AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER BY AND AMONG RUMBLEON, INC., RMBL TENNESSEE, LLC, WHOLESALE HOLDINGS, INC., WHOLESALE, LLC, THE STOCKHOLDERS SET FORTH IN SCHEDULE 1 HERETO, STEVEN BREWSTER, AS REPRESENTATIVE, AND FOR THE LIMITED PURPOSE OF SECTION 5.8,...
Exhibit 2.1
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
BY AND AMONG
RMBL TENNESSEE, LLC,
WHOLESALE HOLDINGS, INC.,
WHOLESALE, LLC,
XXXXXX
XXXXXXXX, AS
REPRESENTATIVE,
AND
FOR THE LIMITED PURPOSE OF
SECTION 5.8,
XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX AND XXXXXX X. XXXXXXX
October 26, 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE
I THE MERGER
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2
|
|
Section 1.1
|
The Merger
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2
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Section 1.2
|
Closing Date
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3
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Section 1.3
|
Effect of the Merger
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3
|
Section 1.4
|
Articles of Organization; Operating Agreement
|
3
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Section 1.5
|
Managers; Officers
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3
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Section 1.6
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Effect on Equity Interests
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3
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Section 1.7
|
Merger Consideration
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4
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Section 1.8
|
Closing Date Payment.
|
5
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Section 1.9
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Net Working Capital Adjustment.
|
6
|
ARTICLE II REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
STOCKHOLDERS
|
7
|
|
Section 2.1
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Authorization and Enforceability
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7
|
Section 2.2
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Conflicts; Consents of Third Parties
|
7
|
Section 2.3
|
The Shares
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8
|
Section 2.4
|
Accredited Investor Status
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8
|
Section 2.5
|
Restricted Securities
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8
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Section 2.6
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Brokers Fees
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9
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Section 2.7
|
Withholding
|
9
|
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE COMPANY
AND WHOLESALE HOLDINGS
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9
|
|
Section 3.1
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Organization and Related Matters
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9
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Section 3.2
|
Books and Records
|
10
|
Section 3.3
|
Capitalization; Reorganization
|
10
|
Section 3.4
|
Conflicts; Consents of Third Parties
|
11
|
Section 3.5
|
Financial Statements
|
11
|
Section 3.6
|
No Undisclosed Liabilities
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11
|
Section 3.7
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Absence of Certain Developments
|
12
|
Section 3.8
|
Taxes
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13
|
Section 3.9
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Real Property
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16
|
Section 3.10
|
Tangible Personal Property; Title; Sufficiency of
Assets
|
17
|
Section 3.11
|
Intellectual Property
|
17
|
Section 3.12
|
Contracts
|
18
|
Section 3.13
|
Employee Benefits
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20
|
Section 3.14
|
Labor.
|
23
|
Section 3.15
|
Litigation
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24
|
Section 3.16
|
Compliance with Laws; Permits.
|
25
|
Section 3.17
|
Environmental Matters.
|
25
|
Section 3.18
|
Insurance
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26
|
Section 3.19
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Receivables; Payables.
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26
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Section 3.20
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Inventory
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26
|
i
Section 3.21
|
Customers and Suppliers.
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27
|
Section 3.22
|
Related Party Transactions
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27
|
Section 3.23
|
Brokers Fees
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27
|
Section 3.24
|
Absence of Certain Business Practices
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28
|
Section 3.25
|
Bank Accounts; Powers of Attorney
|
28
|
ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER
SUB
|
28
|
|
Section 4.1
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Organization; Governing Documents
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29
|
Section 4.2
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Authorization and Enforceability
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29
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Section 4.3
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Conflicts; Consent of Third Parties
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29
|
Section 4.4
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Brokers Fees
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29
|
Section 4.5
|
No Proceedings
|
30
|
Section 4.6
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Capitalization
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30
|
Section 4.7
|
Issuance of Parent Consideration Shares
|
30
|
Section 4.8
|
Parent SEC Reports; Financial Statements; Absence of Certain
Developments
|
31
|
Section 4.9
|
Merger Sub
|
33
|
Section 4.10
|
No Other Representations and Warranties
|
33
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ARTICLE
V COVENANTS
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33
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|
Section 5.1
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Further Assurances
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33
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Section 5.2
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Names and Logos
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34
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Section 5.3
|
Tax Covenants.
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34
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Section 5.4
|
Non-Competition; Non-Solicitation.
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37
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Section 5.5
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Resignations
|
39
|
Section 5.6
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Tangible Property
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39
|
Section 5.7
|
Discharge of Affiliate Obligations
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39
|
Section 5.8
|
Conversion of Parent Consideration Shares;
Registration
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39
|
Section 5.9
|
Parent Stock Incentive Plan
|
41
|
Section 5.10
|
Parent Observer and Information Rights
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41
|
Section 5.11
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Employee Matters
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42
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Section 5.12
|
Estoppel Certificates.
|
42
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Section 5.13
|
Efforts to Consummate Transaction.
|
42
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ARTICLE VI CLOSING CONDITIONS
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43
|
|
Section 6.1
|
Conditions to Obligation of Parent and Merger
Sub.
|
43
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Section 6.2
|
Conditions to Obligation of Wholesale Holdings, the Company, and
Stockholders.
|
44
|
ARTICLE
VII INDEMNIFICATION
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46
|
|
Section 7.1
|
Indemnity Obligations of Stockholders.
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46
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Section 7.2
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Indemnity Obligations of Parent
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46
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Section 7.3
|
Indemnification Procedures.
|
47
|
Section 7.4
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Expiration of Representations and Warranties
|
48
|
Section 7.5
|
Certain Limitations; Calculation of Losses; Mitigation
|
48
|
ii
Section 7.6
|
Indemnification Payments to Parent Indemnitees
|
50
|
Section 7.7
|
Treatment of Indemnification Payments
|
51
|
Section 7.8
|
Effect of Knowledge
|
51
|
Section 7.9
|
Sole Remedy; No Claims Against the Company or Wholesale
Holdings
|
51
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ARTICLE
VIII
|
51
|
|
Section 8.1
|
Termination of Agreement.
|
51
|
Section 8.2
|
Effect of Termination..
|
52
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ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS
|
52
|
|
Section 9.1
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Certain Definitions.
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52
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Section 9.2
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Expenses
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61
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Section 9.3
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Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Venue
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61
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Section 9.4
|
Entire Agreement; Amendments and Waivers
|
62
|
Section 9.5
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Section Headings
|
62
|
Section 9.6
|
Notices
|
62
|
Section 9.7
|
Severability
|
63
|
Section 9.8
|
Binding Effect; Assignment; Third-Party Beneficiaries
|
64
|
Section 9.9
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Counterparts
|
64
|
Section 9.10
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Remedies Cumulative
|
64
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Section 9.11
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Exhibits and Schedules
|
64
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Section 9.12
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Interpretation
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64
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Section 9.13
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Arm’s Length Negotiations
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65
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Section 9.14
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Construction
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65
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Section 9.15
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Specific Performance
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65
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Section 9.16
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Waiver of Jury Trial
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65
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Section 9.17
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Time of Essence
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65
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Section 9.18
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Appointment of the Representative.
|
65
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Section 9.19
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Legal Counsel
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67
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SCHEDULES:
Schedule
1:
Stockholders and
Shares
Schedule
1.5(a):
Managers
Schedule
1.5(b):
Officers
Schedule
2:
Per Share Merger
Consideration
Schedule
4.1:
Charters and
Policies
Schedule
4.6:
Registration Rights
Agreements
Schedule
5.9:
Parent Stock
Incentive Plan Grants
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit
A:
Form of Articles of
Merger
Exhibit
B:
Form of Escrow
Agreement
Exhibit
C:
Form of
Registration Rights Agreement
Exhibit
D:
Form of New
Lease
Exhibit
E:
Form of General
Release
iii
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement”) is dated
October 26, 2018 (the “Effective Date”), by and
among RumbleOn, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“Parent”), RMBL Tennessee,
LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), Wholesale
Holdings, Inc., a Tennessee corporation (“Wholesale Holdings”), the
shareholders of Wholesale Holdings set forth in Schedule 1 hereto (each, a
“Stockholder,” and
collectively, the “Stockholders”),
Wholesale, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company (together
with Wholesale Predecessor as described in Section 9.12, the
“Company”), Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, a Tennessee resident, as the representative of each
Stockholder as more fully described herein (the “Representative”), and,
for the limited purpose of Section 5.8, Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
(“Chesrown”) and Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx (“Xxxxxxx”). Parent, Merger
Sub, Wholesale Holdings, the Company, the Stockholders, and the
Representative are sometimes referred to herein collectively as the
“Parties” and each
individually as a “Party.” Capitalized terms
used herein and not otherwise defined, shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 9.1.
WHEREAS, until
consummation of the Reorganization described below, the
Stockholders collectively owned all of the issued and outstanding
shares of common stock of Wholesale, Inc., a Tennessee corporation
(“Wholesale
Predecessor”);
WHEREAS, prior to
the date hereof, the Stockholders caused the following transactions
to be consummated (collectively, the “Reorganization”): (i) on
October 22, 2018 the Stockholders formed Wholesale Holdings as a
Tennessee corporation and, on October 23, 2018, contributed all of
the shares of capital stock owned by each of them in Wholesale
Predecessor to Wholesale Holdings in exchange for the same number
and class of shares in Wholesale Holdings as the Stockholders owned
in Wholesale Predecessor prior to such contribution (each share of
Wholesale Holdings, a “Share” and, collectively,
the “Shares”), such that,
immediately after such contribution, Wholesale Predecessor became a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Wholesale Holdings (the
“Wholesale
Contribution”); (ii) effective upon the Wholesale
Contribution, Wholesale Holdings elected to treat Wholesale
Predecessor as a qualified subchapter S subsidiary for federal
income tax purposes (the “Q-Sub Election”), such
that the Wholesale Contribution together with the Q-Sub Election
shall be treated as tax free reorganizations of Wholesale
Predecessor pursuant to Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code; and (iii)
on October 24, 2018, following the Wholesale Contribution and Q-Sub
Election, Wholesale Holdings caused Wholesale Predecessor to
convert from a Tennessee corporation to a Tennessee limited
liability company, Wholesale, LLC (as so converted,
“Wholesale
Successor”);
WHEREAS, as a
result of the Reorganization, Wholesale Holdings owns of record all
of the issued and outstanding membership interests of Wholesale
Successor (the “Membership
Interests”);
WHEREAS, Parent has
formed Merger Sub solely for the purpose of having Wholesale
Holdings merge with and into Merger Sub, with Merger Sub continuing
as the surviving company and as a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent;
WHEREAS, the board
of directors of Wholesale Holdings has unanimously (a) determined
that the merger of Wholesale Holdings with and into Merger Sub,
upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth below (the
“Merger”), is fair to, and
in the best interest of, Wholesale Holdings and its shareholders,
and declared that the Merger is advisable, (b) adopted, authorized
and approved this Agreement, the Merger and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, and (c) recommended that
Wholesale Holdings’ stockholders accept, approve and adopt
the Merger and this Agreement, in accordance with the Tennessee
Code, as amended (the “TCode”);
WHEREAS, the
Stockholders have (a) determined that Merger is fair to, and in the
best interests of, such Stockholders, (b) authorized and approved
this Agreement, the Merger and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, and (c) accepted and adopted the Merger and
this Agreement, in accordance with the TCode;
WHEREAS, the
respective boards of directors of Parent and Merger Sub have (a)
determined that the Merger is fair to, and in the best interest of,
each corporation and its respective stockholders, and declared that
the Merger is advisable, and (b) authorized and approved this
Agreement, the Merger, and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby;
WHEREAS, the
Parties intend that the Merger will qualify, for U.S. federal
income Tax purposes, as a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations
promulgated thereunder, and that this Agreement, as to the Merger,
constitutes a “plan of reorganization” within the
meaning of Section 1.368-2(g) of the Treasury Regulations;
and
WHEREAS, on the
Effective Date, certain of the Parties shall enter into a
Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which Parent
shall acquire all of the issued and outstanding membership
interests of Wholesale Express, LLC (the “MIPA”).
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants,
representations and warranties made herein and other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which hereby
are acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
THE
MERGER
Section
1.1 The Merger. On the Closing
Date, and subject to and upon the terms and conditions of this
Agreement and the applicable provisions of the Code, TCode and the
Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (“DLLCA”), Wholesale
Holdings shall be merged with and into Merger Sub, the separate
corporate existence of Wholesale Holdings shall cease, and Merger
Sub shall continue as the surviving company. Merger Sub, as the
surviving company after the Merger, is hereinafter referred to as
the “Surviving
Company.”
2
Section
1.2 Closing
Date. The Parties
acknowledge and agree that the closing of the Merger and all other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the
“Closing”)
shall take place on the date of the satisfaction or waiver of the
conditions set forth in Section 6.1 and Section 6.2 of this
Agreement (other than those conditions that by their terms cannot
be satisfied until the Closing) (such date of Closing, the
“Closing
Date”). The Closing shall be effective for accounting
and tax purposes as of 11:59:59 p.m. on the Closing Date. Upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at
the Closing, the Parties shall file (i) the Articles of Merger (the
“Articles of
Merger”) in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A with the Secretary of
the State of Tennessee and (ii) the Plan of Merger (individually,
the “Plan of
Merger” and together with the Articles of Merger, the
“Merger
Filings”) with the Secretary of State of Delaware, and
whereupon, Wholesale Holdings shall be merged with and into Merger
Sub, pursuant to the provisions of the TCode and the DLLCA. The
Merger shall become effective upon the filing of the Merger Filings
with the applicable Secretary of the State pursuant to applicable
law, on the Closing Date.
Section
1.3 Effect
of the Merger. From and after
the Closing Date, the effect of the Merger shall be as provided in
this Agreement and the applicable provisions of the TCode and the
DLLCA.
Section
1.4 Articles
of Organization; Operating Agreement.
(a) As of the Closing
Date, the articles of organization of Merger Sub shall be the
articles of organization of the Surviving Company as in effect
immediately prior to the Closing Date.
(b) As of the Closing
Date, the operating agreement of Merger Sub shall be the operating
agreement of the Surviving Company as in effect immediately prior
to the Closing Date.
Section
1.5 Managers;
Officers.
(a) As of the Closing
Date, the managers of Merger Sub on the Closing Date shall be the
managers of the Surviving Company, who are set forth on
Schedule
1.5(a).
(b) As of the Closing
Date, the officers of Merger Sub on the Closing Date shall be the
officers of the Surviving Company, who are set forth on
Schedule
1.5(b).
Section
1.6 Effect
on Equity Interests. On the Closing
Date, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of
the holders of any Shares or any membership interests of Merger
Sub:
(a) Each issued and
outstanding Share of capital stock of Wholesale Holdings shall be
cancelled. From and after the Closing Date, the Surviving
Company’s membership interests shall be the only issued and
outstanding equity interest of the Surviving Company and shall be
owned by Parent.
3
(b) Any Shares that
are owned by Wholesale Holdings as treasury stock shall be
automatically canceled and shall cease to exist and no
consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(c) Each issued and
outstanding Share (other than shares to be canceled in accordance
with Section 1.6(b)) shall be converted into the right to receive
the pro rata portion of the Merger Consideration as further set
forth in Schedule
2, without interest. As of the Closing Date, all such Shares
shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled
and shall cease to exist, and each holder of Shares shall cease to
have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive
the pro rata portion of the Merger Consideration, without
interest.
Section
1.7 Merger
Consideration.
(a) The aggregate
consideration payable with respect to the Shares hereunder
(collectively, the “Merger Consideration”)
shall consist of:
(i)
$12,000,000 in
cash; minus
(ii)
the amount, if any,
by which the Closing Net Working Capital is less than the Target
Net Working Capital; plus
(iii)
the amount, if any,
by which the Closing Net Working Capital is greater than the Target
Net Working Capital; plus
(iv)
the Parent
Consideration Shares to be issued to the Stockholders in exchange
for the Shares and in accordance with Schedule 2 hereto and to be
delivered to each Stockholder as specified in writing by the
Representative for the benefit of each such
Stockholder.
(b) A cash portion
of the Merger Consideration shall be used to discharge and pay in
full (i) all Indebtedness for Borrowed Money (excluding, for the
avoidance of doubt, the Floor Plan), (ii) the Company Transaction
Expenses and (iii) the Change of Control Payments. In addition,
681,481 of the Parent Consideration Shares (the “Escrow Amount”) shall be
deposited at Closing to be held by the Escrow Agent (the
“Escrow
Account”) under the terms of an escrow agreement
substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the
“Escrow
Agreement”) to be executed as of Closing Date by
Parent, the Representative and the Escrow Agent as security for
certain obligations of Stockholders under Section 1.9 and ARTICLE
VII. The Parties acknowledge and agree that the Parent
Consideration Shares and/or Conversion Shares, as applicable, shall
be deemed to have a value of $6.75 per share (the
“Per Share Valuation
Amount”) for all purposes when calculating any claim
against, or release from, the Escrow Amount, whether under Section
1.9, ARTICLE VII, or otherwise. If at any time while the Parent
Consideration Shares and/or Conversion Shares, as applicable, are
held pursuant to the Escrow Agreement, there is any stock dividend,
combination, subdivision, split or the like with respect to the
Parent Consideration Shares and/or Conversion Shares, as applicable
(any such event, a “Stock Event”), then the
Per Share Valuation Amount shall be equitably adjusted to take into
account the effect of the Stock Event as reasonably agreed to by
Representative and Parent acting in good faith.
4
Section
1.8 Closing Date
Payment.
(a) The Company has
prepared and delivered to Parent a good faith estimate of the Net
Working Capital as of the day prior to the Effective Date (the
“Estimated Net
Working Capital”), which shall be certified by the
Company as its good faith estimation of the Net Working Capital as
of the day prior to the Effective Date. The Company shall have
provided Parent access to all relevant documents and information
reasonably requested by Parent in connection with its review of the
Estimated Net Working Capital (including all components
thereof).
(b) On the Closing
Date, Wholesale Holdings shall deliver to Parent a fully-executed
and completed stock power of each Stockholder, and upon surrender
thereof to Parent, Parent shall:
(i)
pay to the
Representative, for the benefit of the Stockholders, an amount in
cash, payable by wire transfer of immediately available funds to
the account(s) specified in writing by the Representative, which
shall be equal to the following (collectively, the
“Closing Cash
Consideration”):
A.
$12,000,000;
minus
B.
the amount, if any,
by which the Estimated Net Working Capital is less than the Target
Net Working Capital; plus
C.
the amount, if any,
by which the Estimated Net Working Capital is more than the Target
Net Working Capital; minus
D.
the sum of (x) the
amount of the Company Transaction Expenses and (y) the Change of
Control Payments, if any; minus
E.
the aggregate
amount of all Indebtedness for Borrowed Money (excluding, for the
avoidance of doubt, the Floor Plan);
(ii)
deposit the Escrow
Amount with the Escrow Agent;
(iii)
pay the amount of
all Indebtedness for Borrowed Money (excluding, for the avoidance
of doubt, the Floor Plan) from the Closing Cash
Consideration;
(iv)
pay the Company
Transaction Expenses and the Change of Control Payments from the
Closing Cash Consideration pursuant to written instructions of the
Company; and
5
(v)
issue the Parent
Consideration Shares to the Stockholders in accordance with
Schedule 2
hereto.
(c) Promptly after
receipt of the Closing Cash Consideration, the Representative shall
deliver to each Stockholder the Per Share Closing Cash
Consideration payable to such Stockholder with respect to its
Shares.
(a) Within one
hundred twenty (120) days after the Closing Date, Parent shall
prepare and deliver to the Representative a statement (the
“Closing
Statement”) calculating the Net Working Capital as of
the Closing Date (the “Closing Net Working
Capital”).
(b) If the
Representative disputes any amounts as shown on the Closing
Statement, the Representative shall deliver to Parent within thirty
(30) days after receipt of the Closing Statement a notice (the
“Dispute
Notice”) setting forth the Representative’s
calculation of such amount and describing in reasonable detail the
basis for the determination of such different amount. If the
Representative does not deliver a Dispute Notice to Parent within
such thirty (30) day period, the Closing Statement prepared and
delivered by Parent shall be deemed to be the “Final Closing Statement.”
The Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to resolve
such differences within a period of thirty (30) days after the
Representative has given the Dispute Notice. If the Parties resolve
such differences, the Closing Statement agreed to by the Parties
shall be deemed to be the Final Closing Statement. If Parent and
the Representative do not reach a final resolution on the Closing
Statement within thirty (30) days after the Representative has
given the Dispute Notice, unless Parent and the Representative
mutually agree to continue their efforts to resolve such
differences the Neutral Accountant shall resolve such differences,
pursuant to an engagement agreement among Parent, the
Representative and the Neutral Accountant (which Parent and the
Representative agree to execute promptly), in the manner provided
below. The Neutral Accountant shall only decide the specific items
under dispute by the Parties, solely in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement. Parent and the Representative shall each be
entitled to make a presentation to the Neutral Accountant, pursuant
to procedures to be agreed to among Parent, the Representative and
the Neutral Accountant (or, if they cannot agree on such
procedures, pursuant to procedures determined by the Neutral
Accountant), regarding such Party’s determination of the
amounts to be set forth on the Closing Statement; and the Parties
shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Neutral
Accountant to resolve the differences between Parent and the
Representative and determine the amounts to be set forth on the
Closing Statement within twenty (20) days after the engagement of
the Neutral Accountant. The Neutral Accountant’s
determination shall be based solely on such presentations of the
Parties (i.e., not on independent review) and on the definitions
and other terms included herein. The Closing Statement determined
by the Neutral Accountant shall be deemed to be the Final Closing
Statement. Such determination by the Neutral Accountant shall be
conclusive and binding upon the Parties, absent fraud or manifest
error. The fees and expenses of the Neutral Accountant shall be
paid by the Party whose calculation of the Closing Net Working
Capital is farther from the Neutral Accountant’s calculation
thereof. Nothing in this Section 1.9(b) shall be construed to
authorize or permit the Neutral Accountant to: (i) determine any
questions or matters whatsoever under or in connection with this
Agreement except for the resolution of differences between Parent
and the Representative regarding the determination of the Final
Closing Statement; or (ii) resolve any such differences by making
an adjustment to the Closing Statement that is outside of the range
defined by amounts as finally proposed by Parent and the
Representative.
6
(c) Promptly, but no
later than five (5) Business Days after the final determination
thereof, if the Closing Net Working Capital set forth in the
Closing Statement: (i) exceeds the Estimated Net Working Capital,
Parent shall pay such excess amount to the Representative, for the
benefit of the Stockholders; or (ii) is less than the Estimated Net
Working Capital, at the option and in the sole discretion of the
Representative either (A) the Representative and Parent shall
deliver joint written instructions to the Escrow Agent instructing
the Escrow Agent to deliver to Parent from the Escrow Amount an
amount equal to such shortfall or (B) the Stockholders shall
deliver to Parent an amount in immediately available funds equal to
such shortfall and the Representative and Parent shall deliver
joint written instructions to the Escrow Agent instructing the
Escrow Agent to deliver to Representative, for the benefit of the
Stockholders from the Escrow Amount an amount equal to such
shortfall. Any payments made pursuant to this Section 1.9 shall be
treated as an adjustment to the Merger Consideration by the
Parties.
ARTICLE II
Each
Stockholder, severally but not jointly, and solely with respect to
such Stockholder, represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub
that the following statements are correct:
Section
2.1 Authorization and
Enforceability. Each Stockholder
has all requisite power and authority, and, in the case of any
Stockholder that is an individual, the requisite legal capacity, to
execute and deliver this Agreement and each other Transaction
Document to which it is a party, and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution, delivery and
performance by each Stockholder of each of the Transaction
Documents to which it is a party have been duly authorized by all
necessary action on the part of each such Stockholder. This
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents have been duly and
validly executed and delivered by each Stockholder and constitute
legal, valid and binding obligations of each Stockholder,
enforceable against such Stockholder in accordance with their
respective terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium and similar Laws affecting
creditors’ rights and remedies generally and subject, as to
enforceability, to general principles of equity (regardless of
whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at Law or in equity)
(collectively, the “Enforceability
Exceptions”).
Section
2.2 Conflicts; Consents of Third
Parties. Except as set
forth in Section 2.2 of the Disclosure Schedule, the execution and
delivery by each Stockholder of this Agreement and the other
Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, and compliance by
each Stockholder with the provisions hereof or thereof will not:
(a) conflict with, violate, result in the breach or termination of,
constitute a default under, result in an acceleration of,
constitute a change of control under, or create in any party the
right to accelerate, terminate, modify or cancel, any Contract to
which such Stockholder is a party or by which such Stockholder or
its properties, assets or Shares are subject, or require a Consent
from any Person in order to avoid any such conflict, violation,
breach, termination, default or acceleration; (b) violate any Law
or any Order by which such Stockholder is bound; or (c) result in
the creation of any Lien other than Permitted Liens, subscriptions,
options, warrants, calls, proxies, commitments or Contracts of any
kind upon any of the Shares. No Consent, Order, waiver, declaration
or filing with, or notification to any Person, including any
Governmental Body, is required on the part of such Stockholder in
connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement or the other Transaction Documents, or the compliance by
such Stockholder with any of the provisions hereof or
thereof.
7
Section
2.3 The
Shares.
(a) Each Stockholder
holds of record and owns beneficially all of the Shares set forth
opposite such Stockholder’s name in Schedule 1 hereto under the
heading “Number of Shares Owned,” free and clear of all
Liens, subscriptions, commitments and restrictions of any kind
(other than Permitted Liens and restrictions under the Securities
Act and Blue Sky Laws). The number of Shares set forth opposite
such Stockholder’s name in Schedule 1 hereto under the
heading “Number of Shares Owned” correctly sets forth
all of the capital stock of Wholesale Holdings owned of record or
beneficially by such Stockholder, and such Stockholder does not own
(or have any rights in or to acquire) any other capital stock of
Wholesale Holdings or any other securities convertible into, or
exercisable or exchangeable for, capital stock of Wholesale
Holdings. Such Stockholder’s Shares were not issued in
violation of (i) any Contract to which such Stockholder is or was a
party or beneficiary or by which such Stockholder or its properties
or assets is or was subject or (ii) of any preemptive or similar
rights of any Person.
(b) Except as set
forth in Section 2.3(b) of the Disclosure Schedule, such
Stockholder is not party to (i) any voting agreement, voting trust,
proxy, registration rights agreement, stockholder agreement or
other Contract with respect to the capital stock of Wholesale
Holdings or (ii) any Contract obligating such Stockholder to vote
or dispose of any shares of the capital stock of, or other equity
or voting interests in, Wholesale Holdings or which has the effect
of restricting or limiting the transfer, voting or other rights
associated with the Shares.
Section
2.4 Accredited Investor
Status. Each Stockholder
(a) represents, understands and acknowledges that the Parent
Consideration Shares and the Conversion Shares are being acquired
under this Agreement in good faith solely for its own account, for
investment and not with a view toward resale or other distribution
in violation of the Securities Act or applicable state securities
Laws (“Blue Sky
Laws”), and that such securities will not be offered
for sale, sold or otherwise transferred without either registration
under the Securities Act or an exemption from registration under
the Securities Act and Blue Sky Laws that is then available; (b)
has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters
that such Party is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of
the investment in the Parent Consideration Shares, and such Party
understands and is able to bear the economic risks associated with
such investment (including the inherent risk of total or partial
loss of value of the Parent Consideration Shares); (c) has had such
opportunity as it has deemed adequate to obtain from directors and
executive officers of Parent such information as is necessary to
permit it to evaluate the merits and risks of its investment in
Parent; and (d) is an “accredited investor” within the
meaning of Rule 501 of Regulation D promulgated under the
Securities Act.
Section
2.5 Restricted
Securities. Each Stockholder
understands and acknowledges that all Parent Consideration Shares
and Conversion Shares to be issued to the Stockholders in
accordance with this Agreement have not been issued in a
transaction registered under the Securities Act and will be
“restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144
under the Securities Act and may be offered, sold, pledged or
otherwise transferred by such Stockholder, directly or indirectly,
only pursuant to an effective registration statement meeting the
requirements of the Securities Act or pursuant to an available
exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act
and all applicable state securities Laws. Each Stockholder
acknowledges and understands that the Parent Consideration Shares
and the Conversion Shares shall bear the following
legend:
8
THE
SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FROM THE
ISSUER WITHOUT REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”) AND ARE RESTRICTED
SHARES AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED UNDER RULE 144, PROMULGATED UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT. THESE SHARES MAY NOT BE SOLD, PLEDGED,
TRANSFERRED, DISTRIBUTED, OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN ANY MANNER
UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR
EXCEPT PURSUANT TO A VALID EXEMPTION FROM SUCH REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS AS EVIDENCED BY AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, REASONABLY
SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER, STATING THAT THE TRANSFER DOES NOT
INVOLVE A TRANSACTION REQUIRING REGISTRATION OF SUCH SHARES UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT.
Section
2.6 Brokers
Fees. No Stockholder
has any Liability to pay any commissions or similar fees to any
investment banker, broker or finder with respect to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section
2.7 Withholding.
Parent and any of its agents and Affiliates shall be entitled to
deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable
pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as are required to be
deducted and withheld under any applicable provision of U.S.
federal, state, local Tax Law, and to request and be provided any
necessary Tax forms, including IRS Form W-9, or any similar
information. To the extent that amounts are so deducted or withheld
in accordance with the foregoing and paid over to the appropriate
Governmental Body, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all
purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Person in
respect of which such deduction, withholding and payment was
made.
ARTICLE III
The
Company, Wholesale Holdings and Stockholders jointly and severally
represent and warrant to Parent and Merger Sub that the following
statements are true and correct (in each case, other than Section
3.3(b), excluding any breach caused by or related to the
Reorganization):
Section
3.1 Organization
and Related Matters.
(a) Wholesale Holdings
is a corporation validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of the State of Tennessee and has all requisite corporate
power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to
carry on its business as currently conducted. The Company is a
limited liability company validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Tennessee and has all requisite
limited liability company power and authority to own, lease and
operate its properties and to carry on its business as currently
conducted. Each of the Company and Wholesale Holdings is duly
qualified or authorized to do business as a foreign corporation or
limited liability company, as applicable, and is in good standing
under the Laws of each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real
property and each other jurisdiction in which the conduct of its
business or the ownership of its properties requires such
qualification or authorization, except where the failure to be in
good standing would have a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
9
(b) The Company does
not have any Subsidiaries. Wholesale Holdings owns 100% of the
membership interests of the Company and has no other
Subsidiaries.
(c) The Company has
made available to Parent or its representatives complete and
correct copies of the Governing Documents of the Company and
Wholesale Holdings as presently in effect. Since inception, other
than in connection with the Reorganization, neither the Company nor
Wholesale Holdings has consolidated or merged with, acquired all or
substantially all of the assets of, or acquired the stock of or any
interest in any Person.
Section
3.2 Books and
Records. Except as set
forth on Section 3.2 of the Disclosure Schedule, the minute books
of the Company and Wholesale Holdings, which have been made
available to Parent or its representatives, contain records of all
material corporate or limited liability company, as applicable,
actions taken by the shareholders (or members) or the board of
directors of the Company and Wholesale Holdings.
(a) Section 3.3(a)
of the
Disclosure Schedule sets forth the following as of the Closing: (i)
the total number of issued and outstanding shares of each class of
capital stock of Wholesale Holdings and the total number of issued
and outstanding Membership Interests of the Company, (ii) the names
of the holders of the issued and outstanding shares of each class
of capital stock of Wholesale Holdings and the names of the holders
of the issued and outstanding Membership Interests of the Company,
and (iii) the number of shares of each class of capital stock and
membership interests held by each such holder. The issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock and membership interests set
forth in Section 3.3(a) of the Disclosure Schedule constitute the
Shares and Membership Interests, as applicable. All of the Shares
and Membership Interests, as applicable, have been duly and validly
authorized and issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, and all
such Shares and Membership Interests, as applicable, are held of
record and owned beneficially as set forth in Section 3.3(a) of the
Disclosure Schedule. No Shares or Membership Interests have been
issued in violation of any preemptive rights or any applicable
securities Laws. Neither the Company nor Wholesale Holdings has any
outstanding or authorized options, warrants, purchase rights,
subscription rights, conversion rights, exchange rights, preemptive
rights or other contracts or commitments that could require the
Company or Wholesale Holdings to issue, sell, or otherwise cause to
become outstanding any of its capital stock or other equity
security, or securities convertible or exchangeable for, or any
options, warrants, or rights to purchase, any of such capital stock
or other equity security. There are no outstanding obligations of
the Company or Wholesale Holdings to repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire any of its capital stock or other equity
security. There are no outstanding or authorized stock
appreciation, phantom equity, profit participation or similar
rights with respect to the Company or Wholesale Holdings. There are
no dividends which have accrued or been declared but are unpaid on
the capital stock of Wholesale Holdings or any distributions
payable by the Company. Except as set forth in Section 3.3(a) of
the Disclosure Schedule, there are no voting agreements, voting
trusts, proxies, registration rights agreements, stockholder
agreements or other Contracts with respect to any of the Shares or
Membership Interests.
10
(b) Prior to the
Effective Date, Stockholders, Wholesale Holdings and the Company
have undertaken the Reorganization as described in the Recitals
hereto. The Company has made available to Parent copies of the
documents executed as part of the Reorganization.
Section
3.4 Conflicts; Consents of Third
Parties. Except as set
forth in Section 3.4 of the Disclosure Schedule or as caused by the
Reorganization, the execution and delivery of this Agreement and
the other Transaction Documents to which the Company and/or
Wholesale Holdings is a party, the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby, and compliance by the Company and
Wholesale Holdings with the provisions hereof or thereof does not
and will not, with or without the passage of time or the giving of
notice: (a) conflict with, or result in the breach of, any
provision of the Governing Documents of the Company;
(b) conflict with, violate, result in the breach or
termination of, constitute a default under, result in an
acceleration of, or create in any party the right to accelerate,
terminate, modify or cancel, any Material Contract to which the
Company or Wholesale Holdings is a party or by which the
Company’s or Wholesale Holdings’ assets are bound, or
require a Consent from any Person in order to avoid any such
conflict, violation, breach, termination, default or acceleration;
(c) violate any Law or any Order by which the Company or Wholesale
Holdings is bound; or (d) result in the creation of any Lien upon
the properties or assets of the Company or Wholesale Holdings,
other than Permitted Liens. Except as set forth in Section 3.4 of
the Disclosure Schedule or as caused by the Reorganization, no
Consent, Order, waiver, declaration or filing with, or notification
to any Person, including any Governmental Body, is required on the
part of the Company or Wholesale Holdings in connection with the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or the other
Transaction Documents, or the compliance by any of them with any of
the provisions hereof or thereof.
Section
3.5 Financial
Statements. Included in
Section 3.5 of the Disclosure Schedule are complete copies of
(i) the audited balance sheets of the Company as at December
31, 2015, 2016, and 2017 and the related audited statements of
income and retained earnings, stockholders’ equity and of
cash flows of the Company for the fiscal years then ended, and
(ii) the unaudited condensed balance sheet of the Company (the
“Balance
Sheet”) as at September 30, 2018 (the
“Balance Sheet
Date”) (together with all the audited statements set
forth in (i), including the related notes and schedules thereto,
the “Financial
Statements”). The Financial Statements have been
prepared from the Books and Records in accordance with GAAP applied
on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated, except, in
the case of the unaudited financial statements, for the failure to
include the footnotes required by GAAP and subject to normal and
non-recurring year-end audit adjustments (which will not be
material in the aggregate). The Financial Statements fairly present
in all material respects the financial position and results of
operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the
Company as of the dates and for the periods reflected thereon. The
Company maintains a standard system of accounting established and
administered in accordance with GAAP.
Section
3.6 No
Undisclosed Liabilities. Neither the
Company nor Wholesale Holdings has any Liabilities of the nature
required to be disclosed in a balance sheet prepared in accordance
with GAAP except (a) to the extent specifically reflected and
accrued for or specifically reserved against in the Balance Sheet,
(b) for current Liabilities incurred subsequent to the Balance
Sheet Date in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice or (c) for Liabilities for Company Transaction Expenses
and Change of Control Expenses incurred in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
11
Section
3.7 Absence
of Certain Developments. Except as set
forth in Section 3.7 of the Disclosure Schedule (arranged in
subsections corresponding to the subsections set forth below;
provided that all such subsections qualify this introductory
clause), since the Balance Sheet Date, the Company (which term
shall also include Wholesale Holdings for purposes of this Section
3.7) has conducted its business in the ordinary course materially
consistent with past practice and:
(a) there has not been
any Company Material Adverse Change nor has there occurred any
event which is reasonably likely to result in a Company Material
Adverse Change;
(b) there has not been
any split, combination or reclassification of any shares of capital
stock or other security of the Company that is not reflected in
Section 3.3 of the Disclosure Schedule;
(c) there has not been
any damage, destruction or loss that is not covered by insurance,
with respect to the property and assets of the Company having a
replacement cost of more than $50,000 for any single loss or
$100,000 in the aggregate for any related losses;
(d) the Company has not
made any change in the rate of compensation, commission or bonus
payable, or paid or agreed or orally promised to pay, conditionally
or otherwise, any bonus, incentive, retention or other
compensation, retirement or severance benefit or vacation pay, to
or in respect of any director, officer or employee of the Company,
other than increases in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practice;
(e) the Company has not
entered into or amended any employment, deferred compensation,
severance or similar agreement;
(f) the Company has not
hired any employees or engaged any individual independent
contractors other than in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice;
(g) the Company has not
made any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or
investments in, any Person;
(h) the Company has not
mortgaged, pledged, or subjected to any Lien, other than the
Permitted Liens, any of its assets or sold, assigned, transferred,
conveyed or otherwise disposed of any assets of the Company except
for assets sold, assigned, transferred, conveyed or otherwise
disposed of in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(i) the Company has not
canceled or affirmatively waived any debt or claim or amended,
canceled, terminated or affirmatively waived any right under any
Material Contract except in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice;
(j) the Company has not
committed to make any capital expenditures or capital additions or
improvements (i) in excess of $50,000 in the aggregate or (ii)
outside the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practices;
12
(k) the Company has not
accelerated revenue recognition or the sales for periods prior to
the Closing outside of the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practices;
(l) the Company has not
materially changed its policies or practices with respect to the
payment of accounts payable or other current liabilities or the
collection of accounts receivable (including any acceleration or
deferral of the payment or collection thereof);
(m) the Company has not
adopted any plan of merger, consolidation, reorganization,
liquidation or dissolution or filing of a petition in bankruptcy
under any provisions of federal or state bankruptcy Law or
consented to the filing of any bankruptcy petition against it under
any similar Law;
(n) the Company has not
discharged or repaid any Indebtedness for Borrowed money outside
the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(o) the Company has not
entered into any compromise or settlement of any Legal Proceeding
or investigation by any Governmental Body;
(p) the Company has not
transferred, assigned or granted any license or sublicense of any
material rights under or with respect to any Intellectual Property
other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice; and
(q) the Company has not
entered into any agreements or commitments to do or perform in the
future any actions referred to in this Section 3.7.
Section
3.8 Taxes.
(a) Wholesale
Holdings and the Company have timely filed with the appropriate
taxing authorities all material Tax Returns that it has been
required to file. All such Tax Returns are true, correct and
complete in all material respects. All Taxes owed by Wholesale
Holdings and the Company (whether or not shown on any Tax Return)
have been paid. Adequate reserves have been established on the
Financial Statements to provide for the payment of any Taxes which
are not yet due and payable with respect to Wholesale Holdings and
the Company for taxable periods or portions thereof ending on or
before the Balance Sheet Date. Except as set forth on Section
3.8(a) of the Disclosure Schedule, neither Wholesale Holdings nor
the Company is the beneficiary of any extension of time within
which to file any Tax Return. No written claim has been made in the
past six (6) years by an authority with respect to Wholesale
Holdings or the Company in a jurisdiction where Wholesale Holdings
or the Company does not file Tax Returns that it is or may be
subject to taxation by that jurisdiction. There are no Liens, other
than Permitted Liens, on any of the assets of Wholesale Holdings or
the Company that have arisen in connection with any failure (or
alleged failure) to pay any Tax.
(b) Wholesale Holdings
and the Company has withheld and paid to the appropriate taxing
authority or other Governmental Body all Taxes required to have
been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to
any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder, or
other third party.
13
(c) Neither Wholesale
Holdings not the Company has waived or extended any statute of
limitations in respect of Taxes or agreed to any extension of time
with respect to the assessment, payment or collection of any
Tax.
(d) Neither Wholesale
Holdings nor the Company has any obligation to make a payment that
is not deductible under Section 280G of the Code or that includes
an obligation to indemnify or "gross up" the recipient of such
payment for taxes imposed by Section 4999 of the Code.
(e) None of the
properties or assets of Wholesale Holdings or the Company is
property which, for Tax purposes, is required to be treated as
owned by another Person. Neither Wholesale Holdings nor the Company
is an obligor on, and none of their assets have been financed
directly or indirectly by, any tax-exempt bonds. No property or
assets of Wholesale Holdings or the Company is “tax-exempt
use property” within the meaning of Section 168(h) of the
Code.
(f) No deficiency or
proposed adjustment which has not been settled or otherwise
resolved for any amount of Taxes has been asserted or assessed by
any taxing authority or other Governmental Body against Wholesale
Holdings or the Company. There has not been, within the past five
calendar years, any written notice of potential examination, or to
the Knowledge of Wholesale Holdings or the Company, any audit or
examination of any Tax Returns filed by the Company.
(g) Except as set
forth on Section 3.8(g) of the Disclosure Schedule, there is no
action, suit, examination, investigation, Governmental Body
proceeding, or audit or claim for refund in progress, pending,
proposed or, to the Knowledge of Wholesale Holdings or the Company,
threatened against or with respect to Wholesale Holdings or the
Company regarding Taxes.
(h) Neither Wholesale
Holdings nor the Company has agreed to or been required to make any
adjustment pursuant to Section 481(a) of the Code or any
corresponding provision of state, local or foreign Law by reason of
any change in accounting method initiated by it or on its behalf;
no taxing authority has proposed any such adjustment or change in
accounting method; and neither Wholesale Holdings nor the Company
have an application pending with any taxing authority requesting
permission for any change in accounting method. Neither Wholesale
Holdings nor the Company will be required to include any adjustment
in taxable income for any tax period (or portion thereof) pursuant
to Section 481 or 263A of the Code or any comparable provision
under state, local or foreign Tax Laws as a result of a change in
any method of accounting employed prior to the Closing Date other
than any change in method of accounting required by applicable Law
as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Neither Wholesale Holdings nor the Company will be required to
include any item of income in, or exclude any item of deduction
from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof)
beginning on or after the Closing Date as a result of any of the
following that occurred prior to the Closing Date: (i) a
“closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the
Code; (ii) an installment sale or open transaction; (iii) receipt
of a prepaid amount; (iv) an intercompany item under Treasury
Regulation Section 1.1502-13 or an excess loss account under
Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-19; (v) use of an accounting
method other than the accrual method (vi) an income inclusion
pursuant to Section 965, including an election under Section 965(h)
of the Code or (v) election under Section 108(i) of the
Code.
