INVESTOR’S RIGHTS AND STANDSTILL AGREEMENT
INVESTOR’S
RIGHTS AND STANDSTILL AGREEMENT
This
Investor’s Rights
and Standstill Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into
as of October 7, 2007, by and between UCBH Holdings, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Issuer”) and China Minsheng Banking Corp., Ltd. a Chinese
joint stock commercial bank (the “Buyer”).
RECITALS
Whereas,
Issuer and Buyer have entered into an Investment Agreement, dated as of October
7, 2007 (the “Investment Agreement”);
Whereas,
in order to induce Buyer to enter into the Investment Agreement, Issuer desires
to provide Buyer certain rights set forth in this Agreement with respect to the
Subject Securities (as defined below); and
Whereas,
in order to induce Issuer to enter into the Investment Agreement, Buyer has
agreed to comply with certain “lock up” and “standstill” restrictions with
respect to the Subject Securities on the terms and conditions set out in this
Agreement.
AGREEMENT
Now,
Therefore, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties agree hereto as follows:
SECTION
1.
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DEFINITIONS
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1.1
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Definitions. As
used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following
meanings:
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(a) “Affiliate”
means, with respect to any Person at any time, any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such Person
as of such time; provided that, for the purposes of this Agreement, Buyer and
its Affiliates shall not be Affiliates of Issuer, and Issuer and its Affiliates
shall not be Affiliates of Buyer.
(b) “Beneficial
Ownership” by a Person shall be interpreted in accordance with the term
“beneficial ownership” as defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange
Act; provided that Buyer shall not be deemed to Beneficially Own any Common
Stock subject to the Investment Agreement prior to the purchase of such Common
Stock by Buyer. For purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to
Beneficially Own any securities that are Beneficially Owned by its Affiliates or
any Group of which such Person or any such Affiliate is or becomes a
member. Notwithstanding the foregoing, securities Beneficially Owned
by Buyer and its Affiliates shall not include, for any purpose under this
Agreement, any Common Stock held by Buyer and its Affiliates (i) in trust for
the benefit of persons other than Buyer and its Affiliates; (ii) in managed,
brokerage, custodial, nominee or other customer accounts; (iii) in mutual funds,
open- or closed-end investment funds or other pooled investment vehicles
sponsored, managed and/or advised or subadvised by Buyer or its Affiliates; or
(iv) by Affiliates of Buyer (or any division thereof) which are
broker-dealers or otherwise engaged in the securities business, provided that in
each case, such securities were acquired in the ordinary course of business of
their respective banking, investment management and securities business and not
with the intent or purpose on the part of Buyer or its Affiliates of influencing
control of Issuer or avoiding the provisions of this Agreement. The
terms “Beneficially Own” and “Beneficial Owner” shall have a correlative
meaning.
(c) “Board”
shall mean the board of directors of Issuer.
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(d) “Business
Day” shall mean a day, other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which
commercial banks in San Francisco, California or Beijing, China are authorized
or required by applicable law to close.
(e) “Buyer
Percentage” shall mean, at any time, the ratio, expressed as a percentage of the
total Subject Securities Beneficially Owned by Buyer to the total number of
issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock.
(f) “CADFI”
shall mean the California Department of Financial Institutions.
(g) “CBRC”
shall mean the China Banking Regulatory Commission or its duly authorized local
branch, as the case may be, or any successors thereto.
(h) “CSRC”
shall mean the China Securities Regulatory Commission or its duly authorized
local branch, as the case may be, or any successors thereto.
(i) “Capital
Stock” shall mean, with respect to any Person at any time, any and all shares,
interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether
voting or non-voting) of capital stock, partnership interests (whether general
or limited) or equivalent ownership interests in or issued by such
Person.
(j) “Change
of Control” shall mean, with respect to Person at any time, (a) the acquisition
by a person or Group (as defined below) of a majority of such Person’s
outstanding voting securities, (b) the sale of all or substantially all of such
Person’s assets, or (c) the merger, consolidation, dissolution, liquidation,
reorganization, other corporate or similar transaction or series of related
transactions in which the owners of all of such Person’s outstanding voting
securities prior to such transaction do not own a majority of the voting
securities of the resulting, surviving or ultimate parent entity after such
transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction or series of related
transactions shall not be considered to result in a Change of Control effected
solely for the purposes of changing the form or jurisdiction of organization of
an entity.
(k)
“Common Stock” shall mean common stock of Issuer, par value $0.01 per
share.
(l)
“Control” (including the terms controlling, controlled by and under common
control with) shall mean the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
(m) “Exchange
Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(n) “FDIC”
shall mean the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
(o) “First
Closing” shall mean the closing of the purchase and sale of the Initial Shares
as set forth in the Investment Agreement.
(p) “FRB”
shall mean the U.S. Federal Reserve Board.
(q) “GAAP”
means the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in
effect from time to time.
(r) “Group”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange
Act.
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(s) “Initial
Buyer Percentage” shall mean a Buyer Percentage of 4.9%.
(t) “Initial
Shares” shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock newly issued by Issuer
upon the First Closing pursuant to the Investment Agreement.
(u) “Permitted
Buyer Percentage” shall mean: (i) following the First Closing and until the
Second Closing, the Initial Buyer Percentage, as such Buyer Percentage may be
adjusted from time to time (A) as a result of purchases of Common Stock by Buyer
in accordance with Section 2.02 of the Investment Agreement, and (B) in
accordance with Sections 2.3 and 2.4 hereof; (ii) following the Second Closing
and until the Third Closing, the Step Two Buyer Percentage, as such Buyer
Percentage may be adjusted from time to time (A) as a result of purchases of
Common Stock by Buyer in accordance with Section 2.03 of the Investment
Agreement, if any, and (B) in accordance with Sections 2.3 and 2.4 hereof;
and (iii) following the Third Closing, the Step Three Buyer
Percentage.
(v) “Person”
shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
association, trust or other entity or organization.
(w) “Prevailing
Fair Market Value” shall mean, with respect to publicly traded securities, the
average daily closing price per share as quoted on the Nasdaq Global Select
Market (or the principal exchange or market on which such security may be listed
or may trade) for such security for the thirty (30) consecutive trading days
commencing on the fifth (5th)
trading day prior to the date as of which the Prevailing Fair Market Value is
being determined. The closing price for each day shall be the closing
price, if reported, or, if the closing price is not reported, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices as reported by the Nasdaq Global Select Market (or
such principal exchange or market) or a similar source reasonably and in good
faith selected from time to time by Issuer for such purpose. In the
event such closing prices are unavailable, the Prevailing Fair Market Value
shall be the cash price at which a willing seller would sell and a willing buyer
would buy such securities in an arm’s length negotiated transaction without time
constraints, as determined by an internationally recognized investment banking
firm selected by mutual agreement of Buyer and Issuer.
(x) “Registration
Expenses” shall mean the reasonable expenses incident to performance of or
compliance by Issuer with Section 4 of this Agreement, including (i) all
SEC and stock exchange registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and
expenses of complying with securities or blue sky laws, (iii) all printing
expenses, (iv) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
listing of Subject Securities on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and all rating
agency fees, and (v) the fees and disbursements of counsel for Issuer and
of its independent public accountants, including the expenses of any special
audits and/or comfort letters required by or incident to such performance and
compliance, but excluding (i) underwriting discounts, selling commissions, fees
or other compensation payable to placement agents, (ii) fees and expenses of
underwriters and/or placement agents (including legal fees) and (iii) transfer
taxes, if any.
(y) “Regulatory
Agency” shall mean any banking agency or department of any foreign, U.S. federal
or state government, including CADFI, the FRB, the FDIC, the CBRC, the SAFE or
the respective staffs thereof.
(z) The
terms “register,” “registered,” and “registration” refer to a registration
effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in
compliance with the Securities Act, and the declaration or ordering of
effectiveness (or deemed effectiveness) of such registration statement or
document.
(aa) “SAFE”
shall mean the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC or its duly
authorized local branch, as the case may be, or any successors
thereto.
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(bb) “SEC”
shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
(cc) “Second
Closing” shall mean the closing of transactions resulting in Buyer holding the
Step Two Buyer Percentage of issued and outstanding Common Stock, as set forth
in the Investment Agreement.
