below, violate any statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation, applicable
to BPW or any of its Assets; or (iii) except as set forth in Section 4.4(a)(iii) of the BPW
Disclosure Schedule, violate, breach, require consent under, be in conflict
with or constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would
constitute a default) under, or permit the termination of any provision of, or result in the
termination of, the acceleration of the maturity of, or the acceleration of the performance of any
obligation of BPW under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien upon any Assets or
business of BPW under or give rise to any Third Party’s right of first refusal, termination or
other similar right under any note, bond, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, or permit,
authorization, license, contract, instrument or other agreement or commitment or any order,
judgment or decree to which BPW is a party or by which BPW or any of its respective Assets
are bound or encumbered, or give any Person the right to require BPW to purchase or repurchase
any notes, bonds or instruments of any kind, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for
such violations, breaches, conflicts, defaults, consents, liens or other occurrences which,
individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a BPW Material
Adverse Effect.
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(b) Except as set forth in Section 4.4(a) or 4.4(b) of the BPW Disclosure Schedule, no
consent, approval or authorization of, permit from, or declaration, filing or registration with,
any Governmental Entity is required to be made or obtained by BPW in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement to which BPW is a party by
BPW or the consummation by BPW of the Merger and any of the other transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby, other than (i) the filing with the SEC of the Information Statement/Proxy
Statement/Prospectus and the Offer Documents, and such reports under Section 13(a) of the Exchange
Act, and such other compliance with the Exchange Act and the Securities Act, as may be required in
connection with this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement to which BPW is a party; (ii)
compliance with the applicable requirements of the HSR Act, (iii) the filing of the Certificate of
Merger, the BPW Charter Amendment and, if necessary, the Initial Charter Amendment pursuant to
the DGCL; (iv) filings with the NYSE, AMEX and NASD; (v) such filings and approvals as may be
required by any applicable state securities or Blue Sky Laws; (vi) business, operating and
occupancy licenses and permits; and (vii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, permits,
registrations, declarations and filings, the failure to make or obtain which would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have BPW Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.5 Compliance. To BPW’s Knowledge, BPW is in compliance with all foreign, federal, state and local
laws
and regulations applicable to their operations or with respect to which compliance is a condition
of engaging in the business thereof, except to the extent that failure to comply would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a BPW Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.6 SEC Documents.
(a) BPW has filed with the SEC all reports, schedules, statements and other documents
required to be filed by BPW with the SEC since the IPO (collectively, the “BPW SEC
Reports”). As of their respective dates, with respect to BPW SEC Reports filed pursuant to
the Exchange Act, and as of their respective effective dates, as to BPW SEC Reports filed
pursuant to the Securities Act, the BPW SEC Reports (i) complied, or with respect to those not
yet filed, will comply, in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities
Act and the Exchange Act, and (ii) did not, or with respect to those not yet filed, will not,
contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading.
(b) Each of the consolidated balance sheets included in or incorporated by reference into
BPW SEC Reports (including the related notes and schedules) fairly presents, in all material
respects, the consolidated financial position of BPW as of its date, and each of the
consolidated statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of BPW included in or
incorporated by reference into BPW SEC Reports (including any related notes and schedules)
fairly presents, in all material respects, the results of operations and cash flows, as the case
may be, of BPW for the periods set forth therein (subject, in the case of unaudited statements,
to normal year-end audit adjustments), in each case in accordance with GAAP consistently applied
during the periods involved, except as may be noted therein and, in the case of unaudited quarterly
financial statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act.
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(c) BPW has no liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute,
contingent or otherwise) that would be required to be reflected on, or reserved against in, a
balance sheet of BPW or in the notes thereto, prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently
applied, except for (i) liabilities or obligations that were so reserved on, or reflected in
(including the notes to), the consolidated balance sheet of BPW as of September 30, 2009, (ii)
liabilities or obligations arising in the ordinary course of business (including trade
indebtedness), and (iii) liabilities or obligations which would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a BPW Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.7 Absence of Certain Changes. Except as set forth in Section 4.7 of the BPW Disclosure Schedule,
from September 30, 2009,
BPW has conducted its businesses in all material respects in the ordinary and usual course
consistent with past practices, and there has not been any change in BPW’s business, operations,
condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, Assets or liabilities, except for
changes which, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a BPW
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.8 Litigation. Except as set forth in BPW SEC Reports filed prior to the date of this Agreement, there is
no
Action (i) instituted, (ii) pending and served upon BPW, or (iii) to the Knowledge of BPW,
pending and not served on BPW or threatened, in each case against BPW or any of its Assets
which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have BPW Material
Adverse Effect, nor is there any outstanding judgment, decree or injunction, in each case against
BPW or any of its respective Assets, or any statute, rule or order of any Governmental Entity
applicable to BPW which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have
a BPW Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.9 Title to Property. Except as set forth in Section 4.9 of the BPW Disclosure Schedule, BPW does
not own or
lease any real property or personal property. Except as set forth in Section 4.9 of the BPW
Disclosure Schedule, there are no options or other contracts under which BPW has a right or
obligation to acquire or lease any interest in real property or personal property.
Section 4.10 Contracts.
(a) Section 4.10 of the BPW Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and accurate list of
all Material Contracts to which BPW is a party in effect as of the date hereof. Each such
Material Contract has been delivered to, or made available for review by, the Company and is a true
and correct copy of such Material Contract (including all amendments thereto).
(b) (i) There is no breach or violation of or default by BPW under any of such Material
Contracts, except such breaches, violations and defaults as have been waived, and (ii) no event has
occurred with respect to BPW or, to BPW’s Knowledge, with respect to a Third Party, which,
with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach, violation or default, or give rise
to a right of termination, modification, cancellation, foreclosure, imposition of a lien,
prepayment or acceleration under any of such Material Contracts, except, in the case of clause (i)
and (ii) above, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be have a
BPW Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 4.11 Intellectual Property. Except for its corporate name, BPW does not own, license or otherwise have any
right, title
or interest in any Intellectual Property whether or not registered.
Section 4.12 Employee Benefits Plans. BPW does not maintain, and has no liability under, any BPW Employee Plan,
and neither the
execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby will (i) result in any compensatory payment (including severance, unemployment compensation,
golden parachute, bonus or otherwise) becoming due to any director or employee of BPW, or (ii)
result in the acceleration of the time of payment or vesting of any such compensatory payments.
Section 4.13 Labor Matters. BPW is not a party to any collective bargaining agreement or other labor union contract
applicable to persons employed by BPW and BPW does not know of any activities or proceedings
of any labor union to organize any such employees. Except as disclosed in Section 4.13 of the
BPW Disclosure Schedule, BPW has no employees and has had no employees since inception.
Section 4.14 Taxes. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a BPW
Material Adverse Effect, (i) BPW has prepared and timely filed (taking into account any
extension of time within which to file), or have had timely filed on its behalf, all Tax Returns
required to be filed by any of them and all such filed Tax Returns are true, complete and accurate
in all respects, (ii) BPW has paid all Taxes that are required to be paid by any of them prior
to the Closing Date or, with respect to Taxes not yet due and payable, have established in the
financial statements of BPW adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP for the payment of such
Taxes, (iii) all deficiencies asserted or assessed by a Taxing Authority against BPW have been
paid in full or are adequately reserved in the financial statements of BPW, in accordance with
GAAP, (iv) as of the date of this Agreement, there are not pending or, to the Knowledge of BPW,
threatened in writing, any audits, examinations, investigations or other proceedings in respect of
Taxes and there are no currently effective waivers (or requests for waivers) of the time to assess
any Taxes or Tax deficiencies, (v) there are no Encumbrances for Taxes on any of the assets of
BPW other than Permitted Encumbrances, (vi) no power of attorney granted by BPW with respect
to Taxes is currently in
force, (vii) BPW has not been a “controlled corporation” or a “distributing corporation” in any
distribution occurring during the two-year period ending on the date hereof that was purported or
intended to be governed by Section 355 of the Code, (viii) BPW (A) is not a party to or is not
bound by any Tax sharing, allocation or indemnification agreement or (B) does not have any
liability for Taxes of any other Person (other than BPW) pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section
1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign Tax law), as a transferee or
successor, by contract or otherwise, and (ix) BPW has not participated in any “listed
transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4.
Section 4.15 Opinion of Financial Advisor. The BPW Board has received the opinion of Financo Securities, LLC (the
“BPW Financial
Advisor”), as of the date of this Agreement, to the effect that the Merger Consideration is
fair to the holders of BPW Common Stock (other than the Sponsors) from a financial point of view
and such opinion has not been rescinded or amended in any material respect.
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Section 4.16 Brokers. Except as set forth in Section 4.16 of the BPW Disclosure Schedule, no broker, finder or
investment banker (other than the BPW Financial Advisor, the fees and expenses of which shall be
paid by BPW) is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection
with the Merger or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement based
upon arrangements made by or on behalf of BPW that would reasonably be expected to result in any
liability to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries if the transactions contemplated hereby are not
consummated. BPW has heretofore furnished to the Company a complete and correct copy of all
agreements (including any amendments thereto) between BPW and the BPW Financial Advisor
pursuant to which such firm would be entitled to any such payment.
Section 4.17 Vote Required. The only votes of the holders of any class or series of BPW’s equity interests
necessary to
approve the BPW Voting Proposal are (i) the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding
shares of BPW Common Stock, provided that Public Stockholders (as defined in the BPW Charter)
who are present at the BPW Stockholders Meeting and entitled to vote thereon must vote a
majority of the shares of BPW Common Stock held by them, in each case in favor of adoption and
approval of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and approval of the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby, including the Merger and (ii) the affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the outstanding shares of BPW Common Stock to approve the BPW Charter
Amendment and the Initial Charter Amendment (provided that, even if the votes referred to clauses
(i) and (ii) above were obtained, the BPW Voting Proposal shall be deemed not to have been
approved if holders of 35% or more of the outstanding shares of BPW Common Stock issued in the
IPO vote against (A) this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Ancillary
Agreements and/or (B) the Initial Charter Amendment, and properly elect conversion of their shares
pursuant to Section 9.3 of the BPW Charter) (collectively, the “BPW Requisite Vote”).
The BPW Board, at a meeting duly called and held (a) unanimously determined that this Agreement
and the Ancillary Agreements and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including the
Merger, the BPW Charter Amendment and the Initial Charter Amendment, are fair to, and in the
best interests of, BPW’s stockholders, (b) approved this Agreement, the Merger, the BPW
Charter Amendment, the Initial Charter Amendment, the Ancillary Agreements and the other
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, (c) has declared that this Agreement, the Merger, the
BPW Charter Amendment, Initial Charter Amendment, the Ancillary Agreements and the other
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby are advisable, and (d) resolved to recommend that the
holders of BPW Common Stock approve and adopt this Agreement, the Merger, the BPW Charter
Amendment, Initial Charter Amendment, the Ancillary Agreements and the other transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby and not exercise their conversion rights.