14
(i) Neither Wholesale
Holdings nor the Company is a member of an affiliated group (as
defined in Section 1504 of the Code), filed or been included in a
combined, consolidated or unitary income Tax Return, or is a
partner, member, owner or beneficiary of any entity treated as a
partnership or a trust for Tax purposes. Neither Wholesale Holdings
nor the Company has Liability for Taxes of any person under
Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 or similar state or local
Laws, as a successor or transferee, by contract or
otherwise.
(j) Neither Wholesale
Holdings nor the Company is a party to or bound by any Tax
allocation or Tax sharing agreement and has no contractual
obligation to indemnify any other Person with respect to
Taxes.
(k) True, correct and
complete copies of all income and sales Tax Returns filed by or
with respect to the Company for taxable periods ending on or after
January 1, 2015 have been made available to Parent or its
representatives by the Company.
(l) Neither Wholesale
Holdings nor the Company has participated in any reportable
transaction as contemplated in Treasury Regulations Section
1.6011-4. The Company has disclosed on its federal income Tax
Returns all positions taken therein that could give rise to a
substantial understatement of federal income Tax within the meaning
of Section 6662 of the Code.
(m) Neither Wholesale
Holdings nor the Company is subject to Tax, nor does it have a
permanent establishment, in any foreign jurisdiction.
(n) Neither Wholesale
Holdings nor the Company has pending ruling requests filed by it or
on its behalf with any taxing authority or Governmental
Body.
(o) At all times prior
to the Reorganization, the Company was an S corporation as defined
in Section 1361(a)(1) of the Code for federal and applicable state
income tax purposes and is eligible for such treatment. Except as
part of the Reorganization, the Company’s election to be
treated as an S corporation was timely filed with the IRS and has
not been superseded by any subsequent filing. Wholesale Holdings is
an S Corporation for federal and applicable state income tax
purposes and is eligible for such treatment. The IRS has not sent
any correspondence to the Company questioning its status as an S
corporation. Neither Wholesale Holdings nor the Company nor the
Stockholders have been or will be subject to any Taxes for any
period ending on or prior to the Closing Date pursuant to Section
1374 or Section 1375 of the Code.
(p) Since the election
date of its conversion to a limited liability company, the Company
is and has been properly classified as an entity disregarded as
separate from its owner Wholesale Holdings as described in Treasury
Regulation Section 3.01.7701-3(b)(1)(ii), and no Party has taken
any action or made any election to the contrary.
(q) Wholesale Holdings
and the Company utilize the accrual method of accounting for income
tax purposes.
15
(r) Since December 31,
2017, there has not been any material change by the Company in
accounting or Tax reporting principles, methods or policies, any
settlement of any Tax controversy, any amendment of any Tax Return,
or any material Tax election made by or with respect to the
Company.
Section
3.9 Real
Property.
(a) Neither the Company
nor Wholesale Holdings owns nor has owned any real property or fee
title interest in real property. Wholesale Holdings is not a party
to any Real Property Lease.
(b) Section 3.9(b)
of the
Disclosure Schedule sets forth the address of each parcel of real
property leased by the Company as lessee, and a complete list of
all leases related to real property currently leased by the Company
(individually, a “Real Property Lease” and
collectively the “Real Property Leases” and
the real properties specified in the Real Property Leases being
referred to herein collectively as the “Leased Properties”). The
Company has a valid and binding leasehold interest under each of
the Real Property Leases. The Company has not received any written
notice of any default or event that with notice or lapse of time,
or both, would constitute a default under any of the Real Property
Leases, and the Company, and, to the Company’s Knowledge,
each other party thereto, is in material compliance with all
obligations of such party thereunder. Except as set forth on
Section 3.9(b) of the Disclosure Schedule, the Company has not
subleased, assigned or otherwise granted to any Person the right to
use or occupy such Leased Properties or any portion thereof. The
Company’s possession and quiet enjoyment of Leased Property
under each Real Property Lease has not been disturbed and there are
no currently existing disputes with respect to any Real Property
Lease. No security deposit or portion thereof deposited with
respect to any Real Property Lease has been applied in respect of a
breach of or default under any such Real Property Lease that has
not been redeposited in full. The Company does not owe, nor will it
owe in the future, any brokerage commissions or finder’s fees
with respect to any Real Property Lease. The Company has not
collaterally assigned or granted any other Lien in any Real
Property Lease or any interest therein (other than Permitted Liens
or as expressly set forth in any Real Property Lease). There are no
Liens on the estate or interest created by any Real Property Lease
(other than Permitted Liens or as expressly set forth in any Real
Property Lease). The Company has delivered to Parent complete
copies of the Real Property Leases, together with all amendments
and modifications or supplements, if any, thereto.
(c) Neither the
Company nor Wholesale Holdings has received any written notice of
violation of any applicable building, zoning, subdivision, health
and safety and other land use Laws, including the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and all insurance
requirements affecting the Leased Properties (collectively, the
“Real Property
Laws”), and, to the Company’s Knowledge, the
current use or occupancy of the Leased Properties or operation of
the Business thereon does not violate any Real Property Laws. The
Company has not received any written notice of violation of any
Real Property Law. To the Knowledge of the Company, there is no
pending or threatened zoning application or proceeding, or
condemnation, eminent domain or taking proceeding with respect to
the Leased Properties.
16
(d) The Leased
Properties constitute all interests in real property currently used
or currently held for use in connection with the Business or which
are necessary for the continued operation of the Business as the
Business is currently conducted.
Section
3.10 Tangible
Personal Property; Title; Sufficiency of Assets.
(a) Section 3.10(a)
of the
Disclosure Schedule lists all leases of personal property
(“Personal Property
Leases”) involving annual payments in excess of
$25,000 relating to personal property used by the Company or to
which the Company is a party or by which the properties of the
Company are bound. Wholesale Holdings is not a party to any
Personal Property Lease. The Company has made available to Parent
or its representatives true, correct and complete copies of the
Personal Property Leases, together with all amendments and material
modifications or supplements, if any, thereto.
(b) The Company has a
valid leasehold interest under each of the Personal Property Leases
under which it is a lessee, and there is no default under any
Personal Property Lease by the Company or, to the Knowledge of the
Company, by any other party thereto, and no event has occurred that
with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both would
constitute a default thereunder, and the Company, and to the
Knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto is in compliance
with all obligations of the Company or such other party, as the
case may be, thereunder.
(c) Wholesale Holdings
(and not any Affiliate thereof) has valid title to the Membership
Interests, free and clear of any Liens (other than Permitted Liens
and restrictions under the Securities Act and Blue Sky Laws). The
Company (and not any Affiliate thereof) has good and marketable
title to all its assets, free and clear of any and all Liens,
except for Permitted Liens. Such assets include all assets, rights
and interests reasonably required for the conduct of the Business
as presently conducted.
Section
3.11 Intellectual
Property.
(a) Wholesale
Holdings does not own any registered Intellectual Property. The
Company owns, free and clear from all Liens other than Permitted
Liens, or otherwise possesses sufficient rights to use all of the
Intellectual Property reasonably necessary to the conduct of the
Business as currently conducted. The Intellectual Property owned by
the Company (“Owned
Intellectual Property”), licenses for commercially
available software, and the Intellectual Property licensed to the
Company under the Intellectual Property Licenses comprise all of
the Intellectual Property that is used in or is reasonably
necessary to conduct the Business as currently
conducted.
17
(b) Section 3.11(b) of
the Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true, complete and correct
list of all Owned Intellectual Property for which a registration or
application has been filed with a Governmental Body, including
patents, trademarks, service marks, copyrights and trade names,
issued by or registered with, or for which any application for
issuance or registration thereof has been filed with, any
Governmental Body. All required filings and fees related to the
Owned Intellectual Property have been timely filed with and paid to
the relevant Governmental Body and authorized registrars, and all
Owned Intellectual Property is otherwise in good standing with such
registering bodies. Section 3.11(b)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedule
sets forth a complete and correct list of all written or oral
licenses and arrangements (other than ordinary course licenses of
commercially available software), (A) pursuant to which the
use by any Person of Owned Intellectual Property is permitted by
the Company or (B) pursuant to which the use by the Company of
Intellectual Property is permitted by any Person (collectively, the
“Intellectual
Property Licenses”). The Intellectual Property
Licenses are valid and enforceable between the Company and the
other parties thereto, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, to
the Knowledge of the Company, binding on the parties thereto, and
are in full force and effect. There is no default under any
Intellectual Property License by the Company or, to the Knowledge
of the Company, by any other party thereto, and, to the Knowledge
of the Company, no event has occurred that with the lapse of time
or the giving of notice or both would constitute a default
thereunder. The Company, and to the Knowledge of the Company, each
other party thereto is in compliance with all obligations under
each Intellectual Property License.
(c) To the Knowledge of
the Company, the operation of the Business as presently conducted
does not interfere with, infringe upon, misappropriate, or
otherwise come into conflict with, any Intellectual Property rights
of third parties.
(d) There is no written
claim or demand of any Person pertaining to, or any proceeding that
is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, that
challenges the rights of the Company in respect of any Owned
Intellectual Property, or claims that any default exists under any
Intellectual Property License.
(e) Except as
described in Section 3.11(e)(i) of the Disclosure Schedule, all
Persons involved in the development of Owned Intellectual Property
have entered into confidentiality and assignment of inventions
agreements substantially in the form included in Section
3.11(e)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedule.
Section
3.12 Contracts.
(a) Section 3.12(a)
of the
Disclosure Schedule sets forth all of the Material Contracts. As
used herein, “Material Contracts” shall
mean the following Contracts of the Company or Wholesale Holdings
that are currently in effect:
(i) Contracts relating
to the employment or engagement of any employee or individual
independent contractor, or any bonus, deferred compensation,
pension, profit sharing, stock option, employee stock purchase,
retirement, retention, severance, or change of control arrangement
with any current or former employee, individual independent
contractor, officer or director of the Company;
18
(ii) Contracts
with any employee or labor union or association representing any
employee;
(iii) Contracts
relating to capital expenditures that obligate the Company to spend
in excess of $75,000 in any future fiscal year;
(iv) Contracts
entered into within the last five years relating to the acquisition
or disposition of any equity interests in or, except in the
ordinary course of business, assets of any Person;
(v) Contracts creating
or otherwise related to any joint venture or
partnership;
(vi) Contracts
limiting the ability of the Company to engage in any line of
business or to compete with any Person or to conduct business in
any geographical area or to solicit any Person for employment, in
each case, that would be binding upon Parent following
Closing;
(vii) Contracts
relating to any Indebtedness for Borrowed Money of the Company
(other than accounts payable to trade creditors in the ordinary and
usual course of business consistent with past custom and practice),
including credit facilities, promissory notes, security agreements,
and other credit support arrangements, and Contracts under which
the Company has imposed or incurred a Lien on any of its assets,
other than Permitted Liens;
(viii) Contracts
granting a power of attorney, revocable or irrevocable, to any
Person for any purpose whatsoever;
(ix) Contracts
that provide for the assumption of any Tax or environmental
Liability of any Person;
(x) Contracts relating
to any loan (other than accounts receivable from trade debtors in
the ordinary and usual course of business consistent with past
custom and practice) or advance to (other than ordinary course
travel allowances to the employees of the Company), or investments
in, any Person;
(xi) Contracts
relating to any guarantee or other contingent Liability in respect
of any Indebtedness for Borrowed Money of any Person (other than
the endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the
ordinary and usual course of business consistent with past custom
and practice);
(xii) Contracts
with any Governmental Body;
(xiii) Contracts,
loans and/or lease arrangements involving, directly or indirectly,
any material rebates, payments, commissions, promotional allowances
or any other economic benefits, regardless of their nature or type,
to or from any Affiliate or to or from any customer, supplier,
employee or agent of the Company;
19
(xiv) any
Contracts with a Material Customer or Material Supplier that are
reasonably likely to involve the receipt or payment of an amount in
excess of $50,000 in any 12-month period and that cannot be
cancelled by the Company without material penalty and without more
than sixty (60) days’ notice; and
(xv) any
other Contract that is material to the Company.
(b) True, correct and
complete copies of the Contracts required to be set forth in
Section 3.12(a) of the Disclosure Schedule have previously been
made available to Parent or its representatives by the Company.
Other than as a result of the Reorganization, neither the Company
nor Wholesale Holdings is in default, and no event has occurred
that, with the giving of notice or the passage of time or both,
would constitute a default under any such Material Contract by the
Company or Wholesale Holdings, and, to the Knowledge of the
Company, no event has occurred that, with the giving of notice or
the passage of time or both, would constitute a default by any
other party to any such Contract. Each of the Contracts required to
be set forth in Section 3.12(a) of the Disclosure Schedule is in
full force and effect, is valid and enforceable in accordance with
its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and, to the
Knowledge of the Company, is not subject to any claims, charges,
setoffs or defenses. There are no disputes pending or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened under any such Material
Contract. Each of the Company and Wholesale Holdings and, to the
Knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto is in compliance
with all of its material obligations under each such
Contract.
Section
3.13 Employee
Benefits.
(a) Section 3.13(a)
of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and correct list
of (i) all “employee benefit plans” as defined in
Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and any other
pension plans or employee benefit agreements, arrangements,
programs or payroll practices (including severance pay, other
termination benefits or compensation, vacation pay, salary, company
awards, stock option, stock purchase, salary continuation for
disability, sick leave, retirement, deferred compensation, bonus or
other incentive compensation, stock purchase arrangements or
policies, hospitalization, medical insurance, life insurance and
scholarship programs) (whether funded or unfunded, written or oral,
qualified or nonqualified), sponsored, maintained or contributed to
or required to be contributed to by the Company for the benefit of
any employee, leased employee, director, officer, shareholder or
independent contractor (in each case either current or former) of
the Company (“Employee Benefit Plans”).
Section 3.13(a) of the Disclosure Schedule identifies, in separate
categories, Employee Benefit Plans that are (i) subject to
Section 210(a), 4063 and 4064 of ERISA or Section 413(c) of the
Code (“Multiple
Employer Plans”), (ii) multiemployer plans (as defined
in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA) (“Multiemployer Plans”) or
(iii) “benefit plans”, within the meaning of Section
5000(b)(1) of the Code providing continuing benefits after
retirement (other than as required by Section 4980B of the Code or
Part 6 of Title I of ERISA or similar state or local Law). The
Company does not have any Liability or contingent Liability with
respect to any plan, arrangement or practice of the type described
in this Section 3.13(a) other than the Employee Benefit Plans set
forth on Section 3.13(a) of the Disclosure Schedule.
20
(b) None of the
Company, any of its Affiliates or any other trade or business,
whether or not incorporated, that together with the Company or its
Affiliates would be deemed a “single employer” within
the meaning of Section 4001 of ERISA (a “Company ERISA Affiliate”)
has ever participated in, been required to contribute to, or
otherwise been required to participate in any Multiemployer Plan or
any Multiple Employer Plan. No Employee Benefit Plan is or at any
time was a “defined benefit plan” as defined in Section
3(35) of ERISA or a pension plan subject to the funding standards
of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code. Neither the
Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Company ERISA Affiliate
has ever participated in, been required to contribute to, or
otherwise been required to participate in any plan, program or
arrangement subject to Title IV of ERISA. No Employee Benefit Plan
is a multiple employer welfare arrangement as defined in Section
3(40) of ERISA.
(c) Each of the
Employee Benefit Plans intended to qualify under Section 401(a) or
403(a) of the Code (“Qualified Plans”) has
received a determination letter or opinion from the IRS to such
effect and the trusts maintained thereto are exempt from federal
income taxation under Section 501 of the Code and nothing has
occurred with respect to any such plan which would reasonably be
expected to cause the loss of such qualification or exemption.
There has been no termination or partial termination of such
Qualified Plan within the meaning of Code Section 411(d)(3) and the
present value of all Liabilities under any such plan will not
exceed the current fair market value of the assets of such plan
(determined using the actuarial assumption used for the most recent
actuarial valuation for such plan).
(d) All contributions,
reimbursements, accruals and premiums required by Law or by the
terms of any Employee Benefit Plan or any agreement relating
thereto for all periods ending prior to or as of the Effective Date
have been timely paid or properly accrued on the Balance Sheet and
the books and records of the Company. No Employee Benefit Plan has
any unfunded Liabilities which are not reflected on the Balance
Sheet or the books and records of the Company.
(e) There has been no
material violation of or material failure to comply with ERISA or
the Code with respect to the filing of applicable returns, reports,
documents and notices regarding any of the Employee Benefit Plans
with the DOL, the IRS, the PBGC or any other Governmental Body or
the furnishing of such notices or documents to the participants or
beneficiaries of the Employee Benefit Plans.
(f) True, correct and
complete copies of the following documents, with respect to
each of the Employee Benefit Plans, have been made available to
Parent or its representatives by the Company: (A) any plans and
related trust documents (all amendments thereto), investment
management agreements, administrative service contracts, group
annuity contracts, insurance contracts, collective bargaining
agreements and employee handbooks, (B) the most recent Forms 5500
for the past three years and schedules thereto, (C) the most recent
consolidated financial statements and actuarial valuations for the
past three years, (D) the most recent IRS determination letters,
(E) the most recent summary plan descriptions (including letters or
other documents updating such descriptions) and (F) written
descriptions of all non-written agreements relating to the Employee
Benefit Plans.
21
(g) There are no
pending Legal Proceedings which have been asserted or instituted
or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against any of the
Employee Benefit Plans, the assets of any such plans or of any
related trust or the Company, the plan administrator or any
fiduciary of the Employee Benefit Plans with respect to such plans
(other than routine benefit claims), and, to the Knowledge of the
Company, there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably
be expected to form the basis for any such Legal Proceeding. No
Employee Benefit Plan is under audit or investigation by the IRS,
DOL, or any other Governmental Body and no such completed audit, if
any, has resulted in the imposition of Tax, interest, or
penalty.
(h) Each of the
Employee Benefit Plans complies in all material respects with its
terms and all provisions of applicable Law, including ERISA and the
Code, and all reporting requirements have been materially satisfied
on a timely basis.
(i) The Company
maintains a “group health plan” within the meaning of
Section 5000(b)(1) of the Code and each plan sponsor or
administrator has complied with the COBRA reporting, disclosure,
notice, election, and other benefit continuation and coverage
requirements of Section 4980B of the Code, the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Part 6 of Title I of
ERISA and the applicable regulations thereunder and any comparable
state Laws, including material compliance with the Company’s
COBRA obligations rising in connection with the transactions
contemplated herein.
(j) No Employee Benefit
Plan provides medical or dental benefits for any current or former
employees or other service providers of the Company after
retirement of employment or other service other than rights that
may be provided by Law.
(k) No
“prohibited transaction”, within the meaning of ERISA
or the Code, or breach of any duty imposed on
“fiduciaries” pursuant to ERISA has occurred with
respect to any Employee Benefit Plan that would reasonably be
expected to result in liability to the Company.
(l) Neither the
execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby (in each case either alone or
in conjunction with any other event) will, with or without the
passage of time or the giving of notice (i) result in any payment
becoming due to any service provider; (ii) increase any benefits
otherwise payable to any service provider including under any
Employee Benefit Plan; or (iii) result in the acceleration of the
time of payment or vesting of any such benefits.
(m) No security issued
by the Company forms or has formed any part of the assets of any
Employee Benefit Plan.
(n) The consummation of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not give rise
to any Liability for termination of any agreements related to any
Employee Benefit Plan.
(o) Each Employee
Benefit Plan that purports to provide benefits which qualify for
tax-favored treatment under Sections 79, 105, 106, 117, 120, 125,
127, 129, and 132 of the Code satisfies the requirements of said
Section(s) in all material respects.
22
(p) The Company has
taken such actions necessary with respect to each Employee Benefit
Plan to ensure that no service provider of the Company is subject
to taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code that would
reasonably be expected to result in liability to the
Company.
(q) Each Employee
Benefit Plan, its related trust and insurance agreement may be
unilaterally amended or terminated on no more than ninety (90)
days’ notice.
Section
3.14 Labor.
(a) Wholesale Holdings
has no (and never has had any) employees, consultants or
contractors. Section 3.14(a) of the Disclosure Schedule
contains a list of all persons who are employees, consultants or
contractors of the Company as of the date hereof, and sets forth
for each such individual, as applicable, the following: (i) name,
(ii) title or position (including whether full or part time), (iii)
hire date, (iv) current annual base compensation rate, (v)
commission, bonus or other incentive-based compensation paid during
the prior fiscal year, and (vi) designation as either exempt or
non-exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor
Standards Act.
(b) Neither the Company
nor Wholesale Holdings is, nor has ever been, a party to or bound
by any labor or collective bargaining agreement or other Contract
with a labor organization representing any of its employees, and
there are no labor organizations representing or, to the
Company’s Knowledge, purporting or attempting to represent
any employee of the Company with respect to the Business. To the
Knowledge of the Company, there is not, nor has there been within
the last three years, any threat of any strike, slowdown, work
stoppage, lockout, concerted refusal to work overtime, arbitrations
or other similar labor activity or dispute affecting the Company or
Wholesale Holdings. There are no grievances, arbitrations, unfair
labor practice charges, or other labor disputes pending or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or
Wholesale Holdings.
(c) No labor
organization or group of employees of the Company has made a
pending demand for recognition, and there are no representation
proceedings or petitions seeking a representation proceeding
presently pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened
to be brought or filed, with the National Labor Relations Board or
other labor relations tribunal. To the Knowledge of the Company,
there is no organizing activity involving the Company pending or
threatened by any labor organization or group of employees of the
Company.
(d) To the Knowledge of
the Company, no executive or key employee has notified the Company
of his/her intention to terminate employment with the Company
independently of or as a result of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
23
(e) Except as set forth
on Section 3.14(e) of the Disclosure Schedule, to the Knowledge of
the Company, each of the Company and Wholesale Holdings is and has
been in compliance with all applicable Laws in all material
respects pertaining to employment and employment practices to the
extent they relate to the employees of the Company, including all
Laws relating to labor relations, equal employment opportunities,
fair employment practices, employment discrimination, harassment,
retaliation, reasonable accommodation, disability rights or
benefits, immigration, wage and hours, overtime compensation, child
labor, health and safety, workers’ compensation, uniformed
services employment, whistleblowers, leaves of absence and
unemployment insurance. There are no Legal Proceedings pending
against the Company or Wholesale Holdings, or to the
Company’s Knowledge, threatened to be brought or filed, by or
with any Governmental Body or arbitrator in connection with the
employment of any current or former employee, consultant or
independent contractor, including any claim relating to unfair
labor practices, employment discrimination, harassment,
retaliation, equal pay or any other employment related matter
arising under applicable Laws. There are no internal written
complaints or reports by any current or former employee, consultant
or independent contractor pursuant to the anti-harassment policy of
the Company that are pending or under investigation by the
Company.
(f) Assuming that
following Closing, the Company makes bona fide offers of employment
(or of continuing employment) commencing upon Closing Date to that
number or percentage of employees and upon such terms so as to
avoid applicability of WARN, the Company has complied with
WARN.
(g) To the Knowledge of
the Company, all employees of the Company are residing and/or
working in the United States (i) free of any restrictions or
limitations on their ability to accept employment lawfully in the
United States and (ii) in compliance with all applicable Laws
relating to immigration. No Legal Proceeding has been filed or
commenced against the Company or, to the Company’s Knowledge,
any employees thereof, that (A) alleges any failure to comply with
any applicable Laws relating to immigration or (B) seeks removal,
exclusion or other restrictions on (I) such employee’s
ability to reside and/or accept employment lawfully in the United
States and/or (II) the continued ability of the Company to sponsor
employees for immigration benefits and, to the Knowledge of the
Company, there is no reasonable basis for any of the foregoing. No
Legal Proceeding is pending against the Company with respect to its
compliance with applicable Laws relating to immigration in
connection with its hiring practices.
Section
3.15 Litigation. Except as set
forth in Section 3.15 of the Disclosure Schedule, there is no Legal
Proceeding pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened
against the Company or Wholesale Holdings (or, to the Knowledge of
the Company, pending or threatened against any of the officers,
directors or key employees of the Company in relation to the
Company or the Business) before any court or other Governmental
Body or any arbitral tribunal. Neither the Company nor Wholesale
Holdings is currently engaged in any Legal Proceeding to recover
monies due it or for damages sustained by it. Neither the Company
nor Wholesale Holdings is subject to any Order of any Governmental
Body.
24
Section
3.16 Compliance with Laws;
Permits.
(a) To the Knowledge of
the Company, each of the Company and Wholesale Holdings is, and for
the last three (3) years has been, in compliance in all material
respects with all Laws applicable to it or the operation, use,
occupancy or ownership of its assets or properties or the conduct
of the Business. Neither the Company nor Wholesale Holdings has
received written notice from any Governmental Body of any failure
to comply with any Law. There is no investigation by a Governmental
Body pending against or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
threatened against the Company.
(b) Wholesale Holdings
does not hold any Permits with respect to the Business. Section
3.16(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and
accurate list of each material Permit that is held by the Company
or that otherwise relates to the Business. Each Permit listed or
required to be listed in Section 3.16(b) of the Disclosure Schedule
is valid and in full force and effect. Except as set forth in
Section 3.16(b) of the Disclosure Schedule: (i) the Company is, and
has been for the last three (3) years, in material compliance with
all of the terms and requirements of each Permit identified or
required to be identified in Section 3.16(b) of the Disclosure
Schedule; (ii) the Company has not received written notice from any
Governmental Body regarding any (A) actual, alleged, possible or
potential violation of or failure to comply with any term or
requirement of any Permit listed or required to be listed in
Section 3.16(b) of the Disclosure Schedule that has not been
resolved without a penalty that continues to impact such Permit or
(B) any actual, proposed, possible or potential revocation,
withdrawal, suspension, cancellation or termination of any Permit
listed or required to be listed in Section 3.16(b) of the
Disclosure Schedule that has not been resolved without a penalty
that continues to impact such Permit; and (iii) all applications
required to have been filed for the most-recent renewal of the
Permits identified or required to be identified in Section 3.16(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule have been duly filed on a timely basis
with the appropriate Governmental Bodies. The Permits identified in
Section 3.16(b) of the Disclosure Schedule collectively constitute
all of the material Permits necessary to enable the Company to
lawfully conduct and operate the Business and to own and use its
assets in the manner in which it currently owns and uses such
assets.
Section
3.17 Environmental
Matters.
(a) The operations of
the Company and Wholesale Holdings are currently and have been in
compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, except as would
not cause a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The Company has
obtained and currently maintains all material Permits required
under all applicable Environmental Laws necessary to operate the
Business as currently conducted.
(c) Neither the Company
nor Wholesale Holdings has received any written communication from
a Governmental Body alleging either that it may be in violation of
any Environmental Law or that it may have any Liability under any
Environmental Law.
25
(d) To the Knowledge of
the Company, neither the Company nor Wholesale Holdings has any
material Liability in connection with the release of any Hazardous
Materials at, on or under the Leased Properties.
(e) To the Knowledge of
the Company, there is not located at any of the Leased Properties
any underground storage tanks.
(f) The Company has
made available to Parent or its representatives all environmental
audits, studies, reports, analyses, and results of investigations
that have been performed by or on behalf of the Company within the
previous two years with respect to the Leased
Properties.
Section
3.18 Insurance. Wholesale
Holdings does not own any insurance policies. Section 3.18 of the
Disclosure Schedule includes a true, correct and complete list and
description, including policy number, coverage and deductible, of
all insurance policies owned by the Company, true, correct and
complete copies of which policies have been made available to
Parent or its representatives by the Company. Such policies are in
full force and effect, all premiums due thereon have been paid and
the Company is not in default thereunder. Such insurance policies
are sufficient for compliance with all applicable Laws and Material
Contracts to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.
The Company has not received any written notice of cancellation or
intent to cancel or materially increase premiums with respect to
such insurance policies. Section 3.18 of the Disclosure Schedule
also contains a list of all pending claims and any claims in the
past year with any insurance company by the Company and any
instances within the previous year of a denial of coverage of the
Company by any insurance company.
(a) Wholesale Holdings
does not have any accounts receivable. The accounts receivable and
notes receivable of the Company reflected in the Balance Sheet and
arising after the date thereof have arisen in bona fide
arm’s-length transactions in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past custom and practice, and, subject to the
allowance for doubtful accounts set forth in the Balance Sheet, to
the Knowledge of the Company, all such receivables that have not
previously been collected are valid and binding obligations of the
account debtors without any counterclaims, setoffs or other
defenses thereto. A complete list of all accounts receivable and
notes receivable of the Company as of the date hereof is included
in Section 3.19 of the Disclosure Schedule.
(b) Wholesale Holdings
does not have any accounts payable. All accounts payable of the
Company reflected on the Balance Sheet and arising after the date
thereof are the result of bona fide transactions in the ordinary
course of business.
Section
3.20 Inventory.
Wholesale Holdings does not have any Inventory. All Inventory is in
compliance in all material respects with the terms of the Floor
Plan Agreement. All Inventory is owned by the Company free and
clear of all Liens, except for Liens in connection with the Floor
Plan.
26
Section
3.21 Customers and
Suppliers.
(a) Wholesale
Holdings does not have any customers or suppliers. Section 3.21(a)
of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and correct list
of the top ten (10) customers of the Company for the most recently
ended fiscal year and for the eight (8) month period ended August
31, 2018 (the “Material Customers”) and
the amount of sales to each such customer during such
period.
(b) Section 3.21(b)
of the
Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and correct list of the
top ten (10) suppliers of each of the Company for the most recently
ended fiscal year and for the eight (8) month period ended August
31, 2018 (the “Material Suppliers”) and
the amount of purchases from each such supplier during such
period.
.
Except as described in Section 3.22 of the Disclosure Schedule,
neither the Company nor Wholesale Holdings has loaned or borrowed
any amounts to or from, and does not have outstanding any
Indebtedness or other similar obligations to or from, any Affiliate
of the Company or Wholesale Holdings or any Stockholder. Except as
described in Section 3.22 of the Disclosure Schedule, neither the
Company nor any Affiliate of either of them nor, to the Knowledge
of the Company, any officer or employee of any of them (i) has
owned any direct or indirect interest of any kind in, or controls
or is a director, officer, employee or partner of, or consultant
to, or lender to or borrower from or has the right to participate
in the profits of, any Person that is (A) a competitor, supplier,
distributor, customer, landlord, tenant, creditor or debtor of the
Company, (B) engaged in a business related to the Business, or (C)
a participant in any material transaction to which the Company has
been a party or (ii) has been a party to any Contract with the
Company or engaged in any transaction or business with the Company
or Wholesale Holdings. Neither the Company nor Wholesale Holdings
has any Contract or understanding with any officer, director,
employee or shareholder of the Company or Wholesale Holdings, or
any Affiliate of any such Person that relates, directly or
indirectly, to the subject matter of any Transaction Document or
the consideration payable thereunder or that contains any terms,
provisions or conditions relating to the entry into or performance
of any Transaction Document by the Company or Wholesale
Holdings.
Section
3.23 Brokers
Fees. Neither the
Company nor Wholesale Holdings has any Liability to pay any
commissions or similar fees to any investment banker, broker or
finder with respect to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
27
Section
3.24 Absence
of Certain Business Practices. Except as set
forth in Section 3.24 of the Disclosure Schedule, neither the
Company nor Wholesale Holdings has, and no Stockholder, no
Affiliate of a Stockholder nor, to the Knowledge of the Company,
any agent of the Company or Wholesale Holdings, acting alone or
together, has directly or indirectly given or agreed to give any
money, gift or similar benefit to any customer, supplier or
employee or agent of any customer or supplier, any official or
employee of any government (domestic or foreign), or any political
party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign), or other
Person who was, is or may be in a position to help or hinder the
business of the Company or Wholesale Holdings (or assist the
Company or Wholesale Holdings in connection with any actual or
proposed transaction), in each case that (i) will subject the
Company or Wholesale Holdings to any damage or penalty in any
civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if
not given in the past, would have had a material and adverse effect
on the assets, Business, or operations of the Company or Wholesale
Holdings, or (iii) if not continued in the future, would materially
and adversely affect the assets, business, or operations of the
Company or Wholesale Holdings. Except as set forth in Section 3.24
of the Disclosure Schedule, no Stockholder, no Affiliate of a
Stockholder nor, to the actual knowledge of the Stockholders, any
agent of the Company or Wholesale Holdings, acting alone or
together, has received any rebates, payments, commissions or other
economic benefits, regardless of their nature or type, from any
customer, supplier or employee or agent of any customer or supplier
that if not given in the past, in each case that (i) will subject
the Company or Wholesale Holdings to any damage or penalty in any
civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding or (ii)
would have had a material and adverse effect on the Business or
Financial Statements of the Company.
(a) with respect to any
borrowing or investment arrangements, deposit or checking accounts
or safety deposit boxes of the Company or Wholesale Holdings, the
name of the financial institution, the type of account and the
account number; and
(b) the name of each
Person holding a general or special power of attorney from or with
respect to the Company or Wholesale Holdings and a description of
the terms of each such power.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
Parent
and Merger Sub, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to the
Company that the following statements are true and
correct:
28
Section
4.1 Organization;
Governing Documents. Each of Parent
and Merger Sub is a corporation or limited liability company, as
applicable, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the Laws of the State of its incorporation or formation, as
applicable, and has all requisite corporate or limited liability
company, as applicable, power and authority to own, lease and
operate its properties and to carry on its business. Each of
Parent, Merger Sub and their respective Subsidiaries is duly
qualified or authorized to do business as a foreign company and is
in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction in which the
conduct of its business or the ownership of its properties requires
such qualification or authorization, except where the failure to be
in good standing would have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent,
Merger Sub or their respective Subsidiaries. Parent has delivered
to the Company accurate and complete copies of the Governing
Documents, for Parent and its Subsidiaries. Schedule 4.1 lists, and
Parent has delivered to the Company, accurate and complete copies
of: (a) the charters of all committees of their respective boards
of directors of Parent and its Subsidiaries; and (b) any code of
conduct or similar policy adopted by Parent and its Subsidiaries,
or by their respective boards of directors, or any committee of
their respective boards of directors. Neither Parent nor any of its
Subsidiaries has taken any action in breach or violation of any of
the provisions of its Governing Documents nor is in breach or
violation of any of the material provisions of their respective
Governing Documents, except as has not had, and would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect on Parent.
Section
4.2 Authorization
and Enforceability. The execution,
delivery and performance of the Agreement and Transaction Documents
to which each of Parent and Merger Sub is a party have been duly
authorized by all necessary action by or on behalf of Parent and
Merger Sub, respectively. Each of Parent and Merger Sub has full
power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and each
other Transaction Document to which it is a party, and to perform
its obligations hereunder and thereunder. This Agreement and each
Transaction Document to which each of Parent and Merger Sub is or
will be a party has been or will be duly and validly executed and
delivered and constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation
of Parent and Merger Sub, respectively, enforceable against Parent
and Merger Sub in accordance with its terms, subject to the
Enforceability Exceptions.
Section
4.3 Conflicts;
Consent of Third Parties. Neither the
execution and the delivery by each of Parent and Merger Sub of this
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a
party, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby on the part of Parent and Merger Sub, will, with or
without the passage of time or the giving of notice (a) conflict
with, or result in the breach of, any provision of the Governing
Documents of Parent or Merger Sub or (b) conflict with, violate,
result in the breach or termination of, or constitute a default
under, result in an acceleration of, or create in any party the
right to accelerate, terminate, modify or cancel, any Contract to
which Parent or Merger is a party or by which Parent or Merger Sub
or any of their properties or assets are bound.
Section
4.4 Brokers
Fees. Neither Parent
nor Merger Sub has any Liability to pay any fees or commissions to
any broker, finder or agent with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
29
Section
4.5 No
Proceedings. No suit, action
or other proceeding is pending before any Governmental Body seeking
to restrain or prohibit Parent or Merger Sub from entering into
this Agreement or to prohibit the Closing or the performance of any
other obligation hereunder.
Section
4.6 Capitalization.
As of the Effective Date, the authorized capital stock of Parent
consists of 1,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, of which
1,000,000 are outstanding as of the date hereof, 99,000,000 shares
of Class B Common Stock, of which 14,438,291 are outstanding as of
the date hereof, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock,
including but not limited to Class B Preferred Stock, of which 0
shares are outstanding as of the date hereof. All of the issued and
outstanding shares of Common Stock and shares of Preferred Stock
have been duly authorized, validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable, and have been issued in compliance with all
applicable Laws. Other than (x) 785,500 shares of Class B Common
Stock reserved for issuance under the Parent Stock Incentive Plan,
(y) 1,061,500 shares of Class B Common Stock underlying outstanding
restricted stock units granted under the Parent Stock Incentive
Plan, and (z) 300,068 shares of Class B Common Stock reserved for
issuance underlying warrants, the Company had no shares of common
stock or shares of preferred stock reserved for issuance as of the
date of this Agreement. Except as set forth above, there are no
outstanding rights, options, warrants, conversion rights, stock
appreciation rights, redemption rights, repurchase rights, calls,
commitments, preemptive or other rights or agreements of any kind
that obligate Parent to repurchase, redeem, acquire, issue or sell
any shares of capital stock or other securities of Parent or any of
its Subsidiaries or any securities or obligations convertible or
exchangeable into or exercisable for, or that give any Person a
right to subscribe for or acquire, any securities of Parent or any
of its Subsidiaries, and no securities or obligations evidencing
such rights are authorized, issued or outstanding. Except as set
forth in Schedule
4.6 and as contemplated by this Agreement, there are no
voting agreements, stock plans or other equity incentive plans,
voting trusts, proxies, registration rights agreements, stockholder
agreements or other Contracts with respect to any capital stock of
Parent. As of the Closing Date, the authorized capital stock of
Parent shall consist of 1,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock,
of which 1,000,000 shall be outstanding, 99,000,000 shares of Class
B Common Stock, of which 17,468,291 shall be outstanding, and
10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, including but not limited to
Class B Preferred Stock, of which no shares will be outstanding
other than the Parent Consideration Shares.
Section
4.7 Issuance
of Parent Consideration Shares. The issuance of
the Parent Consideration Shares hereunder is duly authorized and,
when issued and delivered in accordance with this Agreement, will
be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will have
been issued in compliance with applicable securities Laws or
exemptions therefrom, will not be issued in violation of any
preemptive rights of any stockholder of Parent or any other Person
and shall be issued and delivered by Parent to the Stockholders
pursuant to this Agreement, free of any Liens, subject to the
restrictions set forth herein and applicable securities Laws. The
issuance of the Conversion Shares, when duly authorized and, when
issued and delivered in accordance with this Agreement, will be
duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will have
been issued in compliance with applicable securities Laws or
exemptions therefrom, will not be issued in violation of any
preemptive rights of any stockholder of Parent or any other Person
and shall be issued and delivered by Parent to the Stockholders,
free of any Liens, subject to the restrictions set forth herein and
applicable securities Laws. Parent is, and to Parent’s
Knowledge shall remain, eligible to register secondary offerings of
securities, including the resale of its Class B Common Stock with
the SEC pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3 under the
Securities Act, and the resale registration of the Conversion
Shares, may, and, as set forth in Section 5.8(e), shall be done in
compliance with all applicable Laws and any applicable rules and
regulations of Nasdaq.
30
Section
4.8 Parent
SEC Reports; Financial Statements; Absence of Certain
Developments.
(a) Since January 9,
2017, Parent has timely filed or furnished all SEC Reports required
to be filed or furnished by it. Each of the SEC Reports at the time
of its filing or being furnished complied in all material respects
with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and
the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), and
any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to the
SEC Reports, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. There are no outstanding or
unresolved comments received from the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”) with respect to any
of the SEC Reports, and, to Parent and Merger Sub’s
Knowledge, none of the SEC Reports is the subject of any ongoing
review by the SEC. The certifications and statements required by
(i) Rule 13a-14 under the Exchange Act and (ii) 18 U.S.C.
§1350 (Section 906 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act) relating to the
SEC Reports are accurate and complete in all material respects and
comply as to form and content in all material respects with all
applicable law.
(b) The financial
statements of Parent included in the SEC Reports comply in all
material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the
rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as in effect
at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared
in accordance with GAAP and practices as in effect from time to
time and applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods
involved, except that unaudited financial statements may not
contain all footnotes required by such accounting principles, but
otherwise comply with Article X of Regulations S-X in respect of
condensed interim financial statements, and fairly present in all
material respects the financial position of Parent and its
consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the
results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended,
subject, in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, to
normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments in accordance with
GAAP consistently applied during the periods involved.
(c) Parent is in
compliance in all material respects with the applicable listing and
corporate governance rules and regulations of Nasdaq. From January
1, 2017 through the date hereof, Parent has not received any
comment letter from the SEC or the staff thereof or any
correspondence from Nasdaq or the staff thereof relating to the
delisting or maintenance of listing of the Class B Common Stock on
Nasdaq, other than such disclosures or documents that can be
obtained on the SEC’s website at xxx.xxx.xxx.
31
(d) Parent maintains
disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 or
15d-15 under the Exchange Act. Such disclosure controls and
procedures are effective to ensure that all information required to
be disclosed by Parent is recorded and reported on a timely basis
to the individuals responsible for the preparation of
Parent’s SEC Reports and other public disclosure documents.
Parent maintains internal control over financial reporting (as
defined in Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15, as applicable, under the Exchange
Act). Such internal control over financial reporting is effective
in providing reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of
financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
external purposes in accordance with GAAP and includes policies and
procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that are
in reasonable detail and accurately and fairly reflect the
transactions and dispositions of the assets of Parent, (ii) provide
reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP,
and that receipts and expenditures of Parent are being made only in
accordance with authorizations of management and directors of
Parent, and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention
or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition
of Parent’s assets that could have a material effect on its
financial statements. No attorney representing Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries, whether or not employed by Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries, has reported evidence of a violation of securities
Laws, breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation by Parent or
any of its officers, directors, employees or agents pursuant to the
rules adopted pursuant to Section 307 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act.
(e) Parent’s
auditor has at all times since January 1, 2017 been: (i) a
registered public accounting firm (as defined in Section 2(a)(12)
of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act); (ii) to the Knowledge of Parent,
“independent” with respect to Parent within the meaning
of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act; and (iii) to the
Knowledge of Parent, in compliance with applicable subsections of
Section 10A of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated by the SEC and the Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board thereunder.
