MEMBERSHIP INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENT dated as of February 13, 2008 among NCS PEARSON, INC., PEARSON INC. and M&F WORLDWIDE CORP.
Exhibit
2.1
EXECUTION
VERSION
dated
as of February 13, 2008
among
NCS
XXXXXXX, INC.,
PEARSON
INC.
and
M&F
WORLDWIDE CORP.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
DEFINITIONS
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1
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1.1
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Definitions
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1
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1.2
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Construction
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11
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ARTICLE
II
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PURCHASE
AND SALE
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11
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2.1
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Purchase
and Sale of the Interests
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11
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2.2
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Closing
Date
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11
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2.3
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Transactions
to be Effected at the Closing
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12
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2.4
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Pre-Closing
Purchase Price Adjustment
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12
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2.5
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Post-Closing
Purchase Price Adjustment
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12
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ARTICLE
III
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE SELLER AND THE INTERESTS
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15
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3.1
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Organization
and Good Standing
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15
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3.2
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Authority
and Enforceability
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15
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3.3
|
No
Conflicts
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15
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3.4
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The
Interests
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16
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ARTICLE
IV
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE COMPANY AND THE BUSINESS
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16
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4.1
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Organization
and Good Standing
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17
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4.2
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Capitalization;
Books and Records
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17
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4.3
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No
Conflicts
|
17
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4.4
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Financial
Statements
|
18
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4.5
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Taxes
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19
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4.6
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Compliance
with Law; Authorizations
|
19
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4.7
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Real
Property
|
20
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4.8
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The
Assets
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22
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4.9
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Intellectual
Property
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22
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4.10
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
23
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4.11
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Contracts
|
23
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4.12
|
Litigation
|
24
|
i
4.13
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Employee
Benefits
|
25
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4.14
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Labor
Matters
|
26
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4.15
|
Environmental
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27
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4.16
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Insurance
|
28
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||
4.17
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Brokers
|
28
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4.18
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Transactions
with Affiliates
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29
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4.19
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Key
Customers and Key Suppliers
|
29
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ARTICLE
V
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE PURCHASER
|
29
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5.1
|
Organization
and Good Standing
|
29
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||
5.2
|
Authority
and Enforceability
|
30
|
||
5.3
|
No
Conflicts
|
30
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||
5.4
|
Litigation
|
30
|
||
5.5
|
Purchase
for Investment
|
31
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5.6
|
Availability
of Funds
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31
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5.7
|
Brokers
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31
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5.8
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Due
Diligence; No Knowledge of Misrepresentations or Omissions
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31
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5.9 | No Other Representations | |||
ARTICLE
VI
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COVENANTS
OF THE SELLER
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32
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6.1
|
Conduct
of Business
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32
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6.2
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Access
to Information
|
34
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6.3
|
Resignations
|
34
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6.4
|
Notification
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35
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6.5
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Reorganization
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35
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6.6
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Non-Compete
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35
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6.7
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Non-Solicit
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37
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6.8
|
Confidentiality
|
37
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ARTICLE
VII
|
COVENANTS
OF THE PURCHASER
|
37
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7.1
|
Confidentiality
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37
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7.2
|
Support
Services
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38
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7.3
|
Financing
|
38
|
ii
7.4
|
Credit
Support Arrangements
|
38
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ARTICLE
VIII
|
COVENANTS
OF THE PURCHASER AND THE SELLER
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39
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8.1
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Commercially
Reasonable Efforts; Antitrust Clearance
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39
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8.2
|
Consents
|
40
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8.3
|
Public
Announcements
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40
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8.4
|
Tax
Matters
|
40
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8.5
|
Procedures
Relating to Tax Claims
|
42
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8.6
|
Purchase
Price Allocations
|
42
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8.7
|
Employment
Matters
|
43
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8.8
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Worker
Notification
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45
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8.9
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Further
Action
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45
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8.10
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No
Use of Names
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46
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8.11
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Intellectual
Property Matters
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46
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8.12
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Insurance
Matters
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47
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ARTICLE
IX
|
CONDITIONS
TO CLOSING
|
47
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9.1
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Conditions
to Obligations of the Purchaser and the Seller
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47
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9.2
|
Conditions
to Obligation of the Purchaser
|
48
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9.3
|
Conditions
to Obligation of the Seller
|
49
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ARTICLE
X
|
TERMINATION
|
49
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10.1
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Termination
|
49
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10.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
50
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10.3
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Remedies
|
50
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ARTICLE
XI
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INDEMNIFICATION
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50
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11.1
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Survival
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50
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11.2
|
Indemnification
by the Seller
|
51
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11.3
|
Indemnification
by the Purchaser
|
51
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11.4
|
Indemnification
Procedure for Third Party Claims
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51
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11.5
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Indemnification
Procedures for Non-Third Party Claims
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53
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11.6
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Limitations
on Indemnification
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53
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11.7
|
Exclusive
Remedy
|
54
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iii
11.8
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Characterization
of Indemnification Payments
|
55
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ARTICLE
XII
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MISCELLANEOUS
|
55
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12.1
|
Notices
|
55
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12.2
|
Amendments
and Waivers
|
56
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12.3
|
Expenses
|
56
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12.4
|
Successors
and Assigns
|
56
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12.5
|
Governing
Law
|
57
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12.6
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Guarantee
|
57
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12.7
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Consent
to Jurisdiction
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57
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12.8
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Counterparts
|
58
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12.9
|
No
Third Party Beneficiaries
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58
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12.10
|
Entire
Agreement
|
58
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12.11
|
Captions
|
58
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12.12
|
Severability
|
58
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12.13
|
Interpretation
|
58
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EXHIBIT
LIST
Exhibit
A – Supply and Services Agreement
Exhibit
B – Net Working Capital Target
Exhibit
C – Transition Services Agreement
Exhibit
D-1 and D-2 – Paper Purchase Agreements
Exhibit
E – Trademark License Agreement
Exhibit
F-1 and F-2– Patent Licenses
iv
This
MEMBERSHIP INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENT is dated as of February 13, 2008 (this
“Agreement”)
among Xxxxxxx Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Seller Parent”)
(solely for the purposes of Section 12.6), NCS Xxxxxxx Inc., a Minnesota
corporation (the “Seller”), and M&F
Worldwide Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Purchaser”).
WHEREAS,
the Seller is the record and beneficial owner of all of the limited liability
membership interests (the “Interests”) in Data
Management I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”);
and
WHEREAS,
the Seller desires to sell the Interests to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser
desires to purchase the Interests from the Seller, upon the terms and subject to
the conditions set forth in this Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the representations, warranties
and covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto
hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions. When
used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings assigned to
them in this Section 1.1.
“Acquisition” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
“Action” has the
meaning set forth in Section 4.12.
“Affiliate” means,
with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling,
controlled by or under common control with such Person.
“Agreement” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“Ancillary Agreements”
means, collectively, the Reorganization Documents, the Transition Services
Agreement, the Paper Purchase Agreements, the Supply and Services Agreement, the
Patent Licenses, the Trademark License Agreement and any other documents
executed and delivered in connection with the Acquisition.
“Antitrust Laws” means
(a) the Xxxxxxx Act, as amended, the Xxxxxxx Act, as amended, the HSR Act, the
Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended, and all other federal, state and
foreign, if any, statutes, rules, regulations, orders, decrees, administrative
and judicial doctrines and other Laws that are designed or intended to prohibit,
restrict or regulate actions having the
purpose
or effect of monopolization or restraint of trade or lessening of competition or
the creation or strengthening of a dominant position through merger or
acquisition, in any case, that are applicable to the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement, and (b) any foreign investment Laws.
“Approved Costs” has
the meaning set forth in Section 8.12(b).
“Assets” means the
assets of every type and description (including rights under Contracts, accounts
receivable, inventory, prepaid expenses, property, plant and equipment) that are
owned, leased or licensed by the Seller and its Affiliates, including the
goodwill related thereto, whether on the date hereof or acquired after the date
hereof and prior to the Closing, used principally in connection with the
operation of the Business, other than the Excluded Assets. Assets
shall not include any rights to the Names other than as expressly permitted by
Section 8.10.
“Assumed Liabilities”
means (a) any and all Liabilities of the Seller and its Affiliates, whether
arising before or after the Closing Date, arising out of the Business (other
than the Excluded Liabilities), and (b) the Liabilities set forth in Section
1.1(f) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule. Without limitation to the
foregoing, the Assumed Liabilities shall include all Liabilities arising out of
(x) the ownership, possession or use of the Assets and (y) except as otherwise
specifically provided in this Agreement, the employment of the Business
Employees.
“Audited Financial
Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a).
“Authorization” means
any authorization, approval, consent, certificate, license, permit or franchise
of or from any Governmental Entity or pursuant to any Law.
“Balance Sheet” has
the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a).
“Basis of Accounting”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a).
“Benefit Plan” means
any employment, consulting, bonus, incentive compensation, deferred
compensation, pension, profit sharing, retirement, stock purchase, stock option,
stock ownership, stock appreciation rights, phantom stock, leave of absence,
layoff, vacation, day or dependent care, legal services, cafeteria, life,
health, accident, disability, workers compensation or other insurance,
severance, separation or other employee benefit plan, policy or arrangement of
any kind, including without limitation any employee benefit plan within the
meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (whether or not subject thereto), whether for
the benefit of a single individual or more than one individual, and whether oral
or written, funded or unfunded, or insured or self-insured, maintained or
contributed to by the Seller, the Company or any of its Affiliates, or to which
any of them are a party, for the benefit of Business Employees.
“Business” means,
collectively, (a) the research, development, sale, resale, lease, loan,
maintenance, support and engineering and manufacturing for sale, resale, lease
or loan of scanners and data collection products, including proprietary optical
xxxx readers, other image scanning units, software (including data collection,
assessment, survey and medical coding and patient charge), electronic student
response devices typically referred to as clickers and scannable forms and
booklets to address specific customer requirements; (b) servicing such products
through customer services including, but not limited to, field maintenance,
training and
2
systems
integration; (c) the provision of survey consulting and survey data collection
services; and (d) the provision of medical device tracking services, in each
case, constituting the data management division of the
Seller.
“Business Bank
Account” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.
“Business Benefit
Plans” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.13(a).
“Business Day” means a
day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banks located in New
York, New York are authorized or required by Law to close.
“Business Employee”
means each employee of the Business who is employed immediately prior to the
Closing (whether salaried or hourly, and full-time or part-time), whether or not
actively employed on the date hereof, e.g., including employees on vacation and
leave of absence, including maternity, family, sick, military or disability
leave.
“Business Employee
Bonuses” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.7(h).
“Business Licenses”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.9(c).
“Business Intellectual
Property” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.9(a).
“Business Owned Intellectual
Property” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.9(b).
“Cap” has the meaning
set forth in Section 11.6(b).
“Claim Notice” has the
meaning set forth in Section 11.4(a).
“Closing” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
“Closing Date” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
“Closing Net Working
Capital” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a).
“Closing Net Working Capital
Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a).
“Code” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Company” has the
meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
“Confidentiality
Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.
“Contract” means any
written agreement, contract, commitment, lease, license, indenture, agreement,
or other legally binding arrangement.
“Credit Support
Arrangements” mean (a) the letters of credit, guarantees, performance
bonds and other credit support arrangements entered into or issued by or on
behalf of the Seller or any of its Affiliates outstanding as of the date of this
Agreement for the benefit of the
3
Business
as set forth in Section 1.1(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule and (b) any
letters of credit, guarantees, performance bonds and other credit support
arrangements entered into or issued by or on behalf of the Seller or any of its
Affiliates for the benefit of the Business after the date of this Agreement
(which shall be updated in Section 1.1(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule
after the date of this Agreement) in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practice.
“Election Notice” has
the meaning set forth in Section 8.5(b).
“Environmental Laws”
means all foreign, federal, state and local Laws, regulations, rules and
ordinances relating to pollution or protection of the environment or human or
worker health and safety as it relates to exposure to Hazardous Substances,
including, without limitation, such Laws relating to: (a) releases or
threatened releases of Hazardous Substances into the indoor or outdoor
environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water,
groundwater, land, surface and subsurface strata); (b) the manufacture,
processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, release, transport or
handling of Hazardous Substances; (c) recordkeeping, notification, disclosure
and reporting requirements respecting Hazardous Substances, and (d) protection
of endangered or threatened species of fish, wildlife, plants and natural
resources.
“Equipment Leases”
means the agreements to be entered into between the Company and each of
(a) Xerox Corporation, granting the Company the right to use the equipment
that is used principally in connection with Business and is leased by the Seller
(or its Affiliates) pursuant to that certain Managed Services Agreement between
the Seller Parent and Xerox Corporation, dated as of January 29, 2007, and
(b) CIT Technologies Corporation, granting the Company the right to use the
equipment that is used principally in connection with the Business and is leased
by the Seller (or its Affiliates) pursuant to that certain Master Lease
Agreement between the Seller and CIT Technologies Corporation, dated as of
July 23, 2004.
“ERISA” means the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
“ERISA Affiliate”
means any Person that, together with the Company, would be treated as a single
employer under Section 414 of the Code.
“Estimated Net Working
Capital” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(a).
“Estimated Working Capital
Adjustment Amount” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.4(b).
“Estimated Net Working
Capital Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section
2.4(a).