(dd) “Securities
Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(ee) “Standstill
Period” shall mean the period commencing on the date of the Investment Agreement
and continuing until the third (3rd)
anniversary of the date thereof.
(ff) “Step
Three Buyer Percentage” shall mean a Buyer Percentage of 20%, except as used in
Section 6.2 below.
(gg) “Step
Two Buyer Percentage” shall mean a Buyer Percentage of 9.9%.
(hh) “Subject
Securities” shall mean (i) the shares of Common Stock issued or purchased by
Buyer, whether newly issued by Issuer pursuant to Article 2 of the Investment
Agreement or purchased from third parties as and to the extent permitted under
this Agreement or the Investment Agreement and (ii) any shares of Common Stock
issued as a dividend, stock split or other distribution with respect to or in
exchange for or in replacement of the shares referred to in Section 1.1(hh)(i)
above; provided, however, that Subject
Securities shall not include any securities described in
Sections 1.1(hh)(i) or 1.1(hh)(ii) above which (A) have been sold to the
public either pursuant to the effective registration statement, if applicable,
or pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or (B) are subject to any
Transfer (as defined in Section 3 of this Agreement) in accordance with
Section 3 of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, any
Common Stock acquired by Buyer pursuant to Section 2.4 hereof shall become
the Subject Securities upon such acquisition and be subject to the restrictions
contained in this Agreement.
(ii) “Subsidiary”
shall mean, with respect to any Person, any entity of which securities or other
ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the
board of directors or other persons performing similar functions are at the time
directly or indirectly owned by such Person.
(jj) “Third
Closing” shall mean the closing of transactions resulting in Buyer holding the
Step Three Buyer Percentage of issued and outstanding Common Stock, as set forth
in the Investment Agreement.
(kk) “Treasury
Stock” shall mean shares of Common Stock that are classified as treasury stock
in accordance with GAAP.
(ll) “Voting
Securities” shall mean at any time shares of any class of Capital Stock or other
securities of Issuer which are then entitled to vote generally in the election
of directors and not solely upon the occurrence and during the continuation of
certain specified events.
SECTION
2.
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STANDSTILL
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2.1
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Acquisition of Additional
Shares.
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(a) Buyer
represents and warrants to Issuer that immediately following the First Closing,
Buyer shall not Beneficially Own any Common Stock other than the shares
constituting the Initial Shares. Unless otherwise specifically
provided herein, during the Standstill Period, Buyer shall not, and shall not
permit its Affiliates to, acquire, offer or propose to acquire, or agree to
acquire the Beneficial Ownership of any shares of Common Stock representing more
than the
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Permitted
Buyer Percentage, whether by open market purchase or from any selling
stockholders of Issuer, or otherwise.
(b) Buyer
covenants and agrees that during the Standstill Period, except as contemplated
by Section 2.4, it shall not, and shall not permit its Affiliates to, directly
or indirectly acquire, offer or propose to acquire or agree to acquire, whether
acting alone or in concert with any other Person or Group, whether by purchase,
tender or exchange offer, through the acquisition of control of another Person
(including by way of merger of consolidation), by joining a partnership,
syndicate or other Group or otherwise, the Beneficial Ownership of any
additional Common Stock (except by way of stock dividends, stock
reclassifications or other distributions or offerings made available and, if
applicable, exercised on a pro rata basis, to holders of Common Stock
generally); provided, however, that following completion of the First Closing,
Buyer may purchase a number of shares of Common Stock in privately-negotiated
transactions to increase the then current Buyer Percentage up to the Step Two
Buyer Percentage as set forth in the Investment Agreement; provided, further,
that following completion of the Second Closing, Buyer may purchase a number of
shares of Common Stock in privately-negotiated transactions or, subject to
applicable law, in the open market to increase the then current Buyer Percentage
up to the Step Three Buyer Percentage as set forth in the Investment
Agreement.
2.2
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Certain
Restrictions.
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(a) During
the Standstill Period, except as provided in this Agreement (including without
limitation by virtue of Buyer’s representation on the Board in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement and participation by person(s) nominated by Buyer in
meetings and other actions of the Board and any duly constituted committee
thereof or by informal meetings or consultations with members of the Board or
management), Buyer agrees not to, and to cause each of its Subsidiaries and its
and their respective executive officers not to, directly or indirectly, alone or
in concert with others:
(i) except
in the manner and to the extent permitted under Section 6.1, seek election to or
seek to place a representative or other Affiliate or nominee on the Board or
seek removal of any member of the Board;
(ii) (A)
propose or seek to effect a merger, consolidation, recapitalization,
reorganization, sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of substantially all
assets or other business combination involving, or a tender or exchange offer
for securities of, Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries or any material portion of
its or such Subsidiary’s business or assets or any other type of transaction
that would otherwise result in a Change of Control of Issuer or in any increase
in the Buyer Percentage beyond the then applicable Permitted Buyer Percentage
(any such action described in this clause (A), a “Issuer Transaction Proposal”),
or (B) present to Issuer, its stockholders or any third party any proposal that
constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to result in, a Issuer Transaction
Proposal or an increase in the Buyer Percentage beyond the then applicable
Permitted Buyer Percentage;
(iii) privately
or publicly suggest or announce its willingness or desire to engage in a
transaction or group of transactions, or have another Person engage in a
transaction or group of transactions that constitutes, or would reasonably be
expected to result in, a Issuer Transaction Proposal or an increase in the Buyer
Percentage beyond the then applicable Permitted Buyer Percentage, or take any
action that would reasonably be expected to require Issuer to make a public
announcement regarding any Issuer Transaction Proposal;
(iv) initiate,
request, induce, encourage or attempt to induce or give encouragement to any
other Person to initiate, or otherwise provide assistance to any Person who has
made or is contemplating making, or enter into discussions or negotiations with
respect to, any
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proposal
that constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to result in, a Issuer
Transaction Proposal or an increase in the Buyer Percentage beyond the then
applicable Permitted Buyer Percentage;
(v) have
or seek to have more than two representatives serve as officers, agents, or
employees of Issuer;
(vi) permit
the sale of any of its insurance or other nonbanking products through the
officers or employees of Issuer or any Affiliate thereof;
(vii) dispose
or threaten to dispose of shares of Issuer in any manner as a condition of
specific action or non-action by Issuer;
(viii) form,
join in or in any other way (including by deposit of Common Stock) participate
in a partnership, pooling agreement, syndicate, voting trust or other Group with
respect to Common Stock, or enter into any agreement or arrangement or otherwise
act in concert with any other Person, for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting or disposing of Common Stock; or
(ix) take
any other actions, alone or in concert with any other Person, to seek to effect
a Change of Control of Issuer or an increase in the Buyer Percentage beyond the
then applicable Permitted Buyer Percentage or otherwise seek to circumvent any
of the limitations set forth in this Section 2.2.
(b) The
parties agree and acknowledge that, during the Standstill Period, unless
expressly approved in writing by a duly authorized U.S. federal or state bank
regulatory agency, neither Buyer nor any Affiliate of Buyer shall have any
managerial or operational control of any kind over Issuer or any Affiliate of
Issuer. Buyer shall fully comply with any and all commitments Buyer
may enter into with any Regulatory Agency and with any and all orders and other
regulatory action imposed on Buyer by any Regulatory Agency, in each case
insofar as the foregoing relates to Issuer or its Affiliates.
2.3
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Issuer
Repurchase.
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(a) If,
at any time during the Standstill Period, there is a repurchase or redemption of
Common Stock by Issuer that, by reducing the number of outstanding Common Stock,
increases the Buyer Percentage (a “Issuer Repurchase”) to an amount in excess of
the then-applicable Permitted Buyer Percentage, Buyer shall dispose of Common
Stock Beneficially Owned by it in the manner set forth in clauses (b) or (c)
below, as applicable; provided, however, that if effecting such disposition at
such time would subject Buyer to liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange
Act, then the obligation of Buyer to effect such disposition shall be deferred
until the earliest date on which it or its Affiliates may effect such
disposition without incurring such liability under Section 16(b).