Section 4.18 Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus; Form S-4 Registration
Statement; Offer Documents; Other Information. None of the information with respect to BPW supplied by BPW in writing specifically for
inclusion in the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus or any amendments thereof or
supplements thereto, in the Registration Statement or any amendments thereof or supplements
thereto, or the Offer Documents or any amendments thereof or supplements thereto, will (i) in the
case of the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus or any amendments thereof or
supplements thereto, at the time of the mailing of the Information Statement/Proxy
Statement/Prospectus and
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at the time of the BPW Stockholders Meeting, (ii) in the case of the
Registration Statement or any amendments thereof or supplements thereto, at the time it becomes
effective, or (iii) in the case of the Offer Documents or any amendments thereof or supplements
thereto, at the time of the mailing of the Offer Documents, contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, except that no representation is made by BPW with respect to information related to
the Company or any Affiliate of the Company included in the Information Statement/Proxy
Statement/Prospectus or any amendments thereof or supplements thereto, the Registration Statement
or any amendments thereof or supplements thereto, or the Offer Documents or any amendments thereof
or supplements thereto, as the case may be.
Section 4.19 Affiliate Transactions. Except as set forth in Section 4.19 of the BPW Disclosure Schedule, from
October 12, 2007
through the date of this Agreement there have been no transactions, agreements, arrangements or
understandings between BPW, on the one hand, and any Affiliates of BPW or other Persons, on
the other hand, that would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the
Securities Act and that have not been so disclosed in the BPW SEC Reports.
Section 4.20 Trust Account.
(a) The Trust Account Agreement (the “Trust Account Agreement”) by and between BPW
and Mellon Bank, N.A. (“Mellon”), dated as of February 26, 2008, is valid and in full force
and effect and enforceable in accordance with its terms and has not been amended or modified.
Other than as set forth on Section 4.20 of the BPW Disclosure Schedule or as filed as an exhibit
to a BPW SEC Report, there are no separate agreements, side letters, or other agreements or
understandings (whether written or unwritten, express or implied) that would cause the description
of the Trust Account Agreement in the BPW SEC Reports to be inaccurate in any material respect
and/or that would entitle any Third Party to any portion of the cash proceeds of the initial public
offering of BPW (the “IPO”) and private placements of its securities, substantially all
of which proceeds have been deposited in a trust account with a Third
Party (the “Trust Account”) for the benefit of BPW, certain of its stockholders and
the underwriters of its IPO. As of the date hereof, the Trust Account (less (i) any amounts
disbursed from the Trust Account to pay any BPW Stockholder that shall have validly exercised
conversion rights pursuant to Section 9.3 of the BPW Charter, (ii) any amounts payable to BPW
Stockholders or any holder of BPW Warrants in respect of dividends, forward purchases or
otherwise, and (iii) amounts incurred and not yet paid by BPW in respect of fees and expenses
(including to the underwriters of the IPO in the amount of underwriting discounts and commissions
they earned in the IPO but whose payment they have deferred, but excluding any other amounts that
are only payable upon the consummation of a Business Combination or the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement)) consists of no less than $339 million invested in United States “government
securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, having a maturity of 180 days or less, or in money market funds meeting certain conditions
under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
—40—
(b) Effective as of the Effective Time, the obligations of BPW to dissolve or liquidate
within the specified time period contained in the BPW Charter will terminate, and effective as
of Effective Time, BPW shall have no obligation, other than as contemplated by this Agreement,
to dissolve and liquidate the assets of BPW by reason of the Closing, and following the
Effective Time no Public Stockholder (as defined in the BPW Charter) shall be entitled to
receive any amount from the Trust Account except as BPW is required to pay to Public
Stockholders (as defined in the BPW Charter) who elect to have their shares converted to cash in
accordance with the provisions of Section 9.3 of the BPW Charter.
ARTICLE V
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER
Section 5.1 Conduct of Business of the Company Pending the Merger. During the period from the date of this Agreement
and continuing until the earlier of the
termination of this Agreement or the Effective Time, the Company agrees as to itself and each of
its Subsidiaries, except to the extent that BPW shall consent in advance in writing (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), or as expressly required or permitted by this
Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements (including amendment and restatement of the $150M Revolving
Credit Agreement and the concurrent termination of the Support Letters), or as otherwise indicated
in Section 5.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, or to the extent required by applicable law or a
Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction, to carry on its business in the ordinary course in
substantially the same manner as previously conducted in all material respects and use commercially
reasonable efforts to preserve intact its present business organization and advantageous business
relationships and keep available the services of its current officers and employees. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing and except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or
the Ancillary Agreements (including amendment and restatement of the $150M Revolving Credit
Agreement and the concurrent termination of the Support Letters) or expressly set forth on Section
5.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedule or the extent required by applicable law or a Governmental
Entity of competent jurisdiction, during the period from the date of this Agreement and continuing
until the earlier of the termination of this
Agreement or the Effective Time, without the prior written consent of BPW (which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld), the Company shall not and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries
to:
(a) adopt or propose any amendment to its Organizational Documents;
(b) other than grants of Company Stock Rights to new non-executive officer hires in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and except as required to consummate the
Merger and the Warrant Exchange Offer and the transactions related thereto and to comply with its
obligations under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, (i) issue, pledge or sell (other
than upon exercise of Company Stock Rights outstanding on the date of this Agreement upon payment
of the exercise price thereof and withholding of any Taxes required to be withheld), or propose or
authorize the issuance, pledge or sale of, or grant any Company Stock Rights or other awards with
respect to shares of Company Common Stock or make any other agreements with respect to, any of its
shares of capital stock or any other of its securities, (ii) amend, waive or otherwise modify any
of the terms of any option, warrant or stock option plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
including the Company Stock Rights and the
—41—
Company Stock Plans, or authorize cash payments in
exchange for any Company Stock Rights granted under any of such plans, or (iii) adopt or implement
any stockholder rights plan;
(c) declare, set aside or pay any dividend or make any other distribution or payment with
respect to any shares of its stock or beneficial interests (including any dividend distribution
payable in, or otherwise make a distribution of, shares of capital stock of any existing or
subsequently formed Subsidiary of the Company), except dividends, contributions or distributions
made by or to the Company by or from any Subsidiary of the Company;
(d) split, combine, subdivide, reclassify or redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, or propose
to redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire, any shares of its stock or beneficial interests, or any
of its other securities;
(e) except pursuant to (x) applicable law or (y) the terms of a Company Employee Plan as in
effect on the date hereof, (i) increase in any manner the compensation or benefits payable or to
become payable to any of its or its Subsidiaries’ current or former directors, officers or
employees (whether from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), or pay any amounts or benefits to,
or increase any amounts payable to, any such individual not required by any Company Employee Plan,
(ii) become a party to, establish, adopt, enter into, materially amend, commence participation in,
terminate or commit itself to the adoption of any collective bargaining agreement or Company
Employee Plan (or any arrangement which would have been a Company Employee Plan had it been in
effect as of the date of this Agreement), (iii) provide any funding for any rabbi trust or similar
arrangement or in any other way secure the payment of compensation or benefits under any Company
Employee Plan, (iv) accelerate the vesting of or lapsing of restrictions with respect to any
stock-based compensation or other long-term incentive compensation under any Company Employee Plans
or (v) materially change any actuarial or other assumptions used to calculate funding obligations
with respect to any Company Employee Plan or change the manner in which contributions to such plans
are made or the basis on which such contributions are determined, except as may be required by GAAP
or applicable law;
(f) (i) lease, license, transfer, exchange or swap, mortgage (including securitizations), or
otherwise dispose (whether by way of merger, consolidation, sale of stock or assets, or otherwise)
of any material portion of its properties or Assets, including the capital stock of Subsidiaries
(it being understood that the foregoing shall not prohibit the sale of inventory in the ordinary
course of business), except for (A) dispositions of Assets with a fair market value of less than
$1,000,000, (B) transactions between any Subsidiary of the Company and the Company or another
Subsidiary of the Company or (C) dispositions of excess inventory, property, leases, licenses, or
other Assets or Fixtures and Equipment that the Company considers obsolete or unnecessary
(including assets and licenses that were previously used by its J. Xxxx business or to support its
J. Xxxx business), or (ii) adopt or effect a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution,
restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization;
(g) except as required under any Material Contracts as in effect as of the date hereof or as
expressly contemplated by the Ancillary Agreements, or, to the extent in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice, related to any vendor financing arrangement or existing
proprietary charge card arrangements in amounts that do not exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate, (i)
incur or assume any Indebtedness, (ii) assume, guarantee,
—42—
endorse or otherwise become liable or
responsible (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any other Person
(other than a Company Subsidiary), (iii) make any acquisition of any other Person (other than a
Company Subsidiary) or business or make or acquire any loans, advances or capital contributions to,
or investments in, any other Person (other than a Company Subsidiary) (including advances to
employees), except for acquisitions, loans, advances, capital contributions or investments between
any Subsidiary of the Company and the Company or another Subsidiary of the Company, or (iv) enter
into any “keep well” or other agreement to maintain the financial condition of another entity
(other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries);
(h) make, alter, revoke or rescind any material express or deemed election relating to Taxes,
settle or compromise any material Action, amend in any material respect any material Tax Return
except in each case as required by law, file any income Tax Return that claims a deduction for or
otherwise uses a net operating loss, or except as may be required by, or in order to conform to,
applicable law, make any change to any of its material methods of reporting income or deductions
(including any change to its methods or basis of write-offs of accounts receivable) for federal
income Tax purposes from those employed in the preparation of its federal income Tax Return for the
taxable year ending December 31, 2008;
(i) fail to maintain its existing material insurance coverage of all types in effect or, in
the event any such coverage shall be terminated or lapse, to the extent available at reasonable
cost, procure substantially similar substitute insurance policies which in all material respects
are in at least such amounts and against such risks as are currently covered by such policies;
(j) make any material change to its methods of accounting as in effect on October 31, 2009
except as required by GAAP or the SEC or applicable law, or take any action, other than usual
actions in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice, with respect to
accounting policies, unless required by GAAP or the SEC or applicable law;
(k) enter into or materially amend, terminate or extend any Material Contract, or waive,
release, assign or fail to enforce any material rights or claims under any Material Contract, if
such Material Contract or any such action or failure to act with respect to a Material Contract
would reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the Company or Merger Sub to perform their
respective obligations under this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements or prevent or delay
the consummation of the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
any of the Ancillary Agreements;
(l) take, or agree to commit to take, any action that is intended to result in any of the
conditions set forth in Section 7.1 or Section 7.3 not being satisfied;
(m) except as expressly contemplated by the Ancillary Agreements, engage in any transaction
with, or enter into any agreement, arrangement, or understanding with, directly or indirectly, any
Affiliate of the Company which involves the transfer of material consideration or has a material
financial impact on the Company, other than pursuant to such agreements, arrangements, or
understandings as in effect on the date of this Agreement or with respect to inter-company loans
and/or transfers in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice between any
Subsidiary of the Company and the Company or another Subsidiary of the Company;
—43—
(n) pay or commit to pay any expenses or make or commit to make any capital expenditures in
excess of $2,500,000 individually, or $12,500,000 in the aggregate (other than capital expenditures
for the ordinary course repair or maintenance of capital Assets);
(o) initiate, compromise, or settle any litigation or arbitration proceedings (i) involving
payments by the Company or its Subsidiaries in excess of $1,000,000 per litigation or arbitration,
or $3,000,000 in the aggregate, other than settlements related to the early termination of leases
in connection with store closings (including settlements related to closed J. Xxxx stores), state
tax matters and insurance litigation; provided that, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries shall compromise or settle any litigation or arbitration proceedings which compromise
or settlement involves a material conduct remedy or injunctive or similar relief or has a material
restrictive impact on the Company’s business, or (ii) relating to this Agreement or any of the
Ancillary Agreements or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby; or
(p) create any Subsidiary or acquire any capital stock, membership interest, partnership
interest, joint venture interest or other interest in any Person that could reasonably be expected
to adversely affect the transactions contemplated hereby.