(f) Parent has
disclosed, based on the most recent evaluation by its chief
executive officer and its chief financial officer prior to the date
hereof, to Parent’s auditors and the audit committee of
Parent’s board of directors (i) any significant
deficiencies in the design or operation of its internal controls
over financial reporting that are reasonably likely to adversely
affect Parent’s ability to record, process, summarize and
report financial information and has identified for Parent’s
auditors and audit committee of the Parent’s board of
directors any material weaknesses in internal control over
financial reporting and (ii) any fraud, whether or not
material, that involves management or other employees who have a
significant role in the Parent’s internal control over
financial reporting. Parent has delivered to the Company prior to
the date hereof (A) a complete and correct summary of any such
disclosure and (B) any material communication made by
management or Parent’s auditors to the audit committee
required or contemplated by listing standards of Nasdaq, the audit
committee’s charter or professional standards of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board. No material complaints from any
source regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or
auditing matters, and no concerns from Parent’s employees
regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters, have been
received by Parent or, to the Knowledge of Parent, Parent’s
independent registered public accounting firm.
32
(g) Since June 30,
2018, Parent has conducted its business in the ordinary course
materially consistent with past practice. Since June 30, 2018,
there has not been any Material Adverse Change with respect to
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries nor has there occurred any event
that is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Change
with respect to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
Section
4.9 Merger
Sub. Merger Sub was
formed solely for the purpose of consummating the Merger and
engaging in the transactions contemplated hereby and has not
conducted any operations or engaged in any business activities,
other than those reasonably necessary to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby.
Section
4.10 No
Other Representations and Warranties. Except for the
representations and warranties of the Stockholders and the Company
expressly set forth in ARTICLE II and ARTICLE III of this Agreement
(including the related portions of the Disclosure Schedule),
neither the Stockholders, nor the Company, nor any other Person has
made or makes, and Parent and Merger Sub acknowledge and agree on
behalf of themselves and any other Parent Indemnitee that they have
not, will not and are not permitted to rely on, any other express
or implied representation or warranty, either written or oral,
whatsoever, including regarding the Stockholders, the Company, the
Business, the completeness or accuracy of any information regarding
the Business or as to the future revenue, profitability or success
of the Business, or any representation or warranty arising from
statute or otherwise in law. Notwithstanding the representations
and warranties of the Stockholders and the Company set forth in
ARTICLE II and ARTICLE III of this Agreement (including the related
portions of the Disclosure Schedule), other than Section 3.3(b),
Parent and Merger Sub acknowledge and agree on behalf of themselves
and any other Parent Indemnitee that the Stockholders shall have no
Liability for a breach of a representation or warranty if such
breach is caused by the Reorganization.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS
(a) If any further
action is necessary to carry out the purposes of this Agreement,
each of the Parties will take such further action (including the
execution and delivery of such further instruments and documents)
as any other Party reasonably may request; provided, however, that
no Party shall be required to incur any out-of-pocket expense in
connection therewith if such Party is entitled to indemnity in
connection therewith. The Stockholders shall reasonably cooperate
with Parent to encourage each lessor, licensor, customer, supplier,
or other business associate of the Company to maintain the same
business relationships with the Company after the Closing as it
maintained with the Company prior to the Closing, at Parent’s
sole cost and expense. In addition, the Stockholders shall use
reasonable efforts to cooperate with and provide reasonable
assistance to Parent in connection with any securities or similar
filings required under Law with respect to the Company and the
transactions contemplated hereby, at Parent’s sole cost and
expense.
33
(b) Following the
Closing, in the event and for so long as Parent actively is
involved in, contesting or defending against any Legal Proceeding
in connection with any fact, situation, circumstances, status,
condition, activity, practice, plan, occurrence, event, incident,
action, Tax matter, failure to act, or transaction involving the
Company or Wholesale Holdings and related to pre-Closing periods,
each Stockholder shall cooperate reasonably with Parent and
Parent’s counsel in such involvement, contest or defense, and
provide such testimony and access to their books and records as
shall be reasonably necessary in connection with such contest or
defense, all at the sole cost and expense of Parent (unless Parent
is entitled to indemnification therefor hereunder).
Section
5.2 Names and
Logos. From and after
the Closing, no Stockholder will, and each Stockholder will cause
its Affiliates (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the Company
or the Surviving Company and its Affiliates) not to, use any names
or logos incorporating or similar to “Wholesale, Inc.”
or any derivatives thereof or any other trade name used in the
Business.
(a) Parent, on the one
hand, and Stockholders, on the other, agree, for all Tax purposes,
to report the transactions effected pursuant to the Transaction
Documents in a manner consistent with the terms of this Agreement
and none of them shall take a position on any Tax return, before
any Tax authority or in any judicial proceeding that is, in any
manner, inconsistent with such treatment without the consent of the
others or unless specifically required pursuant to a determination
by an applicable Tax authority. The Parties shall promptly advise
one another of the existence of any Tax audit, controversy or
litigation related to the Tax treatment of the transactions
effected pursuant to the Transaction Documents.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth herein, one-half of any Tax
(including sales Tax, use Tax, income Tax, or documentary stamp
Tax) attributable to the Merger, or any other transaction
contemplated in the Transaction Documents shall be paid by
Stockholders and one-half of such Taxes shall be paid by
Parent.
(c) For purposes of determining the Taxes of Wholesale
Holdings and the Company through a particular date under all
provisions of this Agreement, in the case of any Tax period that
includes (but does not end on) the Closing Date (a
“Straddle
Period”), the amount of
any Taxes based on or measured by income or receipts for the
portion of the period ending on the Closing Date shall be
determined based on an interim closing of the books as of the close
of business on the Closing Date (and for such purpose, the Tax
period of any partnership or other pass-through entity in which
Wholesale Holdings or the Company holds a beneficial interest shall
be deemed to terminate at such time) and the amount of other Taxes
for a Straddle Period which relates to the portion of the period
ending on the Closing Date shall be deemed to be the amount of such
Tax for the entire Tax period multiplied by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of days in the Tax period ending
on the Closing Date and the denominator of which is the total
number of days in such Straddle Period.
34
(d) Representative shall prepare or cause to be
prepared, at the Representative’s expense, all income Tax
Returns of Wholesale Holdings and the Company for all taxable
periods ending on or prior to the Closing Date with an initial due
date after the Closing Date (taking into account applicable
extensions of time to file) (each, a “Company Pre-Closing
Tax Return”). All Company
Pre-Closing Tax Returns shall be prepared in accordance with
applicable Law, and to the extent not inconsistent with applicable
Law, the past practice of Wholesale Holdings and the Company in
preparing Tax Returns. Representative shall provide Parent with
each Company Pre-Closing Tax Return no later than thirty (30) days
prior to the due date for such Company Pre-Closing Tax Return
(taking into account applicable extensions of time to file) for
Parent’s review, comment and filing. In case of any dispute
regarding a Company Pre-Closing Tax Return provided to Parent for
review and involving a disputed item that would have the effect of
increasing the Tax liability of Wholesale Holdings or the Company
for any period ending after the Closing Date, such dispute shall be
resolved by the Neutral Accountant in accordance with the procedure
analogous to the procedure set forth in Section 1.9.
If any dispute with respect to a Company Pre-Closing Tax Return is
not resolved prior to the due date of such Tax Return, such Tax
Return shall be filed in the manner which Representative deems
correct, without prejudice to any party’s rights and
obligations under this Section
5.3. At the request of
Representative, Representative, on behalf of the
Stockholders, and Parent shall cause the Escrow Amount to pay any
Taxes shown as due on any such Company Pre-Closing Tax Returns, but
excluding any Taxes taken into account in determining the Closing
Net Working Capital. Otherwise, Representative, on behalf of the
Stockholders, shall pay such amounts in cash (excluding any Taxes
taken into account in determining the Closing Net Working
Capital).
(e) Parent shall
prepare or cause to be prepared and file or cause to be filed all
Tax Returns, other than those described in Section 5.3(d) for
Wholesale Holdings and the Company that are filed after the Closing
Date and, subject to the right to payment from the Escrow Account
under the last sentence of this Section 5.3(e), Parent shall pay
all Taxes shown as due on those Tax Returns. All such Tax Returns
prepared by Parent that relate to a Pre-Closing Tax Period of the
Company or with respect to which Stockholders may have an
indemnification obligation under the terms of this Agreement (each,
a “Parent Prepared
Return”) shall be prepared in accordance with
applicable Law, and to the extent not inconsistent with applicable
Law, the past practice of the Company in preparing such Tax
Returns. Parent shall provide Representative with each Parent
Prepared Return prior to the due date for such Parent Prepared
Return (taking into account applicable extensions of time to file)
for Representative’s review, comment and approval. In case of
any dispute regarding a Parent Prepared Return, such dispute shall
be resolved by the Neutral Accountants in accordance with the
procedure set forth in Section 1.9. If any dispute with respect to
a Parent Prepared Return is not resolved prior to the due date of
such Tax Return, such Tax Return shall be filed (i) with respect to
any such Tax Return for a Tax period that ends on or prior to the
Closing Date, in the manner which Representative deems correct and
(ii) with respect to any such Tax Return for a Tax period ending
after the Closing Date, in the manner which Parent deems correct
(it being understood that in either case such filing shall be done
without prejudice to any party’s rights and obligations under
this Section 5.3). Not later than five days prior to the filing of
any such Tax Returns, Representative shall (A) consent to a payment
from the Escrow Account to Parent in respect of any Taxes payable
pursuant to Section 7.1(c) of this Agreement (excluding any Taxes
taken into account in determining the Closing Net Working Capital)
or (B) pay, on behalf of the Stockholders, any Taxes payable
pursuant to Section 7.1(c) of this Agreement in cash (excluding any
Taxes taken into account in determining the Closing Net Working
Capital).
35
(f) The Parties will provide each other with such
reasonable cooperation and information as any of them reasonably
may request of another in filing any Tax Return or conducting any
audit, investigation or other proceeding in respect of Taxes. Each
such Party will make its employees and representatives available on
a mutually convenient basis to provide explanations of any
documents or information provided hereunder. Each such Party will
make available all Tax Returns, schedules and work papers and all
other records or documents relating to Tax matters of Wholesale
Holdings or the Company in their possession or control, including
audit reports received from any Tax authority relating to any Tax
Return of Wholesale Holdings or the Company, until the expiration
of the statute of limitations of the respective Tax periods to
which such Tax Returns and other documents relate. Any non-public
information obtained from the Parties under this
Section 5.3(f) will be kept confidential, except as otherwise
required by applicable Law.
(g) Except to the
extent required by Law, neither Parent nor any Affiliate of Parent
(including after the Closing, the Surviving Company or its
Subsidiaries) shall amend or cause the Surviving Company to amend
any Tax Return of Wholesale Holdings
or the Company for any Pre-Closing Tax Period without the
prior written consent of the Representative, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld, condition or delayed. Without the
prior written consent of the Representative (which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed), neither
Parent nor any Affiliate of Parent shall (or shall cause the
Surviving Company or its Subsidiaries to) seek any Tax audit or
similar review (including but not limited to participation in any
“voluntary disclosure program” or similar procedure
with any Governmental Body) of Wholesale Holdings or the Company relating
to any Pre-Closing Tax Period of the Company.
(h) If any Governmental
Body issues to Wholesale Holdings
or the Company or the Surviving Company a written notice of
its intent to conduct any audit, examination, contest, litigation
or other proceeding, suit or dispute with respect to Taxes of the
Company (a “Tax
Proceeding”) or relating to any Tax claim or
deficiency, in each case for any Pre-Closing Tax Period (other than
a Straddle Period) or with respect to any Tax for which the
Stockholders could reasonably be expected to be responsible by
reason of the indemnity provisions of this Agreement or otherwise,
the Parent shall promptly (and in all events within ten (10) days
of receipt) notify the Representative of its receipt of such
communication from the Governmental Body; provided, however, that the failure to
notify shall not affect the Stockholders’ obligations under
the Agreement unless such failure has materially prejudiced the
Representative in the defense of such Tax Proceeding and, solely to
the extent, increased the amount of Taxes that would have been
payable in the absence of such failure to promptly
notify.
(i) The
Representative shall have the right to represent the interests of
the Company in any and all Tax Proceedings relating to Tax Returns
or Taxes of Wholesale Holdings or the Company for any Pre-Closing
Tax Periods to the extent that such Tax Proceeding (i) involves any
Tax Returns of Wholesale Holdings or the Company for any
Pre-Closing Tax Period; (ii) may affect the Tax liability of (or
the amount of any Tax refund, credit or offset of) the Stockholders
for any Pre-Closing Tax Period; or (iii) is reasonably be expected
to give rise to indemnification obligations from the Stockholders
under this Agreement. The Representative and Parent shall jointly
agree on the conduct of any Tax Proceedings relating to any
Straddle Period Tax Return to the extent that the Stockholders may
have an indemnification obligation with respect to such Straddle
Period Tax Return under this Agreement.
36
(j) In the event that
Parent and, after the Closing, the Surviving Company or its
Subsidiaries on the one hand, or the Representative on the other
controls a Tax Proceeding of the Company or the Surviving Company
(such party, the “Controlling Party”) and
the outcome of the Tax Proceeding would reasonably be expected to
give rise to an indemnification obligation under this Agreement by
the other party (the “Participating Party”),
then (i) the Controlling Party shall control such contest
diligently and in good faith; (ii) the Controlling Party shall keep
the Participating Party reasonably informed regarding the status of
such Tax Proceeding and shall provide to Participating Party copies
of any and all correspondence received from the Tax authority
related to such Tax Proceeding; (iii) the Participating Party, at
their sole cost and expense, shall have the right to participate,
or cause the Company, Surviving Company or its Subsidiaries, to
participate in such Tax Proceeding and in connection therewith, the
Controlling Party shall provide the Participating Party with the
opportunity to attend conferences with the Tax authority and to
review and provide comments with respect to written responses
provided to the Tax authority, and (iv) the Controlling Party shall
not settle, resolve, compromise or abandon (and shall not allow the
Company or the Surviving Company to settle, resolve, or abandon)
such Tax Proceeding without the prior written permission of the
Participating Party (which shall not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed). Parent shall promptly notify the
Representative in writing upon receipt by Parent or any Affiliate
of Parent (including the Company or the Surviving Company) of any
pending or threatened Tax Proceedings relating to the Company or
the Surviving Company or the income, properties or operations of
the Company, the Surviving Company or any of its Subsidiaries for
any Tax period ending on or prior to the Closing Date or any
Straddle Period.
(k) Parent shall,
and shall cause the Surviving Company and its Subsidiaries to
remit, to the Representative within ten (10) days after receipt (or
realization by way of a reduction in Taxes otherwise payable) by
the Parent, the Surviving Company or its Subsidiaries (or a Tax
group of which any of them is a member), the portion of all refunds
or credits of Taxes that relate to any Pre-Closing Tax Period (or
Tax that is or would be the responsibility of the Stockholders
under this Agreement). Parent, the Surviving Company and its
Subsidiaries (and any Tax group of which the Surviving Company or
any of its Subsidiaries is a member) shall reasonably cooperate
with the Representative in connection with, any claims for refund
of Taxes to which the Representative or the Stockholders are
entitled pursuant to this Section 5.3(k).
(l) None of Parent, the
Company, the Surviving Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or the
Stockholders shall take any action that could reasonably be
expected to prevent the Merger from qualifying as a reorganization
within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.
(a) Each Stockholder
acknowledges that it is familiar with the trade secrets and other
confidential information of the Company and Wholesale Holdings.
Therefore, and in further consideration of the compensation to be
paid to Stockholders hereunder, each Stockholder agrees to the
covenants set forth in this Section 5.4 and acknowledges that
Parent would not have entered into this Agreement but for
Stockholders’ agreement to the restrictions set forth in this
Section 5.4.
37
(b) For a period of
three (3) years from and after the Closing Date, no Stockholder
shall, directly or indirectly, own, operate, lease, manage,
control, engage in, invest in, lend to, own any debt or equity
security of, permit its name to be used by, act as consultant or
advisor to, or render services for (alone or in association with
any person, firm, corporate or other business organization), any
Person in any business that is competitive with the Business;
provided, however, that
nothing herein shall prohibit (i) a Stockholder from doing any of
the foregoing directly or indirectly for, in connection with, or on
behalf of, Parent and its Affiliates or (ii) a Stockholder being a
passive, beneficial owner of less than five percent (5%) of the
outstanding securities of any publicly-traded corporation other
than Parent.
(c) For a period of
three (3) years from and after the Closing Date, no Stockholder
shall directly or indirectly: (i) induce or attempt to induce any
person who is, or was within three (3) months of any such
inducement, an employee or consultant of the Company, Wholesale
Holdings, Parent, the Surviving Company or any of their respective
Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company Parties”) to
leave the employ of, or engagement with, any of the Company
Parties, or in any way interfere with the relationship between any
of the Company Parties and any employee or consultant thereof, (ii)
hire or engage any person who is or was within three (3) months
prior to such hiring or engaging an employee or consultant to the
Company Parties, or (iii) induce or attempt to induce any person or
entity who is a customer, supplier, licensee, licensor or other
business relation of any of the Company Parties to cease doing
business with any of the Company Parties, or in any way interfere
with the relationship between any such customer, supplier,
licensee, licensor, or business relation and any of the Company
Parties. No Stockholder shall ever make or publish any statement or
communication that is materially disparaging with respect to any of
the Company Parties, or any of their respective executive officers
or directors; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any
Stockholder from (i) responding truthfully to any valid request
made pursuant to any Legal Proceeding or (ii) making any claims
under this Agreement.
(d) The Parties hereto
acknowledge and agree that Parent and each of its Affiliates,
successors and assigns would suffer irreparable harm from a breach
of this Section 5.4 by any Stockholder and that money damages would
not be an adequate remedy for any such breach. Therefore, in the
event a breach or threatened breach of this Section 5.4, Parent and
each of its Affiliates or their respective successors and assigns,
in addition to other rights and remedies existing in their favor,
shall be entitled to specific performance, injunctive and other
equitable relief from a court of competent jurisdiction in order to
enforce, or prevent any violations of, the provisions hereof
(without posting a bond or other security and at the expense of the
breaching Stockholder, including reasonable attorneys’ fees
and expenses). The restrictive covenants set forth in this Section
5.4 shall be construed as agreements independent of any other
provision in this Agreement, and the existence of any claim or
cause of action of any Stockholder against Parent, whether
predicated upon this Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a
defense to the enforcement by Parent of any restrictive covenant
contained in this Section 5.4. Parent has fully performed all
obligations entitling it to the restrictive covenants set forth in
this Section 5.4, and such restrictive covenants therefore are not
executory or otherwise subject to rejection under chapter 11 of
title 11 of the United States Code.
38
(e) If the final
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction declares any term or
provision of this Section 5.4 to be invalid or unenforceable, the
Parties agree that the court making the determination of invalidity
or unenforceability shall have the power to reduce the scope,
duration, or area of the term or provision, to delete specific
words or phrases, or to replace any invalid or unenforceable term
or provision with a term or provision that is valid and enforceable
and that comes closest to expressing the intention of the invalid
or unenforceable term or provision, and this Agreement shall be
enforceable as so modified to cover the maximum duration, scope or
area permitted by Law. In addition, in the event of an alleged
breach or violation by any Stockholder of this Section 5.4, the
three (3) year period described in clauses (b) and (c) above shall
be tolled with respect to such Stockholder until such breach or
violation has been duly cured. Each Stockholder agrees that the
restrictions contained in this Section 5.4 are
reasonable.
(f) No portion of the
Merger Consideration shall be allocated to the
non-competition/non-solicitation provisions set forth in this
Section 5.4, as such provisions are not intended to be compensatory
in nature but rather such agreements are sought to protect
Parent’s investment in the acquired goodwill of the Company
and no separate consideration is being paid therefor.
Section
5.5 Resignations. At the Closing,
the Company and Wholesale Holdings shall deliver to Parent written
resignations, effective as of the Closing Date, of the officers and
directors of the Company and Wholesale Holdings requested by Parent
at least three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing.
Section
5.6 Tangible
Property. On the Closing
Date, Stockholders shall deliver to the Company possession of all
tangible property belonging to the Company or Wholesale Holdings
that is in their personal possession or under their
control.
Section
5.7 Discharge
of Affiliate Obligations. Prior to the
Closing, Stockholders shall cause all Indebtedness of the Company
or Wholesale Holdings to any of Stockholders or any of their
respective Affiliates to be satisfied or cancelled, and
Stockholders shall cause all Indebtedness of any of Stockholders or
any of their respective Affiliates to the Company or Wholesale
Holdings to be satisfied or cancelled.
(a) As soon as
practicable after the Closing, and in any event within 30 days,
Parent, Chesrown, and Berrard shall use their best efforts to take
any actions to seek and obtain any required consent from the board
of directors and the stockholders of Parent to provide for the
conversion of the Parent Consideration Shares into shares of Class
B Common Stock (the stockholders’ consent, the
“Conversion
Consent,” and the shares of Class B Common Stock
issuable upon conversion of the Parent Consideration Shares, the
“Conversion
Shares”). After the date the Conversion Consent
becomes effective in accordance with its terms (the
“Consent
Date”), Parent shall, and Chesrown, and Berrard shall
cause Parent to, cause the Conversion Shares to be duly authorized
and reserved for issuance upon conversion of the Parent
Consideration Shares as described in this Section 5.8.
39
(b) As soon as
practicable after the Reviewed Financial Statements Delivery Date,
and in any event within 10 days of the Reviewed Financial
Statements Delivery Date, Parent will (i) file with the SEC a
preliminary information statement of the type contemplated by and
in accordance with Regulation 14C of the Exchange Act (including
Rule 14c-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act) and containing the
information specified in Schedule 14C under the Exchange Act
concerning the Conversion Consent, the Merger, and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the
conversion of the Parent Consideration Shares and the issuance of
the Conversion Shares (the “Information Statement”)
and (ii) use its best efforts to obtain approval from the Nasdaq
for the listing of the Conversion Shares (the “Nasdaq Approval”) . As
soon as practicable after approval (or lack of further comment)
from the SEC with respect to the preliminary Information Statement,
Parent will mail to its stockholders a definitive Information
Statement (the actual date of such mailing, the “Mailing Date”). The
Parties acknowledge and agree that the unaudited condensed balance
sheet of the Company as at September 30, 2018 and the related
audited statements of income and retained earnings,
stockholders’ equity and of cash flows of the Company for the
nine-month period then ended (the “Reviewed Financial
Statements”) are currently being prepared by Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx & XxXxxxxxxx, PLLC, and must be delivered prior to
the filing of the Information Statement. Each Party hereby
covenants and agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to
ensure that the Reviewed Financial Statements are delivered as soon
as possible following the Closing Date (such actual date of
delivery, the “Reviewed Financial Statements Delivery
Date”).
(c) The Stockholders
shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide promptly to
Parent such information concerning the Company’s business
affairs and financial statements and any information concerning the
Stockholders to the extent applicable, and shall direct that their
counsel and auditors cooperate with Parent’s counsel and
accountants in the preparation of the Information Statement.
Company and Stockholders will use commercially reasonable efforts
to ensure that none of the information supplied, or to be supplied,
by the Company or the Stockholders in writing specifically for
inclusion in the Information Statement shall 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 light of the circumstances under which they are
made, not misleading. If any Stockholder obtains Knowledge that any
information provided by any Stockholder or the Company in writing
specifically for inclusion in the Information Statement is
discovered or any event occurs with respect to any Stockholder or
the Company, or any change occurs with respect to the other
information provided by any Stockholder or the Company included in
the Information Statement that is required to be described in an
amendment of, or a supplement to, the Information Statement so that
such document does not include any misstatement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, the Stockholders shall notify Parent promptly of
such event.
(d) As soon as
practicable after the later of (i) 21 days after the Mailing Date
and (ii) receipt of the Nasdaq Approval, Parent shall cause the
Conversion Shares to be issued in book-entry form to the
Stockholders in exchange for and upon receipt by the
Company’s transfer agent of certificates representing the
Parent Consideration Shares.
40
(e) As soon as
practicable after the issuance of the Conversion Shares to the
Stockholders, and in any event within 10 days, Parent shall file a
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (or any successor to Form S-3)
with the SEC, registering for resale the Conversion Shares and
shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable
thereafter. If Parent is not Form S-3 eligible at the time of
filing, Parent shall file a Registration Statement for a Shelf
Registration on Form S-1 (or any successor to Form S-1) and cause
it to be declared effective as soon as practicable. In the event
that Parent files on a Form S-1 and thereafter becomes eligible to
register the Conversion Shares on Form S-3, Parent shall, after
consultation with and receipt of consent by the Stockholders, use
its commercially reasonable efforts to convert the Form S-1 to a
Form S-3 as soon as practicable after Parent becomes so eligible.
Parent shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, (a) to the
extent required by the rules and regulations of Nasdaq, to prepare
and submit to Nasdaq the requisite notification and forms for the
listing of the Conversion Shares, and to cause such shares to be
approved for listing (subject to official notice of issuance) prior
to issuance.
(f) Parent, Chesrown,
and Berrard covenant and agree not to amend, rescind or revoke the
Board Consents or the Majority Consent.
Section
5.9 Parent Stock Incentive
Plan. As soon as
practicable following the Closing Date, Parent will issue
restricted stock units from the Parent Stock Incentive Plan to such
employees of the Company and in such amounts as set forth on
Schedule 5.9, which
restricted stock units shall be issued subject to the vesting
schedule set forth on Schedule 5.9. The issuance of
these restricted stock units shall be made pursuant to grant
agreements in substantially the form attached hereto as
Schedule 5.9.
Immediately following the Closing Date, Parent shall make such
filings and seek such approvals as necessary to ensure the shares
of Class B Common Stock underlying the units are registered on Form
S-8 promptly following the Closing Date. Parent covenants and
agrees not to amend, rescind or revoke the Incentive
Consent.
(a) . For so long as
Representative and/or an Affiliate of Representative is the
beneficial owner of no less than 500,000 shares of Class B
Preferred Stock and/or Class B Common Stock and/or securities
convertible into no less than 500,000 shares of Class B Preferred
Stock and/or Class B Common Stock, in the aggregate (the
“Minimum
Threshold”), Representative shall have the option,
upon written notice to Parent, to appoint one individual as a
non-voting observer to Parent’s board of directors (a
“Board
Observer”). Any Board Observer shall be entitled to
attend all meetings of Parent’s board of directors and any
committees of Parent’s board of directors and to receive all
information provided to the members of Parent’s board of
directors or its committees (including minutes of previous meetings
of Parent’s board of directors or such committees); provided,
that (i) the Board Observer shall not be entitled to vote on any
matter submitted to Parent’s board of directors or any of its
committees nor to offer any motions or resolutions to
Parent’s board of directors or such committees and (ii) the
Board Observer shall have entered into a confidentiality agreement
on terms reasonably satisfactory to Parent prior to the exercise of
the rights contained in this paragraph.
41
So long
as Representative and/or an Affiliate of Representative own, in the
aggregate, the Minimum Threshold, Representative shall have the
option, upon written notice to Parent, to receive all information
provided to the members of Parent’s board of directors or its
committees (including minutes of previous meetings of
Parent’s board of directors or such committees).
Section
5.11 Employee
Matters. Parent hereby
covenants and agrees that, for a period commencing upon the Closing
Date and ending one year following the Closing Date (or if shorter,
during the period of employment), Parent shall, or it shall cause
the Surviving Company and its Subsidiaries (including the Company)
to, (i) provide each employee of the Company as of the Closing Date
who is then employed by the Company, the Surviving Company or its
Subsidiaries (each, an “Employee”) with at least
the same level of base salary that was provided to each such
Employee immediately prior to the Closing Date, (ii) provide each
Employee who has been with the Company for at least one year prior
to the Closing Date with an incentive compensation opportunity that
is at least equal to that provided to such Employee immediately
prior to the Closing Date and (iii) provide the Employees with
employee benefits that are no less favorable in the aggregate than
the employee benefits provided to such Employees immediately prior
to the Closing Date. Employees shall receive credit for their
service on or prior to the Closing Date with the Company for all
purposes (including, for purposes of eligibility to participate,
vesting, benefit accrual and eligibility to receive benefits, but
excluding the vesting of awards granted pursuant to Section 5.9)
under any employee benefit plan, program or arrangement established
or maintained by Parent, the Company, the Surviving Company or any
of their respective Subsidiaries under which each Employee may be
eligible to participate on or after the Closing Date to the same
extent recognized by the Company under comparable plans immediately
prior to the Closing Date. Such plan, program or arrangement shall
credit each such Employee for service accrued or deemed accrued on
or prior to the Closing Date with the Company. As soon as is
practicable following the Closing Date, Parent shall cause the
Company to, and Representative shall, negotiate in good faith with
respect to the terms of a consulting agreement between such
parties. As soon as is practicable following the Closing Date,
Parent shall cause the Company to, and Xxxxx Xxxxxx and Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx shall, negotiate in good faith with respect to the terms
of employment agreements between such respective parties. For the
avoidance of doubt, no Employee or any other current or former
employee of the Company shall be guaranteed employment hereby or be
a third-party beneficiary with respect to this Section
5.11.
Section
5.12 Estoppel
Certificates.
(b) Upon
Parent’s request, the Stockholders shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to assist Parent in Parent’s efforts to
obtain, within thirty (30) days of the Closing Date, duly executed
estoppel certificates for those Real Property Leases (other than
the New Leases).
Section
5.13 Efforts to Consummate
Transaction. The Company, Wholesale Holdings and the
Stockholders shall use best efforts to take all action required of
such Party and do all things necessary, proper or advisable on its
part in order to cause the satisfaction of the conditions set forth
in Section 6.1 on or prior to October 30, 2018 (and if the Closing
has not occurred on or prior to such date, on the earliest date
thereafter until Closing). Parent and Merger Sub shall use best
efforts to take all action required of such Party and do all things
necessary, proper or advisable on its part in order to cause the
satisfaction, but not waiver, of the conditions set forth in
Section 6.2 on or prior to October 30, 2018 (and if the Closing has
not occurred on or prior to such date, on the earliest date
thereafter until Closing).
42
ARTICLE
VI
CLOSING
CONDITIONS
Section
6.1 Conditions to Obligation of Parent and
Merger Sub. The obligation of Parent and Merger Sub to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is
subject to the fulfillment on or prior to the Closing Date of each
of the following conditions, any one or more of which (to the
extent permitted by applicable Law) may be waived by Parent and
Merger Sub:
(a) The
representations and warranties of Wholesale Holdings, the Company
and Stockholders (i) contained in Article II and Article III (other
than those set forth in clause (ii) below) of this Agreement shall
be true and correct (without giving effect to any limitation as to
materiality or Material Adverse Effect or similar qualification)
both as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing (other
than such representations and warranties that are made as of a
specified date, which representations and warranties shall be true
and correct (without giving effect to any limitation as to
materiality or Material Adverse Effect or similar qualification) as
of such date), except where the failure to be so true and correct
has not had a Company Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) contained
in Sections 3.1, 3.3(a), 3.7 (b), (d)-(q), 3.10(c) and 3.22-3.25 of
this Agreement shall be true and correct both as of the date of
this Agreement and as of the Closing (other than such
representations and warranties that are made as of a specified
date, which representations and warranties shall be true and
correct as of such date), except where the failure to be so true
and correct would not be material to the Company and Wholesale
Holdings, taken as a whole.
(b) There shall not
have occurred a Company Material Adverse Effect on or after the
Effective Date and prior to Closing.
(c) No temporary
restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction, cease and
desist Order or other Order issued by any Governmental Body, shall
be in effect prohibiting or preventing the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) Wholesale Holdings,
the Company, and/or the Stockholders, as applicable, shall have
delivered the following to Parent:
(e) a certificate,
dated as of the Closing Date, executed by a duly authorized officer
of the Company representing that the conditions set forth in
Section 6.1(a) and Section 6.1(b) have been satisfied (the
“Company Closing
Certificate”);
(f) a fully-executed
stock power of each Stockholder;
(g) a certificate of
the secretary of each of Wholesale Holdings and the Company
certifying to (A) the articles of organization or incorporation (as
applicable), as amended, of the Company and stating that no
amendments have been made to such articles of organization or
incorporation, as applicable, since such date, (B) all other
Governing Documents of each such entity, and (C) the adoption of
resolutions by each such entity approving the transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents;
43
(h) a properly executed
affidavit from each Stockholder in a form satisfactory to Parent,
certifying that such Stockholder is not a foreign person within the
meaning of Section 1445 of the Code;
(i) the Escrow
Agreement, duly executed and delivered by the
Representative;
(j) the General
Release, duly executed and delivered by each Stockholder and the
Company;
(k) the
Registration Rights Agreement, substantially in the form attached
hereto as Exhibit C
(the “Registration
Rights Agreement”), duly executed and delivered by
each Stockholder;
(l) resignations of the
officers and directors of the Company and Wholesale Holdings
pursuant to Section 5.5; and
(m) new leases with
respect to the Leased Properties owned by Affiliates of the
Stockholders, substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit D (the
“New
Leases”), executed by the Company and the applicable
landlord.
(n) The conditions set
forth in Section 6.1 of the MIPA shall have been satisfied or
waived (other than those conditions that by their terms cannot be
satisfied until the closing of the transactions contemplated by the
MIPA).
Section
6.2 Conditions to Obligation of Wholesale
Holdings, the Company, and Stockholders. The obligation of
Wholesale Holdings, the Company and the Stockholders to consummate
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the
fulfillment on or prior to the Closing Date of each of the
following conditions, any one or more of which (to the extent
permitted by applicable Law) may be waived by Wholesale Holdings,
the Company and the Stockholders:
(a) The
representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub contained
in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material
respects (other than those representations and warranties that are
qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect or similar
qualification, which shall be true and correct in all respects)
both as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing, other
than such representations and warranties that are made as of a
specified date, which representations and warranties shall be true
and correct as of such date. The covenants and agreements contained
in this Agreement to be complied with by Parent and Merger Sub at
or before the Closing shall have been complied with in all material
respects.
(b) There shall not
have occurred a Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent or
Merger Sub on or after the Effective Date and prior to
Closing.
(c) No temporary
restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction, cease and
desist Order or other order issued by any Governmental Body shall
be in effect prohibiting or preventing the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
44
(d) the Parent
Consideration Shares will be issued by Parent to the Stockholders
in accordance with Schedule 2 hereto;
(e) Parent shall have
delivered the following to Representative:
(i) a certificate,
dated as of the Closing Date, executed by a duly authorized officer
of Parent and Merger Sub representing that the conditions set forth
in Section 6.2(a) and Section 6.2(b) have been satisfied (the
“Parent Closing
Certificate”);
(ii) a
certificate of the secretary of Parent and Merger Sub certifying to
(A) the certificate of incorporation, as amended, of such entity,
certified by the Secretary of State of the jurisdiction in which
each such entity is incorporated or organized, as of a recent date,
and stating that no amendments have been made to such certificate
of incorporation (or similar incorporation or formation documents)
since such date, (B) all other Governing Documents of such entity,
(C) the adoption of resolutions by the board of directors or
similar governing body (and, with respect to Parent, the pricing
committee of the board) of such entity approving the transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents (the “Board Consents”), (D) the
adoption of resolutions by the compensation committee of Parent
approving the grants contemplated by Section 5.9 (the
“Incentive
Consent”), and (E) the written consent of the holders
of a majority of the voting rights of Parent approving the
conversion of the Parent Consideration Shares into shares of Class
B Common Stock (the “Majority
Consent”);
(iii) evidence
satisfactory to the Stockholders of the termination of all
guarantees of the Stockholders of the Floor Plan;
(iv) evidence
satisfactory to the Stockholders of the release of any liens on the
assets and properties of the Stockholders and their respective
Affiliates related to the Floor Plan;
(v) a good standing
certificate, as of a recent date, for each of Parent and Merger Sub
certified by the Secretary of State of the state of its
incorporation;
(vi) the
Escrow Agreement, duly executed and delivered by Parent and the
Escrow Agent; and
(vii) the
Registration Rights Agreement, duly executed and delivered by
Parent.
(f) The Representative
shall be satisfied that the Merger will qualify, for U.S. federal
income Tax purposes, as a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations
promulgated thereunder, and that this Agreement, as to the Merger,
constitutes a “plan of reorganization” within the
meaning of Section 1.368-2(g) of the Treasury
Regulations.
(g) The conditions set
forth in Section 6.2 of the MIPA shall have been satisfied or
waived (other than those conditions that by their terms cannot be
satisfied until the closing of the transactions contemplated by the
MIPA).
45
ARTICLE
VII
INDEMNIFICATION
Subject
to the limitations set forth herein, each Stockholder, jointly and
severally (except with respect to ARTICLE II hereof, which shall be
severally, but not jointly), covenants and
agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Parent, Merger Sub
and their respective Affiliates (including, after the Closing, the
Surviving Company and its Subsidiaries) (collectively, and for the
avoidance of doubt excluding any Stockholder or Affiliate thereof,
the “Parent
Indemnitees”), from and against, and to pay or
reimburse Parent Indemnitees for, any and all claims, Liabilities,
obligations, losses, fines, costs, proceedings or damages,
including all reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel incurred
in the investigation or defense of any of the same or in asserting
any of their respective rights hereunder (collectively,
“Losses”), based on,
resulting from, arising out of or relating to:
(a) any breach of
any representation or warranty of any Stockholder, Wholesale
Holdings or the Company contained in this Agreement or the Company
Closing Certificate, it being understood that, in determining the
amount of any Losses (but, for the avoidance of doubt, not whether
or not a misrepresentation or breach has occurred) in connection
with a claim under this Section 7.1(a), all representations and
warranties shall be read without regard and without giving effect
to any materiality or Material Adverse Effect or similar
qualification contained therein (as if such qualification were
deleted from such representation or warranty);
(b) any failure of any
Stockholder, the Company, Wholesale Holdings or the Representative
to perform any covenant or agreement of such Party made or
contained in this Agreement or any Transaction Document, or fulfill
any obligation in respect thereof;
(c) any Taxes of
Wholesale Holdings or the Company with respect to any tax year or
portion thereof ending on or before the Closing Date (or for any
tax year beginning before and ending after the Closing Date to the
extent allocable to the portion of the period beginning before and
ending on the Closing Date);
(d) any Company
Transaction Expenses or Change of Control Payments to the extent
not accounted for in the determination of Closing Cash
Consideration; and
(e) dissenters’,
appraisal or similar rights asserted by a stockholder of Wholesale
Holdings or equityholder of the Company under any Law.
Section
7.2 Indemnity Obligations of
Parent. From and after
the Closing, Parent, the Company and the Surviving Company, jointly
and severally, covenant and agree to defend, indemnify and hold
harmless the Stockholders and their respective Affiliates from and
against any and all Losses based on, resulting from, arising out of
or relating to:
46
(a) any breach of any
representation or warranty of Parent or Merger Sub contained in
this Agreement or the Parent Closing Certificate, it being
understood that, in determining the amount (but, for the avoidance
of doubt, not whether or not a misrepresentation or breach has
occurred) of any Losses in connection with a claim under this
Section 7.2(a), all representations and warranties shall be read
without regard and without giving effect to any materiality or
Material Adverse Effect or similar qualification contained therein
(as if such qualification were deleted from such representation or
warranty); and/or
(b) any failure of
Parent or Merger Sub to perform any covenant or agreement of such
Party made or contained in this Agreement or any Transaction
Document, or fulfill any other obligation in respect
thereof.
Section
7.3 Indemnification
Procedures.
(a) Third Party Claims. In the case
of any claim asserted by a third party (a “Third Party Claim”)
against a party entitled to indemnification under this Agreement
(the “Indemnified
Party”), notice shall be given by the Indemnified
Party to the party required to provide indemnification (the
“Indemnifying
Party”) promptly after such Indemnified Party has
actual knowledge of any claim as to which indemnity may be sought.
If the Indemnifying Party provides a written notice to the
Indemnified Party within fifteen (15) days after its receipt of
notice of such claim that it will, subject to the limitations set
forth herein, including without limitation, the Cap and the Basket,
indemnify and hold the Indemnified Parties harmless from all Loss
related to such Third Party Claim for which the Indemnified Party
would be entitled to indemnification under this ARTICLE VII, the
Indemnified Party shall permit the Indemnifying Party (at the
expense of such Indemnifying Party) to assume the defense of such
Third Party Claim or any litigation with a third party resulting
therefrom; provided, however, that (i) the counsel for the
Indemnifying Party who shall conduct the defense of such claim or
litigation shall be subject to approval of the Indemnified Party,
which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed, (ii) the Indemnified Party may participate in such defense
at such Indemnified Party’s expense, (iii) the failure by any
Indemnified Party to give notice of a Third Party Claim to the
Indemnifying Party as provided herein shall not relieve the
Indemnifying Party of its indemnification obligation under this
Agreement except and only to the extent that, as a result of such
failure to give notice, the defense against such claim is
materially impaired, and (iv) the fees and expenses incurred by the
Indemnified Party prior to the assumption of a Third Party Claim
hereunder by the Indemnifying Party shall be borne by the
Indemnifying Party. Except with the prior written consent of the
Indemnified Party, no Indemnifying Party, in the defense of any
Third Party Claim, shall consent to entry of any judgment or enter
into any settlement that provides for injunctive or other
nonmonetary relief affecting the Indemnified Party or that does not
include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by each
claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party of a general
release from any and all liability with respect to such Third Party
Claim. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the
Indemnifying Party shall not be entitled to assume control of the
defense against a Third Party Claim if (1) the claim for
indemnification relates to or arises in connection with any
criminal or quasi criminal proceeding, action, indictment,
allegation or investigation; (2) the claim seeks an injunction,
specific performance or any other equitable or non-monetary relief
against the Indemnified Party; (3) the Indemnified Party has been
advised by counsel that a reasonable likelihood exists of a
conflict of interest between the Indemnifying Party and the
Indemnified Party; (4) the Indemnifying Party fails to prosecute or
defend such claim in a timely manner; or (5) taking into account
the Cap, the Indemnified Party is reasonably likely to have Losses
with respect to such Third Party Claim for which it will not be
indemnified that exceed the amount of Losses for which it will be
indemnified; provided, however, that in the case of clause (5), the
Indemnifying Party may participate in such defense at the
Indemnifying Party’s expense. If the Indemnifying Party does
not accept the defense of a Third Party Claim within thirty (30)
days after receipt of the written notice thereof from the
Indemnified Party described above, the Indemnified Party shall have
the full right to defend against any such claim or demand. In any
event, the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall
reasonably cooperate in the defense of any Third Party Claim and
the records of each shall be reasonably available to the other with
respect to such defense.
47
(b) Non-Third Party Claims. With
respect to any claim for indemnification hereunder which does not
involve a Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party will give the
Indemnifying Party written notice of such claim. The Indemnifying
Party may acknowledge and agree by notice to the Indemnified Party
in writing to satisfy such claim within fifteen (15) days of
receipt of notice of such claim from the Indemnified Party. If the
Indemnifying Party shall dispute such claim, the Indemnifying Party
shall provide written notice of such dispute to the Indemnified
Party within such fifteen (15) day period. If the Indemnifying
Party shall fail to provide written notice to the Indemnified Party
within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice from the Indemnified
Party that the Indemnifying Party either acknowledges and agrees to
pay such claim or disputes such claim, the Indemnifying Party shall
be deemed to have acknowledged and agreed to pay such claim in
full, subject to the limitations set forth herein, and to have
waived any right to dispute such claim.