(b) In
the event of a proposed Issuer Repurchase during the Standstill Period (other
than pursuant to a proposed program of open market repurchases by Issuer, which
shall be treated in accordance with the provisions of clause (c) below) which,
together with any prior Issuer Repurchases of less than 1% of the outstanding
Common Stock (with respect to which no Common Stock Beneficially Owned by Buyer
or its Affiliates were disposed of in the manner required by this Section 2.3),
shall be in excess of 1% of the outstanding Common Stock prior to such Issuer
Repurchase (a “Required Repurchase Event”), Issuer shall give written notice
(the “Repurchase Notice”) to Buyer not later than five (5) Business Days prior
to such Issuer Repurchase, specifying (i) the number of outstanding shares of
Common Stock proposed to be repurchased by Issuer, (ii) the expected increase in
the Buyer Percentage resulting from the proposed Issuer Repurchase, and (iii)
the number of shares of Common Stock to be repurchased by Issuer from Buyer such
that the Buyer Percentage following such repurchase shall be equal to the then
applicable Permitted Buyer
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Percentage
(the “Buyer Repurchase Shares”). Upon receipt of the Repurchase
Notice, Buyer shall, subject to applicable law, be required to sell to Issuer (a
“Buyer Repurchase”) the Buyer Repurchase Shares at a per share price, payable in
cash, equal to the Prevailing Fair Market Value determined on the date of such
notice. The Buyer Repurchase shall be consummated on such date to be
agreed in writing between Buyer and Issuer, which date shall be no later than
ten (10) Business Days following the receipt of the notice delivered by Issuer
under this Section 2.3(b) or, if applicable, ten (10) Business Days after the
receipt of all required regulatory approvals. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, at Buyer’s option and subject to applicable law, in lieu of selling
any shares of Common Stock to Issuer, Buyer may elect to dispose of the Buyer
Repurchase Shares in open market transactions of the type described in clauses
(a) and (b) of Section 3.2 (the “Market Sale Option”). Buyer
shall give written notice to Issuer by no later than two (2) Business Days prior
to the Issuer Repurchase of its election to exercise its Market Sale Option and
shall consummate the sale of the Buyer Repurchase Shares within ten (10)
Business Days thereafter or, if applicable, ten (10) Business Days after the
receipt of all required regulatory approvals (or such longer period as may be
required to comply with any volume restrictions on sales of securities under
Rule 144 of the Securities Act (or any successor rule) if Buyer elects to
dispose of such Common Stock in transactions of the type described in clause (b)
of Section 3.2).
(c) In
the event that Issuer shall propose a program of open market repurchases of
Common Stock during the Standstill Period which, together with any prior Issuer
Repurchases of less than 1% of the outstanding Common Stock (with respect to
which no Common Stock Beneficially Owned by Buyer or its Affiliates were
disposed of in the manner required by this Section 2.3), shall be in excess of
1% of the outstanding Common Stock prior to such Issuer Repurchase, Issuer shall
give written notice thereof to Buyer not later than ten (10) Business Days prior
to the commencement of any repurchases of Common Stock pursuant thereto, and
Buyer shall, subject to applicable law, have the option, exercisable by written
notice given to Issuer within five (5) Business Days after receipt of such
notice from Issuer, to either (i) participate in such repurchases by selling
Common Stock to Issuer on a regular basis proportionate with Issuer’s repurchase
of Common Stock in the open market (the “Repurchase Option”), or (ii) sell such
applicable number of shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Market Sale Option,
in each case, subject to applicable law. In either case Issuer shall
give written notice to Buyer (the “Update Notice”) not less frequently than
every second week as to the number of shares of Common Stock so repurchased by
Issuer during the two preceding calendar weeks, the weighted average price paid
for such repurchased Common Stock (the “Average Price”), and the estimated
number of Buyer Repurchase Shares. If Buyer has elected the
Repurchase Option, Buyer shall sell, or cause one or more of its Affiliates to
sell, to Issuer the Buyer Repurchase Shares at the Average Price within five (5)
Business Days after receiving the Update Notice. If Buyer has not
elected the Repurchase Option, it shall sell the Buyer Repurchase Shares
pursuant to the Market Sale Option within ten (10) Business Days after receiving
the Update Notice (or such longer period as may be required to comply with any
volume restrictions on sales of securities under Rule 144 of the Securities Act
(or any successor rule) if Buyer elects to dispose of such Common Stock in
transactions of the type described in clause (b) of Section 3.2).
2.4
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Anti-Dilution
Rights.
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(a) If
the Buyer Percentage is less than the Initial Buyer Percentage as of the date of
the First Closing, or if at any time the Buyer Percentage decreases, as a result
of:
(i) any
issuance of Common Stock or other Voting Securities by Issuer, whether prior to
or after the date of this Agreement, and whether (v) for financing, (w) in
connection with mergers and acquisitions, (x) upon the exercise of any option,
warrant, stock appreciation right or other similar instrument or the conversion
of any preference security, debt security or other instrument convertible or
exchangeable for Common Stock, (y) in the form of restricted shares or similar
instruments, or (z) otherwise, or
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(ii) any
capital reorganization or reclassification of Common Stock (including as a
result of a stock dividend, subdivision, split or combination) or any other
corporate action that results, directly or indirectly, in a reduction in the
Buyer Percentage (including without limitation any over-disposition of Common
Stock by Buyer as a result of a Required Repurchase Event),
(each, a
“Dilutive Event”) Buyer shall have the option and right to acquire additional
shares of Common Stock so that, immediately after such acquisition, Buyer shall
Beneficially Own (A) the same Buyer Percentage of such Common Stock as was
Beneficially Owned by Buyer immediately prior to the occurrence of the Dilutive
Event, or (B) if the Buyer Percentage is less than the Initial Buyer Percentage
as of the date of the First Closing, the percentage of issued and outstanding
Common Stock equal to the Initial Buyer Percentage (the “Additional Shares”);
provided that, for purposes of administrative convenience, Buyer’s right to
purchase Additional Shares pursuant to Section 2.4(a) shall be exercisable each
and every time that an incremental aggregate number of shares of Common Stock
issued upon Dilutive Events shall be at least 1% of the then outstanding shares
of Common Stock (each, an “Exercisable Event”).
(b) Issuer
shall provide Buyer within ten (10) Business Days after the Exercisable Event
written notice thereof. Buyer shall have the right, exercisable by
providing written notice to Issuer within ten (10) Business Days after receipt
of Issuer’s notice (or if such notice period is not possible under the
circumstances, such notice as is practicable), to purchase for cash directly
from Issuer up to a number of shares of Common Stock (including Treasury Stock,
if applicable) equal to the Additional Shares. The purchase price for
any Common Stock purchased by Buyer pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be
(A) in the case of a Dilutive Event other than an issuance of Common Stock in
connection with mergers and acquisitions, the lesser of (x) the Prevailing Fair
Market Value of Common Stock determined on the date of the Dilutive Event or (y)
the price (including any assumed indebtedness which is part of the purchase
price and valuing any non-cash consideration at the Prevailing Fair Market
Value) at which Issuer issues such Common Stock to other shareholders or third
parties, and (B) in the case of an issuance of Common Stock in connection with
any merger or acquisition, the arithmetic average, weighted by reference to
daily trading volume, of the closing prices of such Common Stock during the
thirty (30) trading day period ending immediately prior to the closing of such
merger or acquisition. Issuer shall provide such information, to the
extent reasonably available, relating to any non-cash consideration as Buyer may
reasonably request in order to evaluate any non-cash consideration paid in
respect of any issuance contemplated by Section 2.4(a). If, in
connection with any issuance by Issuer covered by this Section 2.4, Buyer gives
notice of its intent to exercise its option under this Section 2.4 but has
not purchased the securities subject thereto within sixty (60) days thereafter
for reasons not primarily related to actions or omissions of Issuer or the
absence of any approvals or consents or the taking of any other actions required
to be taken under applicable law or the prohibition on purchasing such
securities during such period imposed by applicable securities laws, Buyer shall
be deemed to have waived its rights to purchase such securities under this
Section 2.4 with respect to such issuance of Common Stock.
(c) In
the event that, after giving effect to Sections 2.4(a) and (b), the Buyer
Percentage is still less than the applicable Permitted Buyer Percentage
immediately prior to the occurrence of the Dilutive Event, then Buyer may,
subject to applicable law, purchase a number of shares of Common Stock in the
open market or in a privately-negotiated transaction so that the Buyer
Percentage following such purchase equals the applicable Permitted Buyer
Percentage immediately prior to the occurrence of the Dilutive
Event.