(q) enter into an agreement, contract, commitment or arrangement to do any of the foregoing,
or to authorize, publicly recommend, publicly propose or publicly announce an intention to do any
of the foregoing.
Section 5.2 Conduct of Business of BPW Pending the Merger. During the period from the date of this Agreement and
continuing until the earlier of the
termination of this Agreement or the Effective Time, BPW agrees, except to the extent that the
Company shall consent in advance in writing (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), or
as otherwise expressly required or permitted by this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements, or as
otherwise indicated in Section 5.2 of the BPW Disclosure Schedule, or to the extent required by
applicable law or a Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction, to, subject to the restrictions
set forth in Section 6.3, carry on its business in the ordinary course in substantially the same
manner as previously conducted in all material respects and use commercially reasonable efforts to
preserve intact its present business organization and advantageous business relationships and keep
available the services of its current officers and employees. Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing and except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements or
expressly set forth on Section 5.2 of the BPW Disclosure Schedule or to the extent required by
applicable law or a Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction, during the period from the date
of this Agreement and continuing until the earlier of the termination of this Agreement or the
Effective Time, without the prior written consent of the Company (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld), BPW shall not:
(a) subject to Section 2.5, adopt or propose any amendment to its Organizational Documents
(other than the BPW Charter Amendment and Initial Charter Amendment);
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(b) create any Subsidiary or acquire any capital stock, membership interest, partnership
interest, joint venture interest or other interest in any Person;
(c) except as required to consummate the Warrant Exchange Offer and the transactions related
thereto and to comply with its obligations under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, (i)
issue, pledge or sell, or propose or authorize the issuance, pledge or sale of, or grant any
options or other awards with respect to shares of BPW Common Stock or make any other agreements
with respect to, any of its shares of capital stock or any other of its securities, (ii) amend,
waive or otherwise modify any of the terms of any warrant or stock option plan of BPW, or
authorize cash payments in exchange for any warrant or stock option granted under any of such
plans, or (iii) adopt or implement any stockholder rights plan;
(d) except as required in connection with the exercise of conversion rights by BPW
stockholders pursuant to Section 9.3 of the BPW Charter, declare, set aside or pay any dividend
or make any other distribution or payment with respect to any shares of its stock or beneficial
interests;
(e) except as required in connection with the exercise of conversion rights by BPW
stockholders pursuant to Section 9.3 of the BPW Charter, split, combine, subdivide, reclassify
or redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, or propose to redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire,
any shares of its stock or beneficial interests, or any of its other securities;
(f) except to the extent required by (x) applicable law or (y) the terms of a BPW Employee
Plan as in effect on the date hereof, (i) increase in any manner the compensation or benefits
payable or to become payable to any of its current or former directors, officers, consultants,
employees or other service providers, or pay any amounts or benefits (including severance) to, or
increase any amounts payable to, any such individual not required by any BPW Employee Plan, (ii)
become a party to, establish, adopt, enter into, materially amend, commence participation in,
terminate or commit itself to the adoption of any collective bargaining agreement or BPW
Employee Plan (or any arrangement which would have been a
BPW Employee Plan had it been in effect as of the date of this Agreement), (iii) provide
any funding for any rabbi trust or similar arrangement or in any other way secure the payment of
compensation or benefits under any BPW Employee Plan, (iv) accelerate the vesting of or lapsing
of restrictions with respect to any stock-based compensation or other long-term incentive
compensation under any BPW Employee Plans or (v) materially change any actuarial or other
assumptions used to calculate funding obligations with respect to any BPW Employee Plan or
change the manner in which contributions to such plans are made or the basis on which such
contributions are determined, except as may be required by GAAP or applicable law;
(g) (i) except as required under any Material Contract listed in Section 4.10 of the BPW
Disclosure Schedule, as in effect as of the date hereof, lease, license, transfer, exchange or
swap, mortgage (including securitizations), or otherwise dispose of (whether by way of merger,
consolidation, sale of stock or assets, or otherwise) any material portion of its properties or
Assets, or (ii) adopt or effect a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution,
restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization;
—45—
(h) except as required under any Material Contract listed in Section 4.10 of the BPW
Disclosure Schedule, as in effect as of the date hereof, or as expressly contemplated by the
Ancillary Agreements, (i) incur, assume or pre-pay any Indebtedness, (ii) assume, guarantee,
endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) for
the obligations of any other Person, (iii) make any acquisition of any other Person or business or
make or acquire any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other
Person (including advances to employees), or (iv) enter into any “keep well” or other agreement to
maintain the financial condition of another entity;
(i) make, alter, revoke or rescind any material express or deemed election relating to Taxes,
settle or compromise any material Action, amend in any material respect any material Tax Return
except in each case as required by law, file any income Tax Return that claims a deduction for or
otherwise uses a net operating loss, or except as may be required by, or in order to conform to,
applicable law, make any change to any of its material methods of reporting income or deductions
(including any change to its methods or basis of write-offs of accounts receivable) for federal
income Tax purposes from those employed in the preparation of its federal income Tax Return for the
taxable year ending December 31, 2008;
(j) fail to maintain its existing insurance coverage of all types in effect or, in the event
any such coverage shall be terminated or lapse, to the extent available at reasonable cost, procure
substantially similar substitute insurance policies which in all material respects are in at least
such amounts and against such risks as are currently covered by such policies or, as reasonably
determined by BPW, property policies with increased coverage limits to insure all of its owned
and leased real property;
(k) make any material change to its methods of accounting as in effect on September 30, 2009
except as required by GAAP or the SEC or applicable law, or take any action, other than usual
actions in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice, with respect to
accounting policies, unless required by GAAP or the SEC or applicable law;
(l) enter into or amend, terminate or extend any Material Contract, or waive, release, assign
or fail to enforce any material rights or claims under any Material Contract, other than for the
purpose of effecting the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(m) take, or agree to commit to take, any action that is intended to result in any of the
conditions set forth in Section 7.1 or Section 7.2 not being satisfied;
(n) except as expressly contemplated by the Ancillary Agreements, engage in any transaction
with, or enter into any agreement, arrangement, or understanding with, directly or indirectly, any
Affiliate of BPW which involves the transfer of material consideration or has a material
financial impact on BPW, other than pursuant to such agreements, arrangements, or understandings
as in effect on the date of this Agreement;
(o) other than such expenses incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby
or by the Ancillary Agreements, pay or commit to pay any expenses in excess of $1,000,000 in the
aggregate or make or commit to make any capital expenditures;
—46—
(p) initiate, compromise, or settle any litigation or arbitration proceedings (i) involving
payments by BPW in excess of $250,000 per litigation or arbitration, or $500,000 in the
aggregate, provided that, BPW shall not compromise or settle any litigation or arbitration
proceedings which compromise or settlement involves a material conduct remedy or injunctive or
similar relief or has a material restrictive impact on BPW’s business, or (ii) relating to this
Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby; or
(q) enter into an agreement, contract, commitment or arrangement to do any of the foregoing,
or to authorize, publicly recommend, publicly propose or publicly announce an intention to do any
of the foregoing.
Section 5.3 Information. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company and BPW will advise each other as
soon
as reasonably practicable of (and, in the case of any written notice, provide to the other a copy
of): (a) any and all material correspondence or material communications received from A relating to
this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby,
(b) to the extent material, any notice or other communication 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 any Ancillary Agreement and (c) any notice or other communication from any
Governmental Entity in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement.
ARTICLE VI
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
Section 6.1 Preparation of Form S-4 and the Information Statement/Proxy
Statement/Prospectus; Stockholder Meeting; Warrant Exchange Offer.
(a) The Company and BPW shall cooperate with each other regarding, and prepare and,
substantially contemporaneously with, or as promptly as practicable after, the execution of this
Agreement, file with the SEC the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus, and the Company
shall prepare and, substantially contemporaneously with, or as promptly as practicable after, the
execution of this Agreement, file the Registration Statement (in which the Information
Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be included). The Company and BPW will cause the
Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus and the Registration Statement to comply as to
form in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act. Each of BPW and the Company shall use reasonable best efforts to have or cause the
Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus to be cleared by the SEC and to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective as promptly as practicable. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, each of the Company and BPW shall cause its respective
Representatives to fully cooperate with the other Party and its respective Representatives in the
preparation of the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus and the Registration Statement,
and shall, upon request, furnish the other Party with all information concerning it and its
Affiliates as the other may deem reasonably necessary or advisable in connection with the
preparation of the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus and the Registration Statement.
The Company and BPW hereby agree that the recommendation of the BPW Board described in
Section 4.17 (the “BPW
—47—
Recommendation”) shall be included in the Registration Statement
and the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus. The Company shall use reasonable best
efforts to take all actions required under any applicable federal or state securities or Blue Sky
Laws in connection with the issuance of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to the Merger, if
any. As promptly as practicable after the Registration Statement becomes effective, each of the
Company and BPW shall cause the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus to be mailed to
their respective stockholders.