Section
7.4 Expiration of Representations and
Warranties. All
representations and warranties contained in this Agreement shall
survive the Closing until the date which is one (1) year after the
Closing Date (the “General Survival
Period”), subject to Section 7.5(c). All of the
covenants and agreements and related indemnification obligations
under Section 7.1 and Section 7.2 (other than Section 7.1(a) and
Section 7.2(a) which shall survive as set forth in the previous
sentence) shall survive the Closing until the first to occur of (i)
the expiration by their terms of the obligations of the applicable
Party under such covenant or agreement, (ii) such covenant or
agreement being fully performed or fulfilled, unless non-compliance
with such covenants or agreements is expressly waived in writing by
the party entitled to such performance, or (iii) the date that is
one (1) year following the Closing Date (provided, that solely with
respect to the covenant set forth in Section 5.4, the time period
set forth in this clause (iii) shall be forty-two (42) months) (the
“Covenant Survival
Period” and, together with the General Survival
Period, as applicable, the “Survival Period”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the covenants and agreements set
forth in: (a) Section 5.1 and Section 5.4 shall survive for three
(3) years following the Closing Date; (b) Section 5.3 shall survive
for five (5) years following the Closing Date; and (c) Section 5.2,
Section 5.8 and Section 5.10 shall survive indefinitely. Each
Party’s indemnification obligations pursuant to this ARTICLE
VII shall terminate at the expiration of the applicable Survival
Period; provided, however, that the Survival Period shall not
affect the Parties’ rights and obligations with respect to
any claim thereunder (a) if written notice of a breach thereof is
made in accordance with this ARTICLE VII and Section 9.6 on or
prior to 11:59 p.m. Central Time on the expiration date of the
applicable Survival Period and (b) such claim is made in respect of
Losses incurred prior to the expiration date of the applicable
Survival Period, and any such claim may thereafter be pursued until
such claim is resolved in full.
Section
7.5 Certain
Limitations; Calculation of Losses; Mitigation. The
indemnification provided for in Section 7.1 and Section 7.2 shall
be subject to the following limitations:
48
(a) Stockholders shall
not be liable to Parent Indemnitees for indemnification pursuant to
Section 7.1(a) until the aggregate amount of all Losses in respect
of indemnification under Section 7.1(a) of this Agreement and
Section 7.1(a) of the MIPA exceeds $400,000 (the
“Basket”),
in which event Stockholders shall be required to pay or be liable
for such Losses solely in excess of the amount of the Basket,
subject to the other limitations set forth herein. Stockholders and
Sellers (as defined in the MIPA) shall not be liable to Parent
Indemnitees for indemnification pursuant to Section 7.1 of this
Agreement and Section 7.1 of the MIPA after the aggregate amount of
all Losses in respect of indemnification under Section 7.1 of this
Agreement and Section 7.1 of the MIPA exceeds the Escrow Amount
(the “Cap”). For the avoidance
of doubt, the Parties acknowledge and agree that, in addition to
this Agreement, the Basket, Cap and Escrow Account shall be
applicable to and aggregated across the indemnification obligations
under the MIPA.
(b) Parent shall not be
liable to Stockholders for indemnification under Section 7.2(a) of
this Agreement and Section 7.2(a) of the MIPA until the aggregate
amount of all Losses in respect of indemnification under Section
7.2(a) of this Agreement and Section 7.2(a) of the MIPA exceeds the
Basket, in which event Parent shall be required to pay or be liable
for all such in excess of the amount of the Basket, subject to the
other limitations set forth herein. Stockholders shall not be
indemnified pursuant to Section 7.2(a) of this Agreement and
Section 7.2(a) of the MIPA with respect to any Loss if the
aggregate amount of all Losses for which Stockholders have received
indemnification pursuant to Section 7.2(a) of this Agreement and
Section 7.2(a) of the MIPA has exceeded the Cap.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth herein, nothing herein,
including without limitation any Survival Period, shall operate to
limit the common law liability of any Stockholder to Parent or the
Surviving Company for Fraud, which will be extended to the statute
of limitations in such events.
(d) For the purposes of
calculating Losses to which Parent Indemnitees are entitled under
this ARTICLE VII, (i) such Losses shall not include any punitive,
special, indirect, exemplary or consequential damages, damages for
lost profits, damages for diminution in value or business
interruption or damages computed on a multiple of earnings or
similar basis; (ii) such Losses shall be determined without
duplication of recovery by reason of the state of facts giving rise
to such Loss constituting a breach of more than one representation,
warranty, covenant or agreement; (iii) such Losses shall not
include Losses related to any matter that was subject to or could
have been taken into account in the determination of the amount of
any post-Closing adjustment pursuant to Section 1.9; (iv) such
Losses shall be reduced by the amount of any proceeds that any
Parent Indemnitee receives pursuant to the terms of any insurance
policies, net of any related increase in premiums associated with
such insurance policies as a result of making such claims;
provided, however, such Parent Indemnitee shall promptly reimburse
the Stockholders for any subsequent recoveries for such sources if
previously indemnified hereunder so as to avoid a double recovery;
and (v) such Losses shall be reduced by the amount of any prior or
subsequent recovery by a Parent Indemnitee with respect to such
Losses; provided, however, such Parent Indemnitee shall promptly
reimburse the Stockholders for any subsequent recoveries for such
sources if previously indemnified hereunder so as to avoid a double
recovery. Without limiting Parent’s rights to pursue
indemnification hereunder, Parent Indemnitees covenant and agree to
use commercially reasonable efforts to pursue recovery for Losses
under any available insurance coverage and to use commercially
reasonable efforts to pursue payment under any agreement, contract,
arrangement or commitment pursuant to which a Parent Indemnitee is
entitled to indemnification for any Loss for which a Parent
Indemnitee seeks indemnification pursuant to this ARTICLE
VII.
49
(e) Each Party shall
use its respective commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate the
character and amount of any of its Losses upon becoming aware of
any event which would reasonably be expected to, or does, give rise
thereto. The Parties acknowledge and agree that any reasonable
out-of-pocket fees, costs or expenses incurred in connection with
such mitigation efforts shall themselves constitute Losses, to the
extent the Losses mitigated would have been indemnifiable pursuant
to this ARTICLE VII, but not in an amount in excess of the amount
by which such Losses were actually mitigated.
(f) If an
indemnification obligation under this ARTICLE VII arises in respect
of any indemnifiable event (i) for which a Parent Indemnitee
receives indemnification from the Escrow Amount or the Stockholders
and (ii) which results in any Tax benefit to a Parent Indemnitee or
their Affiliates for any taxable period which would not, but for
such indemnifiable event, be available to such Parent Indemnitee,
then Parent shall pay, or shall cause to be paid, to Representative
for the account of the Stockholders the amount of any such Tax
benefit, to the extent then determined, pro rata to each
Stockholder, an aggregate amount equal to the actual Tax saving
produced by such Tax benefit.
(g) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, no claim for Losses may
be asserted by Parent or claimed by any Parent Indemnitee as a
breach of any provision of this Agreement or may otherwise be a
subject of indemnity or reimbursement from the Escrow Account or
Stockholders hereunder with respect to any of the following: (i)
the value or condition of any Tax asset of the Company (unless
accrued in the Net Working Capital calculation); (ii) the ability
of Parent, the Company, the Surviving Company or their Affiliates
to utilize any Tax asset following the Closing, (iii) any Tax
filing positions taken in any Tax period ending after the Closing
Date (except Straddle Periods, to the extent provided
herein).
Section
7.6 Indemnification
Payments to Parent Indemnitees. Any
indemnification to which Parent Indemnitees are entitled under this
ARTICLE VII as a consequence of any Losses they may suffer shall be
made as a release to Parent Indemnitees solely from the Escrow
Account in accordance with the terms of the Escrow Agreement of a
number of Parent Consideration Shares or Conversion Shares for
cancellation, as applicable, which shall be deemed to have a value
of the Per Share Valuation Amount per share, with a value equal to
such Losses, and, to the extent that the Escrow Account is depleted
or otherwise insufficient to satisfy such Losses, other than in the
event of Fraud of a Stockholder, the Stockholders shall have no
further liability pursuant to this ARTICLE VII; provided, that at
the option of the Stockholders, the Stockholders can make all or
any portion of any such required payment to Parent Indemnitees in
immediately available funds, and, following such payment,
Representative shall be entitled to direct the Escrow Agent to
release an amount of Parent Consideration Shares or Conversion
Shares, which shall be deemed to have a value of the Per Share
Valuation Amount per share, to the Representative equal to the
amount paid in immediately available funds by the Stockholders to
Parent Indemnitees. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event, other
than the Fraud of a Stockholder, shall any Stockholder be required
to pay any indemnification claim to Parent Indemnitees in cash or
immediately available funds or any other form of consideration
other than the Parent Consideration Shares and Conversion Shares
and in no event, other than the Fraud of a Stockholder, shall the
Stockholders’ and the Sellers (as defined in the MIPA)
collective indemnification obligations with respect to this ARTICLE
VII and Article VII of the MIPA exceed the Escrow
Amount.
50
Section
7.7 Treatment
of Indemnification Payments. All
indemnification payments made under this Agreement shall be treated
by the Parties as an adjustment to the Merger Consideration to the
extent permitted by applicable Law.
Section
7.8 Effect
of Knowledge. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, the Stockholders shall have no
Liability for any breach of any representation or warranty if any
executive officer or director of Parent or Merger Sub had actual
knowledge of said breach or the underlying facts giving rise to
such breach before the Closing. Without limiting the foregoing, the
executive officers and directors of Parent or Merger Sub Parent and
Merger Sub shall be deemed to have actual knowledge of any and all
materials, documents and other information, and the terms,
condition and content thereof, contained in the data room at least
three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date.
Section
7.9 Sole
Remedy; No Claims Against the Company or Wholesale
Holdings. Except for claims
based upon Fraud by a Stockholder, the indemnification provided for
in this ARTICLE VII shall be the sole remedy of the Parent
Indemnitees for monetary damages with respect to breaches of this
Agreement and the Transaction Documents or otherwise arising out
of, or related to, this Agreement and the Transaction Documents and
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and the Parent
Indemnitees hereby waive, and covenant and agree not to bring, any
claims for monetary damages in connection therewith other than
pursuant to this ARTICLE VII except for claims based upon Fraud by
a Stockholder. No Stockholder shall, after the Closing, be entitled
to seek or recover by contribution or otherwise any amounts from
the Company or Wholesale Holdings on account of any breach of any
representation or warranty or covenant or other agreement contained
in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document prior to the
Closing or otherwise.
ARTICLE VIII
Section
8.1 Termination of Agreement.
Certain of the Parties may terminate this Agreement as provided
below:
(a) The Parties may
terminate this Agreement by mutual written consent at any time
prior to the Closing;
(b) Parent and Merger
Sub may terminate this Agreement (so long as Parent or Merger Sub
is not in material breach of any of its representations,
warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement) by
giving written notice to the Company at any time prior to the
Closing (i) in the event that any Stockholder, Wholesale Holdings,
or the Company has breached any representation, warranty, covenant
or agreement contained in this Agreement, which breach would cause
the failure of any condition set forth in Section 6.1, or (ii) if
the Closing shall not have occurred on or before the Termination
Date, by reason of the failure of any condition precedent to have
occurred; and
51
(c) the Company,
Wholesale Holdings and the Representative may terminate this
Agreement (so long as none of the Company, the Representative or
any Stockholder is in material breach of any of its
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in
this Agreement) by giving written notice to Parent at any time
prior to the Closing (i) in the event Parent or Merger Sub has
breached any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement
contained in this Agreement which breach would cause the failure of
any condition set forth in Section 6.2; or (ii) if the Closing
shall not have occurred on or before the Termination
Date.
Section
8.2 Effect of Termination. If any
Party terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1, all rights
and obligations of the Parties hereunder shall terminate without
any liability of any Party to the other Party except for Parent's
obligation to pay for the legal and accounting fees, costs and
expenses of Stockholders, Wholesale Holdings or the Company
relating to the transaction contemplated hereby that were incurred
on or after October 10, 2018 through the Termination
Date.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
(a) For purposes of
this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings
specified in this Section 9.1(a):
“Affiliate” means, with
respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly
controlling, controlled by or under common control with such
Person, and in the case of any natural Person shall include the
spouse, children, parents and siblings of such Person.
“Books and Records” means
all books and records of the Company and Wholesale Holdings,
including files, manuals, price lists, mailing lists, distributor
lists, customer lists, sales and promotional materials, purchasing
materials, documents evidencing intangible rights or obligations,
personnel records, accounting records and litigation files
(regardless of the media in which stored).
“Business” means the
business of the Company as conducted as of the date hereof, which
is the purchase and sale of automobiles in the wholesale market and
the sale of automobiles in the retail market.
“Business Day” means any
day of the year on which national banking institutions in the City
of New York are open to the public for conducting business and are
not required or authorized to close.
“Change of Control
Payments” means any and all bonuses or similar
payments payable as a result of the transactions contemplated
hereby that have not been paid prior to Closing.
“Class B Common Stock”
shall mean the Class B Common Stock of Parent, par value $0.001 per
share.
52
“Code” shall mean the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Company Material Adverse
Change” or “Company Material Adverse
Effect” means a Material Adverse Change or a Material
Adverse Effect with respect to the Company and Wholesale Holdings,
taken as a whole.
“Company Transaction
Expenses” means any and all legal, accounting,
consulting, investment advisory, brokers and other fees, costs and
expenses of the Stockholders, Wholesale Holdings or the Company
relating to the transaction contemplated hereby that have not been
paid prior to Closing; provided, however, that Company Transaction
Expenses shall not include any legal or accounting fees, costs and
expenses of Stockholders, Wholesale Holdings or the Company
relating to the transaction contemplated hereby that were incurred
on or after October 10, 2018, which shall be paid by
Parent.
“Consent” means any
consent, approval, authorization, waiver, grant, franchise,
concession, exemption or order of, registration, certificate,
declaration or filing with, or report or notice to, any Person,
including any Governmental Body.
“Contract” means any
contract, agreement, indenture, note, bond, loan, mortgage,
license, instrument, lease, understanding, commitment or other
arrangement or agreement, whether written or oral.
“DOL” means the United
States Department of Labor.
“Environmental Law(s)”
means any foreign, federal, state or local statute, regulation,
ordinance, or rule of common law as now in effect relating to the
environment or natural resources including the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (42 U.S.C.
§ 9601 et seq.), the Emergency Planning and Right-To-Know
Act (42 U.S.C. § 11101 et seq.), the Hazardous Materials
Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. App. § 1801 et seq.), the
Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq.)
(including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), the Clean
Water Act (33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.), the Clean Air Act
(42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.), the Toxic Substances Control
Act (15 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.), the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. § 136 et seq.),
the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. § 300(f) et seq.), the
Lead-Based Paint Exposure Reduction Act (42 U.S.C. § 2681 et
seq.), and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (29 U.S.C.
§ 651 et seq.), and the rules and regulations promulgated
pursuant thereto, each as amended as of the Effective
Date.
“Escrow Agent” means
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.
“Exchange Act” means the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Floor Plan” means the
Indebtedness of the Company in connection with that certain Demand
Promissory Note and Loan and Security Agreement, dated on or about
August 28, 2013, by and between the Company and NextGear Capital,
Inc., as amended (the “Floor Plan
Agreement”).
53
“Fraud” means that such
Stockholder is finally determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction to have willfully and knowingly committed intentional
fraud against Parent or Merger Sub in making the representations
and warranties set forth in ARTICLE II and ARTICLE III (as
qualified by the Disclosure Schedule), with the specific intent to
deceive and mislead Parent or Merger Sub in order to induce Parent
or Merger Sub to enter into this Agreement, and that Parent or
Merger Sub justifiably relied on such fraudulent representation or
warranty to its detriment.
“GAAP” means United States
generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to
time.
“General Release” means a
General Release in the form of Exhibit E attached
hereto.
“Governing Documents”
means, with respect to any particular entity: (i) if a corporation,
the articles or certificate of incorporation and the bylaws; (ii)
if a general partnership, the partnership agreement and any
statement of partnership; (iii) if a limited partnership, the
limited partnership agreement and the certificate of limited
partnership; (iv) if a limited liability company, the articles of
organization and operating agreement; (v) if another type of
Person, any other charter or similar document adopted or filed in
connection with the creation, formation or organization of the
Person; (vi) all equityholders’ agreements, voting
agreements, voting trust agreements, joint venture agreements,
registration rights agreements or other agreements or documents
relating to the organization, management or operation of any Person
or relating to the rights, duties and obligations of the
equityholders of any Person; and (vii) any amendment or supplement
to any of the foregoing.
“Governmental Body” means
any government or governmental or regulatory authority or body
thereof, or political subdivision thereof, whether federal, state,
local or foreign, or any agency, instrumentality or authority
thereof, or any court or arbitrator (public or private) or tribunal
of competent jurisdiction.
“Hazardous Material(s)”
means any substance, material or waste that is regulated by the
United States under Environmental Laws including petroleum and its
by-products, asbestos or asbestos-containing material,
polychlorinated biphenyls, lead-based paint, and any material or
substance which is defined as a “hazardous waste,”
“hazardous substance,” “hazardous
material,” “restricted hazardous waste,”
“industrial waste,” “solid waste,”
“contaminant,” “pollutant,” “special
waste,” “toxic material,” “toxic
waste” or “toxic substance” under any provision
of Environmental Law.
54
“Indebtedness” means, with
respect to the Company or Wholesale Holdings at any applicable time
of determination, without duplication: (i) all obligations for
borrowed money; (ii) all obligations evidenced by bonds,
debentures, notes or other similar instruments or debt securities;
(iii) all obligations under swaps, xxxxxx or similar instruments;
(iv) all obligations in respect of letters of credit or
bankers’ acceptances; (v) all obligations secured by a Lien,
other than a Permitted Lien; (vi) all guaranties in connection with
any of the foregoing; (vii) all obligations recorded or required to
be recorded as capital leases in accordance with GAAP as of the
date of determination of such Indebtedness; (viii) all obligations
for the deferred purchase price of property or services or the
acquisition of a business or portion thereof, whether contingent or
otherwise, as obligor or otherwise, at the maximum amount payable
in respect thereof, regardless of whether such amount is contingent
on future performance; (x) all obligations created or arising under
any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with
respect to acquired property; (xi) all deferred rent obligations;
and (xii) all accrued interest, prepayment premiums, fees,
penalties, expenses or other amounts payable in respect of any of
the foregoing.
“Indebtedness for Borrowed
Money” means, with respect to the Company or Wholesale
Holdings: (i) indebtedness for borrowed money; (ii) obligations
evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments;
(iii) obligations as lessee under leases required to be capitalized
pursuant to GAAP; (iv) obligations for amounts drawn under
acceptance, letters of credit or similar facilities; (v) guarantees
and similar commitments relating to any of the foregoing items, and
(vi) any prepayment penalties, fees and similar amounts payable in
connection with the repayment of any of the foregoing items, in
each case, outstanding immediately prior to the Closing.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Indebtedness for Borrowed Money
shall not include the Floor Plan.
“Intellectual Property”
means: (i) all inventions (whether patentable or unpatentable and
whether or not reduced to practice), all improvements thereto, and
all patents, patent applications, and patent disclosures, together
with all reissuances, continuations, continuations-in-part,
revisions, extensions, and reexaminations thereof; (ii) all
trademarks, service marks, trade dress, logos, trade names, and
corporate names, together with all translations, adaptations,
derivations, and combinations thereof and including all goodwill
associated therewith, and all applications, registrations and
renewals in connection therewith; (iii) all copyrightable works,
all copyrights, and all applications, registrations and renewals in
connection therewith; (iv) all trade secrets and confidential
information (including ideas, research and development, know-how,
formulas, compositions, manufacturing and production processes and
techniques, technical data, designs, drawings, specifications,
customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost information, and
business and marketing plans and proposals); (v) all computer
software (including data and related documentation); (vi) all other
proprietary rights; and (vii) all copies and tangible embodiments
thereof (in whatever form or medium).
“Inventory” means all
automobiles owned by the Company or Wholesale Holdings and held for
resale by the Company or Wholesale Holdings.
“IRS” means the United
States Internal Revenue Service.
55
“Knowledge” or words of
similar effect, regardless of case, means, with respect to the
Company, the knowledge of each Stockholder, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx and Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, and, with respect to Parent or Merger Sub, the
knowledge of each of each executive officer or director thereof.
Each of the foregoing Persons will be deemed to have knowledge of a
particular fact or other matter if: (A) such Person is actually
aware of such fact or matter; or (B) a similarly situated Person
would reasonably be expected to have knowledge of such fact or
matter.
“Law” means any federal,
state, local or foreign law (including common law), statute, code,
ordinance, rule, regulation or other requirement or rule of law of
any Governmental Body.
“Legal Proceeding” means
any judicial, administrative or arbitral actions, suits,
proceedings (public or private), claims, hearings, charges,
complaints, demands or governmental proceedings.
“Liability” means any
liability, obligation or commitment of any nature whatsoever
(whether known or unknown, asserted or unasserted, absolute or
contingent, accrued or unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated,
matured or unmatured, or due or to become due, or otherwise),
including any liability for Taxes.
“Lien” means any lien
(including any Tax lien), pledge, mortgage, deed of trust, security
interest, claim, demand, lease, charge, option, warrant, call,
right of first refusal, easement, servitude, transfer restriction
or any other encumbrance, restriction or limitation
whatsoever.
“Material Adverse Effect”
or “Material Adverse
Change” with respect to a Person means any event,
occurrence, fact, condition, change or effect that is, or would
reasonably be expected to become, individually or in the aggregate,
materially adverse to the business, properties, results of
operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of such Person,
other than changes in the following: (i) general market, economic
or political conditions; (ii) GAAP or statutory accounting
principles; and (iii) acts of terrorism or war (whether or not
declared), except, in each case, to the extent such changes cause a
disproportionate and negative effect on or change to such Person as
compared to the industry in which such Person operate as a
whole.
“Nasdaq” means the Nasdaq
Stock Market.
“Net Working Capital”
means the current assets of the Company and Wholesale Holdings of
the type and nature listed under the headings Accounts Receivable,
Inventory, Prepaid Expenses, Deferred Taxes and Investment Accounts
in the Balance Sheet less the current liabilities of the Company
and Wholesale Holdings of the type and nature listed under the
headings Checks Drawn in Excess of Available Bank Balance, Note
Payable – Floorplan, Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses
and shall be calculated in accordance with GAAP and the past
practices of the Company.
“Neutral Accountant” means
Xxxxxx Xxxxx LLC (or if such firm shall decline or is unable to
act, or has a conflict of interest with Parent or the
Representative, or any of their respective Affiliates, another
nationally recognized accounting firm mutually acceptable to Parent
and the Representative).
56
“Order” means any order,
injunction, judgment, decree, ruling, writ, assessment or
arbitration award.
“Parent Consideration
Shares” means 1,125,926 shares of Parent's Series B
Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock; provided, however if the VWAP of the
Class B Common Stock for the five (5) trading days immediately
preceding the Closing Date is less than 8.60, Parent shall deliver
additional shares of Parent's Series B Non-Voting Convertible
Preferred Stock such that the total number of shares of Parent's
Series B Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock, valued equally, on
per share basis, to the VWAP of the Class B Common Stock for the
five (5) trading days immediately preceding the Closing Date for
the purposes of this calculation, equals no less than
$9,680,000.
“Parent Stock Incentive
Plan” means the 2017 RumbleOn, Inc. Stock Incentive
Plan, as amended.
“PBGC” means the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor agency.
“Per Share Closing Cash
Consideration” means an amount equal to (a) the
Closing Cash Consideration, divided by (b) an amount equal to the
total number of Shares.
“Permit” means any
license, certificate, accreditation, permit, waiver, or other
similar authorization issued, granted, given, or otherwise made
available by or under the authority of any Governmental Body or
pursuant to Law.
“Permitted Liens” means
(i) Liens for real estate Taxes not yet due and payable or, to the
extent that the Company has set aside accruals therefor, being
contested in good faith by appropriate procedures, (ii) Liens
arising under equipment leases with third parties set forth in
Section 3.10(a) of the Disclosure Schedule, (iii) carriers’,
warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s,
repairmen’s, or other similar Liens arising in the ordinary
course of business, (iv) statutory landlords’ Liens and Liens
granted to landlords under any Real Property Lease, (v) easements,
rights-of-way, covenants, conditions, defects, exceptions,
restrictions and other encumbrances and all matters of record
existing as of the date hereof or otherwise incurred in the
ordinary course of business, (vi) zoning ordinances and other land
use regulations imposed by any Governmental Body having
jurisdiction over any property that are not violated by the current
use and operation of the property, (vii) all matters affecting any
property that would be shown on current surveys of the real estate
or would be revealed by physical inspections thereof and (viii)
Liens in connection with the Floor Plan.
“Person” means any
individual, corporation, partnership, firm, joint venture,
association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated
organization, Governmental Body or other entity.
“Pre-Closing Tax Period”
means any taxable period ending on or before the Closing Date and,
for any taxable period that encompasses periods both before and
after the Closing Date, the portion through the end of the Closing
Date.
57
“SEC Reports” means,
collectively, all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other
documents required to be furnished or filed by Parent under the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act since January 9, 2017,
including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by
reference therein.
“Securities Act” means the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Subsidiary” means, with
respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, association,
trust or other form of legal entity of which (i) more than fifty
percent (50%) of the voting power of the outstanding voting
securities are directly or indirectly owned by such Person or (ii)
such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person is a general partner
(excluding partnerships in which such party or any Subsidiary of
such Person does not have a majority of the voting interests in
such partnership).
“Target Net Working
Capital” means negative $1,656,308.41.
“Tax” or
“Taxes”
shall mean means any federal, state, provincial, local or foreign
income, alternative minimum, accumulated earnings, personal holding
company, franchise, capital stock, net worth, capital, profits,
windfall profits, gross receipts, value added, sales, use, goods
and services, excise, customs duties, transfer, conveyance,
mortgage, registration, stamp, documentary, recording, premium,
severance, environmental (including taxes under Section 59A of
the Code or any analogous or similar provision of any state, local
or foreign Law or regulation), real property, personal property, ad
valorem, intangibles, rent, occupancy, license, occupational,
employment, unemployment insurance, social security, disability,
workers’ compensation, payroll, health care, withholding,
estimated or other similar tax, duty or other governmental charge
or assessment or deficiencies thereof, and including any interest,
penalties or additions to tax attributable to the
foregoing.
“Tax Return” means any
return, report, declaration, form, claim for refund or information
return or statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or
attachment thereto, and including any amendment
thereof.
“Termination Date” means
November 1, 2018.
“Transaction Documents”
means, with respect to any Person, this Agreement together with any
other agreements, instruments, certificates and documents executed
by such Person in connection herewith or therewith or in connection
with the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
“Treasury Regulations”
means the regulations promulgated under the Code, including
temporary and proposed regulations.
“VWAP” means the
volume-weighted average price per share of common stock as
displayed under the heading “Bloomberg VWAP” on
Bloomberg page “RMBL” (or its equivalent successor if
such page is not available or the corresponding Bloomberg VWAP page
for such other security), in respect of the period from the
scheduled open of trading until the scheduled close of trading of
the primary trading session on such trading day (or if such
volume-weighted average price is unavailable, the market value of
one share of common stock (or other security) on such trading day
as an internationally recognized investment bank retained for this
purpose by Seller determines in good faith using a volume-weighted
average method.
58
“WARN” means the Worker
Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, as
amended.
(b) Each of the
following terms is defined in the Section set forth opposite such
term:
Term
|
Section
|
Agreement
|
Preamble
|
Articles
of Merger
|
Section
1.2
|
Authorized
Action
|
Section
9.18(b)
|
Balance
Sheet
|
Section
3.5
|
Balance
Sheet Date
|
Section
3.5
|
Basket
|
Section
7.5(a)
|
Berrard
|
Preamble
|
Blue
Sky Laws
|
Section
2.4
|
Board
Consents
|
Section
6.1(e)(ii)
|
Board
Observer
|
Section
5.10
|
Cap
|
Section
7.5(a)
|
Chesrown
|
Preamble
|
Closing
|
Section
1.2
|
Closing
Cash Consideration
|
Section
1.8(a)(i)
|
Closing
Date
|
Section
1.2
|
Closing
Net Working Capital
|
Section
1.9(a)
|
Closing
Statement
|
Section
1.9(a)
|
Company
|
Preamble
|
Company
ERISA Affiliate
|
Section
3.13(b)
|
Company
Parties
|
Section
5.4(c)
|
Company
Pre-Closing Tax Return
|
Section
5.3(d)
|
Consent
Date
|
Section
5.8(a)
|
Controlling
Party
|
Section
5.3(j)
|
Conversion
Consent
|
Section
5.8
|
Conversion
Shares
|
Section
5.8
|
Covenant
Survival Period
|
Section
7.4
|
Disclosure
Schedule
|
Section
9.11
|
Dispute
Notice
|
Section
1.9(b)
|
DLLCA
|
Section
1.1
|
Effective
Date
|
Preamble
|
Employee
|
Section
5.11
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
Section
3.13(a)
|
Enforceability
Exceptions
|
Section
2.1
|
ERISA
|
Section
3.13(a)
|
Escrow
Account
|
Section
1.7(b)
|
Escrow
Agreement
|
Section
1.7(b)
|
Escrow
Amount
|
Section
1.7(b)
|
59
Estimated
Net Working Capital
|
Section
1.8(a)
|
Final
Closing Statement
|
Section
1.9(b)
|
Financial
Statements
|
Section
3.5
|
General
Survival Period
|
Section
7.4
|
Incentive
Consent
|
Section
6.1(e)(ii)
|
Indemnified
Party
|
Section
7.3(a)
|
Indemnifying
Party
|
Section
7.3(a)
|
Information
Statement
|
Section
5.8(b)
|
Intellectual
Property Licenses
|
Section
3.11(b)
|
Leased
Properties
|
Section
3.9(b)
|
Losses
|
Section
7.1
|
Mailing
Date
|
Section
5.8(b)
|
Majority
Consent
|
Section
6.1(e)(ii)
|
Material
Contracts
|
Section
3.12(a)
|
Material
Customer
|
Section
3.21(a)
|
Material
Supplier
|
Section
3.21(b)
|
Membership
Interests
|
Recitals
|
Merger
|
Recitals
|
Merger
Consideration
|
Section
1.7(a)
|
Merger
Filings
|
Section
1.2
|
Merger
Sub
|
Preamble
|
Minimum
Threshold
|
Section
5.10
|
MIPA
|
Recitals
|
Multiemployer
Plans
|
Section
3.13(a)
|
Multiple
Employer Plans
|
Section
3.13(a)
|
Nasdaq
Approval
|
Section
5.8(b)
|
New
Leases
|
Section
6.1(m)
|
Owned
Intellectual Property
|
Section
3.11(a)
|
Parent
|
Preamble
|
Parent
Indemnitees
|
Section
7.1
|
Parent
Prepared Return
|
Section
5.3(e)
|
Participating
Party
|
Section
5.3(j)
|
Party
|
Preamble
|
Per
Share Valuation Amount
|
Section
1.7(b)
|
Personal
Property Leases
|
Section
3.10(a)
|
Plan of
Merger
|
Section
1.2
|
Q-Sub
Election
|
Recital
|
Qualified
Plans
|
Section
3.13(c)
|
Real
Property Laws
|
Section
3.9(c)
|
Real
Property Lease
|
Section
3.9(b)
|
Registration
Rights Agreement
|
Section
6.1(k)
|
Reorganization
|
Recitals
|
60
Representative
|
Preamble
|
Reviewed
Financial Statements
|
Section
5.8(b)
|
Reviewed
Financial Statements Delivery Date
|
Section
5.8(b)
|
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act
|
Section
4.8
|
SEC
|
Section
4.8
|
Shares
|
Recitals
|
Straddle
Period
|
Section
5.3(c)
|
Stockholder
|
Preamble
|
Survival
Period
|
Section
7.4
|
Surviving
Company
|
Section
1.1
|
Tax
Proceeding
|
Section
5.3(i)
|
TCode
|
Recitals
|
Third
Party Claim
|
Section
7.3(a)
|
Wholesale
Contribution
|
Recital
|
Wholesale
Holdings
|
Preamble
|
Wholesale
Predecessor
|
Recital
|
Wholesale
Successor
|
Recital
|
Section
9.2 Expenses.
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, including Section
5.3(b), each of the Parties shall bear its own fees, costs and
expenses (including legal, accounting, consulting and investment
advisory fees and expenses) incurred in connection with this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, all transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp,
registration and other such Taxes, and all conveyance fees,
recording charges and other fees and charges (including any
penalties and interest) incurred in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
shall be paid by the Stockholders.
Section
9.3 Governing
Law; Jurisdiction; Venue. This Agreement
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal
laws of the state of Delaware (without giving effect to any choice
or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the state of
Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the
application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the state of
Delaware). Each of the Parties submits
to the exclusive jurisdiction of any state or federal court
within Davidson County in the
state of Tennessee in any
action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement
and agrees that all claims in respect of the action or proceeding
shall be exclusively heard and determined in any such court. The
Parties hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted
by applicable Law, any objection which they may now or hereafter
have to the laying of venue of any such dispute brought in such
court. Each of the Parties waives any defense of inconvenient forum
to the maintenance of any action or proceeding so
brought.
61
Section
9.4 Entire
Agreement; Amendments and Waivers. This Agreement
(including the schedules and exhibits hereto) represents the entire
understanding and agreement between the Parties with respect to the
subject matter hereof and can be amended, supplemented or changed,
and any provision hereof can be waived, only by written instrument
making specific reference to this Agreement signed by Parent, in
the case of an amendment, supplement, modification or waiver sought
to be enforced against Parent, or the Representative, in the case
of an amendment, supplement, modification or waiver sought to be
enforced against the Stockholders. The waiver by any Party of a
breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be
construed as a further or continuing waiver of such breach or as a
waiver of any other or subsequent breach. No failure on the part of
any Party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right, power
or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall
any single or partial exercise of such right, power or remedy by
such Party preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the
exercise of any other right, power or remedy. All remedies
hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any other
remedies provided by Law.
Section
9.5 Section
Headings. The section
headings of this Agreement are for reference purposes only and are
to be given no effect in the construction or interpretation of this
Agreement.
Section
9.6 Notices. All notices and
other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and
shall be given by personal delivery, nationally recognized
overnight courier or certified mail at the following addresses (or
to such other address as a Party may have specified by notice given
to the other Party pursuant to this provision):
If to
the Company or Wholesale Holdings, before the Closing
at:
Wholesale,
LLC
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx X
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
With a
copy (which shall not
constitute notice) to:
Bass,
Xxxxx & Xxxx PLC
000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000 Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
If to
the Stockholders, after the Closing, to the
Representative:
|
|
62
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xx.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
With a
copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Bass,
Xxxxx & Xxxx PLC
000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000 Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
|
|
If to
Parent, Merger Sub, or, after the Closing, the Company or the
Surviving Company, to:
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
|
With a
copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Akerman
LLP
000 X.
Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
|
|
Any
such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been received
(i) when delivered, if personally delivered, (ii) on the next
Business Day after dispatch, if sent postage pre-paid by nationally
recognized, overnight courier guaranteeing next Business Day
delivery, and (iii) on the fifth (5th) Business Day following the
date on which the piece of mail containing such communication is
posted, if sent by certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt
requested.
Section
9.7 Severability.
If any provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, the balance of this Agreement shall remain in
effect. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, 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 a mutually
acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated
hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest
extent possible.
63
Section
9.8 Binding
Effect; Assignment; Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement
shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Parties
and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided,
however, that no Party may assign its rights and/or obligations
hereunder without the consent of the other Parties. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Parent may assign its rights and obligations
pursuant to this Agreement, in whole or in part, in connection with
any disposition or transfer of all or any portion of Parent, the
Company, Wholesale Holdings or their respective businesses in any
form of transaction without the consent of any of the other
Parties. In addition, Parent may assign any or all of its rights
pursuant to this Agreement and the Escrow Agreement to any lender
to Parent, Wholesale Holdings or the Company as collateral security
without the consent of any of the other Parties. Except as provided
in ARTICLE VII with respect to Persons entitled to indemnification
thereunder, nothing in this Agreement shall create or be deemed to
create any third party beneficiary rights in any
Person.
Section
9.9 Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original but all of which together will
constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed
counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile,
portable document format or other electronic means shall be
effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart to this
Agreement.
Section
9.10 Remedies
Cumulative. Except as
otherwise provided herein, no remedy herein conferred upon a Party
hereto is intended to be exclusive of any other remedy. Except as
otherwise provided herein, no single or partial exercise by a Party
hereto of any right, power or remedy hereunder shall preclude any
other or further exercise thereof.
Section
9.11 Exhibits and
Schedules. The exhibits and
schedules referred to herein are attached hereto and incorporated
herein by this reference. The disclosure schedule delivered by the
Company to Parent in connection with the execution of this
Agreement (the “Disclosure Schedule”)
shall be arranged to correspond to the specific sections of this
Agreement. The information disclosed in each section of the
Disclosure Schedule qualifies the correspondingly numbered and
lettered representation, warranty, covenant or other agreement of
this Agreement and the other representations and warranties in this
Agreement as to which the disclosure on its face is reasonably
apparent. To the extent cross-references are set forth in any
section or subsection of the Disclosure Schedule, such
cross-references are intended solely for convenience and are by no
means intended as statements of limitation as to other appropriate
cross-disclosure pursuant to the foregoing sentence.
Section
9.12 Interpretation.
When a reference is made in this Agreement to an article, section,
paragraph, clause, schedule or exhibit, such reference shall be
deemed to be to this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The text
of all schedules is incorporated herein by reference. Whenever the
words “include,” “includes” or
“including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be
deemed to be followed by the words “without
limitation.” As used herein, words in the singular will be
held to include the plural and vice versa (unless the context
otherwise requires), words of one gender shall be held to include
the other gender (or the neuter) as the context requires, and the
terms “hereof”, “herein”, and
“herewith” and words of similar import will, unless
otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a
whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. As
used in this Agreement, (i) “made available” shall mean
uploaded to the data room for the transaction contemplated hereby,
emailed to Parent or its representatives or made available when
Parent or its representatives visited the offices or other
locations of the Company or Express, and (ii) “Company”
includes for any period following the Reorganization, Wholesale
Successor and, for any period prior to the Reorganization,
Wholesale Predecessor.
64
Section
9.13 Arm’s
Length Negotiations. Each Party herein
expressly represents and warrants to all other Parties hereto that
(a) said Party has had the opportunity to seek and has obtained the
advice of its own legal, tax and business advisors before executing
this Agreement; and (b) this Agreement is the result of arm’s
length negotiations conducted by and among the Parties and their
respective counsel.
Section
9.14 Construction.
The Parties agree and acknowledge that they have jointly
participated in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In
the event of an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation
arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by
the Parties and no presumptions or burdens of proof shall arise
favoring any Party by virtue of the authorship of any of the
provisions of this Agreement. Any reference to any federal, state,
local, or foreign statute or Law shall be deemed also to refer to
all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, unless the
context requires otherwise.
Section
9.15 Specific
Performance. The Parties agree
that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this
Agreement were not performed by the Parties in accordance with the
specific terms hereof or were otherwise breached by the Parties. It
is accordingly agreed that each Party shall be entitled, without
posting a bond or similar indemnity, to an injunction or other
equitable relief to prevent breaches of this Agreement or to
enforce specifically the performance of the terms.
Section
9.16 Waiver
of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE
PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL
BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS
AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
Section
9.17 Time
of Essence. With regard to
all dates and time periods set forth or referred to in this
Agreement, time is of the essence.
(a) Irrevocable Power of Attorney.
Each Stockholder irrevocably constitutes and appoints Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx as the Representative, with full and unqualified power to
delegate to one or more Persons the authority granted to it
hereunder, to act as such Person’s true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, and
authorizes the Representative acting for such Person and in such
Person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to
do and perform every act and thing required or permitted to be done
in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
and the other Transaction Documents, as fully to all intents and
purposes as such Person might or could do in person,
including:
(i) to take any and all
action on behalf of such Stockholders from time to time as the
Representative may deem necessary or desirable to fulfill the
interests and purposes of this Agreement and the other Transaction
Documents and to engage agents and representatives (including
accountants and legal counsel) to assist in connection
therewith;
(ii) to
deliver all notices required to be delivered by such Stockholders
or any of them;
65
(iii) to
receive all notices required to be delivered to such Stockholders
or any of them;
(iv) to
give such orders and instructions as the Representative in its sole
discretion shall determine with respect to this Agreement and the
other Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated
hereby and thereby;
(v) to take all actions
necessary to handle and resolve claims by or against Parent for
indemnification by such Stockholders under this
Agreement;
(vi) to
take all actions necessary to handle and resolve any adjustment to
the Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 1.9;
(vii) to
retain and to pay legal counsel and other professionals in
connection with any and all matters referred to herein or relating
hereto or any other Transaction Documents (which counsel or other
professionals may, but need not, be counsel or other professionals
engaged by the Company);
(viii) to
make, acknowledge, verify and file on behalf of any such
Stockholder applications, consents to service of process and such
other documents, undertakings or reports as may be required by Law
as determined by the Representative in its sole discretion after
consultation with counsel; and
(ix) to
make, exchange, acknowledge, deliver, amend and terminate all such
other contracts, powers of attorney, orders, receipts, notices,
requests, instructions, certificates, letters and other writings,
and in general to do all things and to take all actions, that the
Representative in its sole discretion may consider necessary or
proper in connection with or to carry out the aforesaid, as fully
as could such Stockholders if personally present and
acting.
Each of
such Stockholders hereby irrevocably grants unto said
attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and
perform each and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be
done in connection with the matters described above, as fully to
all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that the Representative
may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Each of such
Stockholders further agrees not to take any action inconsistent
with the terms of this Section 9.18 or with the actions (or
decisions not to act) of the Representative hereunder, and in any
case shall not take any action or other position under this
Agreement without the consent of the Representative. To the extent
of any inconsistency between the actions (or decisions not to act)
of the Representative and of any such Stockholder hereunder, the
actions (or decisions not to act) of the Representative shall
control. EACH SUCH STOCKHOLDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT IS HIS, HER, OR
ITS EXPRESS INTENTION TO HEREBY GRANT A DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY
UNTO THE REPRESENTATIVE AND THAT THIS DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY IS
NOT AFFECTED BY SUBSEQUENT INCAPACITY OF SUCH STOCKHOLDER. Each of
such Stockholders further acknowledges and agrees that upon
execution of this Agreement, any delivery by the Representative of
any waiver, amendment, agreement, opinion, certificate or other
documents executed by the Representative pursuant to this Section
9.18, such Stockholder shall be bound by such documents as fully as
if such Stockholder had executed and delivered such documents, and
any action (or decision not to act) taken or otherwise implemented
by the Representative under this Agreement shall be binding upon
all of Stockholders.