SECTION
3.
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TRANSFER
RESTRICTIONS.
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3.1
During the Standstill
Period. During the Standstill Period, except as provided for
in Section 2.3, Buyer shall not, without the prior written consent of Issuer,
(i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to
purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any
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option,
right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise dispose of, directly or
indirectly, any Subject Securities, or (ii) enter into any swap or other
arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, directly or
indirectly, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such Subject
Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii)
above (each, a “Transfer”) is to be settled by delivery of securities, in cash
or otherwise.
3.2
After the Standstill
Period. Following the expiration of the Standstill Period, on
any trading day, Buyer may sell that number of the Subject Securities that
represents not more than 10% of the average daily trading volume of Common Stock
on the Nasdaq Global Select Market for the ninety (90) trading days preceding
the date of sale in public market transactions only (a) pursuant to an effective
registration statement as set forth in Section 4 below, if applicable, or (b) as
permitted by and pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities
Act. Except as in accordance with this Section 3.2 and 3.3 or unless
Buyer obtains Issuer’s prior written consent regarding the terms and conditions
for such Transfer, Buyer shall have no right to Transfer the Subject
Securities. An attempted Transfer in violation of this Agreement
shall be of no effect and null and void, regardless of whether the purported
transferee has any actual or constructive knowledge of the Transfer restrictions
set forth in this Agreement, and shall not be recorded on the stock transfer
books of Issuer. No Transfer by Buyer shall be effective unless and
until Issuer shall have been furnished with information reasonably satisfactory
to it demonstrating that such Transfer is in compliance with this Section
3.
3.3
Right of First
Offer. Prior to making any offer to Transfer any Subject
Securities pursuant to Section 3.2, Buyer shall give Issuer the opportunity to
purchase such Subject Securities in the following manner:
(a) Buyer
shall give written notice (the “Transfer Notice”) to Issuer, specifying the
number of shares of the Subject Securities to be Transferred. The
Transfer Notice shall constitute an offer to Issuer (or its designee) which is
irrevocable during the period described in paragraph (b) below, to sell to
Issuer (or its designee) the Subject Securities which are the subject of such
Transfer Notice upon the terms set forth in this Section 3.3 and the Transfer
Notice. Issuer may elect to purchase (or cause its designee to
purchase) all but not less than all of the Subject Securities that are the
subject of the Transfer Notice for cash at the Prevailing Fair Market Value and
upon the terms and conditions specified in the Transfer Notice.
(b) If
Issuer elects to purchase (or cause its designee to purchase) the offered
Subject Securities, Issuer shall give notice to Buyer within fifteen (15)
Business Days of its receipt of the Transfer Notice of its election, which
notice shall include the date set for the closing of such purchase, which date
shall be no later than five (5) Business Days following the delivery of such
election notice, or, if later, five (5) Business Days after receipt of all
required regulatory approvals, and the identity of the designee, if
any. If, in connection with any Transfer of Subject Securities
pursuant to Section 3.2, Issuer gives notice of its intent to exercise (or
cause its designee to exercise) the purchase option under this Section 3.3 but
the Subject Securities subject thereto are not purchased by Issuer (or its
designee) within sixty (60) days thereafter for reasons not primarily related to
actions or omissions of Buyer or the absence of any approvals or consents or the
taking of any other actions required to be taken under applicable law or the
prohibition on purchasing such securities during such period imposed by
applicable securities laws, Issuer (and its designee) shall be deemed to have
waived its rights to purchase such securities under this Section 3.3 with
respect to such Transfer of Subject Securities.
3.4
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Compliance. Anything to the contrary contained in this
Agreement notwithstanding, so long as Buyer has the right to receive non-public
Issuer information pursuant to Section 5 below, (i) any nominee of Buyer as a
director or officer of Issuer, or (ii) Buyer shall comply with the requirements
of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and Issuer’s xxxxxxx xxxxxxx policy then in
effect in connection with any Transfer of the Subject Securities.
9
3.5
Legend on
Shares. Each certificate representing Subject Securities shall
bear the following restrictive legend:
THE
SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON
TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AS SET FORTH IN A INVESTOR’S RIGHTS AND STANDSTILL
AGREEMENT, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE
COMPANY.
THE
SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES
LAWS. THEY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR
HYPOTHECATED IN THE ABSENCE OF A REGISTRATION STATEMENT IN EFFECT WITH RESPECT
TO THE SECURITIES UNDER SUCH ACT OR ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR AN
OPINION OF COUNSEL SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT
REQUIRED OR UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144 OF SUCH ACT.
SECTION
4.
|
REGISTRATION
RIGHTS
|
4.1
Request for Registration.
(a) At
any time after the expiration of the Standstill Period, Buyer may make a written
request for registration under the Securities Act of all or part of the Subject
Securities (“Demand Registration”) for resale by means of a firm commitment
underwritten offering. Upon receipt of such request, Issuer shall use
all reasonable efforts to effect as expeditiously as may be practicable, but in
any event no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of such request, the
registration under the Securities Act of all Subject Securities which Buyer
requests to be registered, and shall in connection therewith prepare and file a
Form S-3 registration statement or such form as is then available (or any
successor form of registration statement to such Form S-3 or other available
registration statement) with the SEC under the Securities Act to effect such
registration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Issuer shall not be
required to effect any registration if the Subject Securities that Issuer shall
have been requested to register shall, in the aggregate, constitute less than 2%
of the Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of such written request
for a Demand Registration is made. Buyer shall not be entitled to
request more than one Demand Registration statement under this Agreement in any
6-month period, and Buyer shall not be entitled to more than a total of six
requests for Demand Registration statements pursuant to this Agreement; provided that no Demand
Registration shall be deemed to have been effected for purposes of this
Agreement unless (i) it has been declared effective by the SEC, (ii) it has
remained effective for not less than ninety (90) days or such shorter period
during which Buyer completes the distribution described in the registration
statement relating thereto, and (iii) the offering of Subject Securities
pursuant to such registration is not subject to any stop order, injunction or
other order or requirement of the SEC; provided, further, that if, as a result
of any underwriter cutback, Buyer cannot include all of the Subject Securities
that it has requested to be registered, then any such registration shall not be
deemed to constitute one of the Demand Registrations to which Buyer is entitled
pursuant to this Section 4.1(a).
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if Issuer shall furnish to Buyer a certificate signed by the
President of Issuer stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board, it
would be materially detrimental to Issuer and its stockholders for such
registration statement to be filed and it is therefore essential to defer the
filing of such registration statement, Issuer shall have the right to defer such
filing for a reasonable period of time during which such filing would be
materially detrimental (the “Demand Blackout Period”) after receipt of the
request of Buyer; provided that such deferral by Issuer shall not exceed ninety
(90) days from the receipt of any request by Buyer under Section 4.1 to register
any Subject Securities; provided, further, that Issuer may not register any
other
10
securities
during such ninety (90) day period; provided, however, that Issuer shall not
utilize this right more than once in any twelve (12) month
period. Issuer shall give Buyer prompt written notice of any such
determination to defer filing in the form of a certificate signed by an
executive officer of Issuer, which notice shall contain a general statement of
the reasons for such postponement and an approximation of the anticipated
delay. Issuer shall promptly notify Buyer of the expiration or
earlier termination of the Demand Blackout Period.
4.2
Piggyback Registration.
(a) If
Issuer proposes to file a registration statement relating to an offering of
Common Stock by Issuer or any holder of its securities (other than a
registration statement on Form S-4 or S-8 or any successor form for
securities to be offered in a transaction of the type referred to in
Rule 145 under the Securities Act or of stock issued to employees of Issuer
pursuant to any employee benefit plan, respectively) for the registration of
Common Stock (a “Piggyback Registration”), Issuer shall give written notice to
Buyer at least twenty (20) days before the initial filing with the SEC of such
piggyback registration statement (a “Piggyback Registration Statement”), which
notice shall set forth the intended method of disposition of the securities
proposed to be registered (which, if the Piggyback Registration is to relate to
an underwritten offering, must be for inclusion in the underwritten
offering). The notice shall offer to include in such filing such
shares of Subject Securities as Buyer may request.