“Excluded Assets”
means the assets described in Section 1.1(b) of the Seller Disclosure
Schedule and the Retention/Severance Agreements.
“Excluded Environmental
Liabilities” means any Liabilities arising under Environmental Law or
related to Hazardous Substances, with respect to the Business, arising from or
related to: (a) any real properties other than the Real
Property; and (b) the storage, transportation, treatment, disposal, discharge or
recycling of Hazardous Substances, or the arrangement for such activities,
4
on
or prior to the Closing Date, at any location other than the Real Property, by
or on behalf of the Business.
“Excluded Liabilities”
means any Liabilities of the Seller and its Affiliates to the extent arising out
of (a) Taxes for Pre-Closing Periods, (b) the Excluded Assets, (c) the
Seller Transaction Expenses, (d) obligations to be retained by the Seller
pursuant to Section 8.7, (e) Excluded Environmental Liabilities, (f)
Liabilities resulting solely from the actions taken to effect the Reorganization
(as opposed to Liabilities to be transferred to the Company as part of the
Reorganization, which Liabilities are Assumed Liabilities) or (g) any other
business of the Seller or its Affiliates other than the Business.
“Final Net Working
Capital” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(d).
“Financial Statements”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(b).
“Financing” has the
meaning set forth in Section 5.6.
“GAAP” means United
States generally accepted accounting principles.
“GAAP Audited
Financials” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2(b).
“Governmental Entity”
means any entity or body exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory
or administrative functions of or pertaining to United States federal, state or
local government or foreign, international, multinational or other government,
including any department, commission, board, agency, bureau, official, arbitral,
tribunal, or other regulatory, administrative or judicial authority
thereof.
“Hazardous Substances”
means (a) any petrochemical or petroleum products, radioactive materials,
asbestos, and polychlorinated biphenyls; (b) any chemicals, materials or
substances defined as or included in the definition of “hazardous substances,”
“hazardous wastes,” “hazardous materials,” “restricted hazardous materials,”
“extremely hazardous substances,” “toxic substances,” “contaminants” or
“pollutants” or words of similar meaning and regulatory effect under any
applicable Environmental Law; or (c) any other chemical, material or substance,
exposure to which is prohibited, limited, or regulated by or to which
Liabilities may attach pursuant to any applicable Environmental
Law.
“HIPAA” means the U.S.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as
amended.
“HSR Act” means the
Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.
“Indebtedness” means
indebtedness for money borrowed, under any note, bond or credit agreement, the
debt portion of any capitalized lease or any guarantee or make-whole or similar
indebtedness to another Person.
“Indemnitee” means any
Person that is seeking indemnification from an Indemnitor pursuant to the
provisions of this Agreement.
5
“Indemnitor” means any
party hereto from which any Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to
the provisions of this Agreement.
“Independent Accounting
Firm” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(c).
“Intellectual
Property” means all intellectual property and industrial property rights
of any kind or nature, including all U.S. and foreign (a) Trade Secrets, (b)
patents and patent applications (including all reissues, re-examinations,
divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, substitutions, and extensions
thereof), (c) trademarks, trademark registrations, trademark applications,
service marks, service xxxx registrations, service xxxx applications, names,
corporate names, trade names, logos, slogans, trade dress, and other similar
designations of source or origin, together with the goodwill symbolized by any
of the foregoing, (d) copyright registrations, copyright applications, and
copyrightable subject matter, and mask work registrations and applications, (e)
domain names, (f) rights of publicity and rights of privacy, (g) rights in
computer programs (whether in source code, object code, or other form),
algorithms, databases, compilations and data, technology supporting the
foregoing, and all documentation, including user manuals and training materials,
related to any of the foregoing, (h) all rights in the foregoing and in other
similar intangible assets, and (i) all rights and remedies against past,
present, and future infringement, misappropriation, or other violation
thereof.
“Insurance Policies”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.16.
“Interests” has the
meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
“Key Customers” has
the meaning set forth in Section 4.19.
“Key Suppliers” has
the meaning set forth in Section 4.19.
“Knowledge of the
Seller”, “Seller’s Knowledge”
and words of similar import mean, with respect to the Seller, the actual
knowledge, after reasonable inquiry, of the persons identified on Section 1.1(c)
of the Seller Disclosure Schedule.
“Law” means any
statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation of any Governmental
Entity.
“Leased Real Property”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.7(b).
“Leases” has the
meaning set forth in Section 4.7(b).
“Liability” means,
collectively, any indebtedness, guarantee, endorsement, loss, damage,
deficiency, adverse claim, Tax, obligation or responsibility (whether direct or
indirect, known or unknown, asserted or unasserted, absolute or contingent,
accrued or unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated, or due or to become due, and
whether in contract, tort, strict liability or otherwise, including any product
liability) and including all costs and expenses relating thereto.
“Licensed Patents”
mean the patents, as specified on Section 1.1(d) of the Seller Disclosure
Schedule, which are included in Excluded Assets and which are used by the Seller
in the Business but primarily are used in other parts of the business operations
of the Seller and its Affiliates.
6
“Lien” means any
mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest, leases, subleases, covenants,
rights, options, claims, restrictions or other encumbrance.
“Losses” has the
meaning set forth in Section 11.2.
“Material Adverse
Effect” means any change, event or effect that, individually or in the
aggregate, has or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect
on (a) the Assets or Liabilities, financial condition or results of
operation of the Business or the Company, or (b) the ability of the Seller
to consummate the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated hereby,
provided, however, that none of
the following, either alone or in combination, shall be considered in
determining whether there has been a Material Adverse Effect: (i) any
change affecting general national, international or regional political,
economic, financial or capital market conditions, including changes in interest
or exchange rates; (ii) any change generally affecting the industries in
which the Business operates; (iii) any change in Law or GAAP, or any
interpretation thereof; (iv) acts of war, sabotage or terrorism, or any
escalation or worsening thereof; (v) any change arising from the execution of
this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements (other than the Reorganization
Documents) or the announcement of the transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby (other than the transactions contemplated by the Reorganization
Documents); (vi) any breach by the Purchaser of any provision of this Agreement
or the Ancillary Agreements; and (vii) any action taken at the written request
of the Purchaser; unless, in the cases of clauses (i) through (iv), such change,
event or effect, individually or in the aggregate, is disproportionately more
adverse to the Business than to other Persons in the same or similar industry as
the Business.
“Names” means
“Xxxxxxx”, “NCS”, any name, logo, domain name or trademark that includes
“Xxxxxxx”, “NCS”, and any variations and derivatives thereof. For the
purposes of clarity, the Names shall not be included in the Assets.
“Net Working Capital”
means an amount (which may be greater than, equal to or less than zero) equal to
(a) the sum of the amount of (i) cash on hand and short-term investments with
original maturities of less than three months, (ii) all inventories, (iii) all
accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, and (iv) prepaid
and other current assets, less (b) the sum of the amount of (i) all
accounts payable, (ii) all accrued compensation and awards, (iii) other
accrued liabilities, (iv) all current deferred income and (v) any Seller
Transaction Expenses assumed by or otherwise the responsibility of the Company,
in each case determined in accordance with GAAP consistently applied on the same
basis as in the Audited Financial Statements.
“Net Working Capital
Target” means $15,000,000, which is the net working capital target
calculated as set forth in Exhibit B.
“Notice of Objection”
has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b).
“Order” means any
award, injunction, judgment, decree, order, ruling, subpoena or verdict or other
decision issued, promulgated or entered by or with any Governmental Entity of
competent jurisdiction.
“Outside Date” has the
meaning set forth in Section 10.1(a)(ii).
7
“Owned Real Property”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.7(a).
“Paper Purchase
Agreements” means, collectively, the paper purchase agreements between
Strategic Paper Group, a division of Central Lewmar LLC, and each of the Seller
Parent and the Company, to be dated as of the Closing Date and to be entered
into immediately prior to the Closing in substantially the forms attached hereto
as Exhibits D-1 and
D-2.
“Patent Licenses”
means the patent license agreements to be entered into by the Company with the
Seller (or its applicable Affiliates) at or prior to the Closing as part of the
Reorganization in substantially the forms attached hereto as Exhibits F-1 and
F-2.
“Permitted Liens”
means (a) Liens for Taxes that are not yet due and payable or that are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate
reserves have been taken on the Financial Statements, (b) Liens of landlords and
workers’, carriers’, materialmen’s, suppliers’ and mechanics’ or other like
Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business, that are being contested in
good faith or that are not yet due and payable, (c) with respect to the
Real Property, any condition that may be shown by a current and accurate survey,
or that would be apparent as part of a physical inspection, of the applicable
Asset, in each case which does not materially adversely interfere with the
present use of the Asset it affects, (d) with respect to real property any
Lien which a reputable title insurance company would be willing to omit as an
exception, or affirmatively insure, in its title insurance policy for the
applicable Asset, (e) Liens that will be released prior to or as of the Closing,
(f) zoning and building restrictions, recorded easements and covenants, recorded
rights-of-way and similar restrictions recorded in the public records,
(g) Liens which do not materially adversely interfere with the present use
of the Assets they affect, and (h) those Liens and other matters listed on
Section 1.1(e) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule.
“Person” means any
individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust,
unincorporated association, Governmental Entity or other legal
entity.
“Post-Closing Period”
means any taxable period or portion thereof beginning after the Closing Date or,
as the context may require, all such periods. If a taxable period
begins on or before the Closing Date and ends after the Closing Date, then the
portion of the taxable period that begins on the day following the Closing Date
shall constitute a Post Closing Period.
“Pre-Closing Period”
means any taxable period or portion thereof ending on or before the Closing Date
or, as the context may require, all such periods. If a taxable period
begins on or before the Closing Date and ends after the Closing Date, then the
portion of the taxable period to the end of the Closing Date shall constitute a
Pre-Closing Period.
“Proposed Allocation”
has the meaning set forth in Section 8.6(b).
“Purchase Price” has
the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
“Purchaser” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“Purchaser Material Adverse
Effect” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.
8
“Purchaser Parties”
has the meaning set forth in Section 11.2.
“Purchaser’s 401(k)
Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.7(e).
“Real Property” means
the Owned Real Property and Leased Real Property.
“Reorganization” means
(a) the contribution, assignment, transfer, conveyance and delivery to the
Company by the Seller and its Affiliates of the Assets, (b) the assumption
by the Company of the Assumed Liabilities, (c) the entry by the Company and
the Seller (or its applicable Affiliate) into the Patent Licenses and the
Trademark License Agreement, and (d) the entry by the Company and the applicable
counterparty thereto into the Equipment Leases.
“Reorganization
Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.5.
“Restricted Business”
has the meaning set forth in Section 6.6.
“Retention/Severance
Agreements” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.7(d).
“Review Period” has
the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b).
“Seller” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“Seller Benefit Plans”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.13(a).
“Seller Disclosure
Schedule” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to Article
III.
“Seller Parent” has
the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“Seller Parties” has
the meaning set forth in Section 11.3.
“Seller Transaction
Expenses” shall mean (a) all fees and expenses of all third parties
providing Seller or its Affiliates (including the Company) with services
(including legal, accounting and tax services) in connection with (i) the
Acquisition, the Reorganization and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (including the auction process and any other contemplated strategic
transactions relating to the Business) and the Ancillary Agreements and
(ii) the negotiation, preparation and drafting of this Agreement and the
Ancillary Agreements, including, without limitation, the fees of HSBC Securities
(USA) Inc. and Xxxxxx, Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, (b) the cost of the audit
previously undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers for Pearson Data Management, for
the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 to
produce the Audited Financial Statements set forth on Section 4.4(a) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule as well as any costs to be borne by the Seller
pursuant to Section 6.2(b) of this Agreement and (c) all out-of pocket
costs and expenses arising out of or related to the Reorganization.
“Specified
Representations” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.1.
“Straddle Period”
means any taxable period that begins on or before and ends after the Closing
Date.
9
“Subsidiary” means,
with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, joint venture or other legal entity of any kind of which such Person
(either alone or through or together with one or more of its other
Subsidiaries), owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the capital stock
or other equity interests the holders of which are (a) generally entitled to
vote for the election of the board of directors or other governing body of such
legal entity or (b) generally entitled to share in the profits or capital of
such legal entity.
“Supply and Services
Agreement” means the product and services purchase and supply agreement
between the Seller and the Company, to be dated as of the Closing Date and to be
entered into immediately prior to the Closing, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit A.
“Tax” or “Taxes” means any and
all U.S. federal, state, local or foreign net or gross income, alternative or
add-on minimum, gross receipts, net proceeds, lease, wage, service, service use,
excise, Transfer Taxes, license, ad valorem, value added, franchise,
withholding, payroll, employment, excise, real property gains, deed, alternative
or add-on minimum, occupation, severance, occupation, windfall profits,
unemployment, social security, workers’ compensation, disability, capital stock,
paid in capital, business occupation, business license, custom duties,
environmental, estimated, capital, premium and other taxes, charges, fees,
levies, imposts, duties or assignments of any kind whatsoever, imposed or
required to be withheld by any Tax authority, including any interest, additions
to Tax or penalties applicable or related thereto.
“Tax Audits” has the
meaning set forth in Section 4.5(a)(ii).