66
(b) Actions of the Representative.
Each Stockholder agrees that Parent shall be entitled to rely on
any action taken by the Representative, on behalf of Stockholders
pursuant to Section 9.18(a) above (each, an “Authorized Action”), and
that each Authorized Action shall be binding on each such
Stockholder as fully as if such Person had taken such Authorized
Action. Each Stockholder acknowledges and agrees that any payment
made by Parent on behalf of such Stockholder to the Representative
pursuant to this Agreement shall constitute full and complete
payment to Stockholder and Parent shall have no further liability
therefor. No Stockholder shall bring, and each Stockholder hereby
waives any right to bring, any Legal Proceeding against Parent as a
result of any actions or inactions of the
Representative.
(c) Death or Disability of the
Representative. In the event of the death or permanent
disability of the Representative, or its resignation, a successor
Representative shall be appointed by a majority vote of the holders
of Shares outstanding immediately prior to the Closing, with each
such holder (or such holder’s successors or assigns) to be
given a vote equal to the number of votes represented by the Shares
held by such holder immediately prior to the Closing.
(d) Deposit. Each Stockholder and
his or her spouse, if applicable shall, simultaneous with the
execution of this Agreement, deposit his, her or its Shares
(together with a stock power executed in blank) with the
Representative for delivery by the Representative to Parent at
Closing.
Section
9.19 Legal
Counsel. The Parties
acknowledge and agree (both on their own behalf and on behalf of
their directors, managers, equityholders, partners, officers,
employees and Affiliates) (a) to permit (and take all steps
reasonably requested by any party (at the requesting party’s
expense)) any privilege attaching as a result of Bass, Xxxxx &
Xxxx PLC’s (“BBS”) services as counsel
to the Company and/or the Stockholders in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Transaction
Documents to survive the Closing and remain in effect; provided
that such attorney client privilege will, after the Closing, be
controlled by the Representative and (b) that after the Closing,
all of BBS’s communications and records related to the
preparation, negotiation and execution of this Agreement and
Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby will become property of (and be controlled by) the
Stockholders, and none of Parent, Merger Sub, the Company, the
Surviving Company or any of their post-Closing Affiliates (other
than the Stockholders) will retain copies of, or otherwise maintain
or be entitled to access to, any such communications and records.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a dispute arises between Parent
or the Surviving Company, on the one hand, and a third-party, other
than a Stockholder, on the other, after the Closing, the Surviving
Company may assert the attorney-client privilege to prevent
disclosure of privileged communications by BBS or a Stockholder to
such third-party; provided, however, that the Company may not waive
such privilege without the prior written consent of the
Representative.
* * * *
*
67
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement and Plan of Merger has been
executed by or on behalf of each of the Parties as of the day first
written above.
|
|
PARENT:
By:
/s/
Xxxxxxxx Chesown
Name:
Xxxxxxxx Chesown
Title:
Chief Executive Officer
MERGER SUB:
RMBL
TENNESSEE, LLC
By:
/s/
Xxxxxxxx Chesown
Name:
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title:
Manager
|
|
|
WHOLESALE
HOLDINGS:
WHOLESALE HOLDINGS,
INC.
By:
/s/ Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title:
President
|
|
|
COMPANY:
WHOLESALE,
LLC
By:
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title:
President
|
[Signature
Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger]
STOCKHOLDERS:
/s/Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx /s/Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
and Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, joint tenants
with
right of survivorship
|
REPRESENTATIVE:
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
|
For the
limited purpose of Section 5.8 of this Agreement only:
CHESROWN:
/s/
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
|
XXXXXXX:
/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
[Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of
Merger]
Exhibit A
Xxxxxxx of
Merger
ARTICLES OF MERGER
OF
WHOLESALE HOLDINGS, INC.,
a Tennessee corporation,
WITH AND INTO
RMBL TENNESSEE, LLC
a Delaware limited liability company
Pursuant
to Chapter 21 of the Tennessee Business Corporation Act and Section
18-209 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, as amended,
Wholesale Holdings, Inc., a Tennessee corporation, and RMBL
Tennessee, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, do hereby
adopt the following Articles of Merger:
1.
The names of the entities that are parties to the merger
contemplated by these Articles
of Merger (the “Merger”) are:
(i) WHOLESALE
HOLDINGS, INC., a Tennessee corporation (the “Merging
Company”); and
(ii) RMBL
TENNESSEE, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
“Surviving Company”).
2.
The Merging Company is hereby merged with and into the Surviving
Company and
the separate existence of the Merging Company shall cease. The
Surviving Company is the surviving entity in the Merger and its
name, as the surviving entity shall remain RMBL TENNESSEE, LLC. A
copy of the Agreement and Plan of Merger is attached hereto as
Exhibit “A” and made a part hereof by reference as if
fully set forth herein. The Merger, the Agreement and Plan of
Merger and the performance of the terms of the Agreement and Plan
of Merger were duly authorized by all action required by or under
the laws of the State of Delaware and the State of Tennessee, the
charters of the Merging Company, the certificate of formation of
the Surviving Company, and the other governing and/or organic
documents of the Merging Company and the Surviving Company. The
Agreement and Plan of Merger has been duly executed by the
Surviving Company and the Merging Company. The Agreement and Plan
of Merger is on file at a place of business of the Surviving
Company, which is 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx 00000. A copy of the Agreement and Plan of Merger will be
furnished by the Surviving Company on request and without cost, to
any member of the Surviving Company or any person holding an
interest in the Merging Company.
3.
The Merger and the Agreement and Plan of Merger was unanimously
approved by
the affirmative vote of the Board of Directors and the shareholders
of the Merging Company by unanimous written consents each dated as
of October 25, 2018, in accordance with applicable Tennessee law
and the charter of the Merging Company.
4. The
Merger and the Agreement and Plan of Merger was unanimously
approved by the affirmative vote of the Board of Managers and the
sole member of the Surviving Company by unanimous written consent
dated as of October 25, 2018, in accordance with applicable
Delaware law and the charter of the Surviving Company.
5. The
Merger shall become effective on the date of the filing of these
Articles of Merger with the Delaware Secretary of
State.
6. The
certificate of formation and the operating agreement of the
Surviving Company as in existence prior to the Merger shall be the
certificate of formation and the operating agreement of the
Surviving Company, without amendment.
The parties have caused these Articles of Merger to be executed on
October 29,
2018
|
MERGING COMPANY:
WHOLESALE HOLDINGS, INC.
By:
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: President
SURVIVING COMPANY:
RMBL TENNESSEE, LLC
By: /s/
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: Manage
|
Exhibit B
Escrow
Agreement
[See Exhibit 10.2
to for 8-K]
Exhibit C
Registration
Rights Agreement
[See Exhibit 10.1
to Form 8-K]
Exhibit D
Form of
Lease
LEASE AGREEMENT
THIS
LEASE AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of October __, 2018
(the “Effective Date”), by and between:
(i) Xxxxxx
and Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, each an individual, with a principal office
and place of business at 000X Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, XX
00000 (collectively, “Landlord”); and
(ii) Wholesale,
LLC a Tennessee limited liability company, with a mailing address
of 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
(“Tenant”).
WITNESSETH:
Landlord
leases to Tenant, and Tenant rents from Landlord, that certain real
property commonly known as 0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx 00000, together with all rights and privileges that are
appurtenant to such real property, inclusive of all easements
benefiting such land, and together with that certain building
located thereon consisting of approximately 28,743 square feet (the
“Premises”).
The
following additional stipulations are hereby declared to be
covenants of this Lease and shall, unless otherwise expressly
stated, be applicable at all times throughout the term of this
Lease and any extension or renewal thereof:
1.
DEFINITIONS
For
purposes of this Lease, the following terms shall have the
definitions ascribed to them below:
“Commencement
Date” shall mean the Effective Date.
“Improvements”
shall mean all improvements and structures located on the real
property or hereafter constructed on the real
property.
“Lease”
shall include this Lease Agreement and all amendments hereto, if
any, entered into from time to time hereafter.
“Lease
Year” shall mean each consecutive twelve (12) month period
during the term of this Lease and any extensions hereof. The first
Lease Year shall begin on the Commencement Date and shall expire on
the last day of the twelfth (12th) month thereafter and each
subsequent Lease Year shall begin on the day immediately following
the prior Lease Year and shall expire on the last day of the
twelfth (12th) month thereafter; provided, however, that in the
event the Commencement Date is not the first (1st) day of acalendar
month, then the first Lease Year shall be longer than twelve (12)
months, it being agreed that such Lease Year shall commence on the
Commencement Date and shall expire on the last day of the twelfth
(12th) month after the first (1st) day of the calendar month
following the Commencement Date.
46843889;1
“Material
Alteration” shall mean any proposed construction or
alteration or change affecting the Premises, the cost of which,
individually or together with other such activities to be completed
concurrently therewith, exceeds Fifteen Thousand and No/100 Dollars
($15,000.00) or adversely affects the structural integrity or
components of any Improvements.
“Permitted
Use” shall mean automotive dealership and service shop with
associated office space and for no other purpose.
“Rent”
shall mean the rent payable under this Lease and shall include Base
Rent (as hereinafter defined), together with all other items
described in this Lease as “additional
rent”.
“Tenant”
shall include the named Tenant and any permitted assignee or
subtenant thereof pursuant to an assignment or sublease under
Section 15 of this Lease.
2. TERM.
The term of this Lease shall begin on
the Commencement Date and shall expire on the last day of the third
(3rd)
Lease Year (hereinafter the “Termination Date”), unless
previously terminated or renewed or extended as provided
herein.
Provided
no Default (as hereinafter defined) exists beyond applicable notice
and cure periods, Tenant shall have the right, upon at least ninety
(90) days prior written notice to Landlord prior to the Termination
Date or the first Renewal Term, as applicable, to renew this Lease
for two (2) additional terms of five (5) years each (each, the
“Renewal Term”), upon the same terms and conditions
contained in this Lease except: (i) the second Renewal Term will
contain no further renewal options unless expressly granted by
Landlord in writing; and (ii) the Base Rent for the Premises shall
increase by ten percent (10%) over the immediately preceding Base
Rent amount then due, with lease terms commencing on or about the
date of commencement of the renewal term.
3. RENT
(a) Commencement
of Rent. Payment of Base Rent
(as defined below) shall commence as of the Commencement
Date.
(b) Base
Rent. Tenant covenants and
agrees to pay to Landlord base rent (“Base Rent”) as
follows:
Date
|
Monthly Base Rent
|
Yearly Base Rent
|
October
__, 2018 – October __, 2021
|
$31,000
|
$372,000
|
October
__, 2021 – October __, 2026, if applicable
|
$34,100
|
$409,200
|
October
__, 2026 – October __, 2031, if applicable
|
$37,510
|
$450,120
|
(c) All
Base Rent shall be paid in monthly installments, in advance, on
or before the first (1st)
day of each month; provided, however, that if the Commencement Date
occurs on a day other than the first day of the calendar month, the
first payment of
2
Base
Rent shall be the prorated Base Rent for the remainder of the
calendar month in which the payment of Base Rent
commences.
(d) Sales/Use
Tax. Tenant shall also pay to
Landlord any applicable sales and use tax imposed on any Rents
payable hereunder from time to time by state law or any other
governmental entity, which sums shall constitute additional rent
and shall be due monthly at the same time as monthly installments
of Base Rent are due under this Section 3.
(e) Late
Charges. In the event any
installment of Rent is not received by Landlord within ten (10)
business days of its respective due date, there shall be a late
charge due to Landlord from Tenant in the amount of five percent
(5%) of such delinquent installment of Rent. All such latecharges
due hereunder shall be deemed additional rent, and are not
penalties but rather are charges attributable to administrative and
collection costs arising out of such delinquency. In addition, if
any payment due from Tenant remains overdue for more than ten (10)
days of its respective due date, an additional late charge in an
amount equal to the lesser of (a) ten percent (10%) per annum or
(b) the maximum rate allowable by law of the delinquent amount may
be charged by Landlord, and shall be due and payable with respect
to such payment from the due date thereof until Landlord receives
such payment.
(f) Payments
of Rents. At Landlord’s
request, all Rent payments shall be made by electronic funds
transfer to Landlord to the account and in accordance with the
procedures designated by Landlord, or in such other manner as
Landlord or its successors or assigns, respectively, may from time
to time designate in writing.Prior to the establishment of said
electronics funds transfer process, the parties agree that Tenant
shall make Rent payments by check payable to the order of Landlord
and sent to Landlord at Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Rentals, 000X Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, or to such other address as
Landlord may hereafter direct in writing to
Tenant.
(g) No
Abatement. Unless otherwise
stated in the Lease, no abatement, offset, diminution or reduction
of (i) Rent, charges or other compensation, or (ii) Tenant’s
other obligations under this Lease shall be allowed to Tenant or
any person claiming under Tenant, under any circumstances or for
any reason whatsoever.
(h) Recalculation
of Base Rent. Notwithstanding
anything contained herein to the contrary, Tenant shall have the
one-time right during the initial term of this Lease to have the
Base Rent hereunder recalculated in accordance with this subsection
(h). Within thirty (30) days after Landlord's receipt of Tenant's
recalculation notice, Landlord and Tenant shall each select an
independent disinterested MAI appraiser, which appraisers shall
(within ten (10) days) mutually select a third independent
disinterested MAI appraiser. Landlord and Tenant shall then each
submit for arbitration to the third appraiser their respective
offers of the Fair Market Value for the Base Rent. Such third
appraiser shall then (within five (5) business days) select only
the Landlord's or the Tenant's offer as the Fair Market Rental
Value of the Premises. The decision of such third appraiser shall
be final and binding on the parties and the fees and costs of such
third appraiser shall be borne by the unsuccessful party. At a
minimum, each of the MAI
3
appraisers
shall be disinterested commercial real estate appraisers in Xxxxxx
County, Tennessee experienced in commercial leasing
4. INTENTIONALLY
DELETED.
5. ALTERATIONS
AND IMPROVEMENTS, MECHANIC’S LIENS
(a)
Alterations and
Improvements.
(i) Tenant’s
Property. Tenant shall be
permitted to install, use on and about, and remove from the
Premises at any time and from time to time all trade fixtures,
signage and other moveable personal property (exclusive of lighting
affixed to the Premises, plumbing, electrical and heating and air
conditioning improvements) which are not a component of the
building located or to be located on the Premises (hereinafter
referred to as the “Tenant’s Property”), all of
which at all times shall remain the property of Tenant with the
right of removal (subject to subparagraph 5(c) below) at the
expiration of this Lease.
(ii) Subsequent
Improvements. Tenant shall have
the right, from time to time, to make interior, non-structural
alterations to the Premises as Tenant shall desire without
Landlord's prior consent; provided, however, that (i) as to any
Material Alteration, (A) Tenant shall submit to Landlord, at least
ten (10) business days in advance of the proposed construction
date, a floor plan generally depicting any changes to the
configuration of space within the building and a listing of the
proposed alterations (and the cost thereof) to be completed in such
Material Alteration, and Landlord must, in its reasonable opinion,
approve or object to such Material Alteration within ten (10)
business days after Landlord’s receipt of such floor plan and
listing of the proposed alteration, and (B) at Landlord’s
reasonable request, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord
contractors’ unconditional payment and performance bonds for
such work naming Landlord and Tenant as dual obligees; and (ii) as
to all construction or alteration (regardless of whether any such
activities constitute Material Alteration), (A) all construction
shall be completed in a workmanlike manner and in compliance with
applicable laws, at Tenant’s sole expense, and (B) such
construction or alteration shall not reduce the fair market value
of the Premises. Landlord’s failure to respond to
Tenant’s request for approval of any proposed Material
Alteration within ten (10) business days after Landlord’s
receipt thereof shall be deemed to constitute Landlord’s
disapproval of such proposed Material Alteration. In the event
Landlord objects to any proposed Material Alteration as provided
above, Tenant may re-submit a revised floor plan and/or listing of
the proposed Tenant’s Improvements for review by Landlord as
provided in this Section 5(a)(ii). Changes or alterations to any
floor plan and listing of proposed Material Alteration previously
approved by Landlord that would affect the total cost thereof by
more than Ten Thousand and No/100 Dollars ($10,000.00) shall
constitute new Material Alteration which must be submitted to
Landlord or approval as provided above in this Section 5(a)(ii).
One reproducible final copy of the plans for all completed Material
Alterations shall be signed by Tenant and
4
submitted
to Landlord within ninety (90) days following the completion
thereof. All alterations shall not weaken or impair the structural
strength or materially decrease the value of the Premises and shall
be constructed in compliance with the requirements of this Lease.
Prior to the commencement of construction, all required approvals
of such construction must have been obtained from the applicable
governmental authorities and utilities having jurisdiction thereof.
Upon completion of the construction or alteration, Tenant shall
provide Landlord: (i) with respect to a Material Alteration, a
certification from the applicable construction contractor,
architect or engineer that such alterations or improvements have
been constructed, altered or changed in strict compliance with all
applicable laws, and (ii) with respect to a Material Alteration, a
fully executed lien waiver, in a form reasonably acceptable to
Landlord, from each contractor or subcontractor participating in
such construction or alteration or change of such alterations or
improvements, if and as applicable. Landlord shall be permitted to
inspect such constructed, altered or changed improvements. Except
as set forth herein, Tenant shall not remove or demolish, in whole
or in part, any alterations or improvements upon or within the
Premises without the prior approval of Landlord, which approval may
be conditioned upon the obligation of Tenant to return the Premises
to their original condition, wear and tear and casualty excepted.
All alterations and improvements shall be included within the
meaning of the term “Premises” hereunder.
(iii) Ownership of
Improvements. Except as set
forth herein, upon termination or expiration of this Lease, title
to any and all improvements, repairs, alterations, additions or
other improvements shall immediately and automatically vest in,
revert to and become the property of Landlord.
(b) Mechanic’s
and Other Liens. Tenant shall
not do or suffer anything to be done whereby the Premises, or any
part thereof, may be encumbered by a mechanic’s,
materialman’s, or other liens for work or labor done,
services performed, materials, appliances, or power contributed,
used, or furnished in or to the Premises or in connection with any
operations of Tenant, or similar lien, and, if, whenever and as
often as any such lien is filed against the Premises, or any part
thereof, purporting to be for or on account of any labor done,
materials or services furnished in connection with any work in or
about the Premises, done by, for or under the authority of Tenant,
or anyone claiming by, through or under Tenant, Tenant shall
discharge the same of record within thirty (30) days after service
upon Tenant of notice of the filing thereof; provided, however,
Tenant shall have the right to remove such lien by bonding same in
accordance with applicable law.
(c) Title
to Tenant’s Property. All
of Tenant’s Property placed in or upon the Premises by Tenant
shall remain the property of Tenant with the right to remove the
same at any time during the term of this Lease.
5
6. INSURANCE
(a) Tenant,
at its expense and as additional rent hereunder, shall, throughout
the term of this Lease and any extension or renewal thereof, keep
the Improvements located on the Premises insured against fire and
other casualty, with “Special Form Causes of Loss”
coverage (as such term is used in the insurance industry), at least
as broad as the most current ISO Special Cause of Loss Form,
including, but not limited to, coverage for glass breakage,
vandalism and malicious mischief, and builder’s risk (during
the period of any construction), in an amount of not less than the
full replacement value with no co-insurance penalty, with any
deductible in excess of $100,000 to be reasonably approved by
Landlord.
(b) Tenant
shall also maintain throughout the term of this Lease and any
extension thereof, at its own expense and as additional rent,
commercial general liability insurance covering the Premises and
the Improvements, at least as broad as the most current ISO
Commercial General Liability Policy Form (occurrence basis),
against all claims for personal injury, death, or property damage
for the joint benefit of and insuring Tenant and Landlord (and
Landlord’s lender if so requested by Landlord), with limits
not less than Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) per occurrence,
with any deductible in excess of $100,000 to be reasonably approved
by Landlord, and an umbrella liability policy or excess liability
policy, in an amount of not less than Four Million Dollars
($4,000,000.00) per occurrence, with any deductible in excess of
$250,000 to be reasonably approved by Landlord.
(c) Intentionally
omitted.
(d) All
insurance companies providing the coverage required under this
Section 6 shall be selected by Tenant and shall be rated A minus
(A-) or better by Best’s Insurance Rating Service, shall be
licensed to write insurance policies in the state in which the
Premises is located, and shall be acceptable to Landlord in
Landlord’s reasonable discretion. On or prior to the
Effective Date and thereafter prior to the expiration of any of the
policies providing the coverages described herein, Tenant shall
provide Landlord with copies of all certificates of such coverage
for the insurance coverages referenced in this Section 6. All
commercial general liability and umbrella liability or excess
liability policies (except as to the property policy) shall
designate Landlord and any mortgagee reasonably designated by
Landlord as an additional insured. Any such coverage for additional
insureds shall be primary and non-contributory with any insurance
carried by Landlord or any other additional insured hereunder. All
property insurance policies shall name Landlord (and
Landlord’s lender if so requested by Landlord) as an
additional named insured or as a loss payee as Landlord’s
interests may appear, and shall provide that all losses shall be
payable as herein provided. Tenant shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to require its insurer(s) that all such policies
of insurance shall provide that the amount thereof shall not be
reduced and that none of the provisions, agreements or covenants
contained therein shall be modified or canceled by the insuring
company or companies without thirty (30) days prior written notice
being given to Landlord; provided, however, the failure of any
policies to include the foregoing requirements of this sentence
shall not be a default under this Lease. Such policy
or
6
policies
of insurance shall also cover loss or damage to Tenant’s
Property, and the insurance proceeds applicable to Tenant’s
Property shall not be paid to Landlord or any mortgagee but shall
accrue and be payable solely to Tenant. In the event of a casualty,
Tenant shall be responsible for any deficiency between the
replacement cost of the Premises and the amount actually paid by
the insurance company.
(e)
Intentionally
omitted.
7.
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
(a) Except
as set forth in subparagraph (d) below, Tenant shall maintain the
Premises and all buildings and improvements thereon in good order
and repair and, subject to the provisions of Section 8 with respect
to a termination of this Lease as a result of a casualty or a
“taking”, return the Premises and all buildings and
improvements thereon or constructed thereon by Tenant at the
expiration of the term of this Lease or any extension thereof in
good condition and repair, ordinary wear and tear, casualty, and
condemnation excepted.
(b) Tenant
agrees that Landlord shall have no obligation under this Lease to
make any repairs or replacements (including the replacement of
obsolete components) to the Premises or the buildings or
improvements thereon, or any alteration, addition, change,
substitution or improvement thereof or thereto, whether structural
or otherwise, except to the extent any such repairs or replacements
are due to Landlord's or Landlord's agents', employees', or
contractors' negligence or willful misconduct. The terms
“repair” and “replacement” include the
replacement of any portions of the Premises which have outlived
their useful life during the term of the Lease (or any extensions
thereof). Except as set forth herein, Landlord and Tenant intend
that the Rent received by Landlord shall be free and clear of any
expense to Landlord for the construction, care, maintenance,
operation, repair, replacement, alteration, addition, change,
substitution and improvement of or to the Premises and any building
and improvement thereon, it being agreed that all such costs and
expenses shall be the responsibility of Tenant, except to the
extent any repair, replacement or improvements are necessary due to
Landlord's or Landlord's agents', employees', or contractors'
negligence or willful misconduct.
(c) Tenant
acknowledges and agrees that the Premises are and shall be leased
by Landlord to Tenant in its present “AS IS” condition,
and that Landlord makes absolutely no representations or warranties
whatsoever with respect to the Premises or the condition thereof.
Tenant acknowledges that Landlord has not investigated and does not
warrant or represent to Tenant that the Premises are fit for the
purposes intended by Tenant or for any other purpose or purposes
whatsoever, and Tenant acknowledges that the Premises are to be
leased to Tenant in their existing condition, i.e., “AS
IS”, on and as of the Commencement Date. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Landlord represents that as of the date of this Lease,
Landlord has received no written notice that either the Premises or
the property are not in compliance with all applicable laws
(including, without limitation, the Americans with Disabilities
Act).
7
(d) Landlord
shall maintain and repair, at its expense, the roof, the structural
soundness of the foundation, the structural soundness of the
exterior walls of the building, the driveways, alleys, landscape,
drainage systems and grounds surrounding the Premises (but not
including Tenant's fenced-in parking area). Tenant shall promptly
give Landlord written notice of any repair required by Landlord
pursuant to this paragraph, after which Landlord shall have a
reasonable opportunity to repair.
() Any
repairs or replacements required to be made by Landlord shall be
fully amortized in accordance with the Formula (defined below) and
reimbursed to Landlord over the remainder of the term of this
Lease, without regard to any extension or renewal option not then
exercised. The "Formula" shall mean that number, the numerator of
which shall be the number of months of the term of this Lease
remaining after such Landlord work, and the denominatorof which
shall be the amortization period (in months) equal to the useful
life of such repair or replacement multiplied by the cost of such
repair or replacement. Landlord shall pay for such repairs and
replacements, and Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for its amortized
share (as determined above) in equal monthly installments in the
same manner as the payment by Tenant to Landlord of the Base Rent.
In the event Tenant extends the Lease Term either by way of an
option or negotiated extension, such reimbursement by Tenant shall
continue as provided above until such amortization period has
expired.
8.
CONDEMNATION; CASUALTY
(a) In
the event that the whole or any material part of the Premises shall
be taken during the term of this Lease or any extension or renewal
thereof for any public or quasi-public use under any governmental
law, ordinance, regulation or by right of eminent domain, or shall
be sold to the condemning authority under threat of condemnation
with the result that the Premises cannot continue to be operated
for the Permitted Use in Tenant's reasonable discretion, or if all
reasonable access to the adjacent roadways from the existing or
comparable curb cuts shall be taken (any of such events being
hereinafter referred to as a “taking”), Landlord or
Tenant shall have the option of terminating this Lease as of a date
no earlier than the date of such taking, such termination date to
be specified in a notice of termination to be given by the
terminating party to the other party not fewer than fourteen (14)
days after the date on which possession of the Premises, or part
thereof, must be surrendered to the condemning authority or its
designee.
(b) In
the event of any taking which does not give rise to an option to
terminate (as described above) or in the event of a taking which
does give rise to an option to terminate (as described above) and
neither Landlord or Tenant elect to terminate, then and in either
such event, this Lease shall terminate (as of the date of such
“taking”) with respect only to the portion of the
Premises so taken, but shall remain in full force and effect with
respect to the remainder of the Premises, and Landlord shall, to
the extent of the award from such taking (which word
“award” shall mean the net proceeds of any award with
respect to such taking after deducting reasonable expenses of any
settlement, or net purchase price under a sale in lieu of
condemnation but shall exclude any portion of the total award that
relates to Landlord’s reversionary interest),
8
promptly
restore or repair the Premises and all improvements thereon (except
those items of Tenant’s Property which Tenant is permitted to
remove under the terms of this Lease) to the same condition as
existed immediately prior to such taking insofar as is reasonably
possible. If the estimated cost of restoration or repair shall
exceed the amount of such award, Landlord may elect to expend such
excess to restore or repair the Premises or may elect to terminate
this Lease. In such event, from and after the dateof such taking,
Base Rent and other charges payable to Landlord shall be reduced in
proportion to the amount of the Premises taken. If the award shall
exceed the amount spent or to be spent promptly to effect such
restoration, repair or replacement, such excess shall
unconditionally belong to Landlord.
(c) Nothing
contained herein shall be construed to preclude Tenant, at its
cost, from independently prosecuting any claim directly against the
condemning authority in such condemnation proceeding for damage to,
or cost of removal of, stock, trade fixtures, furniture, other
personal property belonging to Tenant, and loss of Tenant's
business; provided, however, that no such claim shall diminish or
otherwise adversely affect Landlord's award.
(d) If
this Lease is terminated by reason of a taking, then Landlord and
Tenant shall share the award in any such condemnation or eminent
domain proceedings or purchase, with Tenant getting any award
specifically made to reimburse Tenant for the taking of
Tenant’s Property or for moving expenses or business losses
and Landlord getting the balance of the award.
(e) If
the Premises should be damaged or destroyed by fire or other
casualty to the extent that the same cannot be reasonably repaired
or restored within 180 days after the occurrence of such casualty,
Landlord or Tenant may terminate this Lease upon giving notice to
the other party within thirty (30) days after the casualty occurs.
In the event of any such termination, except to the extent they are
for Tenant’s Property, all insurance proceeds payable in
connection with such casualty shall be shared by Landlord and
Tenant in the same manner that Landlord and Tenant share in a
condemnation award under Section 8(c) above.
(f) If
the Premises are damaged by fire or other casualty and this Lease
is not terminated pursuant to subparagraph 8(e) above, then this
Lease shall continue in effect and the Premises shall be promptly
restored by Landlord or Tenant, at Landlord’s sole election,
to the condition in which it existed at the time the casualty
occurred (or to such other condition as may be reasonably
possible), and all insurance proceeds payable with respect to such
casualty shall be applied to the cost of such repairs and/or
reconstruction, and if it reasonably appears that the cost of the
repairs and restoration will exceed the amount of the insurance
proceeds actually received, Tenant will pay such
deficiency.
9.
TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS
(a) From
and after the Effective Date and continuing throughout the term of
this Lease and all extensions thereof, Tenant shall pay, prior to
delinquency, all taxes and assessments which may be levied upon or
assessed against the Premises and all taxes and
9
assessments
of every kind and nature whatsoever arising in any way from the
use, occupancy or possession of the Premises or assessed against
the improvements situated thereon, together with all taxes levied
upon or assessed against Tenant’s Property. To that end,
Landlord shall not be required to pay any taxes or assessments
whatsoever which relate to or may be assessed against this Lease,
the Rent and other amounts due hereunder, the Premises,
improvements and Tenant’s Property; provided, however, that
any taxes or assessments which may be levied or assessed against
the Premises for the first and last years in which this Lease is in
effect shall be appropriately prorated between Landlord and Tenant.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Tenant be
responsible for payment of Landlord’s income, inheritance,
estate, and capital gains taxes.
(b) Within
thirty (30) days after Tenant receives the paid receipted tax
bills, Tenant shall furnish Landlord with copies thereof. Tenant
may, at its option, contest in good faith and by appropriate and
timely legal proceedings any such tax and assessment so long as
such contest is conducted by Tenant diligently and so long as such
contest does not subject the Premises or any portion thereof to
risk of forfeiture; provided, however, that Tenant shall indemnify
and hold harmless Landlord from any loss or damage resulting from
any such contest, and all expenses of same (including, without
limitation, all attorneys’ and paralegal fees, court and
other costs) shall be paid solely by Tenant.
10.
COMPLIANCE, USE, UTILITIES, SURRENDER
(a) Tenant
at its expense shall promptly comply with all applicable
governmental requirements, whether or not compliance therewith
shall require structural changes to the Premises; will procure and
maintain all permits, licenses, approvals and other authorizations
required for the use of the Premises or any part thereof then being
made and for the lawful and proper installation, operation and
maintenance of all equipment and appliances necessary or
appropriate for the operation and maintenance of the Premises;and
shall comply with all easements, restrictions, reservations and
other instruments of record applicable to the Premises, including
without limitation, the procuring and maintaining of insurance as
set forth herein. Tenant shall indemnify and save Landlord harmless
from all expenses and damages by reason of any notices, orders,
violations or penalties filed against or imposed upon the Premises,
or against Landlord as owner thereof, due to Tenant’s failure
to comply with this paragraph, except to the extent such expenses
and damages are due to Landlord's or Landlord's agents',
employees', or contractors' negligence or willful
misconduct.
(b) Notwithstanding
any other provision contained in this Lease to the contrary, Tenant
shall not use the Premises for (i) any noxious or offensive use,
(ii) any use that is not in compliance with all applicable laws and
ordinances, (iii) any use in violation of any matter of record, or
(iv) any use that is not a Permitted Use.
(c) Tenant
shall pay all charges for heat, water, gas, sewage, electricity and
other utilities used or consumed on the Premises directly to such
utility company and shall contract for the same in its own name.
Landlord shall not be liable for any interruption or failure in the
supply of any such utility service to the Premises.
10
(d) Tenant
shall peacefully surrender possession of the Premises and the
buildings and other improvements thereon to Landlord at the
expiration, or earlier termination, of the original term or any
extended or renewed term of this Lease, reasonable wear and tear
and casualty excepted.
11. QUIET
ENJOYMENT
Landlord
covenants and warrants that Landlord has full power and authority
to make this Lease, and that Tenant shall have and enjoy full,
quiet and peaceful possession of the Premises, their appurtenances
and all rights and privileges incidental thereto during the term
hereof and any renewals or extensions, subject to the provisions of
this Lease.
12. DEFAULT
(a) If
any one or more of the following events occur, said event or events
shall hereby be referred to as a
“Default”:
(i) If
Tenant fails to pay Rent, any additional rent, or any other charges
required hereunder when same shall become due and payable, and such
failure continues for five (5) days after receipt of written notice
from Landlord.
(ii) If
Tenant shall fail to perform or observe any term, condition,
covenant, agreement or obligation under this Lease and such failure
continues for more than thirty (30) days after receipt of written
notice from Landlord (except that such thirty (30) day period shall
be automatically extended for such additional period of time as is
reasonably necessary to cure such default, if such default is
capable of being cured, but cannot reasonably be cured within such
period, provided Tenant is at all times in the process of
diligently curing the same).
(iii) If
Tenant shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors or
file a petition, in any federal or state court, in bankruptcy,
reorganization, composition, or make an application in any such
proceedings for the appointment of a trustee or receiver for all or
any portion of its property.
(iv) If
any petition shall be filed under federal or state law against
Tenant in any bankruptcy, reorganization, or insolvency
proceedings, and said proceedings shall not be dismissed or vacated
within thirty (30) days after such petition is filed.
(v) If
a receiver or trustee shall be appointed under federal or state law
for Tenant, or for all or any portion of the property of Tenant,
and such receivership or trusteeship shall not be set aside within
thirty (30) days after such appointment.
(vi) Tenant
shall fail to deliver the documents required by Landlord pursuant
to Section 16 below.
11
(vii) Except
as set forth herein, Tenant subleases the Premises, or any portion
thereof, without the written permission of Landlord or Tenant
assigns this Lease, whether by operation of law or otherwise,
without the written permission of Landlord.
(viii) The
Premises shall be abandoned, deserted, or vacated for more than
thirty (30) consecutive days (other than for fire, casualty,
condemnation, repairs, or as consented to by Landlord in writing),
or Tenant fails to take possession of the Premises and initially
open for business to the public, or Tenant otherwise ceases its
business activity in the Premises (other than for fire, casualty,
condemnation, repairs, or as consented to by Landlord in writing)
prior to the expiration of the Term.
(b) Upon
the happening of any one or more of the aforementioned Defaults,
Landlord shall have the right, in addition to any other rights and
remedies, to terminate this Lease by giving written notice of same
to Tenant. Upon such notice, this Lease shall cease and expire, and
Tenant shall surrender the Premises to Landlord in accordance with
this Lease. Notwithstanding such termination, Tenant’s
liability and obligation under all provisions of this Lease,
including the obligation to pay Rent and any and all other amounts
due hereunder shall survive and continue. In addition, in the event
of Tenant’s Default under this Lease, Landlord may, by notice
to Tenant, accelerate the monthly installments of Rent due
hereunder for the remaining term of this Lease, in which event such
amount, together with any sums then in arrears, shall immediately
be due and payable to Landlord. Tenant hereby expressly agrees that
its occupation of the Premises after Default constitutes forcible
detainer (or equivalent) as is defined by the law in force in the
jurisdiction in which the Premises are located.
(c) Upon
the occurrence of a Default, regardless of whether this Lease shall
be terminated as provided hereinabove, Landlord may re-enter the
Premises and remove Tenant, its agents and sub-tenants, together
with all or any of Tenant’s Property, by suitable action at
law, or by force. Landlord shall not be liable in any way in
connection with any action it takes pursuant to this paragraph, to
the extent that its actions are in accordance with applicable law.
Notwithstanding such re-entry or removal, Tenant’s liability
under Lease shall survive and continue.
(d) In
case of re-entry, repossession and/or termination of this Lease,
Tenant shall remain liable for Rent, any additional rent and all
other charges provided for in this Lease for the otherwise
remaining term of this Lease, and any and all expenses which
Landlord may have incurred in re-entering the Premises including,
but not limited to, allocable overhead, alterations to the
building, leasing, construction, architectural, legal and
accounting fees. Regardless of whether this Lease has been
terminated as provided above, Landlord shall use reasonable efforts
to relet the whole or part of the Premises upon terms which
Landlord, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate and Tenant
shall be responsible for all expenses incurred by Landlord in
re-letting or attempting to re-let, and all rent collected for
reletting shall be credited against all of Tenant’s
obligations hereunder.
12
(e) In
the event of a Default, Landlord may, at its sole option, enter
upon the Premises, if deemed necessary by Landlord in its sole
discretion (but without any obligation to do so), and/or do
whatever may be deemed necessary by Landlord in its sole discretion
to cure such failure by Tenant. Tenant shall pay to Landlord within
five (5) days of Landlord’s request, all costs incurred by
Landlord in connection with Landlord’s curing of such
failure. In addition to the above costs, in the event Landlord does
not receive payment from Tenant when due under this subparagraph
12(e), then interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum or,
if less, the highest rate allowable by law, shall be due and
payable with respect to such payment from the due date thereof
until Landlord receives such payment.
(f) In
the event Landlord engages legal counsel in connection with the
enforcement of any of the terms and provisions of this Lease, then,
in addition to all other sums due from Tenant to Landlord under
this Lease, Tenant shall pay to Landlord any and all reasonable
attorneys’ fees, paralegal fees, court costs and other costs
and expenses incurred by Landlord, whether or not judicial
proceedings are filed, and including on appeal and in any
bankruptcy proceedings.
(g) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, in the event Tenant fails to maintain and keep in
full force and effect any or all of the insurance required pursuant
to Section 6 of this Lease (“Insurance Premiums”), or
pay any taxes required under Section 9 above (“Taxes”),
then at Landlord’s request and in Landlord’s sole
discretion, Tenant shall thereafter escrow funds for payment of
such Insurance Premiums and Taxes in the following
manner:
(i) Tenant
shall immediately pay to Landlord all sums expended by Landlord,
plus an additional ten percent (10%), for purposes of (1) bringing
current or reinstating or purchasing the Insurance Premiums
required under Section 6 of this Lease and (2) bringing current all
Taxes, together with any late fees or fines thereon. Thereafter,
Tenant shall pay to Landlord on the first (1st) day of each month
along with the monthly Rent payment a sum (the “Escrow
Funds”) equal to one-twelfth (1/12th)
of the yearly Insurance Premiums and Taxes.
(ii) Landlord
shall apply the Escrow Funds to pay said Insurance Premiums as and
when the applicable premiums shall become due and to such Taxes
prior to delinquency. No interest shall be payable by Landlord on
the Escrow Funds unless required by applicable law, in which event
all such interest shall be applied by Landlord to pay such
Insurance Premiums and Taxes. Landlord shall provide to Tenant an
annual accounting of the Escrow Funds in Landlord’s normal
format showing credits and debits to the Escrow Funds and the
purpose for which each debit to the Escrow Funds was made, within
thirty (30) days after the expiration of such annual
accounting.
(iii) If
the amount of the Escrow Funds held by Landlord at the time of the
annual accounting thereof shall exceed the amount deemed necessary
by Landlord to provide for the payment of Insurance Premiums and
Taxes, such
13
excess
shall be credited to Tenant on the next monthly installment or
installments of Escrow Funds due. If at any time the amount of the
Escrow Funds held by Landlord shall be less than the amount deemed
necessary by Landlord to pay the Insurance Premiums and Taxes,
Tenant shall pay to Landlord any amount necessary to make up the
deficiency within thirty (30) days after written notice from
Landlord to Tenant requesting payment thereof.
(iv)
The foregoing Escrow Funds arrangement shall terminate if Tenant
fully and faithfully complies with the provisions of this Section
12(g) for a period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months. Upon the
termination of this Lease, so long as Tenant is not in default
hereunder, Landlord shall promptly refund (or credit to Tenant in
the case of termination due to Tenant’s default) any Escrow
Funds held by Landlord.
(h) The
rights and remedies of Landlord set forth herein shall be in
addition to any other right and remedy now or hereinafter provided
by law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be
cumulative. No action or inaction by Landlord shall constitute a
waiver of any Default, and no waiver of any Default shall be
effective unless it is in writing, signed by Landlord.
(i) In
the event of a default by Landlord, Tenant's remedy, in addition to
any other remedies it may have at law or in equity, shall be an
action for actual damages or injunction, but prior to any such
action, Tenant shall give Landlord written notice specifying such
default, and Landlord shall have a period of thirty (30) days
following the receipt of such notice in which to cure the default
(provided, however, that if such default reasonably requires more
than thirty (30) days to cure, Landlord shall have a reasonable
time to cure such default, provided Landlord commences to cure
within such thirty (30) day period and thereafter diligently
prosecutes such cure to completion).
13. HOLDING
OVER
In
the event Tenant remains in possession of the Premises after the
expiration of this Lease without executing a new written lease
acceptable to Landlord and Tenant, Tenant shall occupy the Premises
as a tenant from month to month subject to all the terms hereof
(except as modified by this paragraph), but such possession shall
not limit Landlord’s rights and remedies by reason thereof.
In the event of such month to month tenancy, the monthly
installment of Base Rent due for each such month shall increase to
be one and a half (1.5) times the monthly installment thereof which
was payable during the last month of the term of this
Lease.
14. WAIVER
OF SUBROGATION
Notwithstanding
anything in this Lease to the contrary, neither party shall be
liable to the other for any damage or destruction of the Premises
or any other property resulting from fire or other casualty covered
by insurance required of either party hereunder (or which could be
insured against), whether or not such loss, damage or destruction
of the Premises or other property are caused by or results from the
negligence of such party (which term includes such party’s
officers, employees, agents and invitees), and each party hereby
expressly releases the
14
other
from all liability for or on account of any said insured loss,
damage or destruction, whether or not the party suffering the loss
is insured against such loss, and if insured whether fully or
partially. Each party shall procure all endorsements of insurance
policies carried by it necessary to protect the other from any
right of subrogation and/or liability in the event of such
loss.
15.
ASSIGNMENT AND SUBLETTING
(a) Tenant
shall not have the right, without first obtaining Landlord’s
prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned, or delayed, to assign or sublet any part or all of the
Premises to any party for any purpose. A change in ownership of the
controlling interest of Tenant (whether direct or indirect) shall
also constitute an assignment subject to this subparagraph.
Landlord, without being deemed unreasonable, may withhold its
consent to any proposed assignment or subletting where (as
determined by Landlord in Landlord’s sole discretion) (i)
such assignment or subletting would violate the terms of any then
existing agreement applicable to the Premises, or (ii) the
financial capacity of such assignee or subtenant is materially less
than that of Tenant as of the date of such proposed assignment or
the date of this Lease, whichever is greater. Even if such consent
to assignment or subletting is given by Landlord or not required,
such assignment or subletting shall not relieve Tenant of its
liability for the continued performance of all terms, covenants and
conditions of this Lease, including without limitation the payment
of all Rent and other charges thereunder, except to the extent
otherwise agreed to in writing by Landlord. In the event of the
subletting or assignment of this Lease, Landlord is entitled to
receive fifty percent (50%) of all gross revenues received by
Tenant from the assignee/sublessee, net of the Rent due under this
Lease by Tenant to Landlord.