(b) If
Buyer desires to have any Subject Securities registered under this
Section 4.2, Buyer shall advise Issuer in writing within ten (10) days
after the date of receipt of such offer from Issuer, setting forth the amount of
such Subject Securities for which registration is requested. Issuer
shall thereupon include in such filing the number or amount of Subject
Securities for which registration is so requested, subject to Section 4.3(b),
and shall use all reasonable efforts to effect registration of such Subject
Securities under the Securities Act.
4.3
Underwriting. In
connection with any offering involving an underwriting of shares of Subject
Securities, whether it is pursuant to the Demand Registration or the Piggyback
Registration, the following shall apply:
(a) Issuer
shall be entitled to select the underwriter for such registered underwritten
offering, subject to Buyer’s approval, which shall not be unreasonably
withheld. Thereafter, Issuer and Buyer shall enter into an
underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters
selected for such underwriting.
(b) In
the event that the managing underwriter of such public offering advises in
writing that, in its opinion, the total amount of the securities requested to be
included in such registration in addition to the securities being registered by
Issuer, if applicable, would be greater than the total number of securities
which can be sold in the offering without having a material adverse effect on
the distribution of such securities or otherwise having a material adverse
effect on the marketability thereof (the “Maximum Number of Securities”),
then:
(i) in
the event of the Demand Registration, the number of the Subject Securities to be
included in such underwriting shall be equal to the Maximum Number of
Securities;
(ii) in
the event Issuer initiated the Piggyback Registration, Issuer shall include in
such Piggyback Registration first, the securities Issuer proposes to register
and second, the securities of all other selling security holders, including
Buyer, to be included in such Piggyback Registration in an amount which together
with the securities Issuer proposes to register, shall not exceed the Maximum
Number of Securities, such amount to be allocated among such selling security
holders on a pro rata basis (based on the number of securities of Issuer held by
each such selling security holder); or
11
(iii) in
the event any other holder of Common Stock of Issuer initiated the Piggyback
Registration, Issuer shall include in such Piggyback Registration first, the
securities such initiating security holder proposes to register, second, the
securities of any other selling security holders (including Buyer), in an amount
which together with the securities the initiating security holder proposes to
register, shall not exceed the Maximum Number of Securities, such amount to be
allocated among such other selling security holders on a pro rata basis (based
on the number of securities of Issuer held by each such selling security holder)
and third, any securities Issuer proposes to register, in an amount which
together with the securities the initiating security holder and the other
selling security holders propose to register, shall not exceed the Maximum
Number of Securities.
(c) Issuer
shall not hereafter enter into any agreement, which is inconsistent with the
rights of priority provided in paragraph (b) above.
4.4
Expenses. Issuer
shall pay all Registration Expenses and Buyer shall pay all other expenses
related to Buyer’s sale of Subject Securities; provided, however, that Issuer
shall not be required to pay for any Registration Expenses, if the registration
request is subsequently withdrawn at the request of Buyer, unless, at the time
of such withdrawal, Buyer has learned of a material adverse change in the
condition, business, or prospects of Issuer from that known to Buyer at the time
of its request and has withdrawn the request with reasonable promptness upon
obtaining knowledge of such material adverse change.
4.5
Obligations of
Issuer. Issuer shall, subject to the terms and conditions
hereof, use all reasonable efforts to:
(a) prepare
and file with the SEC a registration statement with respect to such Subject
Securities, and use all reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement
to become effective and to keep such registration statement effective for up to
ninety (90) days or such shorter period during which Buyer completes the
distribution described in the registration statement relating thereto, whichever
first occurs;
(b) prepare
and file, as expeditiously as reasonably practicable, with the SEC such
amendments and supplements to the registration statement and the prospectus used
in connection with such registration statement as may be necessary to comply
with the provisions of the Securities Act;
(c) furnish
to Buyer such reasonable numbers of copies of a prospectus, including a
preliminary prospectus, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities
Act;
(d) register
and qualify the securities covered by the registration statement under such blue
sky laws of such states of the United States as shall be reasonably requested by
Buyer; provided, however, that Issuer shall not be
required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to qualify to do
business or to file a general consent to service of process in any such states
or jurisdictions;
(e) notify
Buyer at any time that Issuer has knowledge that a prospectus relating to such
registration statement is required to be delivered under the Securities Act of
the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in such
registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the
circumstances then existing;
(f) subject
to the provisions of Section 4.8 below, amend or supplement any such prospectus
in order to cause such prospectus not to include any untrue statement of
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing;
12
(g) cause
Subject Securities covered by the registration statement to be listed on the
Nasdaq Global Select Market and provide Buyer with information regarding the
transfer agent and the CUSIP number for such Subject Securities;
(h) notify
Buyer of (i) the effectiveness of a registration statement, (ii) the
filing of any post-effective amendments to such registration statement, or
(iii) the filing of a supplement to such registration statement; provided, however, that this
requirement shall not apply to periodic reports, other reports and proxy
statements required to be filed by Issuer; and
(i) furnish
to Buyer in accordance with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act as soon as
practicable after the effective date of the applicable registration statement an
earnings statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities
Act.
4.6
Furnish
Information. It shall be a condition precedent to the
obligations of Issuer to take any action pursuant to this Section 4 with respect
to the Subject Securities of Buyer that Buyer shall furnish to Issuer such
information regarding itself, the Subject Securities held by it, and the
intended method of disposition of such securities as shall be required to effect
the registration of Buyer’s Subject Securities.
4.7
Reports under the
Exchange Act. With a view to making
available to Buyer the benefits of Rule 144 (or any successor rule) and any
other rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit Buyer to sell
Subject Securities to the public without registration, Issuer shall use all
reasonable efforts to:
(a) make
and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined
in Rule 144, until the earlier of (i) six months after such date as all
Subject Securities may be resold pursuant to Rule 144(k) or any other rule of
similar effect, and (ii) such date as all of Subject Securities shall have
been resold;
(b) file
with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required to be
filed by Issuer under the Exchange Act; and
(c) furnish
to Buyer upon request, as long as Buyer owns any Subject Securities, (i) a
written statement by Issuer that Issuer has complied with the reporting
requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) a copy of Issuer’s most recent
Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and (iii) such
other reports and public documents as Buyer may reasonably request in order to
avail itself of any rule or regulation of the SEC allowing it to sell Subject
Securities without registration.
4.8
Suspension
Periods. If
disclosure of information in an amendment to the registration statement and/or
in a supplement to the prospectus included therein is required so that such
prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing,
and if an executive officer of Issuer determines in good faith at any time after
consultation with external counsel that such disclosure of any such information
would be materially detrimental to Issuer, then Issuer shall be permitted to
delay filing such amendment or supplement for a period of time not to exceed
forty-five (45) consecutive days or ninety (90) days in any rolling twelve-month
period (each such period, a “Suspension Period”) by providing written notice of
such Suspension Period to Buyer. Upon receiving written notice of a
Suspension Period, Buyer shall immediately cease (and shall cause its agents or
brokers to immediately cease) all offers and sales of Subject Securities
pursuant to the registration statement. Issuer shall promptly notify
Buyer in writing upon the termination of any Suspension Period. In
addition, and without any limitation of the foregoing, if at any time, in
Issuer’s good faith determination after consultation with external counsel, that
there is a substantial risk that the offer or sale by Buyer of any Subject
Securities pursuant to any registration statement would result in a violation of
the Securities Act, the anti-fraud provisions of the
13
Exchange
Act or other applicable law, then Buyer shall, upon written notice to Buyer from
Issuer, immediately cease (and shall cause its agents or brokers to immediately
cease) all offers and sales of Subject Securities under any registration
statement until further notice from Issuer.
4.9
Indemnification.