“Tax Claim” means (a)
any written claim with respect to Taxes made by any Taxing Authority or other
Person that, if pursued successfully, could serve as the basis for a claim for
indemnification of the Purchaser or Seller under this Agreement, or (b) a
rejection by a Taxing Authority of a claim for a Tax refund with respect to a
taxable period of the Company or the Business ending on or before the Closing
Date.
“Tax Returns” means
any return, declaration, report, claim for refund or information return or
statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto and
any amendment thereof.
“Taxing Authority”
means any Governmental Entity having jurisdiction with respect to any
Tax.
“Third Party Claim”
has the meaning set forth in Section 11.4(a).
“Third Party Licenses”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.9(c).
“Trade Secrets” means
any trade secrets and other confidential inventions, know-how, formulae,
processes, models, methodologies and information.
“Trademark License
Agreement” means the trademark license agreement between the Seller and
the Company, to be dated as of the Closing Date, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit E.
10
“Transfer Taxes” means
sales, use, transfer, real property transfer, recording, registration,
documentary, stamp, registration and stock transfer taxes and fees and any
similar taxes, including any interest, additions to Transfer Tax or penalties
applicable or related thereto.
“Transition Services
Agreement” means the services agreement between the Seller and the
Purchaser, to be dated as of the Closing Date, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C.
“Unaudited Balance
Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(b).
“Unaudited Financial
Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(b).
1.2 Construction. For
the purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided herein or
unless the context otherwise requires: (a) words using the singular
or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively, and
the use of any gender herein shall be deemed to include the other gender; (b)
references herein to “Articles,” “Sections,” “subsections” and other
subdivisions, and to Exhibits, Schedules, Annexes, Attachments and other
attachments, without reference to a document are to the specified Articles,
Sections, subsections and other subdivisions of, and Exhibits, Schedules,
Annexes, Attachments and other attachments to, this Agreement; (c) a reference
to a subsection or other subdivision without further reference to a Section is a
reference to such subsection or subdivision as contained in the same Section in
which the reference appears; (d) the words “herein”, “hereof”, “hereunder”,
“hereby” and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole
and not to any particular provision; (e) the words “include”, “includes” and
“including” are deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”; and
(f) all accounting terms used and not defined herein have the respective
meanings given to them under GAAP.
ARTICLE
II
PURCHASE
AND SALE
2.1 Purchase and Sale of the
Interests. Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, at the Closing the
Seller shall sell the Interests to the Purchaser and the Purchaser shall
purchase the Interests from the Seller, free and clear of all
Liens. The purchase price for the Interests shall be $225,000,000 in
cash (the “Purchase
Price”). The Purchase Price shall be paid as provided in Section 2.3, and
is subject to adjustment as provided in Sections 2.4 and
2.5. The purchase and sale of the Interests is referred to herein as
the “Acquisition”.
2.2 Closing
Date. The
closing of the Acquisition (the “Closing”) shall take
place at the offices of Xxxxxx, Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, XX, at 10:00 a.m. on the later of (a) February 22,
2008 and (b) the third Business Day after satisfaction (or waiver as
provided herein) of the conditions set forth in Article IX (other than
those conditions that by their nature will be satisfied at the Closing, but
subject to the satisfaction (or, to the extent permitted, the waiver) of those
conditions), or such other time, date or place as shall be agreed in writing by
the parties. The date on which the Closing occurs is referred to
herein as the “Closing
Date.” In the event that, pursuant to the terms of the
immediately preceding sentence, the Closing would occur on a date that is not
February 22, 2008 or another date that is the last day of
11
a
Seller fiscal month, the Purchaser and the Seller shall use their commercially
reasonable efforts to agree upon a mutually acceptable date for the Closing,
taking into account the financial and accounting systems of the Seller; provided, however, that the
Closing shall not be delayed pursuant to this sentence more than five Business
Days past the date on which it would otherwise occur pursuant to the immediately
preceding sentence. The Closing shall be deemed effective as of
11:59 p.m. Eastern time on the Closing Date.
2.3 Transactions to be Effected
at the Closing.
(a) At
the Closing, the Purchaser shall deliver to the Seller (i) by wire transfer
of immediately available funds to an account or accounts designated in writing
by the Seller to the Purchaser no later than two Business Days prior to the
Closing Date (A) the Purchase Price, plus or minus (B) the Estimated
Working Capital Adjustment Amount, and (ii) all documents required to be
delivered by the Purchaser to the Seller pursuant to
Section 9.3.
(b) At
the Closing, the Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser (i) certificates
representing the Interests, duly endorsed by the Seller for transfer to the
Purchaser or accompanied by separate membership interest powers attached thereto
and signed in blank; (ii) all documents required to be delivered by the
Seller to the Purchaser pursuant to Section 9.2; (iii) the
resignations described in Section 6.3 and (iv) fully executed copies
of the Reorganization Documents (and, in the case of any deeds transferring any
Owned Real Property, evidence of the recordation of such deeds in the real
estate records of the applicable jurisdiction).
2.4 Pre-Closing Purchase Price
Adjustment.
(a) At
least three but no more than ten Business Days before the Closing Date, the
Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser an unaudited statement (the “Estimated Net Working
Capital Statement”), setting forth in reasonable detail (including the
components of such calculation) Seller’s reasonable good faith estimation of Net
Working Capital as of 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on the expected Closing Date
(“Estimated Net
Working Capital”). The Estimated Net Working Capital Statement
shall be prepared in accordance with the same accounting principles, practices,
methodologies and policies used in the preparation of the Audited Financial
Statements and in the calculation of the Net Working Capital Target; provided, however, that in no
event shall the Estimated Net Working Capital Statement include any Excluded
Assets or Excluded Liabilities.
(b) The
amount by which the Estimated Net Working Capital is greater than or less than
the Net Working Capital Target shall be referred to herein as the “Estimated Working Capital
Adjustment Amount”.
2.5 Post-Closing Purchase Price
Adjustment. The
Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment on a dollar-for-dollar basis after
the Closing Date as set forth below.
(a) Within
90 days after the Closing Date, the Purchaser will prepare, or cause to be
prepared, and deliver to the Seller an unaudited statement (the “Closing Net Working Capital
Statement”), which shall set forth the Purchaser’s calculation of Net
Working Capital as of 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on the Closing Date (“Closing Net Working
Capital”). The Closing Net Working Capital Statement shall be
prepared in accordance with the same accounting
12
principles,
practices, methodologies and policies (including the determination of reserves)
used in the preparation of the Audited Financial Statements and in the
calculation of the Net Working Capital Target; provided, however, that in no
event shall the Closing Net Working Capital Statement include any Excluded
Assets or Excluded Liabilities. After the Closing Date, Purchaser
shall provide the Seller and its representatives with any information reasonably
requested by them and shall give them access, during normal business hours and
upon reasonable notice, to the personnel, properties, books and records of the
Company for the purpose of its review of the Closing Net Working Capital
Statement in accordance with this Section 2.5.
(b) Upon
receipt from the Purchaser, the Seller shall have 30 days to review the Closing
Net Working Capital Statement (the “Review
Period”). If the Seller disagrees with the Purchaser’s
computation of Closing Net Working Capital, the Seller may, on or prior to the
last day of the Review Period, deliver a notice to the Purchaser (the “Notice of
Objection”), which sets forth its objection to the Purchaser’s
calculation of Closing Net Working Capital; provided, however, that the
Notice of Objection shall include only objections based on (i) non compliance
with the standards set forth in Section 2.5(a) for the preparation of the
Closing Net Working Capital Statement and (ii) mathematical errors in the
computation of Closing Net Working Capital. Any Notice of Objection
shall specify those items or amounts with which the Seller disagrees, together
with a detailed written explanation of the reasons for disagreement with
each such item or amount, and shall set forth the Seller’s calculation of
Closing Net Working Capital based on such objections. To the extent
not set forth in the Notice of Objection, the Seller shall be deemed to have
agreed with the Purchaser’s calculation of all other items and amounts contained
in the Closing Net Working Capital Statement. The parties hereto
acknowledge that (x) the sole purpose of the determination of Closing Net
Working Capital is to adjust the Purchase Price so as to reflect the difference
between the Closing Net Working Capital and the Estimated Net Working Capital
and (y) the calculation of the Closing Net Working Capital is to be made on a
basis completely consistent with the calculation of the Net Working Capital
Target using the same accounting principles, practices, methodologies and
policies.
(c) Unless
the Seller delivers the Notice of Objection to the Purchaser within the Review
Period, the Seller shall be deemed to have accepted the Purchaser’s calculation
of Closing Net Working Capital and the Closing Net Working Capital Statement
shall be final, conclusive and binding on all parties hereto. If the
Seller delivers the Notice of Objection to the Purchaser within the Review
Period, the Purchaser and the Seller shall, during the 30 days following such
delivery or any mutually agreed extension thereof, use their commercially
reasonable efforts to reach agreement on the disputed items and amounts in order
to determine the amount of Closing Net Working Capital. If, at
the end of such period or any mutually agreed extension thereof, the Purchaser
and the Seller are unable to resolve their disagreements, they shall jointly
retain and refer their disagreements to a nationally recognized independent
public accounting firm mutually acceptable to the Purchaser and the Seller (the
“Independent
Accounting Firm”). If the Purchaser and the Seller are unable
to so agree, each shall select a nationally recognized independent accounting
firm and those two firms shall select a third such firm, in which event “Independent Accounting
Firm” shall mean the third such firm. The parties shall
instruct the Independent Accounting Firm promptly to review this Section 2.5 and
to determine solely with respect to the disputed items and amounts so submitted
whether and to what extent, if any, the Closing Net Working Capital set forth in
the Closing Net Working Capital Statement requires adjustment. The
Independent Accounting Firm shall base its
13
determination
solely on written submissions by the Purchaser and the Seller and not on an
independent review. The Purchaser and the Seller shall make available
to the Independent Accounting Firm all relevant books and records and other
items reasonably requested by the Independent Accounting Firm. As
promptly as practicable, but in no event later than 45 days after its retention,
the Independent Accounting Firm shall deliver to the Purchaser and the Seller a
report which sets forth its resolution of the disputed items and amounts and its
calculation of Closing Net Working Capital; provided, however, that in no
event shall Closing Net Working Capital as determined by the Independent
Accounting Firm be less than the Purchaser’s calculation of Closing Net Working
Capital set forth in the Closing Net Working Capital Statement nor more than the
Seller’s calculation of Closing Net Working Capital set forth in the Notice of
Objection. The decision of the Independent Accounting Firm shall be
final, conclusive and binding on the parties. After final
determination of Closing Net Working Capital, the Seller shall have no further
right to make any claims against the Purchaser in respect of any element of
Closing Net Working Capital that the Seller raised or could have raised in the
Notice of Objection. The Purchaser and the Seller shall each pay
their own costs and expenses incurred under this Section 2.5. The
Independent Accounting Firm shall allocate its fees, costs and expenses in
accordance with the percentage which the portion of the contested amount not
awarded to the Purchaser, on the one hand, and the Seller, on the other hand,
bears to the amount actually contested by or on behalf of such
parties.
(d) For
the purposes of this Agreement, “Final Net Working
Capital” means the Closing Net Working Capital: (i) as shown
in the Closing Net Working Capital Statement delivered by the Purchaser to the
Seller pursuant to Section 2.5(a), if no Notice of Objection with respect
thereto is timely delivered by the Seller to the Purchaser pursuant to
Section 2.5(b); or (ii) if a Notice of Objection is so delivered, (A) as agreed
by the Purchaser and the Seller pursuant to Section 2.5(c) or (B) in the absence
of such agreement, as shown in the Independent Accounting Firm’s calculation
delivered pursuant to Section 2.5(c). The Purchase Price shall be
increased by the amount by which Final Net Working Capital exceeds the Estimated
Net Working Capital, and the Purchase Price shall be decreased by the amount by
which Final Net Working Capital is less than the Estimated Net Working
Capital. If, pursuant to the preceding sentence, the Purchase Price
is decreased, the Seller shall, and if the Purchase Price is increased, the
Purchaser shall, within five Business Days after the Final Net Working Capital
is determined, make payment by wire transfer in immediately available funds, to
an account designated in writing by the party receiving such payment no later
than two Business Days prior to the date of such payment, the amount of such
adjustment, together with interest thereon at a rate equal to the rate of
interest from time to time announced publicly by Citibank, N.A. as its prime
rate, calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed divided by
365, from the Closing Date to the date of payment.
(e) In
the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the earliest date of
final resolution of Final Net Working Capital and the adjustment to the Purchase
Price pursuant to this Section 2.5, no changes made by the Purchaser to the
accounting methodology of the Business on which the Closing Net Working Capital
is to be based, shall have an impact upon the calculation of Closing Net Working
Capital or the calculation of any adjustment to the Purchase Price contemplated
by this Section 2.5.
14
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE
SELLER
AND THE INTERESTS
The
Seller represents and warrants to the Purchaser that, except as set forth in the
corresponding section of the Schedules delivered by the Seller to the Purchaser
on the date hereof (collectively, the “Seller Disclosure
Schedule”) (it being understood that each section of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to incorporate by reference all information
disclosed in any other section of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, to the extent,
but only to the extent, that the relevance of such disclosure in such other
section is reasonably apparent), each statement contained in this Article III is
true and correct as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (except with
respect to those representations and warranties that expressly address matters
only as of a particular date, in which case, as of such date).