(b) Prior
to any assignment allowed hereunder, Tenant shall deliver to
Landlord (i) a copy of the assignment documents (including copies
of any recorded documents related thereto); (ii) the name, address
and telephone number of such assignee and a designated contact
person for such assignee; (iii) a new insurance certificate
complying with the terms of this Lease and naming such assignee as
the tenant of the Premises; and (iv) an agreement executed by such
assignee whereby such assignee assumes and agrees to discharge all
obligations of Tenant under this Lease. Notwithstanding anything in
this Lease to the contrary, in the event of any assignment of this
Lease or subletting of the Premises, Tenant shall not be released
from its obligations under this Lease unless specifically released
by virtue of a separate written instrument executed by Landlord,
which may be withheld in Landlord’s sole
discretion.
(c) Landlord
shall have the right without limitation to sell, convey, transfer
or assign its interest in the Premises or its interest in this
Lease, and upon such conveyance being completed, all covenants and
obligations of Landlord under this Lease accruing thereafter shall
cease, but such covenants and obligations shall run with the land
and shall be binding upon the subsequent landlord or owners of the
Premises or of this Lease.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this section 15, Tenant shall
have the right, without Landlord's prior written consent, to assign
this Lease or sublease all or any portion of the Premises to any
party which directly or indirectly: (i)
15
wholly
owns or controls Tenant; (ii) is wholly owned or controlled by
Tenant, (iii) is under common ownership or control with Tenant, or
(iv) into which Tenant or any of the foregoing parties is merged,
consolidated or reorganized, or to which all or substantially all
of Tenant's assets or any such other party's assets are sold,
provided, however, (a) Tenant gives Landlord thirty (30) days prior
written notice of such assignment or subletting, and (b) the
transferee, in the case of an assignment, shall expressly assume
Tenant's obligations under this Lease. Notwithstanding any
assignment or sublease under this section 15(d), the original
Tenant shall not be released from its obligations for the payment
of Base Rent and other amounts due under this Lease, and compliance
with all of Tenant’s obligations under this
Lease.
16. SUBORDINATION,
NON-DISTURBANCE, ATTORNMENT, ESTOPPEL
CERTIFICATE.
(a) Upon
written request of the holder of any mortgage (which term
“mortgage” shall also include deeds of trust) now or
hereafter relating to the Premises, Tenant will subordinate its
rights under this Lease to the lien thereof and to all advances
made or hereafter to be made upon the security thereof, and Tenant
shall execute, acknowledge and deliver an instrument in the form
customarily used by such encumbrance holder to effect such
subordination (and reasonably approved by Tenant); provided,
however, as a condition of all such subordinations, the holder of
such mortgage shall be first required to agree in writing with
Tenant that, notwithstanding the foreclosure or other exercise of
rights under any such first or other mortgage, Tenant’s
possession and occupancy of the Premises and the improvements and
its leasehold estate shall not be disturbed or interfered with nor
shall Tenant’s rights and obligations under this Lease be
altered or adversely affected thereby so long as Tenant is not in
Default beyond applicable notice and cure periods.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything set out in subparagraph (a) above to the contrary, in the
event the holder of any such mortgage elects to have this Lease be
superior to its mortgage, then upon Tenant’s being notified
in writing to that effect by such encumbrance holder, this Lease
shall be deemed prior to the lien of said mortgage, whether this
Lease is dated prior or subsequent to the date of said mortgage,
and Tenant shall execute, acknowledge and deliver an instrument, in
the form customarily used by such encumbrance holder (and
reasonably approved by Tenant), effecting such
priority.
(c) In
the event proceedings are brought for the foreclosure of, or in the
event of the exercise of the power of sale under any mortgage made
by Landlord encumbering the Premises, or in the event of delivery
of a deed in lieu of foreclosure under such a mortgage, Tenant will
attorn to the purchaser upon any such foreclosure or sale and
recognize such purchaser as “Landlord” under this
Lease, and upon the request of the purchaser, Tenant shall execute,
acknowledge and deliver an instrument, in form and substance
satisfactory to such purchaser and reasonably acceptable to
Tenant.
(d) Each
party agrees, within fifteen (15) days after written request by the
other, to execute, acknowledge and deliver to and in favor of any
proposed mortgagee or purchaser of the Premises, an estoppel
certificate, in the form customarily used by such
16
proposed
mortgagee or purchaser, stating, among other things (i) whether
this Lease is in full force and effect, (ii) whether this Lease has
been modified or amended and, if so, identifying and describing any
such modification or amendment, (iii) the date to which Rent and
other charges have been paid, and (iv) whether the party furnishing
such certificate knows of any default on the part of the other
party or has any claim against such party and, if so, specifying
the nature of such default or claim.
(e) Upon
written demand by the holder of any mortgage covering the Premises,
Tenant shall forthwith execute, acknowledge and deliver an
agreement in favor of and in the form customarily used by such
encumbrance holder, by the terms of which Tenant will agree to give
prompt written notice to such encumbrance holder in the event of
any casualty damage to the Premises or in the event of any default
on the part of Landlord under this Lease, and will agree to allow
such encumbrance holder a reasonable length of time after notice to
cure or cause the curing of such default before exercising
Tenant’s rights under this Lease, or terminating or declaring
a default under this Lease.
17. NOTICES
All
notices and other communications required or permitted to be given
hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered by a
nationally recognized overnight courier or mailed by registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested,
addressed as follows:
If to Landlord:
Xxxxxx
and Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
000X
Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
If to
Tenant:
Wholesale,
LLC
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Any
party may change its address for notices by written notice in like
manner as provided in this paragraph and such change of address
shall be effective seven (7) days after the date notice of such
change of address is given. Notice for purposes of this Lease shall
be deemed given when it shall have been received or rejected by the
intended recipient.
18. INDEMNIFICATION
Tenant
does hereby indemnify Landlord against and from all liabilities,
losses, obligations, damages, penalties, claims, costs, charges and
expenses, including reasonable architects’ fees,
attorneys’ fees, paralegal fees, and legal costs and
expenses, incurred by Landlord, whether or not judicial proceedings
are filed, and including (but without limitation) on appeal and in
any bankruptcy proceedings, which may be imposed upon or asserted
against or incurred by Landlord by reason of any of the following
occurring, except to the extent such liabilities, obligations,
damages, and expenses are caused by Landlord's negligence or
willful misconduct:
17
(a) any
work or thing done by Tenant in respect of construction of, in or
to the Premises or any part of the improvements now or hereafter
constructed on the Premises by Tenant;
(b) any
use, possession, occupation, operation, maintenance or management
of the Premises or any part hereof by Ten;
(c) any
failure to properly, use, possess, occupy, operate, maintain or
manage the Premises or any part thereof by Tenant;
(d) the
condition, including environmental conditions arising after the
date of this Lease and not in existence on the Premises prior to
the date of this Lease, of the Premises or any part thereof, to the
extent in Tenant's control or resulting from Tenant’s use,
occupancy or operation at the Premises;
(e) any
negligence on the part of Tenant or any of its agents, contractors,
servants, employees, licensees or invitees;
(f) any
accident, injury or damage to any person or property occurring in,
on or about the Premises or any part thereof including any sidewalk
adjacent thereto; or
(g) any
failure on the part of Tenant to perform or comply with any of the
covenants, agreements, terms or conditions contained in this Lease
on its part to be performed or complied with beyond applicable
notice and cure periods.
19. HOLD
HARMLESS
Tenant
agrees to hold Landlord harmless from and against any and all
claims, damages, accidents and injuries to persons or property
caused by or resulting from or in connection with anything in or
pertaining to or upon the Premises during the term of this Lease or
while Tenant is occupying the Premises, except if such claim,
damage, accident or injury shall be caused by the gross negligence
or willful misconduct of Landlord or its agents. Landlord shall not
be liable to Tenant, Tenant’s employees, agents, invitees,
licensees or any other person whomsoever for any injury to person
or damage to property on or about the Premises caused by the
negligence or misconduct of Tenant, its agents, servants or
employees or of any other person entering the building under
expressed or implied invitation by Tenant or due to any other cause
whatsoever, unless caused by the gross negligence or willful
misconduct of Landlord, its employees or its authorized
representatives.
20. LANDLORD’S
LIABILITIES
The
term “Landlord” as used in this Lease means the owner
from time to time of the Premises. Neither Landlord nor any
partner, member, shareholder or beneficiary thereof shall have any
personal liability with respect to any of the provisions of this
Lease and if Landlord is in default with respect to its obligations
hereunder Tenant shall look solely to the equity of Landlord in the
Premises.
18
21. SUCCESSORS
The
covenants, conditions and agreements contained in this Lease shall
bind and inure to the benefit of Landlord and Tenant and their
respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and
assigns.
22. ENTIRE
AGREEMENT
This
Lease contains the entire agreement between the parties hereto and
may not be modified in any manner other than in writing signed by
the parties hereto or their successors in interest.
23. GENDER
Whenever
the context hereof permits or requires, words in the singular may
be regarded as in the plural and vice-versa, and personal pronouns
may be read as masculine, feminine and neuter.
24. BROKERAGE
FEES
The
parties agree that no broker or finder (“Broker”) was
used or engaged by either party in connection with the drafting or
negotiating of this Lease and that neither Landlord nor Tenant
shall not be responsible for any such fees or commissions to any
Broker. No representation by any Broker or any other third party
shall bind Landlord or Tenant and in no event shall be used to
interpret this Lease. Each party shall indemnify the other party
against, and hold it harmless from, any liability for any
compensation to any Broker or other person who may be deemed or
held entitled thereto because of a relationship with such
party.
25. CAPTIONS
The
captions of this Lease are for convenience only, and do not in any
way define, limit, disclose, or amplify terms or provisions of this
Lease or the scope or intent thereof.
26. NET
LEASE
It
is the intention of the parties hereto that this Lease is and shall
be treated as a triple net lease. Any present or future law to the
contrary notwithstanding, except as expressly provided in this
Lease, this Lease shall not terminate, nor shall Tenant be entitled
to any abatement, suspension, deferment, reduction, setoff,
counterclaim, or defense with respect to the Rent, nor shall the
obligations of Tenant hereunder be affected by reason of: any
damage to or destruction of the Premises or any part thereof; any
taking of the Premises or any part thereof or interest therein by
condemnation or otherwise; any prohibition, limitation, restriction
or prevention of Tenant’s use, occupancy or enjoyment of the
Premises or any part thereof; any interference with such use,
occupancy or enjoyment by any person or for any other reason; any
action of governmental authority; or any defect in the condition,
quality or fitness for use of the Premises or any part thereof. The
parties intend that the obligations of Tenant hereunder shall be
separate
19
and
independent covenants and agreements and shall continue unaffected
unless such obligations shall have been modified or terminated in
accordance with an express provision of this Lease.
27. WAIVER
No
waiver by Landlord or Tenant of any provision hereof shall be
deemed a waiver of any other provision hereof or of any subsequent
breach by Tenant or Landlord of the same or any other provision.
Landlord’s consent to, or approval of, any act as required
hereunder shall not be deemed to render unnecessary the obtaining
of Landlord’s consent to or approval of any such subsequent
act by Tenant. The acceptance of Rent hereunder by Landlord shall
not be a waiver of any preceding default by Tenant of any provision
hereof, other than the failure of Tenant to pay the particular rent
so accepted, regardless of Landlord’s knowledge of such
preceding breach at the time of acceptance of such
rent.
28. TIME
OF THE ESSENCE
Landlord
and Tenant agree that time shall be of the essence of all terms and
provisions of this Lease.
29. GOVERNING
LAW
This
Lease shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the state
in which the Premises are located.
30. NOT
A SECURITY ARRANGEMENT
The
parties hereto agree and acknowledge that this transaction is not
intended as a security arrangement or financing secured by real
property, but shall be construed for all purposes as a true
lease.
31. HAZARDOUS
SUBSTANCES.
Tenant
shall comply, at its sole expense, with all laws, ordinances,
orders, rules and regulations of all state, federal, municipal and
other governmental or judicial agencies or bodies relating to the
protection of public health, safety, welfare or the environment
(collectively, “Environmental Laws”) in the use,
occupancy and operation of the Premises. Tenant agrees that no
Hazardous Substances shall be used, located, stored or processed on
the Premises by Tenant or any of its agents, employees,
contractors, assigns, subtenants, guest or invitees, and no
Hazardous Substances will be generated, released or discharged from
the Premises. The term “Hazardous Substances” shall
mean and include all hazardous and toxic substances, waste or
materials, any pollutant or contaminant, including, without
limitation, PCB’s, asbestos and raw materials that include
hazardous constituents or any other similar substances or materials
that are now or hereafter included under or regulated by any
environmental laws or that would pose a health, safety or
environmental hazard. Tenant hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and
hold harmless Landlord and Landlord’s officers, agents,
employees and affiliates from and against any and all claims,
causes of action, demands, liens, losses, liabilities (including,
but not limited to, strict liability), damages, injuries, fines,
costs and expenses (including, but not limited to,
20
court
costs, litigation expenses, reasonable attorney’s fees and
costs of settlement or judgment), of any and every kind whatsoever
paid, incurred or suffered by, or asserted against, Landlord by any
person, entity or governmental agency for, with respect to, or as a
direct or indirect result of (i) the presence in or the escape,
leakage, spillage, discharge, emission or release from the Premises
of any Hazardous Substances or the presence of any Hazardous
Substances placed on or discharged from the Premises by Tenant or
any of its agents, employees, contractors, assigns, subtenants,
guest or invitees, or (ii) any violation or alleged violation of
any environmental laws by Tenant or any of its agents, employees,
contractors, assigns, subtenants, guests or invitees in relation to
the Premises. In the event of the release of Hazardous Substances
in or about the Premises by Tenant or any of its agents, employees,
contractors, assigns, subtenants, guests or invitees, Tenant shall
immediately notify Landlord about such release and advise Landlord
of the procedures being taken for remediation. Landlord reserves
the right to reenter the Premises should Tenant fail to respond to
the release and/or to remediate the Premises. Tenant shall be
responsible for any costs assessed Landlord in connection to such
release and/or remediation, including attorney’s fees.
Landlord shall have the right to require that Tenant deliver
periodic environmental audits of the Premises evidencing that no
violations have occurred.
Landlord
represents and warrants that as of the Effective Date Landlord is
not actually aware of any Hazardous Substances on, in, or under the
Premises, nor has Landlord received any written notice of any
Hazardous Substances on, in, or under the Premises.
This
Section shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this
Lease.
32.RIGHT
OF FIRST OFFER TO PURCHASE. During the Initial Term and
any
Renewal
Term, provided that Tenant is not in default under any of the terms
or conditions of this Lease beyond applicable notice and cure
periods, prior to selling the Premises to any third party, Landlord
shall first deliver a written offer (“Offer”) to Tenant
setting forth the material terms upon which Landlord proposes to
offer to sell the Premises to such third party, and Tenant shall
have the right for a period of ten (10) days after receipt of the
Offer, to elect to purchase the Premises on the same terms and
conditions set forth in the Offer by delivery of a written notice
to Landlord accepting the Offer within such time period (the
“Acceptance”). If Tenant does not timely deliver the
Acceptance of the Offer without any modification, then Landlord
shall be free to sell the Premises to a third party on the exact
terms and conditions set forth in the Offer and Tenant shall no
longer have a right of first offer with respect to the Offer. Prior
to Landlord offering the Premises for sale or entering into a
purchase contract on terms materially different than those set
forth in the Offer, Landlord shall deliver an updated written Offer
setting forth such revised terms and the foregoing process shall be
repeated.
If
Tenant timely accepts the Offer (as evidenced by its timely
delivery to Landlord of the Acceptance), then the parties shall
proceed to closing of the sale of the Premises within thirty (30)
days on industry standard terms.
[Signature page follows]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Lease
Agreement to be executed the day and date first above
written.
LANDLORD
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
TENANT
Wholesale,
LLC a Tennessee limited liability company
By:
Name:
Title:
22
|
LEASE AGREEMENT
THIS
LEASE AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of October __, 2018
(the “Effective Date”), by and between:
(i) Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx d/b/a Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Rentals, with a principal office and
place of business at 000X Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, XX
00000 (“Landlord”); and
(ii) Wholesale,
LLC a Tennessee limited liability company, with a mailing address
of 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
(“Tenant”).
WITNESSETH:
Landlord
leases to Tenant, and Tenant rents from Landlord, that certain real
property commonly known as 0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx 00000, together with all rights and privileges that are
appurtenant to such real property, inclusive of all easements
benefiting such land, and together with that certain building
located thereon consisting of approximately 11,944 total square
feet (the “Premises”).
The
following additional stipulations are hereby declared to be
covenants of this Lease and shall, unless otherwise expressly
stated, be applicable at all times throughout the term of this
Lease and any extension or renewal thereof:
1.
DEFINITIONS
For
purposes of this Lease, the following terms shall have the
definitions ascribed to them below:
“Commencement
Date” shall mean the Effective Date.
“Improvements”
shall mean all improvements and structures located on the real
property or hereafter constructed on the real
property.
“Lease”
shall include this Lease Agreement and all amendments hereto, if
any, entered into from time to time hereafter.
“Lease
Year” shall mean each consecutive twelve (12) month period
during the term of this Lease and any extensions hereof. The first
Lease Year shall begin on the Commencement Date and shall expire on
the last day of the twelfth (12th) month thereafter and each
subsequent Lease Year shall begin on the day immediately following
the prior Lease Year and shall expire on the last day of the
twelfth (12th) month thereafter; provided, however, that in the
event the Commencement Date is not the first (1st) day of a
calendar month, then the first Lease Year shall be longer than
twelve (12) months, it being agreed that such Lease Year shall
commence on the Commencement Date and shall expire on the last day
of the twelfth (12th) month after the first (1st) day of the
calendar month following the Commencement Date.
“Material
Alteration” shall mean any proposed construction or
alteration or change affecting the Premises, the cost of which,
individually or together with other such activities to be completed
concurrently therewith, exceeds Twenty Thousand and No/100 Dollars
($20,000.00).
“Permitted
Use” shall mean automotive dealership and service shop with
associated office space and for no other purpose.
“Rent”
shall mean the rent payable under this Lease and shall include Base
Rent (as hereinafter defined), together with all other items
described in this Lease as “additional
rent”.
“Tenant”
shall include the named Tenant and any permitted assignee or
subtenant thereof pursuant to an assignment or sublease under
Section 15 of this Lease.
2.TERM.
The term of this Lease shall begin on
the Commencement Date and shall
expire on the last day of the third
(3rd)
Lease Year (hereinafter the “Termination Date”), unless
previously terminated or renewed or extended as provided
herein.
Provided
no Default (as hereinafter defined) exists beyond applicable notice
and cure periods, Tenant shall have the right, upon at least ninety
(90) days prior written notice to Landlord prior to the Termination
Date, to renew this Lease for two (2) additional terms of five (5)
years each (each, the “Renewal Term”), upon the same
terms and conditions contained in this Lease except: (i) the second
Renewal Term will contain no further renewal options unless
expressly granted by Landlord in writing; and (ii) the Base Rent
for the Premises for each applicable Renewal Term shall be an
amount equal to the then Fair Market Rental Value (as hereinafter
defined) of the Premises, with lease terms commencing on the date
of commencement each applicable Renewal Term. If Tenant exercises
either of its renewal options in accordance herewith, Landlord
shall, within twenty (20) days after the receipt of Tenant's notice
of exercise, notify Tenant in writing ("Rent Notice") of Landlord's
reasonable determination of the fair market Base Rent for the
Premises (the “Fair Market Rental Value”), for the
applicable period of the applicable renewal option, which amount
shall be determined using a per square foot rental rate, taking
into account all relevant factors for space of this type in the
Xxxxxx County, Tennessee submarket area, including all tenant
incentives (including, but not limited to, rent abatement and
tenant improvement allowances) being offered to a new tenant with
similar size and creditworthiness. Tenant shall have twenty (20)
days from its receipt of the Rent Notice to notify Landlord in
writing that Tenant does not agree with Landlord's determination of
the Fair Market Rental Value and thereafter the parties shall
negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement on the Fair Market
Rental Value. If Tenant does not notify Landlord of an objection to
Landlord's determination within twenty (20) days of delivery of the
Rent Notice, then Fair Market Rental Value shall be the Fair Market
Rental Value sent forth in the Rent Notice. If Landlord and Tenant
have not agreed on the Fair Market Rental Value on or before thirty
(30) days prior to the expiration of the then-current term of this
Lease, within ten (10) days, Landlord and Tenant shall each select
an independent disinterested MAI appraiser, which appraisers shall
(within ten (10) days) mutually select a third independent
disinterested MAI appraiser. Landlord and Tenant shall then each
submit for arbitration to the third appraiser their respective
offers of the fair market Base Rent for the Premises (the
“Fair Market Rental Value”). Such third appraiser shall
then (within five (5) business days) select only the Landlord's or
the Tenant's offer as the Fair Market Rental Value of the Premises.
The decision of such third
2
appraiser
shall be final and binding on the parties and the fees and costs of
such third appraiser shall be borne by the unsuccessful party;
provided, however, that if the third appraiser selects the
Landlord's determination of Fair Market Rental Value, Tenant may
withdraw its exercise of the applicable renewal option. At a
minimum, each of the MAI appraisers shall be disinterested
commercial real estate appraisers in Xxxxxx County, Tennessee
experienced in commercial leasing.
3.
RENT
(a) Commencement
of Rent. Payment of Base Rent
(as defined below) shall commence as of the Commencement
Date.
(b) Base
Rent. Tenant covenants and
agrees to pay to Landlord base rent (“Base Rent”) as
follows:
Date
|
Monthly Base Rent
|
Yearly Base Rent
|
October
__, 2018 – October __, 2021
|
$23,000
|
$276,000
|
(c) All
Base Rent shall be paid in monthly installments, in advance, on or
before the first (1st)
day of each month; provided, however, that if the Commencement Date
occurs on a day other than the first day of the calendar month, the
first payment of Base Rent shall be the prorated Base Rent for the
remainder of the calendar month in which the payment of Base Rent
commences.
(d) Sales/Use
Tax. Tenant shall also pay to
Landlord any applicable sales and use tax imposed on any Rents
payable hereunder from time to time by state law or any other
governmental entity, which sums shall constitute additional rent
and shall be due monthly at the same time as monthly installments
of Base Rent are due under this Section 3.
(e) Late
Charges. In the event any
installment of Rent is not received by Landlord within ten (10)
days after written notice by Landlord, there shall be a late charge
due to Landlord from Tenant in the amount of five percent (5%) of
such delinquent installment of Rent. All such late charges due
hereunder shall be deemed additional rent, and are not penalties
but rather are charges attributable to administrative and
collection costs arising out of such delinquency. If any payment
due from Tenant remains overdue for morethan thirty (30) days after
written notice to Tenant of nonpayment, an additional late charge
in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) ten percent (10%) per annum
or (b) the maximum rate allowable by law of the delinquent amount
may be charged by Landlord, and shall be due and payable with
respect to such payment from the due date thereof until Landlord
receives such payment.
(f) Payments
of Rents. At Landlord’s
request, all Rent payments shall be made by electronic funds
transfer to Landlord to the account and in accordance with the
procedures designated by Landlord, or in such other manner as
Landlord or its successors or assigns, respectively, may from time
to time designate in writing. Prior to the
3
establishment
of said electronics funds transfer process, the parties agree that
Tenant shall make Rent payments by check payable to the order of
Landlord and sent to Landlord at Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Rentals, 000X Xxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, or to such other address as
Landlord may hereafter direct in writing to Tenant.
(g) No
Abatement. Unless otherwise
stated in the Lease, no abatement, offset, diminution or reduction
of (i) Rent, charges or other compensation, or (ii) Tenant’s
other obligations under this Lease shall be allowed to Tenant or
any person claiming under Tenant, under any circumstances or for
any reason whatsoever.
(h) Recalculation
of Base Rent. Notwithstanding
anything contained herein to the contrary, Tenant shall have the
one-time right during the initial term of this Lease to have the
Base Rent hereunder recalculated in accordance with this subsection
(h). Within thirty (30) days after Landlord's receipt of Tenant's
recalculation notice, Landlord and Tenant shall each select an
independent disinterested MAI appraiser, which appraisers shall
(within ten (10) days) mutually select a third independent
disinterested MAI appraiser. Landlord and Tenant shall then each
submit for arbitration to the third appraiser their respective
offers of the Fair Market Value for the Base Rent. Such third
appraiser shall then (within five (5) business days) select only
the Landlord's or the Tenant's offer as the Fair Market Rental
Value of the Premises. The decision of such third appraiser shall
be final and binding on the parties and the fees and costs of such
third appraiser shall be borne by the unsuccessful party. At a
minimum, each of the MAI appraisers shall be disinterested
commercial real estate appraisers in Xxxxxx County, Tennessee
experienced in commercial leasing.
4. INTENTIONALLY
DELETED.
5. ALTERATIONS
AND IMPROVEMENTS, MECHANIC’S LIENS
(a)
Alterations and
Improvements.
(i) Tenant’s
Property. Tenant shall be
permitted to install, use on and about, and remove from the
Premises at any time and from time to time all trade fixtures,
signage and other moveable personal property (exclusive of lighting
affixed to the Premises, plumbing, electrical and heating and air
conditioning improvements) which are not a component of the
building located or to be located on the Premises (hereinafter
referred to as the “Tenant’s Property”), all of
which at all times shall remain the property of Tenant with the
right of removal (subject to subparagraph 5(c) below) at the
expiration of this Lease.
(ii) Subsequent
Improvements. Tenant shall have
the right, from time to time, to make interior, non-structural
alterations to the Premises as Tenant shall desire without
Landlord's prior consent; provided, however, that (i) as to any
Material Alteration, (A) Tenant shall submit to Landlord, at least
ten (10) business days in advance of the proposed construction
date, a floor plan generally depicting any changes to the
configuration of space within the building and a listing of the
proposed alterations (and the cost thereof) to be completed in
such
4
Material Alteration, and Landlord must, in its reasonable opinion,
approve or object to such Material Alteration within ten (10)
business days after Landlord’s receipt of such floor plan and
listing of the proposed alteration, and (B) at Landlord’s
reasonable request, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord
contractors’ unconditional payment and performance bonds for
such work naming Landlord and Tenant as dual obligees; and (ii) as
to all construction or alteration (regardless of whether any such
activities constitute Material Alteration), all construction shall
be completed in a workmanlike manner and in compliance with
applicable laws, at Tenant’s sole expense. Landlord’s
failure to respond to Tenant’s request for approval of any
proposed Material Alteration within ten (10) business days after
Landlord’s receipt thereof shall be deemed to constitute
Landlord’s approval of such proposed Material Alteration. In
the event Landlord objects to any proposed Material Alteration as
provided above, Tenant may re-submit a revised floor plan and/or
listing of the proposed Tenant’s Improvements for review by
Landlord as provided in this Section 5(a)(ii). Changes or
alterations to any floor plan and listing of proposed Material
Alteration previously approved by Landlord that would affect the
total cost thereof by more than Ten Thousand and No/100 Dollars
($10,000.00) shall constitute new Material Alteration which must be
submitted to Landlord or approval as provided above in this Section
5(a)(ii). One reproducible final copy of the plans for all
completed Material Alterations shall be signed by Tenant and
submitted to Landlordwithin ninety (90) days following the
completion thereof. All alterations shall not weaken the structural
strength or materially decrease the value of the Premises and shall
be constructed in compliance with the requirements of this Lease.
Prior to the commencement of construction, all required approvals
of such construction must have been obtained from the applicable
governmental authorities and utilities having jurisdiction thereof.
Upon completion of the construction or alteration, Tenant shall
provide Landlord: (i) with respect to a Material Alteration, a
certification from the applicable construction contractor,
architect or engineer that such alterations or improvements have
been constructed, altered or changed in strict compliance with all
applicablelaws, and (ii) with respect to a Material Alteration, a
fully executed lien waiver, in a form reasonably acceptable to
Landlord, from each contractor or subcontractor participating in
such construction or alteration or change of such alterations or
improvements, if and as applicable. Landlord shall be permitted to
inspect such constructed, altered or changed improvements, at
Landlord's expense. Except as set forth herein, Tenant shall not
remove or demolish, in whole or in part, any alterations or
improvements upon or within the Premises without the prior approval
of Landlord, which approval may be conditioned upon the obligation
of Tenant to return the Premises to their original condition, wear
and tear and casualty excepted. All alterations and improvements
shall be included within the meaning of the term
“Premises” hereunder.
(iii) Ownership of
Improvements. Except as set
forth herein, upon termination or expiration of this Lease, title
to any and all improvements, repairs, alterations, additions or
other improvements shall immediately and automatically vest in,
revert to and become the property of Landlord.
5
(b) Mechanic’s
and Other Liens. Tenant shall
not do or suffer anything to be done whereby the Premises, or any
part thereof, may be encumbered by a mechanic’s,
materialman’s, or other liens for work or labor done,
services performed, materials, appliances, or power contributed,
used, or furnished in or to the Premises or in connection with any
operations of Tenant, or similar lien, and, if, whenever and as
often as any such lien is filed against the Premises, or any part
thereof, purporting to be for or on account of any labor done,
materials or services furnished in connection with any work in or
about the Premises, done by, for or under the authority of Tenant,
or anyone claiming by, through or under Tenant, Tenant shall
discharge the same of record within thirty (30) days after service
upon Tenant of notice of the filing thereof; provided, however,
Tenant shall have the right to remove such lien by bonding same in
accordance with applicable law.
(c) Title
to Tenant’s Property. All
of Tenant’s Property placed in or upon the Premises by Tenant
shall remain the property of Tenant with the right to remove the
same at any time during the term of this Lease.
6. INSURANCE
(a) Tenant,
at its expense and as additional rent hereunder, shall, throughout
the term of this Lease and any extension or renewal thereof, keep
the Improvements constructed by Tenant and located on the Premises
insured against fire and other casualty, with “Special Form
Causes of Loss” coverage (as such term is used in the
insurance industry), at least as broad as the most current ISO
Special Cause of Loss Form, including, but not limited to, coverage
for glass breakage, vandalism and malicious mischief, and
builder’s risk (during the period of any construction), in an
amount of not less than the full replacement value with no
co-insurance penalty, with any deductible in excess of $100,000 to
be reasonably approved by Landlord.
(b) Tenant
shall also maintain throughout the term of this Lease and any
extension thereof, at its own expense and as additional rent,
commercial general liability insurance covering the Premises and
the Improvements, at least as broad as the most current ISO
Commercial General Liability Policy Form (occurrence basis),
against all claims for personal injury, death, or property damage
for the joint benefit of and insuring Tenant and Landlord (and
Landlord’s lender if so requested by Landlord), with limits
not less than Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) per occurrence,
with any deductible in excess of $100,000 to be reasonably approved
by Landlord, and an umbrella liability policy or excess liability
policy, in an amount of not less than Two Million Dollars
($2,000,000.00) per occurrence, with any deductible in excess of
$250,000 to be reasonably approved by Landlord.
(c) Intentionally
omitted.
(d) All
insurance companies providing the coverage required under this
Section 6 shall be selected by Tenant and shall be rated A minus
(A-) or better by Best’s Insurance Rating Service, shall be
licensed to write insurance policies in the state in which the
Premises is located, and shall be acceptable to Landlord in
Landlord’s
6
reasonable
discretion. On or prior to the Effective Date and thereafter prior
to the expiration of any of the policies providing the coverages
described herein, Tenant shall provide Landlord with copies of all
certificates of such coverage for the insurance coverages
referenced in this Section 6. All commercial general liability and
umbrella liability or excess liability policies (except as to the
property policy) shall designate Landlord and any mortgagee
reasonably designated by Landlord as an additional insured. Any
such coverage for additional insureds shall be primary and
non-contributory with any insurance carried by Landlord or any
other additional insured hereunder. All property insurance policies
shall name Landlord (and Landlord’s lender if so requested by
Landlord) as an additional named insured or as a loss payee as
Landlord’s interests may appear, and shall provide that all
losses shall be payable as herein provided. Tenant shall request to
its insurer(s) that all such policies of insurance shall provide
that the amount thereof shall not be reduced and that none of the
provisions, agreements or covenants contained therein shall be
modified or canceled by the insuring company or companies without
thirty (30) days prior written notice being given to Landlord;
provided, however, the failure of any policies to include the
foregoing requirements of this sentence shall not be a default
under this Lease. Such policy or policies of insurance shall also
cover loss or damage to Tenant’s Property, and the insurance
proceeds applicable to Tenant’s Property shall not be paid to
Landlord or any mortgagee but shall accrue and be payable solely to
Tenant. In the event of a casualty, Tenant shall be responsible for
any deficiency between the replacement cost of the Premises and the
amount actually paid by the insurance company, provided, however,
that if this Lease terminates in accordance with Section 8, Tenant
shall not be responsible for rebuilding the Premises or any cost
thereof, and any amounts received by the insurance company shall
remain with Tenant.
(e)
Intentionally
omitted.
7.
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
(a) Except
as set forth in subparagraph (d) below, Tenant shall maintain the
Premises and all buildings and improvements thereon in good order
and repair and, subject to the provisions of Section 8 with respect
to a termination of this Lease as a result of a casualty or a
“taking”, return the Premises and all buildings and
improvements thereon or constructed thereon by Tenant at the
expiration of the term of this Lease or any extension thereof in
good condition and repair, ordinary wear and tear, casualty, and
condemnation excepted.
(b) Tenant
agrees that Landlord shall have no obligation under this Lease to
make any repairs or replacements (including the replacement of
obsolete components) to the Premises or the buildings or
improvements thereon, or any alteration, addition, change,
substitution or improvement thereof or thereto, whether structural
or otherwise, except to the extent any such repairs or replacements
are due to Landlord's or Landlord's agents', employees', or
contractors' negligence or willful misconduct. The terms
“repair” and “replacement” include the
replacement of any portions of the Premises which have outlived
their useful life during the term of the Lease (or any extensions
thereof). Except as set forth herein, Landlord and Tenant intend
that the Rent received by Landlord shall be free and clear of any
expense to Landlord for the construction, care,
maintenance,
7
operation,
repair, replacement, alteration, addition, change, substitution and
improvement of or to the Premises and any building and improvement
thereon, it being agreed that all such costs and expenses shall be
the responsibility of Tenant, except to the extent any repair,
replacement or improvements are necessary due to Landlord's or
Landlord's agents', employees', or contractors' negligence or
willful misconduct.
(c) Tenant
acknowledges and agrees that the Premises are and shall be leased
by Landlord to Tenant in its present “AS IS” condition,
and that Landlord makes absolutely no representations or warranties
whatsoever with respect to the Premises or the condition thereof.
Tenant acknowledges that Landlord has not investigated and does not
warrant or represent to Tenant that the Premises are fit for the
purposes intended by Tenant or for any other purpose or purposes
whatsoever, and Tenant acknowledges that the Premises are to be
leased to Tenant in their existing condition, i.e., “AS
IS”, on and as of the Commencement Date. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Landlord represents that as of the date of this Lease,
to the best of Landlord's knowledge, the Premises and the property
are in compliance with all applicable laws (including, without
limitation, the Americans with Disabilities Act), and to the extent
the Premises and/or the property are in violation of any such
law(s), then the work required to bring the applicable item into
compliance will be performed by Landlord, at its
expense.
(d) Landlord
shall maintain and repair, at its expense, the roof, the structural
soundness of the foundation, the structural soundness of the
exterior walls of the building, the driveways, alleys, landscape,
drainage systems and grounds surrounding the Premises (but not
including Tenant's fenced-in parking area). Tenant shall promptly
give Landlord written notice of any repair required by Landlord
pursuant to this paragraph, after which Landlord shall have a
reasonable opportunity to repair.
8.
CONDEMNATION; CASUALTY
(a) In
the event that the whole or any material part of the Premises shall
be taken during the term of this Lease or any extension or renewal
thereof for any public or quasi-public use under any governmental
law, ordinance, regulation or by right of eminent domain, or shall
be sold to the condemning authority under threat of condemnation
with the result that the Premises cannot continue to be operated
for the Permitted Use in Tenant's reasonable discretion, or if all
reasonable access to the adjacent roadways from the existing or
comparable curb cuts shall be taken (any of such events being
hereinafter referred to as a “taking”), Landlord or
Tenant shall have the option of terminating this Lease as of a date
no earlier than the date of such taking, such termination date to
be specified in a notice of termination to be given by the
terminating party to the other party not fewer than fourteen (14)
days after the date on which possession of the Premises, or part
thereof, must be surrendered to the condemning authority or its
designee.
(b) In
the event of any taking which does not give rise to an option to
terminate (as described above) or in the event of a taking which
does give rise to an option to terminate (as described above) and
neither Landlord or Tenant elect to terminate, then and in either
such event, this Lease shall terminate (as of the date of
such
8
“taking”)
with respect only to the portion of the Premises so taken, but
shall remain in full force and effect with respect to the remainder
of the Premises, and Landlord shall, to the extent of the award
from such taking (which word “award” shall mean the net
proceeds of any award with respect to such taking after deducting
reasonable expenses of any settlement, or net purchase price under
a sale in lieu of condemnation but shall exclude any portion of the
total award that relates to Landlord’s reversionary
interest), promptly restore or repair the Premises and all
improvements thereon (except those items of Tenant’s Property
which Tenant is permitted to remove under the terms of this Lease)
to the same condition as existed immediately prior to such taking.
If the estimated cost of restoration or repair shall exceed the
amount of such award, Landlord may elect to expend such excess to
restore or repair the Premises or may elect to terminate this
Lease. In such event, from and after the date of such taking, Base
Rent and other charges payable to Landlord shall be reduced in
proportion to the amount of the Premises taken. If the award shall
exceed the amount spent or to be spent promptly to effect such
restoration, repair or replacement, such excess shall
unconditionally belong to Landlord.
(c) Nothing
contained herein shall be construed to preclude Tenant, at its
cost, from independently prosecuting any claim directly against the
condemning authority in such condemnation proceeding for damage to,
or cost of removal of, stock, trade fixtures, furniture, other
personal property belonging to Tenant, and loss of Tenant's
business; provided, however, that no such claim shall diminish or
otherwise adversely affect Landlord's award.
(d) If
this Lease is terminated by reason of a taking, then Landlord and
Tenant shall share the award in any such condemnation or eminent
domain proceedings or purchase, with Tenant getting any award
specifically made to reimburse Tenant for the taking of
Tenant’s Property or for moving expenses or business losses
and Landlord getting the balance of the award.
(e) If
the Premises should be damaged or destroyed by fire or other
casualty to the extent that the same cannot be reasonably repaired
or restored within 180 days after the occurrence of such casualty,
Landlord or Tenant may terminate this Lease upon giving notice to
the other party within thirty (30) days after the casualty occurs.
In the event of any such termination, except to the extent they are
for Tenant’s Property, all insurance proceeds payable in
connection with such casualty shall be shared by Landlord and
Tenant in the same manner that Landlord and Tenant share in a
condemnation award under Section 8(c) above.
(f) If
the Premises are damaged by fire or other casualty and this Lease
is not terminated pursuant to subparagraph 8(e) above, then this
Lease shall continue in effect and the Premises shall be promptly
restored by Landlord or Tenant, at Landlord’s sole election,
to the condition in which it existed at the time the casualty
occurred, and all insurance proceeds payable with respect to such
casualty shall be applied to the cost of such repairs and/or
reconstruction, and if it reasonably appears that the cost of the
repairs and restoration will exceed the amount of the insurance
proceeds actually received, Tenant will pay such
deficiency.
9
9.
TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS
(a) From
and after the Effective Date and continuing throughout the term of
this Lease and all extensions thereof, Tenant shall pay, prior to
delinquency, all taxes and assessments which may be levied upon or
assessed against the Premises and all taxes and assessments of
every kind and nature whatsoever arising in any way from the use,
occupancy or possession of the Premises or assessed against the
improvements situated thereon, together with all taxes levied upon
or assessed against Tenant’s Property. To that end, Landlord
shall not be required to pay any taxes or assessments whatsoever
which relate to or may be assessed against this Lease, the Rent and
other amounts due hereunder, the Premises, improvements and
Tenant’s Property; provided, however, that any taxes or
assessments which may be levied or assessed against the Premises
for the first and last years in which this Lease is in effect shall
be appropriately prorated between Landlord and Tenant.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Tenant be
responsible for payment of Landlord’s income, inheritance,
estate, and capital gains taxes.
(b) Within
thirty (30) days after Tenant receives the paid receipted tax
bills, Tenant shall furnish Landlord with copies thereof. Tenant
may, at its option, contest in good faith and by appropriate and
timely legal proceedings any such tax and assessment so long as
such contest is conducted by Tenant diligently and so long as such
contest does not subject the Premises or any portion thereof to
risk of forfeiture; provided, however, that Tenant shall indemnify
and hold harmless Landlord from any loss or damage resulting from
any such contest, and all expenses of same (including, without
limitation, all attorneys’ and paralegal fees, court and
other costs) shall be paid solely by Tenant.
10.
COMPLIANCE, USE, UTILITIES, SURRENDER
(a) Tenant
at its expense shall promptly comply with all applicable
governmental requirements, whether or not compliance therewith
shall require structural changes to the Premises; will procure and
maintain all permits, licenses, approvals and other authorizations
required for the use of the Premises or any part thereof then being
made and for the lawful and proper installation, operation and
maintenance of all equipment and appliances necessary or
appropriate for the operation and maintenance of the Premises; and
shall comply with all easements, restrictions, reservations and
other instruments of record applicable to the Premises, including
without limitation, the procuring and maintaining of insurance as
set forth herein. Tenant shall indemnify and save Landlord harmless
from all expenses and damages by reason of any notices, orders,
violations or penalties filed against or imposed upon the Premises,
or against Landlord as owner thereof, due to Tenant’s failure
to comply with this paragraph, except to the extent such expenses
and damages are due to Landlord's or Landlord's agents',
employees', or contractors' negligence or willful
misconduct.
(b) Notwithstanding
any other provision contained in this Lease to the contrary, Tenant
shall not use the Premises for (i) any noxious or offensive use,
(ii) any use that is not in compliance with all applicable laws and
ordinances, (iii) intentionally omitted, or (iv) any use that is
not a Permitted Use.
10
(c) Tenant
shall pay all charges for heat, water, gas, sewage, electricity and
other utilities used or consumed on the Premises directly to such
utility company and shall contract for the same in its own name.
Landlord shall not be liable for any interruption or failure in the
supply of any such utility service to the Premises.