(a) To
the extent permitted by law, Issuer shall indemnify and hold harmless Buyer,
each of its officers and directors and each person, if any, who “controls” Buyer
(within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act), against any
losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (joint or several) to which they may
become subject, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any of the following
statements, omissions or violations (collectively, a
“Violation”): (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement, including
any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein or any
amendments or supplements thereto, (ii) the omission or alleged omission to
state in the registration statement, including any preliminary prospectus or
final prospectus contained therein or any amendments or supplements thereto, a
material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, (iii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined
below), or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or
(iv) any violation or alleged violation by Issuer of the Securities Act,
the Exchange Act, any state securities law or any rule or regulation promulgated
under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law in
connection with a registration effected pursuant to the terms of this Agreement;
and Issuer shall pay to Buyer, each of its officers, directors or controlling
person, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection
with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action; provided, however, that the indemnity
agreement contained in this Section 4.9(a) shall not apply to amounts paid
in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action if such
settlement is effected without the consent of Issuer, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, nor shall Issuer be liable in any
such case for any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action to the extent
that it arises out of or is based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon
and in conformity with written information furnished expressly for use in
connection with such registration by Buyer or any underwriter or controlling
person thereof; and provided, further, that the indemnity
agreement contained in this Section 4.9(a) shall not apply to, nor shall Issuer
have any other liability elsewhere under this Agreement with respect to, any
sale of Subject Securities by Buyer under any registration statement with
respect to which Buyer has not received confirmation within ten (10) business
days prior to the date of such sale that such registration statement is
available to cover such sale. For purposes of this Section 4.9(a),
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean any “issuer free writing
prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
(b) To
the extent permitted by law, Buyer shall indemnify and hold harmless Issuer,
each of its directors, officers and each person, if any, who controls Issuer
within the meaning of the Securities Act, any underwriter, each of its officers,
directors and partners, and any controlling person of any such underwriter,
against any losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (joint or several) to which
any of the foregoing persons may become subject, under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act or other federal or state law, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, or liabilities (or actions in respect thereto) arise out of or are
based upon any Violation, in each case to the extent that such Violation occurs
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by Buyer
expressly for use in connection with registration pursuant to the registration
statement; and Buyer shall pay any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by any person intended to be indemnified pursuant to this Section 4.9(b) in
connection with investigating or defending any such indemnified loss, claim,
damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the indemnity
agreement contained in this Section 4.9(b) shall not apply to amounts paid
in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action if such
settlement is effected without the consent of Buyer, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.
14
(c) Promptly
after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 4.9 of notice of
the commencement of any action (including any governmental action), such
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any
indemnifying party under this Section 4.9, deliver to the indemnifying
party a written notice of the commencement thereof and the indemnifying party
shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying
party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed,
to assume the defense thereof with counsel mutually and reasonably satisfactory
to the parties; provided, however, that an indemnified
party (together with all other indemnified parties which may be represented
without conflict by one counsel) shall have the right to retain one separate
counsel, with the fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnifying party, if
representation of such indemnified party by the counsel retained by the
indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential conflicts
of interest between such indemnified party and any other party represented by
such counsel in such proceeding. The failure to deliver written
notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of
any such action, if prejudicial to its ability to defend such action, shall
relieve such indemnifying party, to the extent prejudiced, of any liability to
the indemnified party under this Section 4.9, but the omission to so
deliver written notice to the indemnifying party shall not relieve it of any
liability that it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 4.9.
(d) If
the indemnification provided for in this Section 4.9 is held by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an indemnified party with respect to
any loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense referred to therein, then the
indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party hereunder,
shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
result of such loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party on the
one hand and of the indemnified party on the other in connection with the
Violation that resulted in such loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
fault of the indemnifying party and of the indemnified party shall be determined
by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged Violation
relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified
party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information, and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) The
obligations of Issuer and Buyer under this Section 4.9 shall survive the
completion of any offer or sale of Subject Securities pursuant to the
registration statement.
4.10
Prompt Notice of
Suspension or Investigation. In the event any registration
statement filed by Issuer becomes subject to a stop order suspending its
effectiveness, or proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened
by the SEC, Issuer shall provide Buyer prompt notice thereof.
SECTION
5.
|
INFORMATION
RIGHTS
|
So long
as Buyer from time to time maintains the Initial Buyer Percentage, complies with
its obligations under Section 3.4 hereof and maintains the disclosed information
in confidence as required in Rule 100(2)(ii) of Regulation FD, Issuer shall
deliver to Buyer:
(a) as
soon as practicable and, in any event, within thirty (30) Business Days (or such
earlier date that the information is available to Issuer) after the end of each
month, (i) the unaudited consolidated balance sheets of Issuer and its
Subsidiaries as of the end of such month and the related unaudited statements of
operations for such month and for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, and
(ii) a written management report for Issuer and its Subsidiaries, which
contains, without limitation, analyses of the operating results of Issuer on a
consolidated basis, a comparison of actual performance for such month and year
to date against the budget for such month and against the financial results for
the corresponding month in the preceding fiscal year;
15
(b) as
soon as practicable and, in any event, within forty-five (45) days (or such
earlier date that the information is available to Issuer) after the end of each
of the first three fiscal quarters, (i) the unaudited consolidated balance
sheets, statements of stockholders’ equity and comprehensive income and
statements of cash flows of Issuer and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such
quarter and the related unaudited statements of operations for such quarter and
for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, and (ii) a written management
report for Issuer and its Subsidiaries, which contains, without limitation,
analyses of the operating results of Issuer on a consolidated basis, a
comparison of actual performance for such quarter and year to date against the
budget for such periods and against the financial results for the corresponding
periods in the preceding fiscal year; and
(c) as
soon as practicable and, in any event, within seventy-five (75) days (or such
earlier date that the information is available to Issuer) after the end of each
fiscal year, (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets, statements of
stockholders’ equity and comprehensive income and statements of cash flows of
Issuer and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and the related
audited statements of operations for such fiscal year, and (ii) a written
management report for Issuer and its Subsidiaries, which contains, without
limitation, analyses of the operating results of Issuer on a consolidated basis,
a comparison of actual performance against the annual budget for such year and
against financial results for the preceding fiscal year.
For
purposes of this Section 5, Buyer shall be deemed to have maintained the Initial
Buyer Percentage if from time to time the Buyer Percentage is less than the
Initial Buyer Percentage by less than 1%. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, in no event shall Buyer be deemed to have failed to
maintain the Initial Buyer Percentage if, with respect to any Dilutive Event
that decreases the Buyer Percentage to below the Initial Buyer Percentage, Buyer
has provided a written notice to Issuer of its desire to acquire Additional
Shares in accordance with Section 2.4(b).
SECTION
6.
|
BOARD
AND MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATION
|
6.1
Board
Representation.
(a) Upon
completion of the First Closing and once Buyer provides a written confirmation
to Issuer to increase the Initial Buyer Percentage to the Step Two Buyer
Percentage, Issuer shall increase the size of the Board by one (1) director, so
that upon such increase, (i) the Board shall consist of ten (10) directors, and
(ii) the Board shall elect as director to fill the vacancy a person designated
by Buyer who shall be reasonably acceptable to Issuer and the
Board. Such person shall, unless removed by Buyer or otherwise for
cause, serve as a duly appointed director of Issuer. Each subsequent
designee of Buyer shall, if reasonably acceptable to Issuer and the Board and
subject to this Section 6.1, be nominated by the Board for election by the
stockholders to the Board, and if so elected, shall serve as a duly elected
director of Issuer. Subject to Section 6.1(e), so long as Buyer from
time to time maintains the Initial Buyer Percentage, Issuer shall continue to
nominate and recommend for election one (1) person designated by Buyer who is
reasonably acceptable to Issuer and the Board to serve as director on the
Board.
(b) Promptly
after completion of the Third Closing, Issuer shall increase the size of the
Board by one (1) director so that upon such increase, (i) the Board shall
consist of eleven (11) directors and (ii) the Board shall elect as director to
fill the vacancy a person designated by Buyer who shall be reasonably acceptable
to Issuer and the Board. Such person shall, unless removed by Buyer
or otherwise for cause, serve as a duly appointed director of
Issuer. Each subsequent designee of Buyer shall, if reasonably
acceptable to Issuer and the Board and subject to this Section 6.1, be nominated
by the Board for election by the stockholders to the Board, and if so elected,
shall serve as a duly elected director of Issuer. Subject to Section
6.1(e), so long as Buyer from time to time maintains the Step Three Buyer
Percentage, Issuer shall continue to nominate and recommend for election two (2)
persons designated by Buyer who are reasonably acceptable to Issuer and the
Board to serve as directors on the Board. For the avoidance of doubt,
this Section 6.1(b) shall not apply in
16
the event
that Buyer first acquires the Step Three Buyer Percentage after the expiry of
the Standstill Period.