3.1 Organization and Good
Standing. The
Seller is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization. The Seller
has all requisite corporate or similar legal power to own, lease and operate the
Assets and to carry on the Business as now being conducted. The
Seller is duly qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign corporation,
and is in good standing as a foreign corporation, in every jurisdiction in which
the ownership of the Assets or the conduct of the Business requires such
qualification or license, except where the failure to do so would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
3.2 Authority and
Enforceability. Each
of the Seller and the Company, as applicable, has the requisite power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to
which it is a party and to consummate the Acquisition, the Reorganization and
the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution
and delivery of this Agreement and such Ancillary Agreements and the
consummation of the Acquisition, the Reorganization and the other transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby have been, or will be, duly authorized by all
necessary corporate or other similar action on the part of the Seller and the
Company, as applicable. This Agreement has been, and at the Closing
each Ancillary Agreement to which the Seller or the Company, as applicable, is a
party will be, duly executed and delivered by the Seller or the Company, as
applicable, and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery hereof
and thereof by the Purchaser, constitute the valid and binding obligation of the
Seller or the Company, as applicable, enforceable against it in accordance with
its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar Laws affecting or
relating to creditors’ rights generally, and the availability of injunctive
relief and other equitable remedies.
3.3 No
Conflicts.
(a) Except
as set forth in Section 3.3(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, the execution
and delivery by the Seller and the Company of this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements to which each is a party do not, and the consummation by the Seller
and the Company of the Reorganization, the Acquisition and the other
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not conflict with, or result
in any violation of or default (with or without notice
15
or
lapse of time, or both) or payment of any material amount under, or give rise to
a right of termination or cancellation or acceleration of any obligation or to a
loss of a material benefit under, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any
of the Assets under, any provision of (i) the governing or constitutive
documents of the Seller, (ii) any Contract related to the Business to which the
Seller or any of its Affiliates is a party or by which the Assets are bound, or
(iii) any Law or Order applicable to the Seller in connection with its operation
of the Business, except in the case of the immediately preceding clauses (ii)
and (iii) where such violation would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) No
Authorization or Order of, registration, declaration or filing with, or notice
to any Governmental Entity is required to be obtained or made by or with respect
to the Seller in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or
the Ancillary Agreements to which the Seller is a party or the consummation of
the Acquisition or the other transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, except
for such Authorizations, Orders, registrations, declarations, filings and
notices (i) as may be required under the HSR Act and other Antitrust Laws set
forth in Section 3.3(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule or (ii) as set forth
in Section 3.3(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule.
3.4 The
Interests. The
Seller is the sole beneficial owner of the Interests and has good and valid
title to the Interests, free and clear of all Liens. Assuming the
Purchaser has the requisite power and authority to be the lawful owner of the
Interests, upon delivery to the Purchaser at the Closing of certificates
representing the Interests, duly endorsed by the Seller for transfer to the
Purchaser or accompanied by separate membership interest powers attached thereto
and signed in blank, and upon the Seller’s receipt of the Purchase Price
pursuant to Section 2.3(a), good and valid title to the Interests will pass to
the Purchaser, free and clear of any Liens (other than those arising from acts
of the Purchaser or its Affiliates) or claims of any Person with respect
thereto. Other than this Agreement, the Interests are not subject to
any voting trust agreement or other Contract restricting or otherwise relating
to the voting, dividend rights or disposition of the Interests.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES RELATING
TO
THE COMPANY AND THE BUSINESS
The
Seller represents and warrants to the Purchaser that, except as set forth in the
corresponding section of the Seller Disclosure Schedule (it being understood
that each section of the Seller Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to
incorporate by reference all information disclosed in any other section of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, to the extent, but only to the extent, that the
relevance of such disclosure in such other section is reasonably apparent), each
statement contained in this Article IV is true and correct as of the date hereof
and as of the Closing Date (except with respect to those representations and
warranties that expressly address matters only as of a particular date, in which
case, as of such date).
4.1 Organization and Good
Standing. The
Company is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the Laws of its jurisdiction of organization. The
16
Company
has all requisite corporate or similar legal power to own, lease and operate the
Assets and to carry on the Business as now being conducted. The
Company is, or as of the Closing will be, duly qualified or licensed to do
business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct or
nature of the Business or the ownership, leasing or holding of the Assets makes
such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified would
not have a Material Adverse Effect.
4.2 Capitalization; Books and
Records.
(a) The
authorized capital of the Company is set forth in Section 4.2(a) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule. The Interests are duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Other than the Interests and as
set forth in Section 4.2(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, the Company does
not have outstanding any equity interests or any other securities exercisable or
exchangeable for or convertible into equity interests. The Company
has no Subsidiaries.
(b) The
Company has delivered to the Purchaser true and complete copies of the
certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, any other
formation documents and any resolutions or minute books, each as amended to
date, of the Company. The resolutions and minute books of the Company
are true and complete in all material respects.
4.3 No
Conflicts.
(a) Except
as set forth in Section 4.3(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, the execution
and delivery by the Seller and the Company of this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements to which each is a party do not, and the consummation by the Seller
and the Company of the Reorganization, the Acquisition and the other
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not conflict with, or result
in any violation of or default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or
both) or payment of any material amount under, or give rise to a right of
termination or cancellation or acceleration of any obligation or to a loss of a
material benefit under, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the
Assets under, any provision of (i) the governing or constitutive documents of
the Company, (ii) any Contract to which the Company is a party or by which the
Assets are bound, or (iii) any Law or Order applicable to the Company, except in
the case of the immediately preceding clauses (ii) and (iii), where such
violation would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) No
Authorization or Order of, registration, declaration or filing with, or notice
to any Governmental Entity is required to be obtained or made by or with respect
to the Company in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement
or the Ancillary Agreements or the consummation of the Acquisition or the other
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, except for such Authorizations,
Orders, registrations, declarations, filings and notices (i) as may
be required under the HSR Act and other Antitrust Laws set forth in Section
4.3(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, or (ii) as set forth in Section 4.3(b)
of the Seller Disclosure Schedule.
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4.4 Financial
Statements.
(a) Set
forth in Section 4.4(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule are the audited
“Statement of Assets to be Sold and Liabilities to be Transferred” for the
Business as of December 31, in each of the years 2005 and 2006 (the “Balance Sheet”) and
the audited statements of Revenues and Operating Expenses for the year as of
December 31 in each of the years 2005 and 2006 (together with the Balance
Sheet, the “Audited
Financial Statements”). Except as set forth in Section 4.4(a)
of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, the Audited Financial Statements have been
prepared in accordance with the Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting set
forth in Note 1 to the Audited Financial Statements (the “Basis of Accounting”)
applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as may be
indicated in the notes thereto) and on such basis fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition and the results of operations of the Business
as of the respective dates thereof and for the respective periods covered
thereby. The Balance Sheet does not reflect any assets or liabilities
that should be retained by the Seller or its Affiliates (other than the Company)
in order to give effect to the Reorganization and the closing of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
(b) Set
forth in Section 4.4(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule are the unaudited
“Statement of Assets to be Sold and Liabilities to be Transferred” for the
Business as of September 30, 2007 (the “Unaudited Balance
Sheet”) and the unaudited statements of Revenues and Operating Expenses
for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007 (together with the Unaudited
Balance Sheet, the “Unaudited Financial
Statements” and, together with the Audited Financial Statements, the
“Financial
Statements”). Except as set forth in Section 4.4(b) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, the Unaudited Financial Statements have been
prepared in accordance with the Basis of Accounting applied on a consistent
basis throughout the period involved (except as may be indicated in the notes
thereto) and on such basis fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition and the results of operations of the Business as of
September 30, 2007 and for the nine month period ended September 30, 2007,
subject to immaterial normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of
notes. The Unaudited Balance Sheet does not reflect any assets or
liabilities that should be retained by the Seller or its Affiliates (other than
the Company) in order to give effect to the Reorganization and the closing of
the transactions contemplated hereby.
(c) The
Company does not have, and will not have immediately following the
Reorganization and at the Closing, any material Liabilities or obligations of
any nature required by GAAP to be recorded or reserved for or any “off-balance
sheet arrangements” as such term is defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation
S-K, except (i) as disclosed or reserved against in the Financial Statements,
(ii) for Liabilities and obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice since the date of the Unaudited Financial
Statements and not in violation of this Agreement, and (iii) for Taxes that are
not due and payable or that may thereafter be paid without penalty (including
any Taxes that may be incurred in connection with the consummation of the
Transactions contemplated by this Agreement).
(d) The
Company has no outstanding Indebtedness other than capitalized leases set forth
in the Financial Statements.
18
4.5 Taxes.
(a) Except
as set forth in Section 4.5(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule:
(i) All
material U.S. federal, state, local and foreign Tax Returns required to have
been filed by the Seller, or by each Affiliate of the Seller that holds or has
held the Assets in respect of the Business, have been or will be filed in
accordance with all applicable Laws (taking into account applicable extensions),
and each such Tax Return is or will be true, complete and accurate in all
material respects. All Taxes with respect to the Assets shown on such
Tax Returns as due have been paid or will be paid before the Closing
Date.
(ii) There
are no U.S. federal, state or local audits, actions, suits, proceedings,
investigations, claims, or administrative proceedings pending against the Seller
or its Affiliates in respect of any Taxes owed in connection with the Business
(collectively, “Tax
Audits”). To the Knowledge of the Seller, no Tax Audit has
commenced, and neither the Seller nor any of its Affiliates has received any
notice of any proposed or threatened Tax Audit.
(iii) There
are no material Liens on any of the Assets that arose in connection with any
failure (or alleged failure) to pay any Tax, other than Permitted
Liens.
(iv) The
Seller has withheld and paid all material Taxes required to have been withheld
and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any third party in
connection with the Business, including any withholding with respect to wages or
other amounts paid to employees.
(v) The
Seller has not waived any statute of limitations in respect of Taxes or agreed
to any extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or
deficiency.
(vi) The
Company is a “domestic eligible entity” with a single owner within the meaning
of Treasury regulation Section 301.7701-3. Neither the Seller nor any
of its Affiliates has made an election under Treasury regulation Section
301.7701-3 to treat the Company as an association taxable as a
corporation.
4.6 Compliance with Law;
Authorizations.
(a) The
Business and the Company are in compliance with all material Laws to which the
Business or the Company is subject.
(b) Section
4.6(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth, as of the date of the
Agreement, all Authorizations issued or granted to the Seller which are material
to the operation of the Business. Except as set forth in Section
4.6(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, the Seller does, and immediately
following the Reorganization and at the Closing, the Company will, own, hold,
possess or lawfully use in the operation of the Business all Authorizations
which are material to the conduct of the Business, and all such Authorizations
are valid and in full force and effect.
(c) To
the extent subject thereto, since December 31, 2000, the Business and the
Company have been in compliance with the applicable provisions of HIPAA, and any
rules
19
or
regulations promulgated thereunder regarding the privacy and security of
protected health information and any other local, state or foreign Law related
to the privacy or security of individually identifiable health or medical
information. Since December 31, 2000, none of the Seller or its
Affiliates, with respect to the Business, has received any notice or
communication in writing from any Governmental Entity alleging that the Business
or the Company has failed to comply with one or more of HIPAA’s
provisions.
4.7 Real
Property.
(a) Section
4.7(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule contains a list of all real property
owned by the Seller or any of its Affiliates which is used principally in
connection with the operation of the Business (collectively, the “Owned Real
Property”). The Seller or one of its Affiliates, as identified
on the Seller Disclosure Schedule, has good, valid and marketable fee simple
title to each parcel of Owned Real Property free and clear of all Liens, except
for Permitted Liens. Immediately after giving effect to the
Reorganization and at the Closing, the Company will so own all of the Owned Real
Property free and clear of all Liens, except for Permitted Liens (other than
Permitted Liens described in clause (e) of the definition of Permitted
Liens).
(b) Section
4.7(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule contains a list of all leases and
subleases of real property that are used principally in connection with the
operation of the Business (collectively, the “Leases”). The
real property demised under any Lease is referred to herein as the “Leased Real
Property”. A true and complete copy of each Lease has
heretofore been made available to the Purchaser. Section 4.7(b) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule identifies the lessor and lessee, or sublessor
and sublessee, as the case may be, of each parcel of Leased Real Property and
the Seller or one of its Affiliates, as identified on Section 4.7(b) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, has a good and valid leasehold interest in and to
the Leased Real Property. The Seller has not received or sent a
notice of default under any Lease which remains uncured, except where such
default would not have a Material Adverse Effect. All Leases are
binding and enforceable in accordance with their respective terms and are in
full force and effect. Immediately after giving effect to the
Reorganization and at the Closing, the Company will be a lessee, sublessee or
sub-sublessee, as applicable, of all of the Leased Real Property, and all Leases
will be valid, binding and in full force and effect with respect to the
Company.
(c) True
and complete copies of (i) all deeds, title insurance policies, mortgages and
surveys relating to the Owned Real Property and (ii) all documents evidencing
all Liens upon the Owned Real Property and, to the extent in the Seller’s
possession, the Leased Real Property, have heretofore been made available to the
Purchaser.
(d) To
the Seller’s Knowledge, there are no facts or conditions affecting any of the
buildings, structures, fixtures, building systems and equipment included in the
Real Property which would interfere in any material respect with the operation
of the Business.