Notwithstanding
anything in this Lease to the contrary, if there is an interruption
in an essential service (such as, but not limited to, electricity,
water, or HVAC), and such interruption (x) is caused by the
negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord, its agents,
employees, or contractors, and (y) renders all or any portion ofthe
Premises untenantable, and (z) continues for a period of three (3)
consecutive business days after Landlord's receipt of notice from
Tenant, then so long as the correct of the problem is within
Landlord's reasonable control, Tenant shall be entitled to an
abatement of Base Rent and any other expenses for each day that the
Premises are untenantable with respect to the portion of the
Premises that is untenantable.
(d) Tenant
shall peacefully surrender possession of the Premises and the
buildings and other improvements thereon to Landlord at the
expiration, or earlier termination, of the original term or any
extended or renewed term of this Lease, reasonable wear and tear
and casualty excepted.
11. QUIET
ENJOYMENT
Landlord
covenants and warrants that Landlord has full power and authority
to make this Lease, and that Tenant shall have and enjoy full,
quiet and peaceful possession of the Premises, their appurtenances
and all rights and privileges incidental thereto during the term
hereof and any renewals or extensions, subject to the provisions of
this Lease.
12. DEFAULT
(a) If
any one or more of the following events occur, said event or events
shall hereby be referred to as a
“Default”:
(i) If
Tenant fails to pay Rent, any additional rent, or any other charges
required hereunder when same shall become due and payable, and such
failure continues for five (5) days after receipt of written notice
from Landlord.
(ii) If
Tenant shall fail to perform or observe any term, condition,
covenant, agreement or obligation under this Lease and such failure
continues for more than thirty (30) days after receipt of written
notice from Landlord (except that such thirty (30) day period shall
be automatically extended for such additional period of time as is
reasonably necessary to cure such default, if such default is
capable of being cured, but cannot reasonably be cured within such
period, provided Tenant is at all times in the process of
diligently curing the same).
(iii) If
Tenant shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors or
file a petition, in any federal or state court, in bankruptcy,
reorganization,
11
composition,
or make an application in any such proceedings for the appointment
of a trustee or receiver for all or any portion of its
property.
(iv) If
any petition shall be filed under federal or state law against
Tenant in any bankruptcy, reorganization, or insolvency
proceedings, and said proceedings shall not be dismissed or vacated
within thirty (30) days after such petition is filed.
(v) If
a receiver or trustee shall be appointed under federal or state law
for Tenant, or for all or any portion of the property of Tenant,
and such receivership or trusteeship shall not be set aside within
thirty (30) days after such appointment.
(vi) Tenant
shall fail to deliver the documents required by Landlord pursuant
to Section 16 below.
(vii) Except
as set forth herein, Tenant subleases the Premises, or any portion
thereof, without the written permission of Landlord or Tenant
assigns this Lease, whether by operation of law or otherwise,
without the written permission of Landlord.
(viii) The
Premises shall be abandoned, deserted, or vacated for more than
thirty (30) consecutive days (other than for fire, casualty,
condemnation, repairs, or as consented to by Landlord in writing),
or Tenant fails to take possession of the Premises and initially
open for business to the public, or Tenant otherwise ceases its
business activity in the Premises (other than for fire, casualty,
condemnation, repairs, or as consented to by Landlord in writing)
prior to the expiration of the Term.
(b) Upon
the happening of any one or more of the aforementioned Defaults,
Landlord shall have the right, in addition to any other rights and
remedies, to terminate this Lease by giving thirty (30) days'
written notice of same to Tenant. Upon such notice, this Lease
shall cease and expire, and Tenant shall surrender the Premises to
Landlord in accordance with this Lease. Notwithstanding such
termination, Tenant’s liability and obligation under all
provisions of this Lease, including the obligation to pay Rent and
any and all other amounts due hereunder shall survive and continue.
In addition, in the event of Tenant’s Default under this
Lease, Landlord may, by notice to Tenant, accelerate the monthly
installments of Rent due hereunder for the remaining term of this
Lease, in which event such amount, together with any sums then in
arrears, shall immediately be due and payable to Landlord;
provided, however, Landlord shall only have the right to accelerate
the Rent provided above for what would have been the following one
(1) year period of the term (had Tenant's rights to possession not
been terminated), discounted to present value and subject to a
credit for reletting, and Landlord may, on each anniversary of the
date of such acceleration again accelerate the Rent hereunder for
what would have been the next following one (1) year period which
shall not have previously been declared due and payable, discounted
to present value and subject to a credit for reletting. Tenant
hereby expressly agrees that its occupation of the Premises after
Default
12
constitutes
forcible detainer (or equivalent) as is defined by the law in force
in the jurisdiction in which the Premises are located.
(c) Upon
the occurrence of a Default, regardless of whether this Lease shall
be terminated as provided hereinabove, Landlord may re-enter the
Premises and remove Tenant, its agents and sub-tenants, together
with all or any of Tenant’s Property, by suitable action at
law, or by force. Landlord shall not be liable in any way in
connection with any action it takes pursuant to this paragraph, to
the extent that its actions are in accordance with applicable law.
Notwithstanding such re-entry or removal, Tenant’s liability
under Lease shall survive and continue.
(d) In
case of re-entry, repossession and/or termination of this Lease,
Tenant shall remain liable for Rent, any additional rent and all
other charges provided for in this Lease for the otherwise
remaining term of this Lease, and any and all reasonable expenses
which Landlord may have incurred in re-entering the Premises
including, but not limited to, allocable overhead, necessary
alterations to the building, and reasonable legal and accounting
fees. Regardless of whether this Lease has been terminated as
provided above, Landlord shall use reasonable efforts to relet the
whole or part of the Premises upon terms which Landlord, in its
reasonable discretion, deems appropriate and Tenant shall be
responsible for all reasonable, actual, out-of-pocket expenses
incurred by Landlord in re-letting or attempting to re-let, and all
rent collected for reletting shall be credited against all of
Tenant’s obligations hereunder.
(e) In
the event of a Default, and after applicable notice and cure
periods, Landlord may enter upon the Premises, if deemed necessary
by Landlord in its reasonable discretion (but without any
obligation to do so), and/or do whatever may be deemed necessary by
Landlord in its sole discretion to cure such failure by Tenant.
Tenant shall pay to Landlord within five (5) days of
Landlord’s request, all actual, reasonable, out-of-pocket
costs incurred by Landlord in connection with Landlord’s
curing of such failure. In addition to the above costs, in the
event Landlord does not receive payment from Tenant when due under
this subparagraph 12(e), then interest at the rate of ten percent
(10%) per annum or, if less, the highest rate allowable by law,
shall be due and payable with respect to such payment from the due
date thereof until Landlord receives such payment.
(f) In
the event Landlord engages legal counsel in connection with the
enforcement of any of the terms and provisions of this Lease, then,
in addition to all other sums due from Tenant to Landlord under
this Lease, Tenant shall pay to Landlord any and all reasonable
attorneys’ fees, paralegal fees, court costs and other costs
and expenses incurred by Landlord, whether or not judicial
proceedings are filed, and including on appeal and in any
bankruptcy proceedings.
(g) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, in the event Tenant fails to maintain and keep in
full force and effect any or all of the insurance required pursuant
to Section 6 of this Lease (“Insurance Premiums”), or
pay any taxes required under Section 9 above (“Taxes”),
then at Landlord’s request and in Landlord’s sole
discretion, Tenant shall
13
thereafter
escrow funds for payment of such Insurance Premiums and Taxes in
the following manner:
(i) Tenant
shall immediately pay to Landlord all sums expended by Landlord,
plus an additional ten percent (10%), for purposes of (1) bringing
current or reinstating or purchasing the Insurance Premiums
required under Section 6 of this Lease and (2) bringing current all
Taxes, together with any late fees or fines thereon. Thereafter,
Tenant shall pay to a third-party escrow agent (the "Escrow Agent")
on the first (1st) day of each month along with the monthly Rent
payment a sum (the “Escrow Funds”) equal to one-twelfth
(1/12th)
of the yearly Insurance Premiums and Taxes.
(ii) Landlord
shall instruct the Escrow Agent to apply the Escrow Funds to pay
said Insurance Premiums as and when the applicable premiums shall
become due and to such Taxes prior to delinquency. No interest
shall be payable on the Escrow Funds unless required by applicable
law, in which event all such interest shall be applied by the
Escrow Agent to pay such Insurance Premiums and Taxes. Landlord
shall cause the Escrow Agent to provide to Tenant an annual
accounting of the Escrow Funds in Escrow Agent's normal format
showing credits and debits to the Escrow Funds and the purpose for
which each debit to the Escrow Funds was made, within twenty (20)
days after.
(iii) If
the amount of the Escrow Funds held by Escrow Agent at the time of
the annual accounting thereof shall exceed the amount deemed
necessary to provide for the payment of Insurance Premiums and
Taxes, such excess shall be released by Escrow Agent and credited
to Tenant on the next monthly installment or installments of Escrow
Funds due. If at any time the amount of the Escrow Funds shall be
less than the amount deemed necessary to pay the Insurance Premiums
and Taxes, Tenant shall pay to Escrow Agent any amount necessary to
make up the deficiency within thirty (30) days after written notice
from Landlord to Tenant requesting payment thereof.
(iv) The
foregoing Escrow Funds arrangement shall terminate if Tenant fully
and faithfully complies with the provisions of this Section 12(g)
for a period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months. Upon the
termination of this Lease, so long as Tenant is not in default
hereunder, Escrow Agent shall promptly refund (or credit to Tenant
in the case of termination due to Tenant’s default) any
Escrow Funds held by Escrow Agent.
(h) The
rights and remedies of Landlord set forth herein shall be in
addition to any other right and remedy now or hereinafter provided
by law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be
cumulative. No action or inaction by Landlord shall constitute a
waiver of any Default, and no waiver of any Default shall be
effective unless it is in writing, signed by Landlord.
(i) In
the event of a default by Landlord, Tenant's remedy, in addition to
any other remedies it may have at law or in equity, shall be an
action for actual damages or
14
injunction,
but prior to any such action, Tenant shall give Landlord written
notice specifying such default, and Landlord shall have a period of
thirty (30) days following the date of such notice in which to cure
the default (provided, however, that if such default reasonably
requires more than thirty (30) days to cure, Landlord shall have a
reasonable time to cure such default, provided Landlord commences
to cure within such thirty (30) day period and thereafter
diligently prosecutes such cure to completion).
13. HOLDING
OVER
In
the event Tenant remains in possession of the Premises after the
expiration of this Lease without executing a new written lease
acceptable to Landlord and Tenant, Tenant shall occupy the Premises
as a tenant from month to month subject to all the terms hereof
(except as modified by this paragraph), but such possession shall
not limit Landlord’s rights and remedies by reason thereof.
In the event of such month to month tenancy, the monthly
installment of Base Rent due for each such month shall increase to
be one and a half (1.5) times the monthly installment thereof which
was payable during the last month of the term of this
Lease.
14. WAIVER
OF SUBROGATION
Notwithstanding
anything in this Lease to the contrary, neither party shall be
liable to the other for any damage or destruction of the Premises
or any other property resulting from fire or other casualty covered
by insurance required of either party hereunder (or which could be
insured against), whether or not such loss, damage or destruction
of the Premises or other property are caused by or results from the
negligence of such party (which term includes such party’s
officers, employees, agents and invitees), and each party hereby
expressly releases the other from all liability for or on account
of any said insured loss, damage or destruction, whether or not the
party suffering the loss is insured against such loss, and if
insured whether fully or partially. Each party shall procure all
endorsements of insurance policies carried by it necessary to
protect the other from any right of subrogation and/or liability in
the event of such loss.
15. ASSIGNMENT
AND SUBLETTING
(a) Tenant
shall not have the right, without first obtaining Landlord’s
prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned, or delayed, to assign or sublet any part or all of the
Premises to any party for any purpose. A change in ownership of the
controlling interest of Tenant (whether direct or indirect) shall
also constitute an assignment subject to this subparagraph.
Landlord, without being deemed unreasonable, may withhold its
consent to any proposed assignment or subletting where (as
determined by Landlord in Landlord’s reasonable discretion)
(i) such assignment or subletting would violate the terms of any
then existing agreement applicable to the Premises, or (ii) the
financial capacity of such assignee or subtenant is materially less
than that of Tenant as of the date of such proposed assignment.
Even if such consent to assignment or subletting is given by
Landlord or not required, such assignment or subletting shall not
relieve Tenant of its liability for the continued performance of
all terms, covenants and conditions of this Lease, including
without limitation the payment of all Rent and other charges
thereunder, except to the extent otherwise agreed to in writing by
Landlord. In the event of the subletting or assignment of this
Lease, Landlord
15
is
entitled to receive forty (40%) of all gross revenues received by
Tenant from the assignee/sublessee, net of the Rent due under this
Lease by Tenant to Landlord, as well as reasonable marketing,
commissions, or inducement expenses incurred by Tenant associated
with such assignment or sublease.
(b) Prior
to any assignment allowed hereunder, Tenant shall deliver to
Landlord (i) a copy of the assignment documents (including copies
of any recorded documents related thereto); (ii) the name, address
and telephone number of such assignee and a designated contact
person for such assignee; (iii) intentionally omitted; and (iv) an
agreement executed by such assignee whereby such assignee assumes
and agrees to discharge all obligations of Tenant under this Lease.
Notwithstanding anything in this Lease to the contrary, in the
event of any assignment of this Lease or subletting of the
Premises, Tenant shall not be released from its obligations under
this Lease unless specifically released by virtue of a separate
written instrument executed by Landlord, which may be withheld in
Landlord’s sole discretion.
(c) Landlord
shall have the right without limitation to sell, convey, transfer
or assign its interest in the Premises or its interest in this
Lease, and upon such conveyance being completed, and such
assignee's assumption of the obligations of Landlord in writing,
all covenants and obligations of Landlord under this Lease accruing
thereafter shall cease, but such covenants and obligations shall
run with the land and shall be binding upon the subsequent landlord
or owners of the Premises or of this Lease.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this section 15, Tenant shall
have the right, without Landlord's prior written consent, to assign
this Lease or sublease all or any portion of the Premises to any
party which directly or indirectly: (i) wholly owns or controls
Tenant; (ii) is wholly owned or controlled by Tenant, (iii) is
under common ownership or control with Tenant, or (iv) into which
Tenant or any of the foregoing parties is merged, consolidated or
reorganized, or to which all or substantially all of Tenant's
assets or any such other party's assets are sold, provided,
however, (a) Tenant gives Landlord thirty (30) days prior written
notice of such assignment or subletting, and (b) the transferee, in
the case of an assignment, shall expressly assume Tenant's
obligations under this Lease.
16. SUBORDINATION,
NON-DISTURBANCE, ATTORNMENT, ESTOPPEL
CERTIFICATE.
(a) Upon
written request of the holder of any mortgage (which term
“mortgage” shall also include deeds of trust) now or
hereafter relating to the Premises, Tenant will subordinate its
rights under this Lease to the lien thereof and to all advances
made or hereafter to be made upon the security thereof, and Tenant
shall execute, acknowledge and deliver an instrument in the form
customarily used by such encumbrance holder to effect such
subordination (and reasonably approved by Tenant); provided,
however, as a condition of all such subordinations, the holder of
such mortgage shall be first required to agree in writing with
Tenant that, notwithstanding the foreclosure or other exercise of
rights under any such first or other mortgage, Tenant’s
possession and occupancy of the Premises and the improvements and
its leasehold estate
16
shall
not be disturbed or interfered with nor shall Tenant’s rights
and obligations under this Lease be altered or adversely affected
thereby so long as Tenant is not in Default beyond applicable
notice and cure periods.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything set out in subparagraph (a) above to the contrary, in the
event the holder of any such mortgage elects to have this Lease be
superior to its mortgage, then upon Tenant’s being notified
in writing to that effect by such encumbrance holder, this Lease
shall be deemed prior to the lien of said mortgage, whether this
Lease is dated prior or subsequent to the date of said mortgage,
and Tenant shall execute, acknowledge and deliver an instrument, in
the form customarily used by such encumbrance holder (and
reasonably approved by Tenant), effecting such
priority.
(c) In
the event proceedings are brought for the foreclosure of, or in the
event of the exercise of the power of sale under any mortgage made
by Landlord encumbering the Premises, or in the event of delivery
of a deed in lieu of foreclosure under such a mortgage, Tenant will
attorn to the purchaser upon any such foreclosure or sale and
recognize such purchaser as “Landlord” under this
Lease, and upon the request of the purchaser, Tenant shall execute,
acknowledge and deliver an instrument, in form and substance
satisfactory to such purchaser and reasonably acceptable to
Tenant.
(d) Each
party agrees, within fifteen (15) days after written request by the
other, to execute, acknowledge and deliver to and in favor of any
proposed mortgagee or purchaser of the Premises, an estoppel
certificate, in the form customarily used by such proposed
mortgagee or purchaser, stating, among other things (i) whether
this Lease is in full force and effect, (ii) whether this Lease has
been modified or amended and, if so, identifying and describing any
such modification or amendment, (iii) the date to which Rent and
other charges have been paid, and (iv) whether the party furnishing
such certificate knows of any default on the part of the other
party or has any claim against such party and, if so, specifying
the nature of such default or claim.
(e) Upon
written demand by the holder of any mortgage covering the Premises,
Tenant shall forthwith execute, acknowledge and deliver an
agreement in favor of and in the form customarily used by such
encumbrance holder, by the terms of which Tenant will agree to give
prompt written notice to such encumbrance holder in the event of
any casualty damage to the Premises or in the event of any default
on the part of Landlord under this Lease, and will agree to allow
such encumbrance holder a reasonable length of time after notice to
cure or cause the curing of such default before exercising
Tenant’s rights under this Lease, or terminating or declaring
a default under this Lease.
17. NOTICES
All
notices and other communications required or permitted to be given
hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered by a
nationally recognized overnight courier or mailed by registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested,
addressed as follows:
If to
Landlord:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Rentals
000X
Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
00
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
with
copy to:
If to
Tenant:
Wholesale,
LLC
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
with
copy to:
Any
party may change its address for notices by written notice in like
manner as provided in this paragraph and such change of address
shall be effective seven (7) days after the date notice of such
change of address is given. Notice for purposes of this Lease shall
be deemed given when it shall have been received or rejected by the
intended recipient.
18. INDEMNIFICATION
Tenant
does hereby indemnify Landlord against and from all liabilities,
losses, obligations, damages, penalties, claims, costs, charges and
expenses, including reasonable architects’ fees,
attorneys’ fees, paralegal fees, and legal costs and
expenses, incurred by Landlord, whether or not judicial proceedings
are filed, and including (but without limitation) on appeal and in
any bankruptcy proceedings, which may be imposed upon or asserted
against or incurred by Landlord by reason of any of the following
occurring, except to the extent such liabilities, obligations,
damages, and expenses are caused by Landlord's negligence or
willful misconduct:
(a) any
work or thing done by Tenant in respect of construction of, in or
to the Premises or any part of the improvements now or hereafter
constructed on the Premises by Tenant;
(b) any
use, possession, occupation, operation, maintenance or management
of the Premises or any part hereof by Tenant;
(c) any
failure to properly, use, possess, occupy, operate, maintain or
manage the Premises or any part thereof by Tenant;
(d) the
condition, including environmental conditions arising after the
date of this Lease and not in existence on the Premises prior to
the date of this Lease, of the Premises or any part thereof, to the
extent in Tenant's control;
18
(e) any
negligence on the part of Tenant or any of its agents, contractors,
or employees;
(f) any
accident, injury or damage to any person or property occurring in,
on or about the Premises or any part thereof under the direct
control of Tenant (and not including adjacent sidewalks or other
grass areas); or
(g) any
failure on the part of Tenant to perform or comply with any of the
covenants, agreements, terms or conditions contained in this Lease
on its part to be performed or complied with beyond applicable
notice and cure periods.
Except
to the extent caused by Tenant's negligence or willful misconduct,
Landlord agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Tenant from all
liabilities, losses, obligations, damages, penalties, claims,
costs, charges and expenses, including reasonable architects’
fees, attorneys’ fees, paralegal fees, and legal costs and
expenses, incurred by Tenant, whether or not judicial proceedings
are filed, arising from Landlord's or its agents', employees', or
contractors' negligence or willful misconduct in or about the
Premises or any part thereof.
19. HOLD
HARMLESS
Tenant
agrees to hold Landlord harmless from and against any and all
claims, damages, accidents and injuries to persons or property
caused by or resulting from or in connection with Tenant's use of
the Premises during the term of this Lease or while Tenant is
occupying the Premises, except if such claim, damage, accident or
injury shall be caused by the negligence or willful misconduct of
Landlord or its agents, employees, or contractors. Landlord shall
not be liable to Tenant, Tenant’s employees, agents,
invitees, licensees or any other person whomsoever for any injury
to person or damage to property on or about the Premises caused by
the negligence or misconduct of Tenant, its agents, servants or
employees or of any other person entering the building under
expressed or implied invitation by Tenant, unless caused by the
negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord, its employees,
contractors, or its authorized representatives.
20. LANDLORD’S
LIABILITIES
The
term “Landlord” as used in this Lease means the owner
from time to time of the Premises. Neither Landlord nor any
partner, member, shareholder or beneficiary thereof shall have any
personal liability with respect to any of the provisions of this
Lease and if Landlord is in default with respect to its obligations
hereunder Tenant shall look solely to the equity of Landlord in the
Premises.
21. SUCCESSORS
The
covenants, conditions and agreements contained in this Lease shall
bind and inure to the benefit of Landlord and Tenant and their
respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and
assigns.
19
22. ENTIRE
AGREEMENT
This
Lease contains the entire agreement between the parties hereto and
may not be modified in any manner other than in writing signed by
the parties hereto or their successors in interest.
23. GENDER
Whenever
the context hereof permits or requires, words in the singular may
be regarded as in the plural and vice-versa, and personal pronouns
may be read as masculine, feminine and neuter.
24. BROKERAGE
FEES
The
parties agree that no broker or finder (“Broker”) was
used or engaged by either party in connection with the drafting or
negotiating of this Lease and that neither Landlord nor Tenant
shall not be responsible for any such fees or commissions to any
Broker. No representation by any Broker or any other third party
shall bind Landlord or Tenant and in no event shall be used to
interpret this Lease. Each party shall indemnify the other party
against, and hold it harmless from, any liability for any
compensation to any Broker or other person who may be deemed or
held entitled thereto because of a relationship with such
party.
25. CAPTIONS
The
captions of this Lease are for convenience only, and do not in any
way define, limit, disclose, or amplify terms or provisions of this
Lease or the scope or intent thereof.
26. NET
LEASE
It
is the intention of the parties hereto that this Lease is and shall
be treated as a triple net lease. Any present or future law to the
contrary notwithstanding, except as expressly provided in this
Lease, this Lease shall not terminate, nor shall Tenant be entitled
to any abatement, suspension, deferment, reduction, setoff,
counterclaim, or defense with respect to the Rent, nor shall the
obligations of Tenant hereunder be affected by reason of: any
damage to or destruction of the Premises or any part thereof; any
taking of the Premises or any part thereof or interest therein by
condemnation or otherwise; any prohibition, limitation, restriction
or prevention of Tenant’s use, occupancy or enjoyment of the
Premises or any part thereof; any interference with such use,
occupancy or enjoyment by any person or for any other reason; any
action of governmental authority; or any defect in the condition,
quality or fitness for use of the Premises or any part thereof. The
parties intend that the obligations of Tenant hereunder shall be
separate and independent covenants and agreements and shall
continue unaffected unless such obligations shall have been
modified or terminated in accordance with an express provision of
this Lease.
27. WAIVER
20
No
waiver by Landlord or Tenant of any provision hereof shall be
deemed a waiver of any other provision hereof or of any subsequent
breach by Tenant or Landlord of the same or any other provision.
Landlord’s consent to, or approval of, any act as required
hereunder shall not be deemed to render unnecessary the obtaining
of Landlord’s consent to or approval of any such subsequent
act by Tenant. The acceptance of Rent hereunder by Landlord shall
not be a waiver of any preceding default by Tenant of any provision
hereof, other than the failure of Tenant to pay the particular rent
so accepted, regardless of Landlord’s knowledge of such
preceding breach at the time of acceptance of such
rent.
28. TIME
OF THE ESSENCE
Landlord
and Tenant agree that time shall be of the essence of all terms and
provisions of this Lease.
29. GOVERNING
LAW
This
Lease shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the state
in which the Premises are located.
30. NOT
A SECURITY ARRANGEMENT
The
parties hereto agree and acknowledge that this transaction is not
intended as a security arrangement or financing secured by real
property, but shall be construed for all purposes as a true
lease.
31. HAZARDOUS
SUBSTANCES.
Tenant
shall comply, at its sole expense, with all laws, ordinances,
orders, rules and regulations of all applicable state, federal,
municipal and other governmental or judicial agencies or bodies
relating to the protection of public health, safety, welfare or the
environment (collectively, “Environmental Laws”) in the
use, occupancy and operation of the Premises. Tenant agrees that no
Hazardous Substances shall be used, located, stored or processed on
the Premises by Tenant or any of its agents, employees, or
contractors, and no Hazardous Substances will be generated,
released or discharged from the Premises by Tenant, its agents,
employees, or contractors. The term “Hazardous
Substances” shall mean and include all hazardous and toxic
substances, waste or materials, any pollutant or contaminant,
including, without limitation, PCB’s, asbestos and raw
materials that include hazardous constituents or any other similar
substances or materials that are now or hereafter included under or
regulated by any environmental laws or that would pose a health,
safety or environmental hazard. Tenant hereby agrees to indemnify,
defend and hold harmless Landlord and Landlord’s officers,
agents, employees and affiliates from and against any and all
claims, causes of action, demands, liens, losses, liabilities,
damages, injuries, fines, costs and expenses (including, but not
limited to, court costs, litigation expenses, reasonable
attorney’s fees and costs of settlement or judgment), of any
and every kind whatsoever paid, incurred or suffered by, or
asserted against, Landlord by any person, entity or governmental
agency for, with respect to, or as a direct or indirect result of
any of the following that occur after the date of this Lease and
are not due to any Hazardous Substances on the Premises as of the
date of this Lease (latent or otherwise) (i) the presence in
or
21
the
escape, leakage, spillage, discharge, emission or release from the
Premises by Tenant of any Hazardous Substances or the presence of
any Hazardous Substances placed on or discharged from the Premises
by Tenant or any of its agents, employees, or contractors, or (ii)
any violation or alleged violation of any environmental laws by
Tenant or any of its agents, employees, or contractors in relation
to the Premises;except to the extent any of the above is due to
Landlord's or Landlord's agents', employees', or contractors'
negligence or willful misconduct. In the event of the release of
Hazardous Substances in or about the Premises by Tenant or any of
its agents, employees, contractors, assigns, subtenants, guests or
invitees, Tenant shall immediately notify Landlord about such
release caused by Tenant and advise Landlord of the procedures
being taken for remediation. Landlord reserves the right to reenter
the Premises should Tenant fail to respond to the release and/or to
remediate the Premises within a reasonable period of time. Tenant
shall be responsible for any reasonable, actual, out-of-pocket
costs assessed Landlord in connection to such release and/or
remediation, including reasonable attorney’s fees. Landlord
shall have the right to require that Tenant deliver periodic
environmental audits of the Premises evidencing that no violations
have occurred (but no more than once per calendar
year).
Landlord
hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Tenant and
Tenant’s officers, agents, employees and affiliates from and
against any and all claims, causes of action, demands, liens,
losses, liabilities, damages, injuries, fines, costs and expenses
(including, but not limited to, court costs, litigation expenses,
reasonable attorney’s fees and costs of settlement or
judgment), of any and every kind whatsoever paid, incurred or
suffered by, or asserted against, Tenant by any person, entity or
governmental agency for, with respect to, or as a direct or
indirect result of any of any Hazardous Substances on, in, or under
the Premises prior to the date of this Lease (latent or
otherwise).
Landlord
represents and warrants that Landlord is not aware of any Hazardous
Substances on, in, or under the Premises, nor has Landlord received
any notice (written or oral) of any Hazardous Substances on, in, or
under the Premises.
This
Section shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this
Lease.
32.Right
of First Offer to Purchase.
During the term of the Lease (or any
extensions
thereof), provided that Tenant is not in default under any of the
terms or conditions of this Lease beyond applicable notice and cure
periods, prior to selling the Premises to any third party or
listing the Premises for sale, Landlord shall first deliver a
written offer (“Offer”) to Tenant setting forth the
terms upon which Landlord proposes to offer to sell the Premises to
third parties, and Tenant shall have the right for a period of ten
(10) business days after receipt of the Offer, to elect to purchase
the Premises on the exact terms and conditions set forth in the
Offer by delivery of a written notice to Landlord accepting the
offer (the “Acceptance”). If Tenant does not timely
deliver the Acceptance of the Offer without any modification, then
Landlord shall be free to sell the Premises to a third party on the
exact terms and conditions set forth in the Offer. Prior to
Landlord offering the Premises for sale or entering into a purchase
contract on terms different than those set forth in the Offer,
Landlord shall deliver an updated written Offer setting forth such
revised terms and the foregoing process shall be
repeated.
If
Tenant timely accepts the Offer (as evidenced by its timely
delivery to Landlord of the
22
Acceptance),
then the parties shall proceed to closing of the sale of the
Premises within thirty (30) days on industry standard
terms.
[Signature page follows]
23
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Lease
Agreement to be executed the day and date first above
written.
LANDLORD
By:
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
TENANT
Wholesale,
LLC a Tennessee limited liability company
By:
Name:
Title:
24
LEASE AGREEMENT
THIS
LEASE AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of October __, 2018
(the “Effective Date”), by and between:
(i) Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx d/b/a Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Rentals, with a principal office and
place of business at 000X Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, XX
00000 (“Landlord”); and
(ii) Wholesale,
LLC a Tennessee limited liability company, with a mailing address
of 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
(“Tenant”).
WITNESSETH:
Landlord
leases to Tenant, and Tenant rents from Landlord, that certain real
property commonly known as 0000-0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, together with all rights and privileges
that are appurtenant to such real property, inclusive of all
easements benefiting such land, and together with that certain
building located thereon consisting of approximately 4,794 square
feet (the “Premises”).
The
following additional stipulations are hereby declared to be
covenants of this Lease and shall, unless otherwise expressly
stated, be applicable at all times throughout the term of this
Lease and any extension or renewal thereof:
1.
DEFINITIONS
For
purposes of this Lease, the following terms shall have the
definitions ascribed to them below:
“Commencement
Date” shall mean the Effective Date.
“Improvements”
shall mean all improvements and structures located on the real
property or hereafter constructed on the real
property.
“Lease”
shall include this Lease Agreement and all amendments hereto, if
any, entered into from time to time hereafter.
“Lease
Year” shall mean each consecutive twelve (12) month period
during the term of this Lease and any extensions hereof. The first
Lease Year shall begin on the Commencement Date and shall expire on
the last day of the twelfth (12th) month thereafter and each
subsequent Lease Year shall begin on the day immediately following
the prior Lease Year and shall expire on the last day of the
twelfth (12th) month thereafter; provided, however, that in the
event the Commencement Date is not the first (1st) day of a
calendar month, then the first Lease Year shall be longer than
twelve (12) months, it being agreed that such Lease Year shall
commence on the Commencement Date and shall expire on the last day
of the twelfth (12th) month after the first (1st) day of the
calendar month following the Commencement Date.
“Material
Alteration” shall mean any proposed construction or
alteration or change affecting the Premises, the cost of which,
individually or together with other such activities to be completed
concurrently therewith, exceeds Fifteen Thousand and No/100 Dollars
($15,000.00) or adversely affects the structural integrity or
components of any Improvements.
“Permitted
Use” shall mean general office use and for no other
purpose.
“Rent”
shall mean the rent payable under this Lease and shall include Base
Rent (as hereinafter defined), together with all other items
described in this Lease as “additional
rent”.
“Tenant”
shall include the named Tenant and any permitted assignee or
subtenant thereof pursuant to an assignment or sublease under
Section 15 of this Lease.
2. TERM.
The term of this Lease shall begin on
the Commencement Date and shall expire on the last day of the third
(3rd)
Lease Year (hereinafter the “Termination Date”), unless
previously terminated or renewed or extended as provided
herein.
Provided
no Default (as hereinafter defined) exists beyond applicable notice
and cure periods, Tenant shall have the right, upon at least ninety
(90) days prior written notice to Landlord prior to the Termination
Date or the first Renewal Term, as applicable, to renew this Lease
for two (2) additional terms of five (5) years each (each, the
“Renewal Term”), upon the same terms and conditions
contained in this Lease except: (i) the second Renewal Term will
contain no further renewal options unless expressly granted by
Landlord in writing; and (ii) the Base Rent for the Premises shall
increase by ten percent (10%) over the immediately preceding Base
Rent amount then due, with lease terms commencing on or about the
date of commencement of the renewal term.
3. RENT
(a) Commencement
of Rent. Payment of Base Rent
(as defined below) shall commence as of the Commencement
Date.
(b) Base
Rent. Tenant covenants and
agrees to pay to Landlord base rent (“Base Rent”) as
follows:
Date
|
Monthly Base Rent
|
Yearly Base Rent
|
October
__, 2018 – October __, 2021
|
$500
|
$6,000
|
October
__, 2021 – October __, 2026, if applicable
|
$550
|
$6,600
|
October
__, 2026 – October __, 2031, if applicable
|
$605
|
$7,260
|
(c) All
Base Rent shall be paid in monthly installments, in advance, on
or
before the first (1st)
day of each month; provided, however, that if the Commencement Date
occurs on a day other than the first day of the calendar month, the
first payment of Base Rent shall be the prorated Base Rent for the
remainder of the calendar month in
2
which
the payment of Base Rent commences.
(d) Sales/Use
Tax. Tenant shall also pay to
Landlord any applicable sales and use tax imposed on any Rents
payable hereunder from time to time by state law or any other
governmental entity, which sums shall constitute additional rent
and shall be due monthly at the same time as monthly installments
of Base Rent are due under this Section
3.
(e) Late
Charges. In the event any
installment of Rent is not received by Landlord within ten (10)
business days of its respective due date, there shall be a late
charge due to Landlord from Tenant in the amount of five percent
(5%) of such delinquent installment of Rent. All such late charges
due hereunder shall be deemed additional rent, and are not
penalties but rather are charges attributable to administrative and
collection costs arising out of such delinquency. In addition, if
any payment due from Tenant remains overdue for more than ten (10)
days of its respective due date, an additional late charge in an
amount equal to the lesser of (a) ten percent (10%) per annum or
(b) the maximum rate allowable by law of the delinquent amount may
be charged by Landlord, and shall be due and payable with respect
to such payment from the due date thereof until Landlord receives
such payment.
(f) Payments
of Rents. At Landlord’s
request, all Rent payments shall be made by electronic funds
transfer to Landlord to the account and in accordance with the
procedures designated by Landlord, or in such other manner as
Landlord or its successors or assigns, respectively, may from time
to time designate in writing. Prior to the establishment of said
electronics funds transfer process, the parties agree that Tenant
shall make Rent payments by check payable to the order of Landlord
and sent to Landlord at Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Rentals, 000X Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, or to such other address as
Landlord may hereafter direct in writing to
Tenant.
(g) No
Abatement. Unless otherwise
stated in the Lease, no abatement, offset, diminution or reduction
of (i) Rent, charges or other compensation, or (ii) Tenant’s
other obligations under this Lease shall be allowed to Tenant or
any person claiming under Tenant, under any circumstances or for
any reason whatsoever.
4. INTENTIONALLY
DELETED.
5. ALTERATIONS
AND IMPROVEMENTS, MECHANIC’S LIENS
(a)
Alterations and
Improvements.
(i) Tenant’s
Property. Tenant shall be
permitted to install, use on and about, and remove from the
Premises at any time and from time to time all trade fixtures,
signage and other moveable personal property (exclusive of lighting
affixed to the Premises, plumbing, electrical and heating and air
conditioning improvements) which are not a component of the
building located or to be located on the Premises (hereinafter
referred to as the “Tenant’s Property”), all of
which at all times shall remain the property of Tenant with the
right of removal (subject to subparagraph 5(c) below) at the
expiration of this Lease.
3
(ii)Subsequent
Improvements. Tenant shall have
the right, from time
to time, to make interior, non-structural alterations to the
Premises as Tenant shall desire without Landlord's prior consent;
provided, however, that (i) as to any Material Alteration, (A)
Tenant shall submit to Landlord, at least ten (10) business days in
advance of the proposed construction date, a floor plan generally
depicting any changes to the configuration of space within the
building and a listing of the proposed alterations (and the cost
thereof) to be completed in such Material Alteration, and Landlord
must, in its reasonable opinion, approve or object to such Material
Alteration within ten (10) business days after Landlord’s
receipt of such floor plan and listing of the proposed alteration,
and (B) at Landlord’s reasonable request, Tenant shall
deliver to Landlord contractors’ unconditional payment and
performance bonds for such work naming Landlord and Tenant as dual
obligees; and (ii) as to all construction or alteration (regardless
of whether any such activities constitute Material Alteration), (A)
all construction shall be completed in a workmanlike manner and in
compliance with applicable laws, at Tenant’s sole expense,
and (B) such construction or alteration shall not reduce the fair
market value of the Premises. Landlord’s failure to respond
to Tenant’s request for approval of any proposed Material
Alteration within ten (10) business days after Landlord’s
receipt thereof shall be deemed to constitute Landlord’s
disapproval of such proposed Material Alteration. In the event
Landlord objects to any proposed Material Alteration as provided
above, Tenant may re-submit a revised floor plan and/or listing of
the proposed Tenant’s Improvements for review by Landlord as
provided in this Section 5(a)(ii). Changes or alterations to any
floor plan and listing of proposed Material Alteration previously
approved by Landlord that would affect the total cost thereof by
more than Ten Thousand and No/100 Dollars ($10,000.00) shall
constitute new Material Alteration which must be submitted to
Landlord or approval as provided above in this Section 5(a)(ii).
One reproducible final copy of the plans for all completed Material
Alterations shall be signed by Tenant and submitted to Landlord
within ninety (90) days following the completion thereof. All
alterations shall not weaken or impair the structural strength or
materially decrease the value of the Premises and shall be
constructed in compliance with the requirements of this Lease.
Prior to the commencement of construction, all required approvals
of such construction musthave been obtained from the applicable
governmental authorities and utilities having jurisdiction thereof.
Upon completion of the construction or alteration, Tenant shall
provide Landlord: (i) with respect to a Material Alteration, a
certification from the applicable construction contractor,
architect or engineer that such alterations or improvements have
been constructed, altered or changed in strict compliance with all
applicable laws, and (ii) with respect to a Material Alteration, a
fully executed lienwaiver, in a form reasonably acceptable to
Landlord, from each contractor or subcontractor participating in
such construction or alteration or change of such alterations or
improvements, if and as applicable. Landlord shall be permitted to
inspect such constructed, altered or changed improvements. Except
as set forth herein, Tenant shall not remove or demolish, in whole
or in part, any alterations or improvements upon or within the
Premises without the prior approval of
4
Landlord,
which approval may be conditioned upon the obligation of Tenant to
return the Premises to their original condition, wear and tear and
casualty excepted. All alterations and improvements shall be
included within the meaning of the term “Premises”
hereunder.
(iii) Ownership of
Improvements. Except as set
forth herein, upon termination or expiration of this Lease, title
to any and all improvements, repairs, alterations, additions or
other improvements shall immediately and automatically vest in,
revert to and become the property of Landlord.
(b) Mechanic’s
and Other Liens. Tenant shall
not do or suffer anything to be done whereby the Premises, or any
part thereof, may be encumbered by a mechanic’s,
materialman’s, or other liens for work or labor done,
services performed, materials, appliances, or power contributed,
used, or furnished in or to the Premises or in connection with any
operations of Tenant, or similar lien, and, if, whenever and as
often as any such lien is filed against the Premises, or any part
thereof, purporting to be for or on account of any labor done,
materials or services furnished in connection with any work in or
about the Premises, done by, for or under the authority of Tenant,
or anyone claiming by, through or under Tenant, Tenant shall
discharge the same of record within thirty (30) days after service
upon Tenant of notice of the filing thereof; provided, however,
Tenant shall have the right to remove such lien by bonding same in
accordance with applicable law.
(c) Title
to Tenant’s Property. All
of Tenant’s Property placed in or upon the Premises by Tenant
shall remain the property of Tenant with the right to remove the
same at any time during the term of this Lease.
6. INSURANCE
(a) Tenant,
at its expense and as additional rent hereunder, shall, throughout
the term of this Lease and any extension or renewal thereof, keep
the Improvements located on the Premises insured against fire and
other casualty, with “Special Form Causes of Loss”
coverage (as such term is used in the insurance industry), at least
as broad as the most current ISO Special Cause of Loss Form,
including, but not limited to, coverage for glass breakage,
vandalism and malicious mischief, and builder’s risk (during
the period of any construction), in an amount of not less than the
full replacement value with no co-insurance penalty, with any
deductible in excess of $100,000 to be reasonably approved by
Landlord.
(b) Tenant
shall also maintain throughout the term of this Lease and any
extension thereof, at its own expense and as additional rent,
commercial general liability insurance covering the Premises and
the Improvements, at least as broad as the most current ISO
Commercial General Liability Policy Form (occurrence basis),
against all claims for personal injury, death, or property damage
for the joint benefit of and insuring Tenant and Landlord (and
Landlord’s lender if so requested by Landlord), with limits
not less than Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) per occurrence,
with any deductible in excess of $100,000 to be reasonably approved
by Landlord, and an umbrella liability
5
policy
or excess liability policy, in an amount of not less than Four
Million Dollars ($4,000,000.00) per occurrence, with any deductible
in excess of $250,000 to be reasonably approved by
Landlord.
(c) Intentionally
omitted.
(d) All
insurance companies providing the coverage required under this
Section 6 shall be selected by Tenant and shall be rated A minus
(A-) or better by Best’s Insurance Rating Service, shall be
licensed to write insurance policies in the state in which the
Premises is located, and shall be acceptable to Landlord in
Landlord’s reasonable discretion. On or prior to the
Effective Date and thereafter prior to the expiration of any of the
policies providing the coverages described herein, Tenant shall
provide Landlord with copies of all certificates of such coverage
for the insurance coverages referenced in this Section 6. All
commercial general liability and umbrella liability or excess
liability policies (except as to the property policy) shall
designate Landlord and any mortgagee reasonably designated by
Landlord as an additional insured. Any such coverage for additional
insureds shall be primary and non-contributory with any insurance
carried by Landlord or any other additional insured hereunder. All
property insurance policies shall name Landlord (and
Landlord’s lender if so requested by Landlord) as an
additional named insured or as a loss payee as Landlord’s
interests may appear, and shall provide that all losses shall be
payable as herein provided. Tenant shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to require its insurer(s) that all such policies
of insurance shall provide that the amount thereof shall not be
reduced and that none of the provisions, agreements or covenants
contained therein shall be modified or canceled by the insuring
company or companies without thirty (30) days prior written notice
being given to Landlord; provided, however, the failure of any
policies to include the foregoing requirements of this sentence
shall not be a default under this Lease. Such policy or policies of
insurance shall also cover loss or damage to Tenant’s
Property, and the insurance proceeds applicable to Tenant’s
Property shall not be paid to Landlord or any mortgagee but shall
accrue and be payable solely to Tenant. In the event of a casualty,
Tenant shall be responsible for any deficiency between the
replacement cost of the Premises and the amount actually paid by
the insurance company.