(b) Each of the Company and BPW shall use its reasonable best efforts (i) to, as soon as
permissible under applicable law after the approval of the stockholders of the BPW referred to
in Section 7.1(b) has been obtained, commence an exchange offer (the “Warrant Exchange
Offer”) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, whereby
holders of BPW Warrants may elect to exchange their outstanding BPW Warrants for either (A)
new warrants of the Company (“New Warrants”), which New Warrants shall be governed by terms
substantially as set forth on Exhibit G (the “New Warrant Term Sheet”) or (B)
shares of Company Common Stock, the terms of such exchange for shares of Company Common Stock to be
as set forth on Exhibit G, subject to the cap set forth on Exhibit G on each of the
maximum number of BPW Warrants to be exchanged for New Warrants and the maximum number of BPW
Warrants to be exchanged for shares of Company Common Stock, (ii) to secure the agreement of
holders of BPW Warrants issued in the IPO to participate in the Warrant Exchange Offer such that
at least 90% of such BPW Warrants issued in the IPO are exchanged in the Warrant Exchange Offer
(the “Minimum Warrant Exchange Participation”) and (iii) to consummate the Warrant Exchange
Offer at or immediately prior to the Closing. The New Warrants shall contain the terms set forth in
the New Warrant Term Sheet. In connection with
the Warrant Exchange Offer, the Company and BPW shall cooperate with each other regarding,
and prepare, offering documents, which the Company and BPW will cause to comply as to form in
all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act,
for the purpose of effecting and consummating the Warrant Exchange Offer (the “Offer
Documents”). Such Offer Documents shall include, without limitation, (1) an Offer to Exchange
document describing the material terms of the Warrant Exchange Offer, (2) a Statement on
Schedule TO with respect to the Warrant Exchange Offer, if required, (3) a registration statement
(the “Warrant Registration Statement”) on Form S-4 registering the Warrant Exchange Offer,
(4) a statement by the BPW Board describing the BPW Recommendation and the Minimum Warrant
Exchange Participation, including that the Minimum Warrant Exchange Participation is a condition to
the Company’s and Merger Sub’s obligation to effect the Merger, and (5) all ancillary documents
related to the Warrant Exchange Offer, including exhibits, press releases, letters of transmittal,
notices and announcements. The Company shall, substantially contemporaneously with, or as promptly
as practicable after, the filing of the Registration Statement, file with the SEC the Warrant
Registration Statement and shall use reasonable best efforts to cause the Warrant Registration
Statement to be declared effective by the SEC as promptly as practicable after the approval of the
stockholders of BPW referred to in Section 7.1(b) has been obtained and to remain effective
thereafter until the completion of the Warrant Exchange Offer. The Company shall use reasonable
best efforts to take all actions required under any applicable federal or state securities or Blue
Sky Laws in connection with the issuance of New Warrants and Company Common Stock pursuant to the
Warrant Exchange Offer, if any. As promptly as practicable after the Warrant Registration
Statement becomes effective, BPW and the Company shall cause the Offer Documents to be mailed to
the holders of BPW
—48—
Warrants. The Company shall take all actions reasonably necessary to reserve
and keep available out of its authorized capital stock an amount of shares of Company Common Stock
equal to the maximum number of shares of Company Common Stock underlying the New Warrants (the
“New Warrant Shares”) that are then issuable or deliverable to the holders of New Warrants
upon the exercise thereof. The Company shall cause all New Warrant Shares, when issued or
delivered in accordance with the warrant agreement governing the New Warrants, to be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(c) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, prior to the Effective Time (i) the
Company and BPW shall notify each other as promptly as reasonably practicable upon becoming
aware of any event or circumstance which should be described in an amendment of, or supplement to,
the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Offer
Documents, and (ii) the Company and BPW shall each notify the other as promptly as practicable
after the receipt by it of any written or oral comments of the SEC on, or of any written or oral
request by the SEC for amendments or supplements to, the Information Statement/Proxy
Statement/Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Offer Documents, and shall promptly supply
the other with copies of all correspondence between it or any of its Representatives and the SEC
with respect to any of the foregoing filings. All correspondence and communications to the SEC
made by the Company or BPW with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
any Ancillary Agreement will be provided to the other party with an opportunity to review and
comment thereon, prior to such communication or correspondence being made to the SEC. Each Party
shall cooperate and provide the other Party with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on
any amendment or supplement to the
Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Offer
Documents prior to filing such with the SEC.
(d) BPW shall take all action necessary to duly call the BPW Stockholders Meeting, to be
held as promptly as practicable for the purpose of approving the BPW Voting Proposal. The
BPW Board has recommended to its stockholders the adoption and approval of this Agreement and
the Ancillary Agreements and approval of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and the
approval of the BPW Charter Amendment and Initial Charter Amendment and related matters, and
BPW shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the BPW Requisite Vote. Unless otherwise
directed in writing by the Company, the BPW Voting Proposal shall be submitted to the BPW
Stockholders at the BPW Stockholders Meeting for the purpose of approving the BPW Voting
Proposal.
Section 6.2 Cooperation; Notice; Cure. Subject to compliance with applicable law, from the date hereof until the
Effective Time,
Representatives of the Company and BPW shall confer on a regular basis to report on the general
status of ongoing operations. Each of BPW and the Company shall promptly notify the other in
writing of, and will use all commercially reasonable efforts to cure before the Closing Date, any
event, transaction or circumstance, as soon as reasonably practicable after it becomes known to
such Party, that causes or will cause any of its covenants or agreements under this Agreement to be
breached in any material respect or that renders or will render untrue in any material respect any
of its representations or warranties contained in this Agreement. No notice given pursuant to this
paragraph shall have any effect on the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements
contained in this Agreement for purposes of determining satisfaction of any condition contained
—49—
herein and no breach of the second sentence of this Section 6.2 shall be taken into account for
purposes of determining whether the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(b) or Section 7.3(b) have
been satisfied on or prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall consult with and keep BPW
reasonably informed of any material discussion with respect to the actions contemplated by Section
5.1(II) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, including with respect to any material written
information exchanged with a Third Party substantially contemporaneously with such exchange with
such Third Party.
Section 6.3 No Solicitation.
(a) Subject to Section 6.3(b), unless and until this Agreement shall have been terminated by
either Party pursuant to Article VIII, BPW shall not, directly or indirectly, and shall cause
its Representatives not to: (i) solicit, encourage, initiate or participate in any negotiations,
inquiries or discussions with respect to any BPW Acquisition Proposal or Business Combination
(other than the transactions contemplated hereby); (ii) disclose, in connection with a BPW
Acquisition Proposal or Business Combination (other than the transactions contemplated hereby), any
information or provide access to its properties, books or records, except as required by law or
pursuant to a governmental request for information; (iii) enter into or execute any agreement
relating to a BPW Acquisition Proposal or Business Combination (other than the transactions
contemplated hereby or a confidentiality agreement permitted by Section 6.3(b)); (iv) fail to make,
withdraw, qualify, amend or modify or publicly propose to withdraw, qualify, amend or modify the
BPW Recommendation (it being understood that, subject to Section 6.3(b), taking a neutral or no
position with respect to any publicly disclosed BPW Acquisition Proposal
or publicly disclosed proposal with respect to any Business Combination (other than the
transactions contemplated hereby) shall be considered an amendment or modification) or make or
authorize any public statement, recommendation or solicitation in support of any BPW Acquisition
Proposal or Business Combination (other than the transactions contemplated hereby).
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in response to a bona fide, unsolicited, BPW Acquisition
Proposal from a Third Party (that does not result from a breach of this Section 6.3), the BPW
Board may, and may authorize and permit BPW’s Representatives to, prior to the BPW
Stockholders Meeting and subject to compliance with the other terms of this Section 6.3, (i)
provide such Third Party with nonpublic information, and (ii) participate in discussions and
negotiations with such Third Party relating to such proposal, if and only to the extent that (A)
the BPW Board, after having consulted with and considered the advice of outside counsel, has
reasonably determined in good faith that failure to take such action would result in a violation of
applicable law, and (B) the Third Party has entered into a confidentiality agreement pertaining to
nonpublic information regarding BPW containing terms in the aggregate no more favorable to the
Third Party than those in the Confidentiality Agreement (including the standstill provision
thereof). BPW shall provide or make available to the Company any non-public information
concerning BPW provided or made available to such other Person pursuant to this Section 6.3(b)
which was not previously provided or made available to the Company prior to or simultaneously with
its provision to such other Person.
(c) BPW shall notify the Company as soon as practicable (but in any event within 24 hours)
after receipt by an officer or director of BPW or by any of BPW’s
—50—
Representatives of any
BPW Acquisition Proposal or an offer, inquiry or proposal relating to a Business Combination
(other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement), any inquiry or request for
discussions or negotiations regarding any BPW Acquisition Proposal or Business Combination
(other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement), any request for information relating
to BPW other than requests for information in the ordinary course of business and unrelated to a
BPW Acquisition Proposal or Business Combination (other than the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement) or for access to BPW’s properties, books or records by any person or entity that
informs BPW that it is considering making, or has made, a BPW Acquisition Proposal or an
offer, inquiry or proposal relating to a Business Combination (other than the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement). Such notice shall be made orally and in writing and shall
indicate in reasonable detail the identity of the offeror and the terms and conditions of such
proposal, inquiry or contact and copies of any proposed agreement relating thereto. For the
avoidance of doubt, BPW shall keep the Company fully informed, on a current basis, of any
material changes in the status of any such proposal, inquiry or contact, and any amendment to the
financial or other terms of a BPW Acquisition Proposal shall be treated as a new BPW
Acquisition Proposal for purposes of this Section 6.3. BPW shall also promptly (but in any
event within 24 hours), notify the Company, orally and in writing, if it provides any nonpublic
information or enters into any discussions or negotiations with respect to a BPW Acquisition
Proposal in accordance with Section 6.3(b).
(d) Nothing contained in this Section 6.3 shall prohibit BPW from taking and disclosing to
its stockholders a position required by Rule 14e-2 promulgated under the Exchange
Act; provided, that disclosure to stockholders pursuant to Rule 14e-2 relating to a BPW
Acquisition Proposal or a proposal regarding a Business Combination (other than the transactions
contemplated hereby) shall be deemed to be a qualification, withdrawal or modification, of the
BPW Recommendation unless the BPW Board expressly, and without qualification, reaffirms in
such disclosure the BPW Recommendation.
(e) BPW agrees that it will, and that it will cause its Representatives to, (i) immediately
cease and cause to be terminated any existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any
parties conducted heretofore with respect to any BPW Acquisition Proposal or Business
Combination (other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement), (ii) use reasonable best
efforts to cause all Persons other than the Company and its Affiliates who have been furnished with
confidential information regarding BPW in connection with the solicitation of or discussions
regarding any BPW Acquisition Proposal or Business Combination (other than the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement) within the 12 months prior to the date hereof promptly to return or
destroy such information, and (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to enforce and not waive any
provision or release any Person (other than the Company and its Affiliates) from any
confidentiality, standstill or similar agreement relating to a BPW Acquisition Proposal or
Business Combination (other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement). BPW agrees
that it will take the necessary steps to promptly inform the individuals or entities referred to in
Section 6.3(a) of the obligations undertaken in this Section 6.3.