(c) At
least thirty (30) days prior to its distribution of its proxy statement or
information statement with respect to each meeting of stockholders at which a
term of a director designated by Buyer expires, Issuer shall notify
Buyer. On or prior to the close of business on the later of (i) the
fifteenth (15th) day
following its receipt of Issuer’s notice and (ii) the thirtieth (30th) day
prior to Issuer’s anticipated distribution of such proxy statement or
information statement, Buyer shall notify Issuer information regarding its
nominee required by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
by the SEC thereunder to be set forth in such proxy statement or information
statement.
(d) Promptly
after completion of the Second Closing, the board of directors of Buyer shall
elect as director one (1) person designated by Issuer who shall (i) be
reasonably acceptable to Buyer and its board of directors (the “Buyer’s Board”),
and (ii) has been approved by the CBRC, the CSRC and the Shanghai Stock Exchange
to serve as director on the Buyer’s Board (an “Approved Issuer
Designee”). The Approved Issuer Designee shall be nominated by the
Buyer’s Board for election by the stockholders to the Buyer’s Board, and if so
elected, shall serve as a duly elected director of Buyer. So long as
Buyer from time to time maintains the Step Two Percentage, Buyer shall continue
to nominate and recommend for election one (1) Approved Issuer Designee to serve
as director on the Buyer’s Board.
(e) For
purposes of Sections 6.1(a) and (b), Buyer shall be deemed to have maintained
the Initial Buyer Percentage or the Step Three Buyer Percentage, as applicable,
if from time to time the Buyer Percentage is less than the Initial Buyer
Percentage or the Step Three Buyer Percentage, as the case may be, by less than
1%. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in no event
shall Buyer be deemed to have failed to maintain the Initial Buyer Percentage or
the Step Three Buyer Percentage, as the case may be, if, with respect to any
Dilutive Event that decreases the Buyer Percentage to below the Initial Buyer
Percentage or the Step Three Buyer Percentage, Buyer has provided a written
notice to Issuer of its desire to acquire Additional Shares in accordance with
Section 2.4(b).
6.2
Management
Representation.
(a) Following
the completion of the First Closing, subject to Section 6.2(b), so long as Buyer
from time to time maintains the Initial Buyer Percentage, Buyer shall have the
right to recommend the appointment of one senior, non-executive manager to
Issuer. Following the completion of the Third Closing, subject to
Section 6.2(b), so long as Buyer from time to time maintains the Step Three
Buyer Percentage, Buyer shall have the right to recommend the appointment of a
second senior manager to Issuer; provided, however, that for purposes of this
Section 6.2, the Step Three Buyer Percentage shall be 19.9%. Issuer
shall use all reasonable efforts to appoint Buyer recommended managers, and
ensure that any such manager appointed shall, unless otherwise agreed by the
parties, have equivalent rights and responsibilities as those of other senior
managers of Issuer having the most senior title of an officer who is not
included in the executive management of Issuer as executive management is listed
in Issuer’s SEC filings. It is the understanding of the parties that
such managers shall have the title of “Senior Vice President” and equivalent
rights and responsibilities to those of other Senior Vice Presidents of Issuer,
and that Buyer shall endeavor to recommend a qualified individual and shall
consult with Issuer prior to making such recommendation final.
(b) For
purposes of Section 6.2(a), Buyer shall be deemed to have maintained the Initial
Buyer Percentage or the Step Three Buyer Percentage, as applicable, if from time
to time the Buyer Percentage is less than the Initial Buyer Percentage or the
Step Three Buyer Percentage, as the case may be, by less than
1%. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in no event
shall Buyer be deemed to have failed to maintain the Initial Buyer Percentage or
the Step Three Buyer
17
Percentage,
as the case may be, if, with respect to any Dilutive Event that decreases the
Buyer Percentage to below the Initial Buyer Percentage or the Step Three Buyer
Percentage, Buyer has provided a written notice to Issuer of its desire to
acquire Additional Shares in accordance with Section 2.4(b).
6.3
Confidentiality. Issuer
reserves the right to exclude any director or manager nominated by Buyer from
access to any information or meeting or portion thereof if and to the extent
that such information or meeting or portion thereof relates primarily to matters
or circumstances involving a direct conflict of interest between Issuer and
Buyer or between Issuer and the director or manager if Issuer’s external
counsel, acting reasonably, provides a legal opinion that access to such
information or meeting would result in a breach by the director or manager of
his/her fiduciary duties to Issuer.
6.4
Corporate
Opportunities. Issuer and Buyer acknowledge and agree that as
of the date of this Agreement there is no substantial business competition
between them, but that they may become more substantial competitors in future,
whether as a result of Issuer’s mergers with or acquisitions of other businesses
or entities or otherwise. Issuer and Buyer agree that, insofar as any
of (i) Buyer’s nominees to the Board and management of Issuer, and (ii) Issuer’s
nominee to the board of directors of Buyer, are presented with corporate
opportunities that may be opportunities for both Issuer and Buyer, he
shall:
(a) fully
satisfy his fiduciary obligations to both Issuer and Buyer with respect to the
corporate opportunity;
(b) not
be liable to Issuer or Buyer or their respective stockholders with respect to
the corporate opportunity;
(c) be
deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be
in the best interests of both Issuer and Buyer; and
(d) not
have violated his duty of loyalty to Issuer or Buyer or their respective
stockholders,
provided
that he acts in good faith in a manner consistent with the following
policy:
(e) any
corporate opportunity expressly offered to him in his capacity as a director or
officer of one, but not both, of Issuer or Buyer shall belong to whichever of
Issuer or Buyer is the subject of the offer;
(f) any
other corporate opportunity offered to Buyer director nominated by Issuer shall
belong and first be offered to Issuer, which shall consider it
promptly;
(g) any
other corporate opportunity offered to a Issuer director or officer nominated by
Buyer shall belong and first be offered to Buyer, which shall consider it
promptly; and
(h) any
corporate opportunity declined by either Issuer or Buyer shall thereafter be
offered to the other.
For
purposes of this Agreement, a “corporate opportunity” shall include business
opportunities that (i) Issuer or United Commercial Bank, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Issuer (the “Bank”), or Buyer, as the case may be, is financially
able to undertake and (ii) fall within the then current lines of business of
Issuer, the Bank or Buyer, as the case may be.
6.5
No Managerial or
Operational Control. The parties hereby confirm and agree
that, except for the rights specifically granted herein, in no event shall Buyer
or any Affiliate of Buyer have
18
any
managerial or operational control of Issuer. If necessary, to avoid
such control, Buyer shall take action requested by Issuer under Section 2.2(b)
hereof.
SECTION
7.
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VOTING
AGREEMENT
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7.1
In addition to the provisions of Section 2.2 above, during the Standstill
Period, Buyer shall vote and cause to be voted all Common Stock Beneficially
Owned by Buyer (i) for persons nominated and recommended by the Board for
election as directors of the Board and against any person nominated for election
as a director by any other Person and (ii) as otherwise directed by the Board,
so long as such vote (a) is not adverse to Buyer’s rights under this Agreement
or the Investment Agreement, (b) is not adverse to its rights as a stockholder
of Issuer, or (c) does not have a disproportionately adverse impact on its
interests. Upon completion of the First Closing, Buyer shall submit
to Issuer Voting Agreement executed by Buyer in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit A.
SECTION
8.
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OTHER
PROVISIONS
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8.1
Term and
Termination.
(a) This
Agreement shall become effective upon completion of the First Closing as set
forth in the Investment Agreement and thereafter continue in full force and
effect until terminated pursuant to this Section 8.1.