(e) Except
as set forth in Section 4.7(e) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, neither the
Seller nor any of its Affiliates has leased or otherwise granted to any Person
(other than pursuant to this Agreement) any right to occupy or possess or
otherwise encumber any portion of the Real Property. Neither the
Seller nor any of its Affiliates is a party to or obligated
20
under
any option, right of first refusal or other contractual right to sell, dispose
of or lease any of the Real Property or any portion thereof or interest therein
to any Person (other than pursuant to this
Agreement). Neither the Seller nor its Affiliates, with respect
to the Business, nor the Company is a party to any agreement or option to
purchase any real property or interest therein.
(f) Neither
the whole nor any portion of the Owned Real Property nor, to the Seller’s
Knowledge, the Leased Real Property is subject to any Order mandating the sale,
condemnation, expropriation or taking by any Governmental Entity with or without
payment or compensation therefor, nor, to the Knowledge of the Seller, has any
such sale, condemnation, expropriation or taking been proposed.
(g) Neither
the Seller nor any of its Affiliates has received any notice of, or other
writing referring to, any requirements or recommendations by any insurance
company that has issued a policy covering any part of the Real Property or by
any board of fire underwriters or other body exercising similar functions,
requiring or recommending any repairs or work to be done on any part of the Real
Property, which repair or work has not been completed.
(h) The
Seller has obtained all material Authorizations required to use and operate the
Real Property in the operation of the Business. True and complete
copies of all such Authorizations in the possession of the Seller have
heretofore been made available to the Purchaser. The Seller has, and
immediately following the Reorganization and at the Closing, the Company will
have, all Authorizations required to use and operate the Real Property as used
and operated; and no such Authorizations will be required, as a result of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, to be issued after the date hereof
in order to permit the Company, following the Reorganization, to continue to use
and operate the Real Property in the same manner in which the Real Property is
being used and operated in the conduct of the Business, other than any such
Authorizations that are ministerial in nature and are normally issued in due
course upon application therefor without further action by the
applicant.
(i) Each
parcel of Owned Real Property has direct vehicular and pedestrian access to a
public street adjoining such Owned Real Property or has vehicular and pedestrian
access to a public street via an easement appurtenant to such parcel of Owned
Real Property, and such access is not dependent on any land or other real
property interest which is not included in the Owned Real
Property. None of the buildings, structures, fixtures, building
systems and equipment included in the Real Property or any portion thereof are
dependent for its access, use or operation on any land, building, improvement or
other real property interest which is not included in the Owned Real Property,
including its appurtenances.
(j) To
the Seller’s Knowledge, there is no physical defect on the Owned Real Property
which would adversely and materially impact the marketability of the Owned Real
Property to a buyer of such Owned Real Property intending to use the Owned Real
Property in substantially the same manner and for the same purposes as are
currently used for the Business.
(k) The
present uses of the Owned Real Property in connection with the Business are in
compliance with all applicable Laws, including all applicable zoning Laws and
with all registered deeds or restrictions of record affecting such Owned Real
Property, and the Seller has no Knowledge of any proposed change therein that
would materially and adversely
21
affect
any of the Owned Real Property or its present use and the Seller has no
Knowledge of any violation of such Law or deeds or restrictions of
record.
4.8 The Assets. Except
for the Excluded Assets, the Assets will, as of the Closing Date, constitute all
of the assets used to conduct the Business in all material respects as conducted
on the date hereof and on the Closing Date. Immediately following the
Reorganization and at the Closing, the Company will have good and valid title to
all of the Assets free and clear of all Liens, other than Permitted Liens or as
otherwise disclosed in Section 4.8 of the Seller Disclosure
Schedule. The tangible Assets are in good operating condition and
repair (ordinary wear and tear excepted).
4.9 Intellectual
Property.
(a) Section
4.9(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth a correct and complete list
of all material Intellectual Property owned by the Seller or its Affiliates
(including the Company) that is (i) included in the Assets and (ii) registered
or subject to an application for registration. Such list includes the
jurisdictions where such Intellectual Property is registered or where
applications have been filed, and all corresponding registration or application
numbers. Except as set forth in Section 4.9(a) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, immediately following the Reorganization and at the
Closing, the Company will be the sole beneficial owner, free and clear of all
Liens (except for Permitted Liens), of all such registered and applied-for
Intellectual Property and all such Intellectual Property is subsisting and, to
the Knowledge of the Seller, valid and enforceable. Except as set
forth in Section 4.9(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, the Seller owns or
has the valid right to use all Intellectual Property integral to or used
principally in the conduct of the Business (the “Business Intellectual
Property”). Except as set forth in Section 4.9(a) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, immediately after giving effect to the
Reorganization and at the Closing, the Company will own or have the valid right
to use the Business Intellectual Property.
(b) To
the Seller’s Knowledge, no Person is infringing, misappropriating, or otherwise
violating any Business Intellectual Property owned by the Seller or its
Affiliates (the “Business Owned Intellectual
Property”) or any Business Intellectual Property exclusively licensed to
the Seller or its Affiliates. No such claims have been asserted or
threatened against any Person by the Seller or its Affiliates in the past three
years.
(c) Except
as set forth in Section 4.9(c) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule or where any
default would not materially impair the Business, the Seller and its Affiliates
are not in default in the performance, observance or fulfillment of any
obligation, covenant or condition contained in any Contract to which the Seller
or its Affiliates are a party or otherwise bound pursuant to which any third
party is licensed or authorized by the Seller or its Affiliates to use or
register any Business Intellectual Property (“Business Licenses”)
or pursuant to which the Business is licensed, or otherwise authorized to use,
Intellectual Property owned by a third Person (“Third Party
Licenses”).
(d) Except
as set forth in Section 4.9(d) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, the conduct of
the Business (including the products and services of the Seller and Company)
within the past three years has not infringed or otherwise violated any Person’s
Intellectual Property
22
rights. As
of the date hereof, there are no claims pending nor, to the Seller’s Knowledge,
threatened against the Seller or its Affiliates alleging that the Business
infringes, misappropriates, or otherwise violates the Intellectual Property
rights of any Person. There has been no claim asserted nor, to the
Seller’s Knowledge, threatened in the past three years against the Seller or its
Affiliates or that the Business infringes, misappropriates, or otherwise
violates the Intellectual Property rights of any Person.
(e) The
Seller has taken reasonable measures to maintain in confidence all material
Trade Secrets of the Business, including requiring, as appropriate, Persons
having access thereto to execute written non-disclosure agreements.
(f) Except
as set forth in Section 4.9(f) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule and for
the Licensed Patents, immediately following the Reorganization and at the
Closing, the Seller and its Affiliates (other than the Company) will not own, or
license from third parties, any Business Intellectual Property.
(g) Except
as set forth in Section 4.9(g) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Reorganization and this
Agreement will not result in the material loss or impairment of or payment of
any material additional amounts with respect to, nor require the consent of any
other Person in respect of, the Company’s right to own, use, or hold for use any
of the Intellectual Property integral to or used principally in the conduct of
the Business.
4.10 Absence of Certain Changes
or Events. Except
as set forth in Section 4.10 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, since December
31, 2006 to the date hereof, (i) there has been no Material Adverse Effect and
(ii) except for any actions taken to effect the Reorganization, the Business has
been conducted in all material respects in the ordinary course consistent with
past practice. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
since December 31, 2006 to the date hereof, the Seller has not with respect to
the Business taken, and has not permitted the Company to take, any action which
if taken from the date hereof through the Closing Date would be required to be
disclosed on Section 6.1 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule.
4.11 Contracts.
(a) Section
4.11(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of each Contract
entered into in connection with the operation of the Business to which the
Seller or its Affiliates is party or by which it is bound:
(i) for
the purchase of materials, supplies, goods, services, equipment or other assets
(other than purchase orders or Contracts for services in the ordinary course of
business) which (A) provides for annual payments by the Seller or its Affiliates
of $500,000 or more and (B) has a residual term as of the date hereof of more
than six months;
(ii) for
the sale by the Seller or its Affiliates of materials, supplies, goods,
services, equipment or other assets, and which (A) provides for a specified
annual minimum dollar sales amount by the Seller or its Affiliates of $500,000
or more and (B) has a residual term as of the date hereof of more than six
months;
23
(iii) that
is with a Key Customer or Key Supplier;
(iv) that
is a note, debenture, bond, equipment trust, letter of credit, loan or other
Contract for the borrowing or lending of money (other than to employees for
travel expenses in the ordinary course of business) or agreement or arrangement
for a line of credit or guarantee, pledge or undertaking of the indebtedness of
any other Person, in any such case which is in excess of $25,000;
(v) that
is a collective bargaining or similar labor related agreement;
(vi) that
is a material Business License or material Third Party License;
(vii) that
relates to the formation, creation, operation, management or control of any
partnership or joint venture;
(viii) with
customers that contains a provision which provides that any pricing term of such
Contract will be no less favorable to such customer than the pricing term in any
other Contract that is (A) for similar purchases or service
arrangements and (B) provides for annual payments by such customer of
$250,000 or more;
(ix) that
contains a covenant not to compete that limits the conduct of the Business;
or
(x) that
provides for the acquisition or disposition of any business (whether by merger,
sale of stock or assets or otherwise) at any time since January 1,
2005.
(b) Each
Contract required to be listed in Section 4.11(a) of the Seller Disclosure
Schedule pursuant to Section 4.11(a) is valid, binding and in full force and
effect, and will be valid, binding and in full force and effect with respect to
the Company, immediately following the Reorganization and at the
Closing, and the Seller or its Affiliates, as applicable, is not, and the
Company will not be, immediately following the Reorganization and at the
Closing, and to the Seller’s Knowledge no other party thereto is, in default in
the performance, observance or fulfillment of any obligation, covenant or
condition contained in any such Contract, except in each case (i) where any such
default would not have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) as set forth in Section
4.11(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule.
(c) Each
Contract required to be listed in Section 4.11(a) of the Seller Disclosure
Schedule has been made available to the Purchaser.
4.12 Litigation. Except
as set forth in Section 4.12 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, there is no
action, suit, charge, proceeding, claim, arbitration or litigation or, to the
Seller’s Knowledge, investigation (each, an “Action”) pending or,
to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened against the Seller or its Affiliates,
arising out of the Seller’s ownership of the Assets or operation of the Business
which would have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no material
unsatisfied judgment, penalty or award against or with respect to the Business
or the Company. Except as set forth in Section 4.12 of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, there is no Action pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge,
threatened against the Seller which (i) challenges the transactions contemplated
hereby (including the Reorganization) or (ii) would prevent or materially delay
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including the
Reorganization).
24
4.13 Employee
Benefits.
(a) Section
4.13(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule includes a list of all Business
Benefit Plans and material Seller Benefit Plans. Such list separately
identifies those Benefit Plans that are maintained or contributed to solely by
the Seller or its Affiliates, or to which the Seller or its Affiliates is a
party that are (a) available to and for the benefit of, solely and exclusively,
Business Employees (the “Business Benefit
Plans”) and (b) available to and for the benefit of Business Employees,
as well as to and for the benefit of other employees of the Seller or its
Affiliates (the “Seller Benefit
Plans”).
(b) Section
4.13(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of each Business
Employee and separately provides each such Business Employee’s base
salary.
(c) The
Seller has delivered or made available to the Purchaser true and complete copies
of (i) summaries of each material Seller Benefit Plan, (ii) each Business
Benefit Plan and amendments thereto (or if the Business Benefit Plan is not a
written plan, a description thereof), (iii) the most recent summary plan
description for each Benefit Plan for which such a summary plan description is
required, and (iv) the most recent determination letters from the Internal
Revenue Service, if applicable, with respect to each Benefit Plan.
(d) Each
Business Benefit Plan has been established, maintained and operated in all
material respects in accordance with its terms and in compliance with all
applicable provisions of applicable Laws (including ERISA and the
Code). There are no investigations by any Governmental Entity,
termination proceedings or other claims (except routine claims for benefits
payable under the Business Benefit Plans) or Actions pending against or
involving any Business Benefit Plan or asserting any rights to or claims for
benefits under any Business Benefit Plan that could give rise to any material
liability.
(e) Except
as set forth in Section 4.13(e) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, there are no
circumstances pursuant to which the Company could incur a liability under Title
IV of ERISA in respect of any Seller Benefit Plan or any other plan (other than
a Business Benefit Plan) maintained or contributed to by the Seller or its
Affiliates.
(f) No
Business Benefit Plan maintained or contributed to, or required to be maintained
or contributed to for the six year period ending on the Closing Date, by the
Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates is a pension plan (including, but not
limited to a “multiemployer plan” as that term is defined in Sections 4001(a)(3)
and 3(37)(A) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA or sections 412 of the Code
or 302 of ERISA.
(g) Each
Benefit Plan intended to be “qualified” within the meaning of
section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and the trusts maintained
thereunder are exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the
Code.
(h) No
Business Benefit Plan provides medical, surgical, hospitalization, death or
similar benefits (whether or not insured) for Business Employees or former
employees
25
of
the Business for periods extending beyond their retirement or other termination
of service, other than (i) coverage mandated by applicable Law, (ii) death
benefits under any “pension plan”, (iii) benefits the full cost of which is
borne by the current or former employee (or his or her beneficiary), or
(iv) the Retention/Severance Agreements.