—51—
Section 6.4 Access to Information.
Subject to compliance with applicable law:
(a) the Company and its Subsidiaries will provide BPW and BPW’s counsel, accountants and
other representatives and agents with reasonable access, upon prior notice and during normal
business hours, to the facilities, properties, officers, directors, employees, vendors,
accountants, assets, books and records of the Company and the Company will furnish BPW with such
financial and operating data and other information with respect to the business, personnel and
properties of the Company or the transactions contemplated hereby or by the Ancillary Agreements as
BPW shall from time to time reasonably request; provided, however, that such investigation shall
be conducted upon reasonable prior notice, and in such manner as not to interfere unreasonably with
the operation of the business of the Company;
(b) BPW will provide the Company and the Company’s counsel, accountants and other
representatives and agents with reasonable access, upon prior notice and during normal business
hours, to books and records of BPW; provided, however, that such investigation shall be
conducted upon reasonable prior notice, and in such manner as not to interfere with the operation
of the business of BPW; and
(c) notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6.4(a) and (b), (i) either Party may withhold
any document or information that (A) is subject to the terms of a confidentiality agreement with a
Third Party in effect as of the date of this Agreement (provided, that the withholding party shall
use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the required consent of such Third Party to such access
or disclosure; provided, further, that neither BPW nor the Company will be obligated to pay for
the consent of any Third Party) or (B) is subject to any attorney-
client privilege (provided, that the withholding party shall use its reasonable best efforts
to allow for such access or disclosure (or as much of it as possible) in a manner that does not
result in a loss of attorney-client privilege), and (ii) if, in the reasonable judgment of the
Company or BPW, as the case may be, any law applicable to the Company or BPW, as the case may
be, requires such Party or, in the case of the Company, its Subsidiaries, to restrict or prohibit
access to any such properties or information, such Party or, in the case of the Company, its
Subsidiaries, may so restrict or prohibit such access. If any material is withheld by such Party
pursuant to the preceding sentence, such Party shall inform the other Party as to the general
nature of what is being withheld. All information exchanged pursuant to this Section 6.4 shall be
subject to the Confidentiality Agreement.
Section 6.5 Governmental Approvals.
(a) The Parties shall cooperate with each other and use reasonable best efforts to promptly
prepare and file all necessary documentation, to effect all applications, notices, petitions and
filings, to obtain as promptly as practicable all permits, registrations, licenses, consents,
variances, exemptions, orders and approvals of all Governmental Entities (“Governmental
Approvals”) and of all Third Parties (“Third Party Approvals”) which are necessary to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, and to
comply with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Approvals; provided, that neither
BPW nor the Company will be obligated to pay for the consent of any Third Party. Each of the
Parties shall use reasonable best efforts to, and shall use reasonable best efforts to cause their
respective Representatives and other Affiliates to file, within ten (10) Business Days after the
date hereof all required initial applications and documents in connection with obtaining the
Governmental Approvals, including any Notification and Report Forms
—52—
required to be filed under the
HSR Act. The Parties shall act reasonably and promptly thereafter in responding to any requests
for additional information or documents by any Third Party or Governmental Entity in connection
therewith. BPW and the Company shall have the right to review in advance, and to the extent
practicable, each will consult the other on, in each case subject to applicable laws relating to
the exchange of information, all the information relating to BPW and the Company, as the case
may be, and any of their respective Affiliates, directors, officers and stockholders, and, in the
case of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, which appear in any filing made with, or written
materials submitted to, any Third Party or any Governmental Entity in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing, each of BPW and the Company will notify the other promptly of the receipt of
communications, comments, or requests from Third Parties or Governmental Entities relating to
Governmental Approvals or material Third Party Approvals. In furtherance of and without limiting
the foregoing, the Parties agree not to extend any waiting period under the HSR Act or enter into
any agreement with any Governmental Entity not to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements.
(b) Without limiting the foregoing and subject to applicable legal limitations and the
instructions of any Governmental Entity, each of BPW and the Company agree, with respect to any
notifications and filings with Governmental Entities, to (i) cooperate and consult with each other,
(ii) furnish to the other such necessary information and assistance as the other
may reasonably request in connection with its preparation of any notifications or filings,
(iii) keep each other apprised of the status of matters relating to the completion of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, including promptly
furnishing the other with copies of notices or other communications received by such Party or any
of its Representatives from, or given by such Party or any of its Representatives to, any Third
Party and/or any Governmental Entity with respect to such transactions, (iv) permit the other Party
and its Representatives to review and incorporate the other Party’s reasonable comments in any
communication to be given by it or any of its Representatives to any Third Party or Governmental
Entity with respect to obtaining the Governmental Approvals and (v) not to participate in any
meeting related to the transactions contemplated hereby or by any of the Ancillary Agreements,
either in person or by telephone, with any Governmental Entity in connection with the proposed
transactions unless, to the extent not prohibited by such Governmental Entity, it gives the other
Party the opportunity to attend and observe.
Section 6.6 Publicity. BPW and the Company shall agree on the form and content of the initial press release
regarding the transactions contemplated hereby and thereafter shall consult with each other before
issuing any press release or other public statement with respect to any of the transactions
contemplated hereby or by the Ancillary Agreements and shall not issue any such press release or
make any such public statement prior to such consultation, except as may be required by law or
obligations pursuant to any listing agreement with, or rules of any national securities exchange.
Section 6.7 Further Assurances and Actions. Subject to the terms and conditions herein, each of the Parties agrees to
use its reasonable
best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all appropriate action, and to do, or cause to be done,
all things necessary, proper or advisable on its part under applicable laws and regulations to
consummate and make effective
—53—
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including fulfilling
all conditions precedent applicable to such Party under Article VII of this Agreement.
Section 6.8 Stock Exchange Listing. The Company shall cause (i) the shares of Company Common Stock issuable to
the BPW
Stockholders in connection with the Merger and (ii) the New Warrant Shares and shares of Company
Common Stock issuable in connection with the Warrant Exchange Offer to be authorized for listing on
any national securities exchange or national quotation system on which the Company Common Stock is
then listed or quoted, upon official notice of issuance.
Section 6.9 Financing.
(a) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that as of the Closing Date,
the Company has the funds necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by the definition
of the term Financing, and shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, take or
agree to take any action that is reasonably likely to prevent or in any material respect impair its
ability to complete, or delay the Financing.
(b) In the event that all conditions to the Commitment Letter have been satisfied (or would be
satisfied simultaneously with the Closing), the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to
cause the Lender to fund thereunder (including, taking enforcement
action to cause the Lender to provide such financing). The Company shall not agree to or
permit any amendment, supplement or other modification of, or waive any of its rights under, the
Commitment Letter or any other agreements related to the Financing, in each case, without BPW’s
prior written consent, except amendments, supplements or other modifications thereof to provide for
the assignment of a portion of the Financing to additional agents or arrangers and the granting to
such persons of approval rights as are customarily granted to additional agents or arrangers, which
amendments, supplements or other modifications would not reasonably be expected to prevent,
materially impede or materially delay the consummation of the Financing or the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement; provided, that upon any such amendment, supplement or
modification, the Company shall provide a copy thereof to BPW. Notwithstanding anything herein
to the contrary, the Company shall be permitted to replace the Commitment Letter with an
Alternative Financing Arrangement (as defined in the Commitment Letter) for not less than the full
principal amount of the financing contemplated by the Commitment Letter; provided, that the terms
and conditions (including with respect to conditionality and amounts available to be borrowed by
the Company on the Closing Date) are no less favorable to the Company than those contained in the
Commitment Letter (or as otherwise agreed to in writing by BPW).
(c) The Company shall give BPW prompt written notice of any material breach by any party to
the Commitment Letter (or any other commitments or definitive documentation in respect of the
Financing) of which the Company becomes aware or any termination of the Commitment Letter (or any
other commitments or definitive documentation in respect of the Financing). The Company shall keep
BPW informed on a current basis in reasonable detail of the status of its efforts to arrange the
Financing.
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Section 6.10 Indemnification and Insurance.
(a) From and after the Effective Time, the Surviving Company shall provide exculpation and
indemnification for each Person who is now or has been at any time prior to the date hereof or who
becomes prior to the Effective Time, an officer, or director of BPW, (the “Indemnified
Parties”) which is at least as favorable to such persons as the exculpation and indemnification
provided to the Indemnified Parties by BPW immediately prior to the Effective Time in their
respective Organizational Documents, as in effect on the date hereof; provided, that such
exculpation and indemnification covers actions on or prior to the Effective Time, including all
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) In addition to the rights provided in Section 6.10(a), in the event of any threatened or
actual claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal or administrative,
including any action by or on behalf of any or all security holders of the Company or BPW, or
any Subsidiary of the Company, or by or in the right of the Company or BPW, or any Subsidiary of
the Company, or any claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation (collectively, for this
Section 6.10, “Claims”) in which any Indemnified Party is, or is threatened to be, made a
party based in whole or in part on, or arising in whole or in part out of, or pertaining to (i) the
fact that he is or was an officer or director of BPW or any action or omission or alleged action
or omission by such Person in his capacity as an officer or director, or (ii) this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby, whether in any case asserted or arising before or after the
Effective Time, the Company and the Surviving Company (the “Indemnifying
Parties”) shall from and after the Effective Time jointly and severally indemnify and
hold harmless the Indemnified Parties from and against any losses, claims, liabilities, expenses
(including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses), judgments, fines or amounts paid in settlement
arising out of or relating to any such Claims. The Company, the Surviving Company and the
Indemnified Parties hereby agree to use their reasonable best efforts to cooperate in the defense
of such Claims. In connection with any such Claim, the Indemnified Parties shall have the right to
select and retain one counsel, at the cost of the Indemnifying Parties, subject to the consent of
the Indemnifying Parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and more
than one counsel if, in the opinion of such counsel, the interests of such Indemnified Parties with
respect to such Claim diverge or could be reasonably expected to diverge. In addition, after the
Effective Time, in the event of any such threatened or actual Claim, the Indemnifying Parties shall
promptly pay and advance reasonable expenses and costs incurred by each Indemnified Person as they
become due and payable in advance of the final disposition of the Claim to the fullest extent and
in the manner permitted by law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnifying Parties shall not
be obligated to advance any expenses or costs prior to receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of
the Indemnified Party, such undertaking to be accepted without regard to the creditworthiness of
the Indemnified Party, to repay any expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that the
Indemnified Party is not entitled to be indemnified against such expense. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Indemnifying Parties (i) shall not be liable for
any settlement effected without their prior written consent (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed), and (ii) shall not have any obligation hereunder to any
Indemnified Party to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine in a final
and non-appealable order that such indemnification is prohibited by applicable law. In the event
of a final and non-appealable determination by a court that any payment of expenses is prohibited
by applicable law, the
—55—
Indemnified Party shall promptly refund to the Indemnifying Parties the
amount of all such expenses theretofore advanced pursuant hereto. Any Indemnified Party wishing to
claim indemnification under this Section 6.10, upon learning of any such Claim, shall promptly
notify the Indemnifying Parties of such Claim and the relevant facts and circumstances with respect
thereto; provided, however, that the failure to provide such notice shall not affect the
obligations of the Indemnifying Parties except to the extent such failure to notify actually
prejudices the Indemnifying Parties’ ability to defend such Claim.