(b) In
the event that the Investment Agreement shall have been terminated at any time
after the First Closing but before the Third Closing pursuant to Sections
7.01(a) or (b) of the Investment Agreement, this Agreement shall survive such
termination and continue in full force and effect; provided, however,
that:
(i) Sections
2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 shall cease to have to any force or effect after the second
(2nd)
anniversary of the date of the First Closing;
(ii) Sections
3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 shall cease to have to any force or effect after the first to
occur of (x) the first (1st)
anniversary of the Second Closing and (y) the first (1st)
anniversary of the termination date of this Agreement; and
(iii) Section
4 shall for purposes for this Section 8.1(b) be deemed to be amended with effect
as of such termination of the Investment Agreement such that, notwithstanding
anything in Section 4 relating to Buyer’s right to request registration of
Subject Securities during the Standstill Period, Buyer shall, immediately upon
and from time to time after the first to occur of (x) the first (1st)
anniversary of the Second Closing and (y) the first (1st)
anniversary of the termination date of this Agreement, become entitled to
exercise its rights under Section 4; provided that the foregoing amendment shall
not in any way affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions of
Section 4.
(c) In
the event that the Investment Agreement shall have been terminated by Buyer at
any time after the First Closing but before the Third Closing pursuant to
Sections 7.01(c) or (d) of the Investment Agreement, this Agreement shall
terminate automatically without any action on either party; provided, however,
that:
(i) Section
4 shall for purposes for this Section 8.1(b) be deemed to be amended with effect
as of such termination of the Investment Agreement such that, notwithstanding
anything in Section 4 relating to Buyer’s right to request registration of
Subject Securities during the Standstill Period, Buyer shall, immediately upon
and from time to time after such termination of this Agreement, be entitled
exercise its rights under Section 4; provided that the foregoing amendment shall
not in any way affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions of
Section 4; and
19
(ii) Sections
2.4, 5, 6.1 (other than 6.1(d)), 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 and 8 (other than 8.2) shall
survive such termination of this Agreement and shall remain in full force and
effect indefinitely.
(d) In
the event that the Investment Agreement shall have been terminated by Issuer at
any time after the First Closing but before the Third closing pursuant to
section 7.01(c) or (d) of the Investment Agreement, this Agreement shall
terminate automatically without any action on either party; provided, however,
that:
(i) Section
4 shall survive such termination of this Agreement and remain in full force and
effect until such date as all Subject Securities shall have been resold, and
shall for purposes for this Section 8.1 be deemed to be amended with effect as
of such termination of this Agreement such that Buyer shall, after the
expiration of the Standstill Period, retain the right to make three (3) requests
for Demand Registration pursuant to Sections 4.1; provided that the foregoing
amendment shall not in any way affect the validity or enforceability of the
other provisions of Section 4; provided, further, that Section 4.7 shall
survive such termination of this Agreement and shall remain in full force and
effect throughout the earlier to end of the period described in Section 4.7(a)
and that Section 4.9 shall survive such termination of this Agreement and shall
remain in full force and effect indefinitely;
(ii) Sections
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 6.1(d), 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 and 7 shall survive such
termination of this Agreement and shall remain in full force and effect until
the expiration of the Standstill Period; and
(iii) Section
8 (other than 8.2) shall survive such termination of this Agreement and shall
remain in full force and effect indefinitely.
8.2
Business
Cooperation. Consistent with FRB guidelines regarding business
cooperation, customer referrals and co-branding prior to completion of the Third
Closing, Issuer and Buyer agree that the parties will negotiate in good faith to
enter into agreements regarding strategic opportunities in China and the US in
areas, including, but not limited to, trade finance, remittance services, loan
referrals, interbank businesses, ATM network sharing and customer
referrals.
8.3
No
Assignment. The parties’ respective rights and obligations
pursuant to this Agreement may not be transferred, assigned or delegated by
either Buyer or Issuer without the prior written consent of the
other. Any attempted transfer, assignment or delegation in violation
of the foregoing shall be void.
8.4
Governing Law; Dispute
Resolution. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without reference to
California’s conflict of law principles; provided, however, that this Section
8.4 shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the Federal
Arbitration Act of the United States, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1 et seq. Any
dispute, claim, controversy or difference regarding the interpretation or
validity or performance of, or otherwise arising out of or relating to, this
Agreement (“Dispute”), shall be finally and conclusively decided by binding
arbitration in accordance with the Rules of Arbitration of the International
Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) by an Arbitral Tribunal consisting of three
arbitrators appointed in accordance with those Rules. The language of
the arbitration shall be English and Mandarin Chinese. The venue for
the hearings of the arbitration shall be Hong Kong. The parties shall
bear in equal shares any fees and expenses of the Arbitral Tribunal and of the
ICC; provided that the Arbitral Tribunal shall have the authority to award, as
part of the Arbitral Tribunal’s decision, to the prevailing party its costs and
expenses of the arbitration proceeding, including reasonable attorneys’ and
experts’ fees. The Arbitral Tribunal shall render its award based on
the explicit terms of this Agreement; and in instances where it is silent, on
the basis of strict principles consistent with the terms of the
Agreement. The Arbitral Tribunal shall be bound by strict rules of
law in making its decision, and may not pronounce judgment on equitable
principles or the basis of ex aqueo et xxxx.
20
The
Arbitral Tribunal shall have the authority to include in its award a decision
binding upon the parties enjoining them to take or refrain from taking specific
action with respect to the Dispute or declaring their rights, responsibilities
and liabilities as to the Dispute. The Arbitral Tribunal shall state
the reasons for its decision in writing in the award it
issues. Judgment on the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal may
be entered by any court having jurisdiction. Each of the parties
hereby irrevocably submits to the personal jurisdiction of, and irrevocably
waives objection to the laying of venue (including a waiver of any argument of
forum non conveniens or other principles of like effect) in, the state and
federal courts located in San Francisco, California, USA and/or the courts of
Hong Kong, for the purposes of any action commenced in aid of an arbitration
hereunder, or for entry of judgment upon the Arbitral Tribunal’s
award. Each of the parties consents that all service of process may
be made by delivery of the summons and complaint by certified or registered
mail, return receipt requested, or by messenger, directed to it at its address
for notices set forth in Section 8.7 hereof, and that service so made shall be
deemed to have been made as of the date of the receipt indicated in the
certification, signed and returned postal receipt, or other proof of service
applicable to the method of service employed.
8.5
Enforcement of
Agreement. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage
would occur in the event that this Agreement were not performed in accordance
with its specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly
agreed that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the parties shall be
entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement
and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions thereof in any court of the
United States or any state having jurisdiction, and for that purpose each party
hereto irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the state and
federal courts located in San Francisco, California, USA and irrevocably waives
any objection to venue (including hereby waiving any argument of forum
nonconveniens or principles of similar effect) in such courts, this being in
addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in
equity.
8.6
Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
8.7
Titles and
Subtitle Verification. The titles and subtitles used in this
Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in
construing or interpreting this Agreement.
8.8
Notices. All
notices or other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be deemed effectively given: (i) upon personal
delivery to the party to be notified; (ii) when sent by confirmed
electronic mail, with verification of receipt, or facsimile, in either case if
sent during normal business hours of the recipient; if not, then on the next
business day; (iii) three days after having been sent by registered or certified
mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid; or (iv) one day after deposit
with a nationally recognized overnight courier, specifying next day delivery,
with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be
sent to a party at such party’s address set forth on the signature page hereof
or at such other address, electronic or otherwise, as such party shall designate
by ten days’ advance written notice to the other party.
8.9
Severability. If
one or more provisions of this Agreement, together with the Merger Agreement,
are held to be unenforceable under applicable law, in whole or in part, the
unenforceable portion of such provision shall be excluded from this Agreement
and the balance of the Agreement shall be interpreted as if such unenforceable
portion were so excluded and shall be enforceable in accordance with its
terms.
8.10
Entire Agreement;
Amendment; Waiver. This Agreement, together with the
Investment Agreement and the Voting Agreement, constitutes the full and entire
understanding and agreement between the parties hereto with regard to the
subject matter hereof, and supersedes any and all prior negotiations,
correspondence, understandings and agreements among the parties respecting the
subject matter hereof. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and
the observance of any
21
term of
this Agreement may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and
either retroactively or prospectively) only with the written consent of Issuer
and Buyer.
8.11
Language. The
parties confirm and agree that both the English and Chinese versions of this
Agreement shall have the same effect and be controlling in all respects and that
neither is prepared for reference or accommodation purposes.
[SIGNATURE
PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first above
written.
UCBH HOLDINGS, INC. | ||||
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CHINA MINSHENG BANKING CORP., LTD. | ||||
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