(i) No
payment or benefit which has been, will or may be made by the Company with
respect to any current or former Business Employee in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transaction
contemplated by this Agreement (whether alone or upon the occurrence of any
additional or subsequent events) could result in an “excess parachute payment”
within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(1) of the Code.
(j) Each
Benefit Plan that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” (as defined
under Section 409A(d)(1) of the Code) has been operated and administered in good
faith compliance with Section 409A from the period beginning January 1, 2005
through the date hereof.
(k) Except
as set forth in Section 4.13(k) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not, either
alone or in combination with another event, (i) entitle any Business Employee to
severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other payment or funding of any
payment, including in respect of any equity or phantom equity, (ii) accelerate
the time of payment or vesting, or increase the amount of compensation due any
such employee or officer, (iii) limit the ability to amend or terminate any
Business Benefit Plan, or (iv) result in a breach or other violation of any
collective bargaining agreement, employment agreement, consulting agreement or
any other labor related agreement applicable to any Business
Employee.
4.14 Labor
Matters. Except
as set forth in Section 4.14 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule:
(a) The
Company, the Seller and their Affiliates are neither party to, nor bound by, any
labor agreement, collective bargaining agreement, work rules or practices, or
any other labor-related agreements or arrangements with any labor union, labor
organization or works council that pertains to the Business Employees; there are
no labor agreements, collective bargaining agreements, work rules or
practices, or any other labor-related agreements or arrangements that pertain to
any of the Business Employees; and no Business Employees are represented by any
labor union, labor organization or works council with respect to their
employment with the Company, the Seller or their Affiliates.
(b) Since
January 1, 2005, no labor union, labor organization, works council, or group of
Business Employees has made a pending demand for recognition or certification,
and there are no representation or certification proceedings or petitions
seeking a representation proceeding presently pending or threatened in writing
to be brought or filed with the National Labor Relations Board or any other
labor relations tribunal or authority that pertains to the Business
Employees. To the Seller’s Knowledge, there are no labor union
organizing activities with respect to any Business Employees.
26
(c) Since
January 1, 2005, there has been no actual or, to the Knowledge of the Seller,
threatened material arbitrations, material grievances, labor disputes, strikes,
lockouts, organized slowdowns or organized work stoppages involving any Business
Employee.
(d) The
Seller, the Company and their Affiliates, and their respective
employees, agents or representatives, have not within the past three years
committed any material unfair labor practice as defined in the National Labor
Relations Act or similar applicable labor Law with respect to any Business
Employee.
(e) The
Seller, the Company and their respective Affiliates are, with respect to the
Business, in compliance in all material respects with Executive Order 11246 and
any requirements thereunder to maintain affirmative action plans.
(f) Neither
the Seller, nor the Company or their Affiliates are delinquent in payments to
any Business Employees or former Business Employees for any services or amounts
required to be reimbursed or otherwise paid.
(g) Neither
the Seller, nor the Company have with respect to any Business Employees received
since January 1, 2005 written (i) notice of any unfair labor practice charge or
complaint pending or threatened before the National Labor Relations Board or any
other Governmental Entity against them, (ii) notice of any complaints,
grievances or arbitrations arising out of any collective bargaining
agreement or any other complaints, grievances or arbitration procedures against
them, (iii) notice of any charge or complaint with respect to or relating to
them pending before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other
Governmental Entity responsible for the prevention of unlawful employment
practices, (iv) notice of the intent of any Governmental Entity responsible for
the enforcement of labor, employment, wages and hours of work, child labor,
immigration, or occupational safety and health Laws to conduct an investigation
with respect to or relating to them or notice that such investigation is in
progress, or (v) notice of any complaint, lawsuit or other proceeding pending or
threatened in any forum by or on behalf of any present or former employee of
such entities, any applicant for employment or classes of the foregoing alleging
breach of any express or implied contract of employment, any applicable Law
governing employment or the termination thereof or other discriminatory,
wrongful or tortuous conduct in connection with the employment
relationship.
(h) With
respect to the Business Employees, the Seller, the Company and their Affiliates
are and have been in compliance with all notice and other requirements under the
Workers’ Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and any similar foreign,
state or local Law (the “WARN Act”) relating
to plant closings and layoffs, and have no liabilities or obligations that
remain unsatisfied under the WARN Act.
4.15 Environmental. Except
as set forth in Section 4.15 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, (a) the Business
has within the past five years been and is in material compliance with all
applicable Environmental Laws, (b) the Business possesses and is in material
compliance with all Authorizations required under Environmental Law for the
conduct of its operations as of the Closing Date, no appeal or any other action
is pending to revoke any such Authorization, and to the extent required by
applicable Environmental Law, the Business has applied in a timely
27
fashion
for the renewal of any such Authorizations, (c) there are no Actions pending or,
to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened against the Business alleging a
violation of or liability under any Environmental Law, (d) the Seller has
received no written notice of any pending unresolved or threatened violation,
investigation, request for information or demand letter relating to the Business
in connection with any Environmental Laws, (e) the Business is not subject to
any judicial or administrative orders, decrees or judgments relating to
Environmental Law or Hazardous Substances, (f) neither the Seller, the Business,
nor to the Seller’s Knowledge, any other Person, has, released, discharged, or
otherwise disposed, of any Hazardous Substances on, beneath or adjacent to any
property currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Business,
excluding releases, discharges or disposals that are not reasonably likely to
result in a material claim or liability against the Business pursuant to
applicable Environmental Laws, (g) to the Seller’s Knowledge, the Business has
not disposed or arranged for the disposal of Hazardous Substances at any
off-site location that is reasonably likely to result in a material liability to
the Business, (h) the Business is not and within the last five years has not
been subject to any personal or bodily injury claims arising from exposure to
asbestos or other Hazardous Substances, (i) to the Knowledge of the Seller, none
of the properties that are currently owned or operated by the Business contain
any friable asbestos, (j) other than in the ordinary course of business or
pursuant to a financing arrangement or agreement or lease agreement, the
Business has not entered into any written agreement that would require it to pay
to, reimburse, guarantee, defend, indemnify or hold harmless any person from or
against any Liabilities or costs arising out of or related to generation,
manufacture, use, transportation or disposal of Hazardous Substance, or
otherwise arising in connection with or under Environmental Laws, and
(k) the Seller has delivered or made available to the Purchaser or its
representatives all material environmental studies, reports, assessments and
audits in the Seller’s possession, custody or control relating to the Owned Real
Properties or the Business. The representations and warranties
contained in this Section 4.15 are the Seller’s sole and exclusive
representations and warranties with respect to matters related to Environmental
Laws.
4.16 Insurance. Section
4.16 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule contains a complete listing of all
material workers’ compensation, employers’ liability, automotive liability,
general liability (including product or completed operations liability), cyber
liability, umbrella and excess liability, errors and omissions, employment
practices liability, property and casualty, fire, business interruption and
other forms of material insurance policies (the “Insurance Policies”)
which cover the Business or the Assets (including the Real Property) or Business
Employees. As of the date hereof, to the Knowledge of the Seller all
of the Insurance Policies are in full force and effect and all premiums due and
payable thereon have been paid in full. The insurance coverage
provided by the Insurance Policies is in such amounts, with such deductibles,
against such risks and losses, and provides such coverage as Seller or its
Affiliates has agreed to carry under any Contract with third parties to address
its insurance obligations under such Contract.
4.17 Brokers. Except
for fees and commissions of HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. which will be paid by the
Seller, no broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage,
finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of
the Seller or the Company.
4.18 Transactions with
Affiliates. Except
for the Ancillary Agreements, as applicable, and as set forth in Section 4.18 of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule, there are no agreements or
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arrangements
in effect between the Company, on the one hand, and the Seller or any of its
Affiliates (other than the Company), on the other hand.
4.19 Key Customers and Key
Suppliers. Section
4.19 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and correct list of
(a) the top 20 customers of the Business based upon revenue generated therefrom
in the first two quarters of fiscal year 2007 (the “Key Customers”) and
sets forth opposite the name of such Key Customer the approximate amount of
revenue attributable to such Key Customer during such period, and (b) the top 10
suppliers of the Business based upon aggregate amounts paid thereto by the
Business in the first two quarters of fiscal year 2007 (the “Key Suppliers”) and
sets forth opposite the name of such Key Supplier the approximate aggregate
amounts paid by the Business to such Key Supplier during such
period. Except as set forth in Section 4.19 of the Seller Disclosure
Schedule, since December 31, 2006, (x) no Key Customer or Key Supplier has
cancelled or otherwise terminated its relationship, with the Seller with respect
to the Business, in each case, with written or, to the Seller’s Knowledge,
other, notification, (y) the Seller has not received any written or, to the
Seller’s Knowledge, other, notice from any Key Customer or Key Supplier to the
effect that any such Key Customer or Key Supplier intends to (i) terminate or
adversely modify the material commercial terms of its relationship with the
Seller with respect to the Business or (ii) initiate a bidding or rebidding
process or request proposals with respect to any business currently provided by
the Business and (z) the Seller has not been involved in any material dispute
with a Key Customer or Key Supplier with respect to the Business.
ARTICLE
V
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE PURCHASER
The
Purchaser represents and warrants to the Seller that each statement contained in
this Article V is true and correct as of the date hereof and as of the Closing
Date (except with respect to those representations and warranties that expressly
address matters only as of a particular date, in which case, as of such
date).
5.1 Organization and Good
Standing. The
Purchaser is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization. The
Purchaser has all requisite corporate or similar legal power to own, lease and
operate its properties and to carry on its business as now being
conducted. The Purchaser is duly qualified or licensed to do business
and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its
business or the ownership, leasing or holding of its properties makes such
qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified would not
have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Purchaser to consummate
the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated hereby (a “Purchaser Material Adverse
Effect”).
5.2 Authority and
Enforceability. The
Purchaser has the requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party and to consummate
the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and such
Ancillary Agreements and the consummation of the Acquisition and the other
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
29
have
been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other similar action on the
part of such Purchaser. This Agreement has been, and at the Closing
each Ancillary Agreement to which the Purchaser is a party will be, duly
executed and delivered by the Purchaser and, assuming the due authorization,
execution and delivery hereof and thereof by the Seller, constitute the valid
and binding obligation of the Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance
with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar Laws affecting or
relating to creditors’ rights generally, and the availability of injunctive
relief and other equitable remedies.
5.3 No
Conflicts.
(a) The
execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements to which it is a party do not, and the consummation by the Purchaser
of the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
will not, conflict with or result in any violation of or default (with or
without notice or lapse of time, or both) or payment of any material amount
under or give rise to a right of termination or cancellation or acceleration of
any obligation or to a loss of a material benefit under, or result in the
creation of any Lien upon any of its assets under, any provision of (i) the
governing or constitutive documents of the Purchaser, (ii) any Contract to
which the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates is a party or by which any of their
respective assets are bound, or (iii) any Law or Order applicable to the
Purchaser, except in the case of the immediately preceding clauses (ii) and
(iii) where such violation would not have a Purchaser Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) No
Authorization, Order of, registration, declaration or filing with, or notice to,
any Governmental Entity is required to be obtained or made by or with respect to
the Purchaser in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or
the Ancillary Agreements to which the Purchaser is a party or the consummation
of the Acquisition or the other transactions contemplated hereby or thereby,
except for such Authorizations, Orders, registrations, declarations, filings and
notices (i) as may be required under the HSR Act and other Antitrust Laws or
(ii) the failure to obtain which would not have a Purchaser Material Adverse
Effect.
5.4 Litigation. There
is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of the Purchaser, threatened in
writing against the Purchaser which (a) challenges or seeks to enjoin, alter or
materially delay the consummation of the Acquisition or the other transactions
contemplated hereby or (b) would have a Purchaser Material Adverse
Effect.
5.5 Purchase for
Investment. The
Interests purchased by the Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement are being
acquired for investment only and not with a view to any public distribution
thereof, and the Purchaser shall not offer to sell or otherwise dispose of, or
sell or otherwise dispose of, any Interests so acquired by it in violation of
any of the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
or any other applicable securities Law.
5.6 Availability of
Funds. The
Purchaser has cash currently available or has existing committed borrowing
facilities (the “Financing”) which
together are sufficient to enable it to consummate the
Acquisition. Such cash resources and the Financing will be available
to the
30
Purchaser
on a timely basis to consummate the Acquisition, and the Purchaser knows of no
fact or circumstance that would cause the Financing to be unavailable on such
basis.
5.7 Brokers. No
broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or
other fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Purchaser or any
Affiliate of the Purchaser.
5.8 Due Diligence; No Knowledge of
Misrepresentations or Omissions. The
Purchaser acknowledges that (a) it has had the opportunity to visit with the
Seller and its Affiliates and meet with officers and other representatives of
the Business to discuss the business, assets, liabilities, financial condition,
cash flows and operations of the Business, and (b) all materials and
information requested by the Purchaser have been made available to its
reasonable satisfaction.