(c) For six years after the Effective Time, the Company shall, or shall cause the Surviving
Company to, maintain in effect BPW’s current directors’ and officers’ liability insurance
covering acts or omissions occurring prior to the Effective Time with respect to those persons who
are currently covered by BPW’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy on terms with
respect to such coverage and amount no less favorable in the aggregate to BPW’s directors and
officers, as the case may be, currently covered by such insurance than those of such policy in
effect on the date of this Agreement (provided, that the Company may substitute therefor policies
of at least the same coverage containing terms and conditions which are no less advantageous);
provided that, in satisfying such obligation, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall
be obligated to pay premiums per annum in excess of 300% of the aggregate amount per annum that
BPW paid for such coverage in its last full fiscal year prior to the date hereof, which amount
BPW has disclosed to the Company prior to the date hereof; provided further that, in the event
that the aggregate premiums for maintaining such insurance for the
benefit of the persons currently covered by BPW’s officers and directors insurance policy
under this Section 6.10(c) are in excess of 300% of the aggregate amount per annum, then the
Company shall only be obligated to maintain such insurance coverage as is reasonably available for
such amount.
(d) This Section 6.10 is intended for the irrevocable benefit of, and to grant third-party
rights to, the Indemnified Parties and their successors, assigns and heirs and shall be binding on
all successors and assigns of the Company, including the Surviving Company. Each of the
Indemnified Parties shall be entitled to enforce the covenants contained in this Section 6.10 and
the Company acknowledges and agrees that each Indemnified Party would suffer irreparable harm and
that no adequate remedy at law exists for a breach of such covenants and such Indemnified Party
shall be entitled to injunctive relief and specific performance in the event of any breach of any
provision in this Section 6.10.
Section 6.11 Takeover Laws. In connection with and without limiting the foregoing, each of the Company and BPW
shall (i)
use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that no state takeover statute or similar statute or
regulation is or becomes applicable to this Agreement, the Merger or any of the other transactions
contemplated hereby or by any of the Ancillary Agreements, and (ii) if any state takeover statute
or similar statute or regulation becomes applicable to this Agreement, the Merger or any other
transaction contemplated hereby or by any of the Ancillary Agreements, take all action necessary to
ensure that the Merger, and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement any by the
Ancillary Agreements may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms contemplated hereby
and thereby and otherwise to minimize the effect of such statute or regulation on the Merger and
the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
—56—
Section 6.12 Trust Waiver. The Company hereby acknowledges that BPW is a recently organized blank check company
formed
for the purpose of engaging in a acquiring one or more businesses or assets (a
“Transaction”). The Company further acknowledges that BPW’s sole assets consist of the
cash proceeds of the IPO and private placements of its securities, and that substantially all of
those proceeds have been deposited in the Trust Account for the benefit of BPW, certain of its
stockholders and the underwriters of its IPO. The monies in the Trust Account may be disbursed
only (i) to BPW in limited amounts from time to time (and, subject to the last sentence of this
Section 6.12, in no event more than $4,500,000 in total) in order to permit BPW to pay its
operating expenses; (ii) if BPW completes a Transaction, to certain dissenting public
stockholders, to the underwriters in the amount of underwriting discounts and commissions they
earned in the IPO but whose payment they have deferred, and, subject to the last sentence of this
Section 6.12, then to BPW; and (iii) if BPW fails to complete a Transaction within the
allotted time period and liquidates, subject to the terms of the agreement governing the Trust
Account, to BPW in limited amounts to permit BPW to pay the costs and expenses of its
liquidation and dissolution, and then to BPW’s public stockholders (as such term is defined in
the Trust Account Agreement). Subject to the last sentence of this Section 6.12, for and in
consideration of BPW’s agreement to enter into this Agreement, the Company, Merger Sub and each
of the Company Stockholders hereby waives any right, title, interest or claim of any kind it has or
may have in the future in or to any monies in the Trust Account and agrees not to seek recourse
(whether directly or indirectly) against the Trust Account or any funds distributed
therefrom (except amounts released to BPW as described in clauses (i) or (ii) above) as a result
of, or arising out of, any claims against BPW or otherwise arising under this Agreement or
otherwise. BPW has executed and delivered to the Trust Agent an irrevocable instruction
providing that, in the event that (a) BPW shall have consummated a Business Combination, and (b)
the Termination Fee and/or the Expenses incurred by the Company up to the Maximum Expense Amount
(together with any documented expenses associated with the recovery of such amounts to the extent
payable under Section 8.2(e)) shall have become due and payable by BPW to the Company under
Section 8.2(c) and, to the extent applicable, under Section 8.2(e), and in each such case shall not
have been previously paid, the Trust Agent shall be irrevocably instructed to deliver and shall
deliver from the Trust Account, in the manner of priority set forth in the Trust Account Agreement
but prior to any distribution to BPW, to an account designated by the Company, immediately
available funds in an amount equal to any previously unpaid portion of such Termination Fee and/or
the Expenses incurred by the Company up to the Maximum Expense Amount (together with any documented
expenses associated with the recovery of such amounts to the extent payable under Section 8.2(e)).
Section 6.13 Pre-Closing Confirmation and Certification. Not later than 48 hours prior to the Closing, BPW shall
give Mellon advance notice of the
Effective Time. At the Closing, the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Mellon
written notification that the Closing has occurred and irrevocable written instructions with
respect to the funds in the Trust Account to deliver such funds (i) to make the Debt Repayment
under and as defined in the A Agreement and (ii) with respect to the payments referred to in
Section 2.7(d)).
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Section 6.14 Other Matters.
(a) On or prior to the Effective Time, the BPW Board shall take such actions as are
necessary to file the BPW Charter Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware
such that the same shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.
(b) If the Effective Time does not occur prior to February 20, 2010, the BPW Board shall
take such actions as are necessary to file the Initial Charter Amendment with the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware such that the same shall be in full force and effect prior to
February 26, 2010.
Section 6.15 Ancillary Agreements. Each Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause each other party to any
Ancillary
Agreement to which it a party to (a) perform and comply in all material respects with all
obligations required of each such other party thereunder and (b) consummate the transactions
contemplated thereby in accordance with the terms thereof (including by taking enforcement action
to cause such performance, compliance and consummation). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, no Party shall agree to amend any Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party, or
terminate, or waive, release or assign any material right or claim under, any such Ancillary
Agreement, in either case, in a manner adverse to the other Party without the other Party’s prior
written consent.
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS OF MERGER
CONDITIONS OF MERGER
Section 7.1 Conditions to Obligation of each Party to Effect the Merger. The respective obligations of each Party to
effect the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the Closing Date
of the following conditions:
(a) the Registration Statement shall have become effective under the Securities Act and shall
not be the subject of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement nor
shall proceedings for that purpose have been threatened;
(b) the BPW Voting Proposal shall have received the BPW Requisite Vote in the manner
required under the DGCL, the rules of the AMEX and the Organizational Documents of BPW;
(c) the time period for the valid exercise of conversion rights shall have terminated and, as
of such time, holders of less than thirty-five percent (35%) of the outstanding shares of BPW
Common Stock issued in the IPO shall have validly exercised their conversion rights (as determined
in accordance with the BPW Charter);
(d) the Warrant Exchange Offer shall have been consummated (or is being consummated
substantially simultaneously with the Closing);
(e) no statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling, injunction or other order
(whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or
enforced by any Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction and no other legal restraint or
prohibition shall be in effect which prohibits, restrains or enjoins the consummation of the
Merger, and no Action shall have been instituted by any Governmental
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Entity and remain pending
which would reasonably be expected to (i) result in a statute, rule, regulation, executive order,
decree, ruling, injunction or other order (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) that is in
effect and restrains, enjoins or otherwise prohibits or makes illegal the consummation of the
Merger or (ii) provide a reasonable basis to conclude that the Company, Merger Sub or BPW or any
of their Affiliates or any of their respective officers or directors, as applicable, would be
subject to the risk of criminal liability;
(f) any waiting periods under the HSR Act applicable to the Merger and all other transactions
contemplated hereby or by the Ancillary Agreements shall have expired or been terminated; and
(g) all filings required to be made prior to the Closing by any Party or, in the case of the
Company, any of its Subsidiaries, with, and all consents, approvals and authorizations required to
be obtained prior to the Closing by any Party or, in the case of the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries, from, any Governmental Entity in connection with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the Ancillary
Agreements (other than under the HSR Act) shall have been made or obtained, except where the
failure to obtain such consents would not reasonably be expected to cause a Company Material
Adverse Effect or a BPW Material Adverse Effect.
Section 7.2 Conditions to Obligations of the Company and Merger Sub to Effect the
Merger. The obligation of the Company and Merger Sub to effect the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment at or prior to the Closing Date
of the following additional conditions:
(a) the representations and warranties of BPW contained in Article IV of this Agreement
shall be true and correct (without regard to any materiality or BPW Material Adverse Effect
qualifier contained therein), on and as of the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date as if
made at and as of the Closing Date (except for any representations and warranties made as of a
specified date, which shall be true and correct as of the specified date), except where the failure
of such representations and warranties to be true and correct would not reasonably be expected to
have, individually or in the aggregate, a BPW Material Adverse Effect;
(b) BPW shall have performed or complied in all material respects with the obligations
required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it at or prior to the Closing Date;
(c) the Company shall have received a certificate executed on behalf of BPW by a senior
executive officer of BPW to the effect set forth in clauses (a) and (b) of this Section 7.2;
(d) (i) the Sponsors’ Agreement shall be in full force and effect and enforceable against the
parties thereto in accordance with its terms, (ii) each of the transactions contemplated thereby to
be consummated prior to the Closing shall have been consummated in accordance with its terms and
(iii) the conditions precedent to the consummation of transactions contemplated thereby to be
consummated substantially simultaneously with, or immediately
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following, the Closing shall have
been satisfied or waived in accordance its terms (other than the Closing);
(e) The Company shall have obtained and made borrowings under (or substantially simultaneously
with the Closing shall borrow under) the Financing, in such amounts that, together with the net
proceeds of amounts in the Trust Account and other available cash, it will have all necessary funds
to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements,
including the repayment in full of all amounts due or outstanding in respect of (i) the A Financing
Agreements, (ii) the Support Letters and (iii) all Third Party Credit Facilities, each as defined
in the A Agreement on the terms contemplated hereby and thereby, to pay related fees and expenses
and to have, immediately following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, cash on hand or available to be borrowed under one or more
bank credit facilities included in the Financing in an amount sufficient to fund ordinary course
working capital and other general corporate purposes;
(f) BPW shall have made appropriate arrangements to have the Trust Account disbursed in
accordance with Section 6.13; and
(g) BPW shall have irrevocably and unconditionally obtained and secured at least the
Minimum Warrant Exchange Participation.