(e) Intentionally
omitted.
7.
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
(a) Except
as set forth in subparagraph (d) below, Tenant shall maintain the
Premises and all buildings and improvements thereon in good order
and repair and, subject to the provisions of Section 8 with respect
to a termination of this Lease as a result of a casualty or a
“taking”, return the Premises and all buildings and
improvements thereon or constructed thereon by Tenant at the
expiration of the term of this Lease or any extension thereof in
good condition and repair, ordinary wear and tear, casualty, and
condemnation excepted.
(b) Tenant
agrees that Landlord shall have no obligation under this Lease to
make any repairs or replacements (including the replacement of
obsolete components) to
6
the
Premises or the buildings or improvements thereon, or any
alteration, addition, change, substitution or improvement thereof
or thereto, whether structural or otherwise, except to the extent
any such repairs or replacements are due to Landlord's or
Landlord's agents', employees', or contractors' negligence or
willful misconduct. The terms “repair” and
“replacement” include the replacement of any portions
of the Premises which have outlived their useful life during the
term of the Lease (or any extensions thereof). Except as set forth
herein, Landlord and Tenant intend that the Rent received by
Landlord shall be free and clear of any expense to Landlord for the
construction, care, maintenance, operation, repair, replacement,
alteration, addition, change, substitution and improvementof or to
the Premises and any building and improvement thereon, it being
agreed that all such costs and expenses shall be the responsibility
of Tenant, except to the extent any repair, replacement or
improvements are necessary due to Landlord's or Landlord's agents',
employees', or contractors' negligence or willful
misconduct.
(c) Tenant
acknowledges and agrees that the Premises are and shall be leased
by Landlord to Tenant in its present “AS IS” condition,
and that Landlord makes absolutely no representations or warranties
whatsoever with respect to the Premises or the condition thereof.
Tenant acknowledges that Landlord has not investigated and does not
warrant or represent to Tenant that the Premises are fit for the
purposes intended by Tenant or for any other purpose or purposes
whatsoever, and Tenant acknowledges that the Premises are to be
leased to Tenant in their existing condition, i.e., “AS
IS”, on and as of the Commencement Date. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Landlord represents that as of the date of this Lease,
Landlord has received no written notice that either the Premises or
the property are not in compliance with all applicable laws
(including, without limitation, the Americans with Disabilities
Act).
(d) Landlord
shall maintain and repair, at its expense, the roof, the structural
soundness of the foundation, the structural soundness of the
exterior walls of the building, the driveways, alleys, landscape,
drainage systems and grounds surrounding the Premises (but not
including Tenant's fenced-in parking area). Tenant shall promptly
give Landlord written notice of any repair required by Landlord
pursuant to this paragraph, after which Landlord shall have a
reasonable opportunity to repair.
(e) Any
repairs or replacements required to be made by Landlord shall be
fully amortized in accordance with the Formula (defined below) and
reimbursed to Landlord over the remainder of the term of this
Lease, without regard to any extension or renewal option not then
exercised. The "Formula" shall mean that number, the numerator of
which shall be the number of months of the term of this Lease
remaining after such Landlord work, and the denominator of which
shall be the amortization period (in months) equal to the useful
life of such repair or replacement multiplied by the cost of such
repair or replacement. Landlord shall pay for such repairs and
replacements, and Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for its amortized
share (as determined above) in equal monthly installments in the
same manner as the payment by Tenant to Landlord of the Base Rent.
In the event Tenant extends the Lease Term either by way of an
option or negotiated extension, such reimbursement by Tenant shall
continue as provided above until such amortization period has
expired.
7
46728984;4
8.
CONDEMNATION; CASUALTY
(a) In
the event that the whole or any material part of the Premises shall
be taken during the term of this Lease or any extension or renewal
thereof for any public or quasi-public use under any governmental
law, ordinance, regulation or by right of eminent domain, or shall
be sold to the condemning authority under threat of condemnation
with the result that the Premises cannot continue to be operated
for the Permitted Use in Tenant's reasonable discretion, or if all
reasonable access to the adjacent roadways from the existing or
comparable curb cuts shall be taken (any of such events being
hereinafter referred to as a “taking”), Landlord or
Tenant shall have the option of terminating this Lease as of a date
no earlier than the date of such taking, such termination date to
be specified in a notice of termination to be given by the
terminating party to the other party not fewer than fourteen (14)
days after the date on which possession of the Premises, or part
thereof, must be surrendered to the condemning authority or its
designee.
(b) In
the event of any taking which does not give rise to an option to
terminate (as described above) or in the event of a taking which
does give rise to an option to terminate (as described above) and
neither Landlord or Tenant elect to terminate, then and in either
such event, this Lease shall terminate (as of the date of such
“taking”) with respect only to the portion of the
Premises so taken, but shall remain in full force and effect with
respect to the remainder of the Premises, and Landlord shall, to
the extent of the award from such taking (which word
“award” shall mean the net proceeds of any award with
respect to such taking after deducting reasonable expenses of any
settlement, or net purchase price under a sale in lieu of
condemnation but shall exclude any portion of the total award that
relates to Landlord’s reversionary interest), promptly
restore or repair the Premises and all improvements thereon (except
those items of Tenant’s Property which Tenant is permitted to
remove under the terms of this Lease) to the same condition as
existed immediately prior to such taking insofar as is reasonably
possible. If the estimated cost of restoration or repair shall
exceed the amount of such award, Landlord may elect to expend such
excess to restore or repair the Premises or may elect to terminate
this Lease. In such event, from and after the date of such taking,
Base Rent and other charges payable to Landlord shall be reduced in
proportion to the amount of the Premises taken. If the award shall
exceed the amount spent or to be spent promptly to effect such
restoration, repair or replacement, such excess shall
unconditionally belong to Landlord.
(c) Nothing
contained herein shall be construed to preclude Tenant, at its
cost, from independently prosecuting any claim directly against the
condemning authority in such condemnation proceeding for damage to,
or cost of removal of, stock, trade fixtures, furniture, other
personal property belonging to Tenant, and loss of Tenant's
business; provided, however, that no such claim shall diminish or
otherwise adversely affect Landlord's award.
(d) If
this Lease is terminated by reason of a taking, then Landlord and
Tenant shall share the award in any such condemnation or eminent
domain proceedings or purchase, with Tenant getting any award
specifically made to reimburse Tenant for the
8
taking
of Tenant’s Property or for moving expenses or business
losses and Landlord getting the balance of the award.
(e) If
the Premises should be damaged or destroyed by fire or other
casualty to the extent that the same cannot be reasonably repaired
or restored within 180 days after the occurrence of such casualty,
Landlord or Tenant may terminate this Lease upon giving notice to
the other party within thirty (30) days after the casualty occurs.
In the event of any such termination, except to the extent they are
for Tenant’s Property, all insurance proceeds payable in
connection with such casualty shall be shared by Landlord and
Tenant in the same manner that Landlord and Tenant share in a
condemnation award under Section 8(c) above.
(f) If
the Premises are damaged by fire or other casualty and this Lease
is not terminated pursuant to subparagraph 8(e) above, then this
Lease shall continue in effect and the Premises shall be promptly
restored by Landlord or Tenant, at Landlord’s sole election,
to the condition in which it existed at the time the casualty
occurred (or to such other condition as may be reasonably
possible), and all insurance proceeds payable with respect to such
casualty shall be applied to the cost of such repairs and/or
reconstruction, and if it reasonably appears that the cost of the
repairs and restoration will exceed the amount of the insurance
proceeds actually received, Tenant will pay such
deficiency.
9.
TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS
(a) From
and after the Effective Date and continuing throughout the term of
this Lease and all extensions thereof, Tenant shall pay, prior to
delinquency, all taxes and assessments which may be levied upon or
assessed against the Premises and all taxes and assessments of
every kind and nature whatsoever arising in any way from the use,
occupancy or possession of the Premises or assessed against the
improvements situated thereon, together with all taxes levied upon
or assessed against Tenant’s Property. To that end, Landlord
shall not be required to pay any taxes or assessments whatsoever
which relate to or may be assessed against this Lease, the Rent and
other amounts due hereunder, the Premises, improvements and
Tenant’s Property; provided, however, that any taxes or
assessments which may be levied or assessed against the Premises
for the first and last years in which this Lease is in effect shall
be appropriately prorated between Landlord and Tenant.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Tenant be
responsible for payment of Landlord’s income, inheritance,
estate, and capital gains taxes.
(b) Within
thirty (30) days after Tenant receives the paid receipted tax
bills, Tenant shall furnish Landlord with copies thereof. Tenant
may, at its option, contest in good faith and by appropriate and
timely legal proceedings any such tax and assessment so long as
such contest is conducted by Tenant diligently and so long as such
contest does not subject thePremises or any portion thereof to risk
of forfeiture; provided, however, that Tenant shall indemnify and
hold harmless Landlord from any loss or damage resulting from any
such contest, and all expenses of same (including, without
limitation, all attorneys’ and paralegal fees, court and
other costs) shall be paid solely by Tenant.
9
10.
COMPLIANCE, USE, UTILITIES, SURRENDER
(a) Tenant
at its expense shall promptly comply with all applicable
governmental requirements, whether or not compliance therewith
shall require structural changes to the Premises; will procure and
maintain all permits, licenses, approvals and other authorizations
required for the use of the Premises or any part thereof then being
made and for the lawful and proper installation, operation and
maintenance of all equipment and appliances necessary or
appropriate for the operation and maintenance of the Premises; and
shall comply with all easements, restrictions, reservations and
other instruments of record applicable to the Premises, including
without limitation, the procuring and maintaining of insurance as
set forth herein. Tenant shall indemnify and save Landlord harmless
from all expenses and damages by reason of any notices, orders,
violations or penalties filed against or imposed upon the Premises,
or against Landlord as owner thereof, due to Tenant’s failure
to comply with this paragraph, except to the extent such expenses
and damages are due to Landlord's or Landlord's agents',
employees', or contractors' negligence or willful
misconduct.
(b) Notwithstanding
any other provision contained in this Lease to the contrary, Tenant
shall not use the Premises for (i) any noxious or offensive use,
(ii) any use that is not in compliance with all applicable laws and
ordinances, (iii) any use in violation of any matter of record, or
(iv) any use that is not a Permitted Use.
(c) Tenant
shall pay all charges for heat, water, gas, sewage, electricity and
other utilities used or consumed on the Premises directly to such
utility company and shall contract for the same in its own name.
Landlord shall not be liable for any interruption or failure in the
supply of any such utility service to the Premises.
(d) Tenant
shall peacefully surrender possession of the Premises and the
buildings and other improvements thereon to Landlord at the
expiration, or earlier termination, of the original term or any
extended or renewed term of this Lease, reasonable wear and tear
and casualty excepted.
11.
QUIET ENJOYMENT
Landlord
covenants and warrants that Landlord has full power and authority
to make this Lease, and that Tenant shall have and enjoy full,
quiet and peaceful possession of the Premises, their appurtenances
and all rights and privileges incidental thereto during the term
hereof and any renewals or extensions, subject to the provisions of
this Lease.
12. DEFAULT
(a) If
any one or more of the following events occur, said event or events
shall hereby be referred to as a
“Default”:
(i) If
Tenant fails to pay Rent, any additional rent, or any other charges
required hereunder when same shall become due and payable, and such
failure continues for five (5) days after receipt of written notice
from Landlord.
10
(ii) If
Tenant shall fail to perform or observe any term, condition,
covenant, agreement or obligation under this Lease and such failure
continues for more than thirty (30) days after receipt of written
notice from Landlord (except that such thirty (30) day period shall
be automatically extended for such additional period of time as is
reasonably necessary to cure such default, if such default is
capable of being cured, but cannot reasonably be cured within such
period, provided Tenant is at all times in the process of
diligently curing the same).
(iii) If
Tenant shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors or
file a petition, in any federal or state court, in bankruptcy,
reorganization, composition, or make an application in any such
proceedings for the appointment of a trustee or receiver for all or
any portion of its property.
(iv) If
any petition shall be filed under federal or state law against
Tenant in any bankruptcy, reorganization, or insolvency
proceedings, and said proceedings shall not be dismissed or vacated
within thirty (30) days after such petition is filed.
(v) If
a receiver or trustee shall be appointed under federal or state law
for Tenant, or for all or any portion of the property of Tenant,
and such receivership or trusteeship shall not be set aside within
thirty (30) days after such appointment.
(vi) Tenant
shall fail to deliver the documents required by Landlord pursuant
to Section 16 below.
(vii) Except
as set forth herein, Tenant subleases the Premises, or any portion
thereof, without the written permission of Landlord or Tenant
assigns this Lease, whether by operation of law or otherwise,
without the written permission of Landlord.
(viii) The
Premises shall be abandoned, deserted, or vacated for more than
thirty (30) consecutive days (other than for fire, casualty,
condemnation, repairs, or as consented to by Landlord in writing),
or Tenant fails to take possession of the Premises and initially
open for business to the public, or Tenant otherwise ceases its
business activity in the Premises (other than for fire, casualty,
condemnation, repairs, or as consented to by Landlord in writing)
prior to the expiration of the Term.
(b) Upon
the happening of any one or more of the aforementioned Defaults,
Landlord shall have the right, in addition to any other rights and
remedies, to terminate this Lease by giving written notice of same
to Tenant. Upon such notice, this Lease shall cease and expire, and
Tenant shall surrender the Premises to Landlord in accordance with
this Lease. Notwithstanding such termination, Tenant’s
liability and obligation under all provisions of this Lease,
including the obligation to pay Rent and any and all other amounts
due hereunder shall survive and continue. In addition, in the event
of Tenant’s
11
Default
under this Lease, Landlord may, by notice to Tenant, accelerate the
monthly installments of Rent due hereunder for the remaining term
of this Lease, in which event such amount, together with any sums
then in arrears, shall immediately be due and payable to Landlord.
Tenant hereby expressly agrees that its occupation of the Premises
after Default constitutes forcible detainer (or equivalent) as is
defined by the law in force in the jurisdiction in which the
Premises are located.
(c) Upon
the occurrence of a Default, regardless of whether this Lease shall
be terminated as provided hereinabove, Landlord may re-enter the
Premises and remove Tenant, its agents and sub-tenants, together
with all or any of Tenant’s Property, by suitable action at
law, or by force. Landlord shall not be liable in any way in
connection with any action it takes pursuant to this paragraph, to
the extent that its actions are in accordance with applicable law.
Notwithstanding such re-entry or removal, Tenant’s liability
under Lease shall survive and continue.
(d) In
case of re-entry, repossession and/or termination of this Lease,
Tenant shall remain liable for Rent, any additional rent and all
other charges provided for in this Lease for the otherwise
remaining term of this Lease, and any and all expenses which
Landlord may have incurred in re-entering the Premisesincluding,
but not limited to, allocable overhead, alterations to the
building, leasing, construction, architectural, legal and
accounting fees. Regardless of whether this Lease has been
terminated as provided above, Landlord shall use reasonable efforts
to relet the whole or part of the Premises upon terms which
Landlord, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate and Tenant
shall be responsible for all expenses incurred by Landlord in
re-letting or attempting to re-let, and all rent collected for
reletting shall be credited against all of Tenant’s
obligations hereunder.
(e) In
the event of a Default, Landlord may, at its sole option, enter
upon the Premises, if deemed necessary by Landlord in its sole
discretion (but without any obligation to do so), and/or do
whatever may be deemed necessary by Landlord in its sole discretion
to cure such failure by Tenant. Tenant shall pay to Landlord within
five (5) days of Landlord’s request, all costs incurred by
Landlord in connection with Landlord’s curing of such
failure. In addition to the above costs, in the event Landlord does
not receive payment from Tenant when due under this subparagraph
12(e), then interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum or,
if less, the highest rate allowable by law, shall be due and
payable with respect to such payment from the due date thereof
until Landlord receives such payment.
(f) In
the event Landlord engages legal counsel in connection with the
enforcement of any of the terms and provisions of this Lease, then,
in addition to all other sums due from Tenant to Landlord under
this Lease, Tenant shall pay to Landlord any and all reasonable
attorneys’ fees, paralegal fees, court costs and other costs
and expenses incurred by Landlord, whether or not judicial
proceedings are filed, and including on appeal and in any
bankruptcy proceedings.
(g) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, in the event Tenant fails to maintain and keep in
full force and effect any or all of the insurance required pursuant
to Section 6 of
12
this
Lease (“Insurance Premiums”), or pay any taxes required
under Section 9 above (“Taxes”), then at
Landlord’s request and in Landlord’s sole discretion,
Tenant shall thereafter escrow funds for payment of such Insurance
Premiums and Taxes in the following manner:
(i) Tenant
shall immediately pay to Landlord all sums expended by Landlord,
plus an additional ten percent (10%), for purposes of (1) bringing
current or reinstating or purchasing the Insurance Premiums
required under Section 6 of this Lease and (2) bringing current all
Taxes, together with any late fees or fines thereon. Thereafter,
Tenant shall pay to Landlord on the first (1st) day of each month
along with the monthly Rent payment a sum (the “Escrow
Funds”) equal to one-twelfth (1/12th)
of the yearly Insurance Premiums and Taxes.
(ii) Landlord
shall apply the Escrow Funds to pay said Insurance Premiums as and
when the applicable premiums shall become due and to such Taxes
prior to delinquency. No interest shall be payable by Landlord on
the Escrow Funds unless required by applicable law, in which event
all such interest shall be applied by Landlord to pay such
Insurance Premiums and Taxes. Landlord shall provide to Tenant an
annual accounting of the Escrow Funds in Landlord’s normal
format showing credits and debits to the Escrow Funds and the
purpose for which each debit to the Escrow Funds was made, within
thirty (30) days after the expiration of such annual
accounting.
(iii) If
the amount of the Escrow Funds held by Landlord at the time of the
annual accounting thereof shall exceed the amount deemed necessary
by Landlord to provide for the payment of Insurance Premiums and
Taxes, such excess shall be credited to Tenant on the next monthly
installment or installments of Escrow Funds due. If at any time the
amountof the Escrow Funds held by Landlord shall be less than the
amount deemed necessary by Landlord to pay the Insurance Premiums
and Taxes, Tenant shall pay to Landlord any amount necessary to
make up the deficiency within thirty (30) days after written notice
from Landlord to Tenant requesting payment thereof.
(iv) The
foregoing Escrow Funds arrangement shall terminate if Tenant fully
and faithfully complies with the provisions of this Section 12(g)
for a period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months. Upon the
termination of this Lease, so long as Tenant is not in default
hereunder, Landlord shall promptly refund (or credit to Tenant in
the case of termination due to Tenant’s default) any Escrow
Funds held by Landlord.
(h) The
rights and remedies of Landlord set forth herein shall be in
addition to any other right and remedy now or hereinafter provided
by law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be
cumulative. No action or inaction by Landlord shall constitute a
waiver of any Default, and no waiver of any Default shall be
effective unless it is in writing, signed by
Landlord.
13
(i) In
the event of a default by Landlord, Tenant's remedy, in addition to
any other remedies it may have at law or in equity, shall be an
action for actual damages or injunction, but prior to any such
action, Tenant shall give Landlord written notice specifying such
default, and Landlord shall have a period of thirty (30) days
following the receipt of such notice in which to cure the default
(provided, however, that if such default reasonably requires more
than thirty (30) days to cure, Landlord shall have a reasonable
time to cure such default, provided Landlord commences to cure
within such thirty (30) day period and thereafter diligently
prosecutes such cure to completion).
13. HOLDING
OVER
In
the event Tenant remains in possession of the Premises after the
expiration of this Lease without executing a new written lease
acceptable to Landlord and Tenant, Tenant shall occupy the Premises
as a tenant from month to month subject to all the terms hereof
(except as modified by this paragraph), but such possession shall
not limit Landlord’s rights and remedies by reason thereof.
In the event of such month to month tenancy, the monthly
installment of Base Rent due for each such month shall increase to
be one and a half (1.5) times the monthly installment thereof which
was payable during the last month of the term of this
Lease.
14. WAIVER
OF SUBROGATION
Notwithstanding
anything in this Lease to the contrary, neither party shall be
liable to the other for any damage or destruction of the Premises
or any other property resulting from fire or other casualty covered
by insurance required of either party hereunder (or which could be
insured against), whether or not such loss, damage or destruction
of the Premises or other property are caused by or results from the
negligence of such party (which term includes such party’s
officers, employees, agents and invitees), and each party hereby
expressly releases the other from all liability for or on account
of any said insured loss, damage or destruction, whether or not the
party suffering the loss is insured against such loss, and if
insured whether fully or partially. Each party shall procure all
endorsements of insurance policies carried by it necessary to
protect the other from any right of subrogation and/or liability in
the event of such loss.
15. ASSIGNMENT
AND SUBLETTING
(a) Tenant
shall not have the right, without first obtaining Landlord’s
prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned, or delayed, to assign or sublet any part or all of the
Premises to any party for any purpose. A change in ownership of the
controlling interest of Tenant (whether direct or indirect) shall
also constitute an assignment subject to this subparagraph.
Landlord, without being deemed unreasonable, may withhold its
consent to any proposed assignment or subletting where (as
determined by Landlord in Landlord’s sole discretion) (i)
such assignment or subletting would violate the terms of any then
existing agreement applicable to the Premises, or (ii) the
financial capacity of such assignee or subtenant is materially less
than that of Tenant as of the date of such proposed assignment or
the date of this Lease, whichever is greater. Even if such consent
to assignment or subletting is given by Landlord or not required,
such assignment or subletting shall not relieve Tenant of its
liability for the continued performance of all terms, covenants and
conditions of this
14
Lease,
including without limitation the payment of all Rent and other
charges thereunder, except to the extent otherwise agreed to in
writing by Landlord. In the event of the subletting or assignment
of this Lease, Landlord is entitled to receive fifty percent (50%)
of all gross revenues received by Tenant from the
assignee/sublessee, net of the Rent due under this Lease by Tenant
to Landlord.
(b) Prior
to any assignment allowed hereunder, Tenant shall deliver to
Landlord (i) a copy of the assignment documents (including copies
of any recorded documents related thereto); (ii) the name, address
and telephone number of such assignee and a designated contact
person for such assignee; (iii) a new insurance certificate
complying with the terms of this Lease and naming such assignee as
the tenant of the Premises; and (iv) an agreement executed by such
assignee whereby such assignee assumes and agrees to discharge all
obligations of Tenant under this Lease. Notwithstanding anything in
this Lease to thecontrary, in the event of any assignment of this
Lease or subletting of the Premises, Tenant shall not be released
from its obligations under this Lease unless specifically released
by virtue of a separate written instrument executed by Landlord,
which may be withheld in Landlord’s sole
discretion.
(c) Landlord
shall have the right without limitation to sell, convey, transfer
or assign its interest in the Premises or its interest in this
Lease, and upon such conveyance being completed, all covenants and
obligations of Landlord under this Lease accruing thereafter shall
cease, but such covenants and obligations shall run with the land
and shall be binding upon the subsequent landlord or owners of the
Premises or of this Lease.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this section 15, Tenant shall
have the right, without Landlord's prior written consent, to assign
this Lease or sublease all or any portion of the Premises to any
party which directly or indirectly: (i) wholly owns or controls
Tenant; (ii) is wholly owned or controlled by Tenant, (iii) is
under common ownership or control with Tenant, or (iv) into which
Tenant or any of the foregoing parties is merged, consolidated or
reorganized, or to which all or substantially all of Tenant's
assets orany such other party's assets are sold, provided, however,
(a) Tenant gives Landlord thirty (30) days prior written notice of
such assignment or subletting, and (b) the transferee, in the case
of an assignment, shall expressly assume Tenant's obligations under
this Lease. Notwithstanding any assignment or sublease under this
section 15(d), the original Tenant shall not be released from its
obligations for the payment of Base Rent and other amounts due
under this Lease, and compliance with all of Tenant’s
obligations under this Lease.
16. SUBORDINATION,
NON-DISTURBANCE, ATTORNMENT, ESTOPPEL
CERTIFICATE.
(a) Upon
written request of the holder of any mortgage (which term
“mortgage” shall also include deeds of trust) now or
hereafter relating to the Premises, Tenant will subordinate its
rights under this Lease to the lien thereof and to all advances
made or hereafter to be made upon the security thereof, and Tenant
shall execute, acknowledge and deliver an instrument in the form
customarily used by such encumbrance holder to effect such
subordination (and reasonably approved by
Tenant);
15
provided,
however, as a condition of all such subordinations, the holder of
such mortgage shall be first required to agree in writing with
Tenant that, notwithstanding the foreclosure or other exercise of
rights under any such first or other mortgage, Tenant’s
possession and occupancy of the Premises and the improvements and
its leasehold estate shall not be disturbed or interfered with nor
shall Tenant’s rights and obligations under this Lease be
altered or adversely affected thereby so long as Tenant is not in
Default beyond applicable notice and cure periods.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything set out in subparagraph (a) above to the contrary, in the
event the holder of any such mortgage elects to have this Lease be
superior to its mortgage, then upon Tenant’s being notified
in writing to that effect by such encumbrance holder, this Lease
shall be deemed prior to the lien of said mortgage, whether this
Lease is dated prior or subsequent to the date of said mortgage,
and Tenant shall execute, acknowledge and deliver an instrument, in
the form customarily used by such encumbrance holder (and
reasonably approved by Tenant), effecting such
priority.
(c) In
the event proceedings are brought for the foreclosure of, or in the
event of the exercise of the power of sale under any mortgage made
by Landlord encumbering the Premises, or in the event of delivery
of a deed in lieu of foreclosure under such a mortgage, Tenant will
attorn to the purchaser upon any such foreclosure or sale and
recognize such purchaser as “Landlord” under this
Lease, and upon the request of the purchaser, Tenant shall execute,
acknowledge and deliver an instrument, in form and substance
satisfactory to such purchaser and reasonably acceptable to
Tenant.
(d) Each
party agrees, within fifteen (15) days after written request by the
other, to execute, acknowledge and deliver to and in favor of any
proposed mortgagee or purchaser of the Premises, an estoppel
certificate, in the form customarily used by such proposed
mortgagee or purchaser, stating, among other things (i) whether
this Lease is in full force and effect, (ii) whether this Lease has
been modified or amended and, if so, identifying and describing any
such modification or amendment, (iii) the date to which Rent and
other charges have been paid, and (iv) whether the party furnishing
such certificate knows of any default on the part of the other
party or has any claim against such party and, if so, specifying
the nature of such default or claim.
(e) Upon
written demand by the holder of any mortgage covering the Premises,
Tenant shall forthwith execute, acknowledge and deliver an
agreement in favor of and in the form customarily used by such
encumbrance holder, by the terms of which Tenant will agree to give
prompt written notice to such encumbrance holder in the event of
any casualty damage to the Premises or in the event of any default
on the part of Landlord under this Lease, and will agree to allow
such encumbrance holder a reasonable length of time after notice to
cure or cause the curing of such default before exercising
Tenant’s rights under this Lease, or terminating or declaring
a default under this Lease.
17. NOTICES
16
All
notices and other communications required or permitted to be given
hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered by a
nationally recognized overnight courier or mailed by registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested,
addressed as follows:
If to Landlord:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Rentals
000X
Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
If to
Tenant:
Wholesale,
LLC
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Any
party may change its address for notices by written notice in like
manner as provided in this paragraph and such change of address
shall be effective seven (7) days after the date notice of such
change of address is given. Notice for purposes of this Lease shall
be deemed given when it shall have been received or rejected by the
intended recipient.
18. INDEMNIFICATION
Tenant
does hereby indemnify Landlord against and from all liabilities,
losses, obligations, damages, penalties, claims, costs, charges and
expenses, including reasonable architects’ fees,
attorneys’ fees, paralegal fees, and legal costs and
expenses, incurred by Landlord, whether or not judicial proceedings
are filed, and including (but without limitation) on appeal and in
any bankruptcy proceedings, which may be imposed upon or asserted
against or incurred by Landlord by reason of any of the following
occurring, except to the extent such liabilities, obligations,
damages, and expenses are caused by Landlord's negligence or
willful misconduct:
(a) any
work or thing done by Tenant in respect of construction of, in or
to the Premises or any part of the improvements now or hereafter
constructed on the Premises by Tenant;
(b) any
use, possession, occupation, operation, maintenance or management
of the Premises or any part hereof by Tenant;
(c) any
failure to properly, use, possess, occupy, operate, maintain or
manage the Premises or any part thereof by Tenant;
(d) the
condition, including environmental conditions arising after the
date of this Lease and not in existence on the Premises prior to
the date of this Lease, of the Premises or any part thereof, to the
extent in Tenant's control or resulting from Tenant's use,
occupancy or operation at the Premises;
(e) any
negligence on the part of Tenant or any of its agents, contractors,
servants, employees, licensees or invitees;
17
(f) any
accident, injury or damage to any person or property occurring in,
on or about the Premises or any part thereof including any sidewalk
adjacent thereto; or
(g) any
failure on the part of Tenant to perform or comply with any of the
covenants, agreements, terms or conditions contained in this Lease
on its part to be performed or complied with beyond applicable
notice and cure periods.
19. HOLD
HARMLESS
Tenant
agrees to hold Landlord harmless from and against any and all
claims, damages, accidents and injuries to persons or property
caused by or resulting from or in connection with anything in or
pertaining to or upon the Premises during the term of this Lease or
while Tenant is occupying the Premises, except if such claim,
damage, accident or injury shall be caused by the gross negligence
or willful misconduct of Landlord or its agents. Landlord shall not
be liable to Tenant, Tenant’s employees, agents, invitees,
licensees or any other person whomsoever for any injury to person
or damage to property on or about the Premises caused by the
negligence or misconduct of Tenant, its agents, servants or
employees or of any other person entering the building under
expressed or implied invitation by Tenant or due to any other cause
whatsoever, unless caused by the gross negligence or willful
misconduct of Landlord, its employees or its authorized
representatives.
20. LANDLORD’S
LIABILITIES
The
term “Landlord” as used in this Lease means the owner
from time to time of the Premises. Neither Landlord nor any
partner, member, shareholder or beneficiary thereof shall have any
personal liability with respect to any of the provisions of this
Lease and if Landlord is in default with respect to its obligations
hereunder Tenant shall look solely to the equity of Landlord in the
Premises.
21. SUCCESSORS
The
covenants, conditions and agreements contained in this Lease shall
bind and inure to the benefit of Landlord and Tenant and their
respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and
assigns.
22. ENTIRE
AGREEMENT
This
Lease contains the entire agreement between the parties hereto and
may not be modified in any manner other than in writing signed by
the parties hereto or their successors in interest.
18
23. GENDER
Whenever
the context hereof permits or requires, words in the singular may
be regarded as in the plural and vice-versa, and personal pronouns
may be read as masculine, feminine and neuter.
24. BROKERAGE
FEES
The
parties agree that no broker or finder (“Broker”) was
used or engaged by either party in connection with the drafting or
negotiating of this Lease and that neither Landlord nor Tenant
shall not be responsible for any such fees or commissions to any
Broker. No representation by any Broker or any other third party
shall bind Landlord or Tenant and in no event shall be used to
interpret this Lease. Each party shall indemnify the other party
against, and hold it harmless from, any liability for any
compensation to any Broker or other person who may be deemed or
held entitled thereto because of a relationship with such
party.
25. CAPTIONS
The
captions of this Lease are for convenience only, and do not in any
way define, limit, disclose, or amplify terms or provisions of this
Lease or the scope or intent thereof.
26. NET
LEASE
It
is the intention of the parties hereto that this Lease is and shall
be treated as a triple net lease. Any present or future law to the
contrary notwithstanding, except as expressly provided in this
Lease, this Lease shall not terminate, nor shall Tenant be entitled
to any abatement, suspension, deferment, reduction, setoff,
counterclaim, or defense with respect to the Rent, nor shall the
obligations of Tenant hereunder be affected by reason of: any
damage to or destruction of the Premises or any part thereof; any
taking of the Premises or any part thereof or interest therein by
condemnation or otherwise; any prohibition, limitation, restriction
or prevention of Tenant’s use, occupancy or enjoyment of the
Premises or any part thereof; any interference with such use,
occupancy or enjoyment by any person or for any other reason; any
action of governmental authority; or any defect in the condition,
quality or fitness for use of the Premises or any part thereof. The
parties intend that the obligations of Tenant hereunder shall be
separate and independent covenants and agreements and shall
continue unaffected unless such obligations shall have been
modified or terminated in accordance with an express provision of
this Lease.
27. WAIVER
No
waiver by Landlord or Tenant of any provision hereof shall be
deemed a waiver of any other provision hereof or of any subsequent
breach by Tenant or Landlord of the same or any other provision.
Landlord’s consent to, or approval of, any act as required
hereunder shall not be deemed to render unnecessary the obtaining
of Landlord’s consent to or approval of any such subsequent
act by Tenant. The acceptance of Rent hereunder by Landlord shall
not be a waiver of any preceding default by Tenant of any provision
hereof, other than the failure of Tenant to pay the particular rent
so accepted, regardless of Landlord’s knowledge of such
preceding breach at the time of acceptance of such
rent.
19
28. TIME
OF THE ESSENCE
Landlord
and Tenant agree that time shall be of the essence of all terms and
provisions of this Lease.
29. GOVERNING
LAW
This
Lease shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the state
in which the Premises are located.
30. NOT
A SECURITY ARRANGEMENT
The
parties hereto agree and acknowledge that this transaction is not
intended as a security arrangement or financing secured by real
property, but shall be construed for all purposes as a true
lease.
31. HAZARDOUS
SUBSTANCES.
Tenant
shall comply, at its sole expense, with all laws, ordinances,
orders, rules and regulations of all state, federal, municipal and
other governmental or judicial agencies or bodies relating to the
protection of public health, safety, welfare or the environment
(collectively, “Environmental Laws”) in the use,
occupancy and operation of the Premises. Tenant agrees that no
Hazardous Substances shall be used, located, stored or processed on
the Premises by Tenant or any of its agents, employees,
contractors, assigns, subtenants, guest or invitees, and no
Hazardous Substances will be generated, released or discharged from
the Premises. The term “Hazardous Substances” shall
mean and include all hazardous and toxic substances, waste or
materials, any pollutant or contaminant, including, without
limitation, PCB’s, asbestos and raw materials that include
hazardous constituents or any other similar substances or materials
that are now or hereafter included under or regulated by any
environmental laws or that would pose a health, safety or
environmental hazard. Tenant hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and
hold harmless Landlord and Landlord’s officers, agents,
employees and affiliates from and against any and all claims,
causes of action, demands, liens, losses, liabilities (including,
but not limited to, strict liability), damages, injuries, fines,
costs and expenses (including, but not limited to, court costs,
litigation expenses, reasonable attorney’s fees and costs of
settlement or judgment), of any and every kind whatsoever paid,
incurred or suffered by, or asserted against, Landlord by any
person, entity or governmental agency for, with respect to, or as a
direct or indirect result of (i) the presence in or the escape,
leakage, spillage, discharge, emission or release from the Premises
of any Hazardous Substances or thepresence of any Hazardous
Substances placed on or discharged from the Premises by Tenant or
any of its agents, employees, contractors, assigns, subtenants,
guest or invitees, or (ii) any violation or alleged violation of
any environmental laws by Tenant or any of its agents, employees,
contractors, assigns, subtenants, guests or invitees in relation to
the Premises. In the event of the release of Hazardous Substances
in or about the Premises by Tenant or any of its agents, employees,
contractors, assigns, subtenants, guests or invitees, Tenant shall
immediately notify Landlord about such release and advise Landlord
of the procedures being taken for remediation. Landlord reserves
the right to reenter the Premises should Tenant fail to respond to
the release and/or to remediate the Premises. Tenant shall
be
20
responsible
for any costs assessed Landlord in connection to such release
and/or remediation, including attorney’s fees. Landlord shall
have the right to require that Tenant deliver periodic
environmental audits of the Premises evidencing that no violations
have occurred.
Landlord
represents and warrants that as of the Effective Date Landlord is
not actually aware of any Hazardous Substances on, in, or under the
Premises, nor has Landlord received any written notice of any
Hazardous Substances on, in, or under the Premises.
This
Section shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this
Lease.
32.RIGHT
OF FIRST OFFER TO PURCHASE. During the Initial Term and
any
Renewal
Term, provided that Tenant is not in default under any of the terms
or conditions of this Lease beyond applicable notice and cure
periods, prior to selling the Premises to any third party, Landlord
shall first deliver a written offer (“Offer”) to Tenant
setting forth the material terms upon which Landlord proposes to
offer to sell the Premises to such third party, and Tenant shall
have the right for a period of ten (10) days after receipt of the
Offer, to elect to purchase the Premises on the same terms and
conditions set forth in the Offer by delivery of a written notice
to Landlord accepting the Offer within such time period (the
“Acceptance”). If Tenant does not timely deliver the
Acceptance of the Offer without any modification, then Landlord
shall be free to sell the Premises to a third party on the exact
terms and conditions set forth in the Offer and Tenant shall no
longer have a right of first offer with respect to the Offer. Prior
to Landlord offering the Premises for sale or entering into a
purchase contract on terms materially different than those set
forth in the Offer, Landlord shall deliver an updated written Offer
setting forth such revised terms and the foregoing process shall be
repeated.
If
Tenant timely accepts the Offer (as evidenced by its timely
delivery to Landlord of the Acceptance), then the parties shall
proceed to closing of the sale of the Premises within thirty (30)
days on industry standard terms.
[Signature page follows]
21
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Lease
Agreement to be executed the day and date first above
written.
LANDLORD
By:
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
TENANT
Wholesale,
LLC a Tennessee limited liability company
By:
Name:
Title:
22
Exhibit E
Form of General
Release
GENERAL RELEASE AND COVENANT NOT TO XXX
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx (“Xx.
Xxxxxxxx”) and Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx (“Xxx.
Xxxxxxxx”, and together
with Xx. Xxxxxxxx, the “Releasors”
and each, a “Releasor”),
on behalf of himself or herself and each of his or her heirs,
administrators, executors, personal representatives, successors,
and assigns (“Affiliates”),
hereby remises, releases, acquits, satisfies and forever
discharges, Wholesale Holdings, Inc., a Tennessee corporation and
Wholesale, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company (including,
for the avoidance of doubt, its predecessor Wholesale, Inc., a
Tennessee corporation) (collectively, “Releasees”),
from any and all manner of action and actions, claims, causes and
causes of action, suits, debts, dues, sums of money, accounts,
reckonings, bonds, bills, specialties, covenants, contracts,
controversies, agreements, promises, variances, trespasses,
damages, judgments, executions, claims and demands whatsoever, in
law or in equity (“Claims”),
which any Releasor or his or her Affiliates ever had, now has, or
which any successor, or assign of such party or his or her
Affiliates hereafter can, shall or may have, against the Releasees,
for, upon or by reason of any matter, cause or thing whatsoever,
known or unknown, directly or indirectly, from the beginning of the
world to the date of this instrument.
It
is the specific intent of each Releasor to specifically forever
settle all Claims that such Releasor or its Affiliates may have
against any Releasee, whether they be known or unknown, matured or
unmatured or otherwise, including all further costs and
attorneys’ fees derived therefrom.
Each Releasor also represents, warrants and agrees
that it has not transferred or assigned any of the released Claims
and is the sole owner of such rights being released hereby, and
that by signing this General Release and Covenant Not to Xxx (this
“Release”),
such Releasor additionally covenants not to, and to cause its
Affiliates not to, xxx or to file any complaint of any kind
whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to any Claim
released hereby.
Each
Releasor hereby agrees that this Release extends to all Claims
which such Releasor or its Affiliates know or suspect to exist in
its favor as of the date of this Release or believes may come into
existence in the future. Each Releasor intends this Release to be a
full and complete release in satisfaction of all Claims, whether or
not known or suspected by such Releasor or its Affiliates to exist
in its favor at the time of execution of this Release.
For the avoidance of all doubt, this Release does
not extend to (i) any right to indemnification that any of the
Releasors may have under the Releasee’s articles of
organization, articles of incorporation, bylaws, operating
agreement, or under Tennessee law or (ii) any claims arising under
the Merger
Agreement by and among Releasors, Releasees, RumbleON, Inc., a
Nevada corporation, RMBL
Tennessee, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Xx. Xxxxxxxx,
a Tennessee resident, as the representative of each Shareholder (as
defined therein), and certain other parties named therein,
dated October 26,
2018, and Releasors will
expressly preserve such rights following the execution of this
Release.
This
Release shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware
without regard to any conflict of laws provisions. Any suit, action
or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of or based on any
matter arising out of or in connection with this Release shall be
brought in, and be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of, the
Chancery courts within Davidson County in the State of Tennessee or
the United States District Courts for the Middle District of
Tennessee
located in Davidson County, Tennessee, should the federal courts
have jurisdiction over such suit, action or
proceeding.
THE
PARTIES HEREBY WAIVE AND COVENANT THAT THEY WILL NOT ASSERT
(WHETHER AS PLAINTIFF, DEFENDANT OR OTHERWISE) ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL
BY JURY IN ANY ACTION ARISING IN WHOLE OR IN PART UNDER OR IN
CONNECTION WITH THIS RELEASE, WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR
HEREAFTERARISING, AND WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT, TORT OR
OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ANY OF THEM MAY FILE A COPY OF
THIS PARAGRAPH WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE KNOWING,
VOLUNTARY AND BARGAINED-FOR AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY
TO WAIVE THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION WHATSOEVER
BETWEEN OR AMONG THEM RELATING TO THIS RELEASE, WHICH ACTION WILL
INSTEAD BE TRIED IN A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY A JUDGE
SITTING WITHOUT A JURY.
If
any provision of this Release is held to be illegal, invalid or
unenforceable under present or future laws, that provision shall be
severable and this Release shall be construed and enforced as if
that illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision never comprised a
part hereof, and the remaining provisions hereof shall remain in
full force and effect and shall not be affected by the illegal,
invalid or unenforceable provision, and there shall be added
automatically as part of this Release a provision as similar in
terms to such illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision as may be
possible and be legal, valid and enforceable. This Release may be
executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed
an original, but when taken together shall be but one instrument.
Executed counterparts delivered by facsimile or in portable
document format (.pdf) shall be deemed delivery of an originally
executed counterpart in all cases.
[Signature
page follows]
2
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed or caused its duly
authorized representative to execute this Release as of the __ day
of October, 2018.
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RELEASORS:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
[ADDRESS]
[CITY,
STATE ZIP]
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
[ADDRESS]
[CITY,
STATE ZIP]
RELEASEES:
Wholesale Holdings, Inc.
By:
Name:
Title:
Wholesale, LLC
By:
Name:
Title:
|
[Signature Page to Release]