5.9 No Other
Representations. The
Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that the Seller is not making any
representation or warranty whatsoever, express or implied, except those
representations and warranties of the Seller explicitly set forth in this
Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements or in any certificate contemplated hereby
and delivered by the Seller in connection herewith. Without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, the Seller makes no representation or warranty
to the Purchaser with respect to: (a) any projections, estimates,
forecasts or budgets heretofore delivered to or made available to the Purchaser
of future revenues, expenses or expenditures or future results of operations; or
(b) except as expressly covered by a representation or warranty contained in
Article III or IV, any other information or documents (financial or otherwise)
made available to the Purchaser, any Affiliate thereof or their respective
counsel, accountants or advisers, including in certain “data rooms”, management
presentations, offering memoranda or in any other form in contemplation of the
Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated
hereby. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 5.9 to the
contrary, it is understood that the facts or occurrences giving rise to or
contributing to the failure to meet any such projections, estimates, forecasts
or budgets may constitute a breach of this Agreement or a Material Adverse
Effect for which the Seller may be liable.
ARTICLE
VI
COVENANTS
OF THE SELLER
6.1 Conduct of
Business. Except
as set forth in Section 6.1 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule or otherwise
expressly provided for in this Agreement (including any actions necessary to
consummate the Reorganization) or required by applicable Law, during the period
from the date hereof and continuing until the earlier of the termination of this
Agreement and the Closing Date, except with the written consent of the Purchaser
(which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), the Seller shall (i)
maintain, and shall cause the Company to maintain, its corporate existence, (ii)
use commercially reasonable efforts to carry on the Business in the ordinary
course of business in a manner consistent with past practice during the 12
months immediately preceding the date hereof, (iii) use its commercially
reasonable efforts to preserve intact the relationships of the Business with
material existing or prospective customers, suppliers and
31
distributors
and to keep available the services of the Business Employees, (iv) make
commercially reasonable repairs to material Assets necessary to prevent any
accelerated degradation or depreciation of such Assets, and (v) use its
commercially reasonable efforts to maintain insurance coverage for the Business
substantially equivalent to that maintained on the date
hereof. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Seller may, on or prior to the Closing Date, (y) sweep, or cause to be swept,
funds to bank accounts of the Seller (other than Business Bank Accounts) from
bank accounts maintained solely for the purposes of the Business (“Business Bank
Accounts”) or (z) otherwise transfer, or cause to be transferred, to the
Seller all cash and cash equivalents generated exclusively in connection with
the Business.
Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, except for (i) matters set forth in
Section 6.1 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, (ii) actions taken to effect
the Reorganization (subject to Section 6.5), or (iii) as otherwise
expressly provided for in this Agreement, without the written consent of the
Purchaser (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), the Seller shall not
with respect to the Business and shall not permit the Company to:
(a) sell
any property or assets having a value individually exceeding $100,000, or an
aggregate value exceeding $300,000, except for (i) inventory or other products
sold to customers in the ordinary course of business and (ii) any Excluded
Assets;
(b) mortgage,
pledge or subject to Liens, other than Permitted Liens, any properties or assets
except pursuant to existing Contracts;
(c) acquire,
lease or license any property or asset having a value individually exceeding
$100,000;
(d) amend
the charter, articles or certificate of incorporation or formation or any other
organizational document or bylaws or operating agreement or other constitutive
document of the Company;
(e) issue,
deliver, sell, pledge, transfer, convey, dispose of, encumber, amend or modify
any equity interests, or any class or securities convertible into or
exchangeable into equity interests, of the Company;
(f) declare,
set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution (other than dividends
or other distributions of cash) with respect to any equity interests, or any
class or securities convertible into or exchangeable into equity interests, of
the Company;
(g) enter
into, renew, extend or amend or modify in any material respect, terminate,
cancel, or waive, release or assign any right or claim under, any material
Contract, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(h) (i)
increase the wages, salaries, compensation, severance, pension or other benefits
payable to any employee, or (ii) pay any bonus or other amount to any employee
(except, in the case of the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), either (x) pursuant
to the terms of Contracts or Benefit Plans in effect on the date hereof or
(y) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice
with respect to employees who are not directors, officers or otherwise have
managerial responsibilities);
32
(i) enter
into, adopt, modify or amend any Benefit Plan, other than pursuant to the terms
of Contracts or Benefit Plans in effect on the date hereof or to the extent
required by applicable Law;
(j) grant
or acquire, agree to grant to or acquire from any Person, or dispose of or
permit to lapse any rights to, any material Intellectual Property, or disclose
or agree to disclose to any Person, other than representatives of the Purchaser,
any Trade Secret, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(k) settle
or dismiss any Action threatened against, relating to or involving the Company
or the Business, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice and in an amount not in excess of $100,000, in any individual case, or
$300,000 in the aggregate, or in a manner that would prohibit or materially
restrict the operation of the Business;
(l) enter
into any Contracts with the Seller or any of its Affiliates, except in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(m) make
any material changes in its accounting methods, principles or
practices;
(n) (i)
make or change any election related to Taxes (unless required by Law), the
making or changing of which would materially increase the Company’s liability
for Taxes subsequent to the Closing Date, or (ii) settle or compromise any
material Tax liability of the Company or with respect to the
Assets;
(o) be
party to any merger, acquisition, consolidation, recapitalization, liquidation,
dissolution or similar transaction involving the Company or the Business;
or
(p) agree
to do any of the foregoing.
6.2 Access to
Information.
(a) From
and after the date hereof and until the Closing Date, the Seller shall, and
shall cause the Company to, afford to the Purchaser and its accountants, counsel
and other representatives reasonable access, upon reasonable notice during
normal business hours prior to the Closing, to the personnel, properties, books,
Contracts and records of the Business and shall cause its representatives to
consult as reasonably requested by the Purchaser on a regular basis with the
representatives of the Purchaser; provided, however, that (i)
such access does not (A) disrupt the normal operations of the Business or
(B) violate any Law or the terms of any applicable Contract or be reasonably
likely, in the view of independent counsel to the Seller, to give rise to any
failure of, or any material delay in satisfaction of, the condition set forth in
Section 9.1(a), (ii) subject to applicable Law, the Purchaser’s access to
personnel records of any Business Employee shall be limited to those records
that pertain to: (A) skill and development training, (B) seniority
histories, (C) salary and benefit information (including, without limitation,
any severance information), (D) Occupational, Safety and Health Administration
reports and records, (E) performance data or similar evaluations and (F) active
medical restriction forms, and (iii) the Purchaser shall not conduct any
invasive sampling or testing with respect to the properties of any
Person.
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(b) From
and after the date hereof and until the Closing Date, the Seller shall furnish
promptly to the Purchaser copies of all monthly financial reports generated by
the management of the Business in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practice with respect to the Business no later than ten Business Days
following the end of each month. The Seller shall (i) cause to be
prepared and shall reasonably cooperate (including by providing any financial
information and necessary management representation letters) in the
preparation of audited financial statements of the Business for the twelve
months ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, in each case prepared in
accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved
(the “GAAP Audited
Financials”), and (ii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause
its independent auditors to assist and cooperate in the preparation of the GAAP
Audited Financials, including providing their consent to the Purchaser to use
their audit reports relating to the Business and providing any necessary
“comfort letters”; provided that the
incremental costs and expenses associated with the preparation of the GAAP
Audited Financials in excess of the costs and expenses associated with the
preparation of the Financial Statements shall be borne by the Purchaser up to an
amount not to exceed $400,000, and the amount in excess of such amount shall be
borne by the Seller. Subject to the consent of the Seller’s
independent auditors, the Purchaser and its Affiliates shall be permitted
to include such GAAP Audited Financial Statements in any current report on Form
8 K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the
transactions contemplated hereby and in any other reports or registration
statements filed by the Purchaser or its Affiliates with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
6.3 Resignations. On
the Closing Date, the Seller shall cause to be delivered to the Purchaser duly
signed resignations, effective as of the Closing, of all directors of their
position as a director of the Company thereof; provided, however, that no such
resignation by any individual shall be a resignation from employment with the
Business if such individual is so employed.
6.4 Notification. From
the date hereof through the Closing Date, each party shall give notice to the
other party of the existence or happening of any fact, event or occurrence
which, if existing or known as of the date hereof, would have been required to
be set forth or described in the Seller Disclosure Schedule. No such
notification shall be deemed to supplement or amend the Seller Disclosure
Schedule for the purpose of (a) determining the accuracy of any of the
representations and warranties made by the Seller in this Agreement, or (b)
determining whether any of the conditions set forth in Section 9.2 have been
satisfied. Delivery of notification pursuant to this Section 6.4
shall not limit or otherwise affect the remedies available hereunder to any
party receiving such notice. Notwithstanding anything in this Section
6.4 to the contrary, any supplement to Section 4.13(b) of the Seller Disclosure
Schedule with respect to the identity of Business Employees shall be deemed to
amend Section 4.13(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule for the purpose of
determining the accuracy of the representation and warranty contained in Section
4.13(b) of this Agreement.
6.5 Reorganization. On
or prior to the Closing Date, the Seller shall consummate the Reorganization,
pursuant to agreements and other material documents in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Purchaser (collectively, the “Reorganization
Documents”). The Seller shall provide the Purchaser with
reasonable time to review and comment on all Reorganization
Documents. The Seller shall be responsible for all out-of-pocket
costs and
34
expenses
arising out of or related to the Reorganization, including any fees or costs
related to the recordation, if any, of the Reorganization Documents in the
public records.
6.6 Non-Compete.
(a) The
Seller agrees that, commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the third
anniversary thereof, it shall not, and Xxxxxxx plc and its other Subsidiaries
shall not engage, directly or indirectly, in the sale, resale, lease, loan and
engineering and manufacturing for sale, resale, lease and loan of
(i) scanners and related software substantially similar to those included
in the Business anywhere in the world and (ii) all other products and services
substantially similar to those included in the Business anywhere in North
America (each of the activities in the immediately preceding clauses (i) and
(ii), a “Restricted
Business”).
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, this Section 6.6 shall not restrict the Seller or Xxxxxxx plc and
its other Subsidiaries from:
(i) engaging
in the following businesses to the extent conducted by them on the date hereof
in their Xxxxxxx plc, Xxxxxxx Education, Financial Times Group, Penguin Group,
Educational and Clinical Assessment group, Educational Measurement
group, School Systems group, Evaluation Systems group, Xxxxxxx VUE, Xxxxxxx
Knowledge Technologies, eCollege, Interactive Data Corporation and The Economist
Group businesses:
(A) Printing
for the educational and clinical marketplace (consisting of books, forms,
documents, and any other printed matter of any form, scannable or not
scannable); provided that the
Seller and Xxxxxxx plc and its other Subsidiaries (x) shall not print or sell
machine readable forms which are non-customized, stock forms printed in bulk
included in the forms catalog of the Company at any time during the twelve
months prior to Closing, and (y) shall only sell other machine readable forms if
they are components of a bundled product or service that includes the sale of at
least one of the Seller’s, Pearson plc’s or its other Subsidiaries’ products or
services described in Sections 6.6(b)(i)(B) through (F), or the replacement or
replenishment of any such forms; and provided, further, that to the extent that
revenues from sales of such machine readable forms are not included in the
financial position and results reflected in the Financial Statements, (I) the
restrictions in the immediately preceding clause (x) shall not apply in the
event that such printing or sale is effected (i) in response to a purchase
order issued pursuant to a master services agreement, existing on the date
hereof, with the Seller or an Affiliate thereof, or (ii) pursuant to an
agreement, existing on the date hereof, with the Seller or an Affiliate thereof
for the provision of testing or assessment services and (II) the restrictions in
the immediately preceding clause (y) shall not apply in the event that such
printing or sale is effected (i) in response to a purchase order issued
pursuant to a master services agreement with the Seller or an Affiliate thereof,
or (ii) pursuant to an agreement with the Seller or an Affiliate thereof
for the provision of testing or assessment services;
(B) Scanning
for the educational, clinical, medical, talent assessment and career counseling
marketplaces (consisting of optical xxxx, image, bar code, photocopying,
photography, video, and any other light-sensing and xxxx-sensing
technology);
35
(C) Data
processing for the educational, clinical, medical, talent assessment and career
counseling marketplaces (consisting of storing, analyzing, gathering, reporting,
manipulating, and transmitting);
(D) Scoring
services for the educational, clinical, medical, talent assessment and career
counseling marketplaces (consisting of scoring, reading, authoring, scanning,
analyzing, reporting, and distributing);
(E) Selling
assessment software, school system software, student response devices and
related goods and services; provided that the
Seller and Xxxxxxx plc and its other Subsidiaries shall only sell such
assessment and school system software and related goods and services if they are
components of a bundled product or service that includes the sale of at least
one of the Seller’s, Xxxxxxx plc’s or its other Subsidiaries’ products or
services described in Sections 6.6(b)(i)(A) through (F) (but not including this
clause (E)); and
(F) Delivering
assessment services in the commercial, education, clinical, medical, talent
assessment and career counseling marketplaces (authoring, distribution,
proctoring, training, certification, and any other activity that includes
measuring ability, aptitude, psychological well-being, or any other human
characteristic).
(ii) acquiring
any business or Person that is engaged, directly or indirectly, in the
Restricted Business, provided, however, that, at the
time of such acquisition, the Restricted Business of such business or Person
accounts for less than 10% of such business’s or Person’s consolidated annual
revenues;
(iii) owning
less than 10% of any class of stock of a Person engaged, directly or indirectly,
in the Restricted Business; or
(iv) taking
any actions necessary to replace a Non-Conforming Service (as defined in the
Supply and Services Agreement) pursuant to Section 6(b)(v) of the Supply
and Services Agreement.