Section 7.3 Conditions to Obligations of BPW to Effect the Merger. The obligations of BPW to effect the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment at or prior to the Closing Date of the following
additional conditions:
(a) the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Article III of this
Agreement shall be true and correct (without regard to any materiality or Company Material Adverse
Effect qualifier contained therein), on and as of the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date
as if made at and as of the Closing Date (except for any representations and warranties made as of
a specified date, which shall be true and correct as of the specified date), except where the
failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect;
(b) the Company shall have performed or complied in all material respects with the obligations
required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by them at or prior to the Closing
Date;
(c) BPW shall have received a certificate executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief
Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer of the Company to the effect set forth in clauses (a)
and (b) of this Section 7.3;
(d) (i) the A Agreement shall be in full force and effect and enforceable against the parties
thereto in accordance with its terms, (ii) each of the transactions contemplated thereby to be
consummated prior to the Closing shall have been consummated in accordance with its terms and (iii)
the conditions precedent to the consummation of transactions
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contemplated thereby to be consummated
substantially simultaneously with, or immediately following, the Closing shall have been satisfied
or waived in accordance its terms (other than the Closing); and
(e) The Company shall have obtained and made borrowings under (or substantially simultaneously
with the Closing shall borrow under) the Financing, in such amounts that, together with the net
proceeds of amounts in the Trust Account and other available cash, it will have all necessary funds
to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements,
including the repayment in full of all amounts due or outstanding in respect of (i) the A Financing
Agreements, (ii) the Support Letters and (iii) all Third Party Credit Facilities, each as defined
in the A Agreement on the terms contemplated hereby and thereby, to pay related fees and expenses
and to have, immediately following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, cash on hand or available to be borrowed under one or more
bank credit facilities included in the Financing in an amount sufficient to fund ordinary course
working capital and other general corporate purposes, and the Company shall have used (or
substantially simultaneously with the Closing shall use) such funds for such purposes.
ARTICLE VIII
TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
Section 8.1 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time before the Effective Time (except as otherwise
provided), whether before or after the approval of the stockholders of BPW referred to in
Section 7.1(b), respectively, by written notice from BPW to the Company or the Company to
BPW, as the case may be, as follows:
(a) by mutual written consent of each of BPW and the Company;
(b) by either the Company or BPW, if the Effective Time shall not have occurred on or
before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on April 17, 2010 (the “Termination Date”);
provided, however, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 8.1(b) shall not
be available to any Party whose failure to fulfill any obligation under this Agreement has been the
cause of, or resulted in, the failure of the Effective Time to occur on or before the Termination
Date;
(c) by either the Company or BPW, if a Governmental Entity shall have issued an order,
decree or injunction having the effect of making the Merger illegal or permanently prohibiting the
consummation of the Merger, and such order, decree or injunction shall have become final and
nonappealable;
(d) by either the Company or BPW if (i) the BPW Requisite Vote shall not have been
obtained at a duly held meeting of the stockholders of BPW or at any adjournment thereof or (ii)
any of the conditions set forth in Section 7.1(c) or Section 7.1(d) shall not have been satisfied
within the applicable time period; provided that the right to terminate this Agreement under this
Section 8.1(d) shall not be available to BPW if it fails to fulfill its obligations to timely
call and conduct the BPW Stockholders Meeting as contemplated by
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Section 6.1(e) or otherwise is
in breach of its obligations under this Agreement such that the conditions set forth in Section
7.2(b) would not be satisfied;
(e) by the Company, if (i) BPW breaches Section 6.3(a)(iii) or Section 6.3(a)(iv), (ii) the
Company reasonably requests in writing that the BPW Board publicly reconfirm its recommendation
of the BPW Voting Proposal to the stockholders of BPW and the BPW Board fails to do so
within ten Business Days after its receipt of the Company’s request; (iii) BPW fails to fulfill
its obligation to timely call and conduct the BPW Stockholders Meeting as contemplated by
Section 6.1(e); or (iv) BPW breaches its obligations under Section 6.3 (other than Section
6.3(a)(iii) or Section 6.3(a)(iv)) in any material respect;
(f) by BPW, upon a material breach of any covenant or agreement on the part of the Company
set forth in this Agreement, or any representation or warranty of the Company shall have become
untrue, such that the conditions set forth in Section 7.3(a) or Section 7.3(b), as the case may be,
would not be satisfied (a “Terminating Company Breach”); provided, however, that, if such
Terminating Company Breach is capable of being cured by the Company prior to the earlier of (i) 30
days from BPW providing notice of such Terminating Company Breach or (ii)
the Termination Date, BPW shall not be able to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 8.1(f) so long as the Company cures such breach within such time period;
(g) by the Company, upon a material breach of any covenant or agreement on the part of BPW
set forth in this Agreement, or any representation or warranty of BPW is or shall have become
untrue, such that the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(a) or Section 7.2(b), as the case may be,
would not be satisfied (a “Terminating BPW Breach”); provided, however, that, if such
Terminating BPW Breach is capable of being cured by BPW prior to the earlier of (i) 30 days
from the Company providing notice of such Terminating BPW Breach or (ii) the Termination Date,
the Company shall not be able to terminate this agreement pursuant to this Section 8.1(g) so long
as BPW cures such breach within such time period; and
(h) by the Company (by action taken by the full Company Board) prior to approval of the BPW
Voting Proposal, if the volume weighted average price per share of Company Common Stock (calculated
to the nearest one-hundredth of one cent) on the NYSE (as reported by Bloomberg L.P. or, if not
reported thereby, by another authoritative source mutually agreed by the Parties) for any 15
consecutive trading days after the date hereof and prior to the BPW Stockholders Meeting is less
than the quotient obtained by dividing $10.00 by the Exchange Ratio Ceiling.
Section 8.2 Expenses; Termination Fee.
(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement (including this Section 8.2), all
Expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall
be paid by the Party incurring such Expenses, except that each of the Company and BPW shall bear
and pay one half of the costs and expenses incurred in connection with the filing, printing and
mailing of the Information Statement/Proxy Statement/Prospectus (including any SEC filing fees) and
all filings pursuant to the HSR Act. As used in this Agreement, “Expenses” includes all
documented and reasonably incurred out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and expenses of counsel,
accountants, investment bankers, experts and
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consultants to a Party hereto and its Affiliates)
incurred by a party or on its behalf in connection with or related to the authorization,
preparation, negotiation, execution and performance of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 8.2(a), (i) if this Agreement is terminated by the Company
pursuant to Section 8.1(h), then the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by BPW up to the
Maximum Expense Amount to an account designated by BPW within two Business days after such
termination, and (ii) if this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.1(f) (in the case of
any breach of the Company’s representations or warranties, only in the event of a Willful and
Material Breach of such representations and warranties as of the date of this Agreement), and (x) a
Company Acquisition Proposal is publicly proposed, publicly disclosed, or otherwise made known to
the stockholders of the Company prior to, and not withdrawn at the time of, such termination and
(y) concurrently with or within twelve (12) months after such termination the Company enters into a
definitive agreement with respect to any Company Acquisition Proposal or a Company Acquisition
Proposal is consummated, then the Company shall pay (A) the Expenses incurred by BPW up to the
Maximum Expense Amount and (B) an amount equal to the Termination Fee by wire transfer of
immediately
available funds to an account designated by BPW within two Business days after the
consummation of such Company Acquisition Proposal. Following termination of this Agreement in
accordance with Section 8.1, the Company’s payment of the Expenses incurred by BPW and the
Termination Fee pursuant to this Section 8.2(b) shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of BPW
against the Company and any of its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers,
employees, agents, advisors or other representatives with respect to the occurrences giving rise to
such payment or otherwise in law or in equity with respect to the matters contemplated hereby,
except for any liabilities or damages caused by the Willful and Material Breach of any
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements herein by the Company.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary:
(i) if this Agreement is terminated by the Company or BPW pursuant to Section 8.1(b)
(provided that the failure by the Company to fulfill any obligation under this Agreement was
not the primary cause of the failure of the Effective Time to occur on or before the
Termination Date) or Section 8.1(d) or by the Company pursuant to Section 8.1(e)(iv) or
Section 8.1(g) (in the case of any breach of BPW’s representations or warranties, only in
the event of a Willful and Material Breach of such representations and warranties as of the
date of this Agreement) and, (i) any BPW Acquisition Proposal or Business Combination
(other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) is publicly proposed, publicly
disclosed or otherwise made known to stockholders or warrantholders of BPW prior to, and
not withdrawn at the time of, such termination, and (ii) concurrently with or within twelve
(12) months after such termination BPW enters into a definitive agreement with respect to
any BPW Acquisition Proposal or Business Combination (other than the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement) or a BPW Acquisition Proposal is consummated, then BPW
shall pay (A) the Expenses incurred by the Company up to the Maximum Expense Amount and (B)
an amount equal to the Termination Fee by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an
account designated by the Company, within two Business Days after the consummation of such
BPW Acquisition Proposal or Business Combination; or
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(ii) if this Agreement is terminated by the Company pursuant to Section 8.1(e) (except
Section 8.1(e)(iv)), then BPW shall pay the Company (A) the Expenses incurred by the
Company up to the Maximum Expense Amount and (B) an amount equal to the Termination Fee, by
wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company, within
two Business Days after the termination of this Agreement, subject to Section 6.12 hereof
(including that any unpaid portion shall be paid following the consummation of a Business
Combination in accordance with the last sentence of Section 6.12).
(iii) Following the termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.1,
BPW’s payment of the Expenses incurred by the Company and the Termination Fee pursuant to
this Section 8.1(c) shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the Company or Merger Sub
against BPW and its directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors or other
representatives with respect to the occurrences giving rise to such payment or otherwise in
law or in equity with respect to the matters contemplated hereby,
except for any liabilities or damages caused by the Willful and Material Breach of any
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements herein by BPW.
(d) The “Termination Fee” shall be an amount equal to $10 million.
(e) The Company and BPW acknowledge and agree that the agreements contained in Section
8.2(b) and Section 8.2(c) are an integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
and that, without these agreements, the Company and BPW would not enter into this Agreement.
Accordingly, if either the Company or BPW fails promptly to pay the amount due pursuant to
Section 8.2(b) or Section 8.2(c), respectively, and, in order to obtain such payment, the other
Party commences an Action that results in a judgment, order or decree in its favor for such
payment, the Company or BPW, as applicable, shall pay such other Party its costs and expenses
(including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) in connection with such Action, together with
interest on the amount of such payment from the date such payment was required to be made until the
date of payment at the prime rate, as reported in The Wall Street Journal, in effect on the date
such payment was required to be made. The Company and BPW acknowledge and agree that in no
event shall the Company or BPW be obligated to pay the Termination Fee or the Expenses incurred
by the other Party on more than one occasion.
Section 8.3 Effect of Termination. In the event of termination of this Agreement by either the Company or BPW as
provided in
Section 8.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and there shall be no liability or
obligation on the part of BPW or the Company or their respective officers, members or directors
except (a) as set forth in Section 8.2, (b) with respect to any liabilities or damages incurred or
suffered by a Party as a result of the Willful and Material Breach by the other Party of any of its
representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements set forth in this Agreement, (c) with
respect to provisions that survive the termination hereof pursuant to Section 9.1 and (d) with
respect to the agreements in the Confidentiality Agreement.
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Section 8.4 Amendment. This Agreement may be amended by the Parties by action taken by or on behalf of the BPW
Board, in the case of BPW, and the Company Board, in the case of the Company, at any time before
or after any required approval of matters presented in connection with the Merger by the BPW
Stockholders; provided, however, that after any such approval, there shall be made no amendment
that by law requires further approval by the BPW Stockholders without the further approval of
such stockholders. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by
the Parties.
Section 8.5 Waiver. At any time prior to the Closing Date, any Party may (a) extend the time for the performance
of
any of the obligations or other acts of the other Parties hereto, (b) waive any inaccuracies in the
representations and warranties of the other Parties contained herein or in any document delivered
pursuant hereto and (c) waive compliance by any other Party with any of the agreements or
conditions contained herein. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid if set forth in an
instrument in writing signed by the Party or Parties to be bound thereby. The failure of any Party
to this Agreement to assert any of its rights under this Agreement or otherwise shall not
constitute a waiver of such rights.
ARTICLE IX
GENERAL PROVISIONS
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 9.1 Non-Survival of Representations, Warranties and Agreements. The representations, warranties and agreements
in this Agreement shall terminate at the
Effective Time or upon the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1, as the case may
be, except that (a) the agreements set forth in Article II, the eighth and ninth sentences of
Section 6.1(b), Section 6.10, Section 6.12 and Article IX of this Agreement shall survive the
Effective Time and (b) the agreements set forth in the Confidentiality Agreement and in Sections
6.12, 8.2, 8.3 and Article IX of this Agreement shall survive such termination.
Section 9.2 Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing
and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt) by delivery in
person, to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party
as shall be specified by like notice):
If to BPW: | ||||
BPW Acquisition Corp. | ||||
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx | ||||
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 | ||||
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxx | ||||
Fax No.: (000) 000-0000 | ||||
with a copy to (which copy shall not constitute notice): | ||||
Wachtell, Lipton, Xxxxx & Xxxx | ||||
00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx | ||||
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 | ||||
Attention: | Xxxxxxx X. Guest, Esq. | |||
Fax No.: (000) 000-0000 |
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Akin Gump Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxx LLP | ||||
Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxx | ||||
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 | ||||
Attention: | Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, Esq. | |||
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Esq. | ||||
Fax No.: (000) 000-0000 | ||||
If to the Company or Merger Sub: | ||||
The Talbots, Inc. | ||||
Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx | ||||
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000 | ||||
Attention: General Counsel | ||||
Fax No.: (000) 000-0000 | ||||
with a copy to (which copy shall not constitute notice): | ||||
Xxxxx & XxXxxxx LLP | ||||
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx | ||||
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 | ||||
Attention: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq. | |||
Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Esq. | ||||
Fax No.: (000) 000-0000 |
Section 9.3 Severability. If any term or other provision of this agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being
enforced because of any rule of law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this
Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal
substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner adverse to any
Party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable
of being enforced, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to
effect the original intent of the Parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end
that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the fullest extent possible.
Section 9.4 Entire Agreement; Assignment. This Agreement (including the Company Disclosure Schedule and the BPW
Disclosure Schedule),
the Ancillary Agreements and the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire agreement among
the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and
undertakings, both written and oral, among the Parties, or any of them, with respect to the subject
matter hereof. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES THAT, EXCEPT FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES CONTAINED IN ARTICLES III AND IV, AS THE CASE MAY BE, OF
THIS AGREEMENT, NONE OF BPW,
MERGER SUB OR THE COMPANY MAKES ANY OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, AND EACH HEREBY DISCLAIMS
ANY OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES MADE BY ITSELF OR ANY OF ITS RESPECTIVE OFFICERS,
DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AFFILIATES, AGENTS, FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ADVISORS OR OTHER REPRESENTATIVES,
WITH RESPECT TO THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS
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AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY, INCLUDING IN RESPECT OF ANY INTERNAL OR PUBLISHED PROJECTIONS, FORECASTS, ESTIMATES OR
PREDICTIONS IN RESPECT OF REVENUES, EARNINGS OR OTHER FINANCIAL OR OPERATING METRICS OF THE COMPANY
FOR ANY PERIOD, NOTWITHSTANDING THE DELIVERY OR DISCLOSURE TO THE OTHER OR THE OTHER’S
REPRESENTATIVES OF ANY DOCUMENTATION OR OTHER INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE
FOREGOING. This Agreement shall not be assigned by any Party by operation of law or otherwise
without the express written consent of each of the other Parties. Subject to the preceding
sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the
Parties and their respective successors and assigns.
Section 9.5 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each
Party hereto, and
nothing in this Agreement, express
or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any rights, benefits or remedies
of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, except as set forth in Section 6.10.
Section 9.6 GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State
of
Delaware without regard, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to the conflicts of laws
provisions thereof which might result in the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
Section 9.7 SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. Each Party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of (a) the
state courts of the
State of Delaware and (b) the United States District Court for the State of Delaware for the
purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, any
documents referred to in this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby. Each
Party agrees to commence any action, suit or proceeding relating hereto only in either such court.
Each Party irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any
action, suit or proceeding arising out of this Agreement, any documents referred to in this
Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby in (i) the state court of the State of
Delaware, or (ii) the United States District Court for the State of Delaware, and hereby further
irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any
such action, suit or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient
forum. Each Party further irrevocably consents to the service of process out of any of the
aforementioned courts in any such suit, action or other proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof
by mail to such Party at its address set forth in this Agreement, such service of process to be
effective upon acknowledgment of receipt of such registered mail; provided that nothing in this
Section 9.7 shall affect the right of any Party to serve legal process in any other manner
permitted by law. The consent to jurisdiction set forth in this Section 9.7 shall not constitute a
general consent to service of process in the State of Delaware and shall have no effect for any
purpose except as provided in this Section 9.7. The Parties agree that a final judgment in any
such suit, action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by
suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.
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Section 9.8 NO TRIAL BY JURY. Each of the Parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives any right it
may
have to trial by jury in connection with any litigation arising out of or relating to this
Agreement, any documents referred to in this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby or
thereby.
Section 9.9 Action by Subsidiaries. Whenever this Agreement requires any Subsidiary of the Company to take any action,
such
requirement shall be deemed to include an undertaking on the part of the Company to cause such
Subsidiary to take such action, as the case may be.
Section 9.10 Headings. The descriptive headings contained in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference
only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
Section 9.11 Specific Performance. Each of the Parties hereto acknowledges and agrees that the other Parties would be
irreparably
damaged in the event any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with
their specific terms or were otherwise breached. Accordingly, except in the case of a termination
of this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.1 (other than as a result of a Willful and Material
Breach) and the payment of all resulting fees and Expenses as provided by Section 8.2, each of the
Parties agrees that they each shall be entitled to seek an injunction or injunctions to prevent
breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically this Agreement and the
terms and conditions hereof in any Action instituted in any court of the United States or any state
having competent jurisdiction, in addition to any other remedy to which such Party may be entitled,
at law or in equity.
Section 9.12 Mutual Drafting. This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring
construction or interpretation against the party drafting or causing this Agreement to be drafted.
Section 9.13 Interpretation. Unless the context of this Agreement clearly requires otherwise, (a) references to
the plural
include the singular, the singular the plural, the part the whole, (b) references to any gender
include all genders, (c) “including” has the inclusive meaning frequently identified with the
phrase “but not limited to” and “without limitation” and (d) references to “hereunder” or “herein”
relate to this Agreement. Section, subsection, Schedule, Appendix and Exhibit references are to
this Agreement unless otherwise specified. Capitalized terms set forth in the Exhibits, Appendices
and Schedules attached hereto shall have the same meanings as set forth in this Agreement, unless
defined otherwise in such Exhibit, Appendix or Schedule. This Agreement shall not be interpreted
or construed to require any Person to take any action, or fail to take any action, if to do so
would violate any applicable law.
Section 9.14 Schedules. Inclusion of information in the Company Disclosure Schedule or the BPW Disclosure Schedule
(each, a “Schedule” and together, the “Schedules”) shall not be construed as an
admission of liability under any applicable law or that such information contained therein is (a)
material to the business, operations, assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of
operations of a Party or (b) a representation or warranty that a potential consequence will occur
as described. The Schedules set forth items of disclosure with specific reference to the
particular section or subsection of this Agreement to which the items or
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information in such
Schedule relates; provided, however, that any information set forth in one section or subsection of
a Schedule pertaining to representations, warranties and covenants of a Party shall be deemed to
apply to each other section or subsection of such Party’s Schedules pertaining to its
representations, warranties and covenants to the extent that it is reasonably apparent on its face
from a reading of such disclosure that it is relevant to such other sections or subsections of the
Party’s Schedules.
Section 9.15 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, and by the different Parties 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.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company, Merger Sub and BPW have caused this Agreement to be
executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.
THE TALBOTS, INC. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |||||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |
||||||
TAILOR ACQUISITION, INC. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |||||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Vice President, Treasurer |
||||||
BPW ACQUISITION CORP. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||||
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Chief Executive Officer |