(c) The
provisions of the covenant contained in Section 6.6(a) shall be deemed to be a
separate covenant in each of the states, cities, counties, or other political
subdivisions of the United States and all other countries. The
parties acknowledge and agree that the time, scope, and other provisions of
Section 6.6(a) have been specifically negotiated by sophisticated, commercial
parties and specifically hereby agree that such time, scope and other provisions
are reasonable under the circumstances. The parties further agree that if, at
any time, despite the express agreement of the parties, a court of competent
jurisdiction holds that any portion of Section 6.6(a) is unenforceable because
any of the restrictions therein are unreasonable, or for any other reason, such
decision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any of the other
provisions of this Agreement, and the maximum restrictions of time or scope
reasonable under the circumstances, as determined by such court, will be
substituted for any such restrictions which are held
unenforceable. In the event of a breach by any party of any of the
provisions of Section 6.6(a), the parties acknowledge that such breach may cause
irreparable damage to the Purchaser, the exact amount of which may be difficult
to ascertain, and the remedies at law for any such breach may be
inadequate. Accordingly, the Purchaser may be
36
entitled,
in addition to any other rights or remedies existing in its favor, to seek
specific performance and injunctive relief in order to enforce or prevent breach
of any such provisions.
6.7 Non-Solicit. The
Seller agrees that it shall not, for a period of one year immediately following
the Closing Date, directly or indirectly through a Subsidiary or Affiliate,
alone or with another Person, solicit, entice, discuss or induce for itself or
any other Person, the services or employment of any Person who was an employee
of the Business on the Closing Date; provided, however, that
advertisements by way of newspapers, magazines, trade publications, internet or
other general media or executive search not specifically directed at any such
Person shall not constitute the basis for a violation of this
provision.
6.8 Confidentiality. From
and after the Closing Date, the Seller and its Affiliates and their respective
representatives shall hold in confidence all information and documents relating
to the Business, the Purchaser and its Affiliates (including the Company),
except (i) as required by Law or administrative process, (ii) information that
is available to the public on the Closing Date or thereafter becomes available
to the public other than as a result of a breach of this Section 6.8, (iii)
information that is generally available to or known by any Person operating in
the same industry as the Business, or (iv) information that is or becomes
available to the Seller or its Affiliates or their respective representatives on
a non-confidential basis from a third party source that is not prohibited from
disclosing such information to such Person.
ARTICLE
VII
COVENANTS
OF THE PURCHASER
7.1 Confidentiality. The
Purchaser acknowledges that the information being provided to it in connection
with the consummation of the Acquisition is subject to the terms of a
confidentiality agreement dated as of July 20, 2007 between the Purchaser and
the Seller Parent (the “Confidentiality
Agreement”), the terms of which are incorporated herein by
reference. Effective upon the Closing, the Confidentiality Agreement
shall terminate with respect to information relating solely to the
Business. The Purchaser acknowledges that all other information
provided to it by the Seller or any Affiliate thereof or their respective
representatives concerning the Seller or any of their Affiliates (other than the
Company) shall remain subject to the terms and conditions of the Confidentiality
Agreement after the Closing Date.
7.2 Support
Services. Except
as set forth in the Transition Services Agreement or as expressly set forth in
this Agreement (including Section 8.2), the Purchaser agrees that as of the
Closing Date, the Seller and its respective Affiliates shall have no obligation
to provide any support or other services to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries (including any of the services for which allocations were
previously paid by the Business).
7.3 Financing. To
the extent the Purchaser will utilize Financing in whole or in part to fund the
Acquisition, the Purchaser shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to
arrange and consummate such Financing, including, without limitation, using its
commercially reasonable efforts to (i) satisfy the terms, conditions,
representations and warranties set forth in the committed borrowing facilities,
(ii) enter into definitive agreements with respect thereto on
37
the
terms and conditions contemplated by the aforesaid documents and (iii) enforce
its rights thereunder. The Purchaser shall keep the Seller reasonably
apprised as to the status of the Financing (or any replacement thereof) and
shall promptly notify the Seller if it becomes aware of any fact or circumstance
that would make such Financing unavailable.
7.4 Credit Support
Arrangements. The
Purchaser shall (a) use commercially reasonable efforts to replace each
Credit Support Arrangement or (b) shall assume all obligations of
reimbursement under each Credit Support Arrangement. The Purchaser
shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain from the applicable creditor
a full release of all parties liable, directly or indirectly, for reimbursement
to the creditor in connection with amounts drawn under a Credit Support
Arrangement under the existing terms of a Credit Support
Arrangement. The Purchaser further agrees that to the extent the
beneficiary under any Credit Support Arrangement refuses to accept any such
substitute Credit Support Arrangement, the Purchaser shall indemnify, defend and
hold harmless the Seller or its Affiliates, as the case may be, against and
reimburse Seller or its Affiliates, as the case may be, for any and all costs or
expenses in connection with such Credit Support Arrangement, including the
expenses in maintaining such Credit Support Arrangement whether or not any such
Credit Support Arrangement is drawn upon, and shall in any event promptly
reimburse the Seller or its Affiliates, as the case may be, to the extent any
Credit Support Arrangement is called upon and the Seller or its Affiliates, as
the case may be, makes any payment thereunder or is obligated to reimburse the
party issuing the Credit Support Arrangement.
ARTICLE
VIII
COVENANTS
OF THE PURCHASER AND THE SELLER
8.1 Commercially Reasonable
Efforts; Antitrust Clearance.
(a) Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions hereof and subject to Sections 8.1(b),
(c) and (d), each of the Purchaser and the Seller shall use its commercially
reasonable efforts to (i) take or cause to be taken all actions, and to do or
cause to be done all other things, necessary, proper or advisable to consummate
the Acquisition as promptly as practicable and (ii) subject to Section 8.2,
obtain in a timely manner all necessary waivers, consents and approvals and
effect all necessary registrations and filings.
(b) The
Seller and the Purchaser shall, as promptly as practicable and before the
expiration of any relevant legal deadline, file with any Governmental Entity,
other than the United States Federal Trade Commission and the
United States Department of Justice, any filings, reports, information and
documentation required for the transactions contemplated hereby pursuant to any
Antitrust Laws. Each of the Seller and the Purchaser shall furnish to
each other’s counsel such necessary information and reasonable assistance as the
other may request in connection with its preparation of any filing or submission
that is necessary under and any Antitrust Laws and shall cooperate with
one another (i) in promptly determining which filings are required to
be or should be made or consents, approvals, or waivers are required to be or
should be obtained under any other federal, state or foreign Law or whether any
consents, approvals or waivers should be requested from other parties to
Contracts material to the Business
38
in
connection with the consummation of the Acquisition and the other transactions
contemplated hereby and (ii) in promptly making any such filings,
furnishing information required in connection therewith and seeking to
obtain timely any such consents, approvals or waivers.
(c) The
Seller and the Purchaser shall use their respective commercially reasonable
efforts to promptly obtain any clearance required under the HSR Act and any
other Antitrust Laws for the consummation of the Acquisition and the other
transactions contemplated hereby and shall keep each other apprised of the
status of any communications with, and any inquiries or requests for additional
information from, any Governmental Entity and shall comply promptly with any
such inquiry or request. In addition, the Purchaser and its
Subsidiaries shall contest, administratively or in court, any ruling, order or
other action of any Governmental Entity or any other Person under any Antitrust
Law or other applicable Law respecting the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(d) The
parties hereto shall instruct their respective counsel to cooperate with each
other and use their respective commercially reasonable efforts to facilitate and
expedite the identification and resolution of any issues arising under the HSR
Act and any other Antitrust Laws at the earliest practicable
dates. Such commercially reasonable efforts and cooperation include,
but are not limited to such counsel’s undertaking to (i) promptly inform the
other parties hereto of any oral communication with, and provide copies of
written communications with, any Governmental Entity regarding any such filings
or applications or any such transaction, and (ii) confer with each other
regarding appropriate contacts with and response to personnel of such
Governmental Entity. No party hereto shall independently participate
in any meeting or discussion with any Governmental Entity in respect of any such
filings, applications, investigation or other inquiry without giving the other
party hereto prior notice of the meeting and, to the extent permitted by the
relevant Governmental Entity, the opportunity to attend and participate (which,
at the request of any of the parties, shall be limited to outside antitrust
counsel only). Each of the Seller and the Purchaser shall promptly
notify the other party if such party becomes aware that any third party has any
objection to the Acquisition on antitrust or anti-competitive
grounds.
8.2 Consents. The
Purchaser acknowledges that certain consents and waivers with respect to the
Acquisition and the Reorganization may be required from parties to Contracts to
which the Seller or its Affiliates is a party and that such consents and waivers
have not been obtained as of the date hereof. Prior to the Closing,
the Seller shall, and shall cause its Affiliates to use commercially reasonable
efforts to obtain such consents and waivers; provided, however, that with
respect to consents and waivers which are required solely in connection with the
Acquisition (as contrasted with the Reorganization) such efforts shall not
include any requirement of the Seller or any of its Affiliates (including the
Company) to expend money, commence, defend or participate in any litigation or
offer or grant any accommodation (financial or otherwise) to any third
party. If any such consent or waiver is not obtained, then the Seller
shall cooperate with the Purchaser in a commercially reasonable manner to
provide to the Purchaser the benefits under such Contracts; provided, that such
cooperation by the Seller (i) with respect to consents and waivers which
are required solely in connection with the Acquisition (as contrasted with the
Reorganization), shall be at the Purchaser’s cost and expense and
(ii) shall not cause the Seller to violate any terms of such
Contract. Section 8.2 of the Seller
39
Disclosure
Schedule sets forth the consents or waivers which are required solely in
connection with the Acquisition (as contrasted with the
Reorganization).
8.3 Public
Announcements. Neither
the Purchaser nor the Seller nor any of their respective Affiliates shall,
without the approval of the other party, issue any press releases or otherwise
make any public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby,
except as may be required by applicable Law or by obligations pursuant to any
listing agreement with any national securities exchange or stock market, in
which case the party required to make the release or announcement shall allow
the other party reasonable time to comment on such release or announcement in
advance of such issuance; provided, however, that each
party may make internal announcements to its employees that are consistent with
the parties’ prior public disclosures regarding the Acquisition and the other
transactions contemplated hereby.
8.4 Tax
Matters.
(a) The
Purchaser and the Seller shall each pay one-half of all Transfer Taxes arising
out of or in connection with the transactions effected pursuant to this
Agreement, provided, however, that the
Seller shall pay or cause to be paid, shall be solely responsible for, and shall
indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser from and against, any such Transfer
Taxes, in addition to any other Taxes, that are attributable to the
Reorganization. The Purchaser shall file all necessary documentation
and Tax Returns with respect to such Transfer Taxes, except for the filing of
such documentation and such Tax Returns with respect to Transfer Taxes and any
other Taxes attributable to the Reorganization, which shall be the Seller’s sole
responsibility. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement
to the contrary, the Purchaser and the Seller shall jointly control any Tax
Claim with respect to Transfer Taxes for which they are equally liable under
this Section 8.4(a).
(b) The
Seller shall be responsible for the preparation and filing of all Tax Returns
required by Law to be filed by the Company, or which include the Company or the
Business or the Assets, for a Pre-Closing Period. The Seller shall
pay or caused to be paid, shall be responsible for, and shall indemnify and hold
harmless the Purchaser from and against, all Tax liabilities shown by such Tax
Returns to be due (other than to the extent of the amount of any such
liabilities included in the determination of Final Net Working Capital pursuant
to Section 2.5). The Seller shall have the sole right to file amended
Tax Returns with respect to the Company relating to Pre-Closing
Periods. The Seller shall retain any refunds received for Taxes paid
for Pre-Closing Periods with respect to the Company or the Business or the
Assets, along with any interest related thereto, and any such refunds received
by the Purchaser or the Company after the Closing shall be paid promptly to the
Seller, along with any interest related thereto.
(c) The
Purchaser shall retain any refunds received for Taxes paid for Post-Closing
Periods with respect to the Company or the Business or the Assets, along with
any interest related thereto, and any such refunds received by the Seller after
the Closing shall be paid promptly to the Purchaser, along with any interest
related thereto.
(d) With
respect to any Tax that is payable with respect to any Straddle Period, the
amount of such Tax allocable to the period until the Closing Date will be deemed
equal to the Tax that would be payable if the tax period ended with the Closing
Date; provided,
however, that,
40
in
the case of a Tax imposed on a periodic basis, the amount of such Tax allocable
to the period until the Closing Date will be determined by multiplying the Tax
by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of calendar days in the
portion of the period ending on the Closing Date, and the denominator of which
is the number of calendar days in the entire taxable period.
(e) Each
party hereto shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and Affiliates to, provide
to each of the other parties hereto such cooperation and information as any of
them reasonably may request in filing any Tax Return, amended Tax Return or
claim for refund, determining a liability for Taxes or a right to a refund of
Taxes or in conducting any audit or other proceeding in respect of
Taxes. Such cooperation and information shall include providing
copies of all relevant portions of relevant Tax Returns, together with relevant
accompanying schedules and relevant work papers, relevant documents relating to
rulings or other determinations by taxing authorities and relevant records
concerning the ownership and Tax basis of property, which any such party may
possess. Each party shall make its employees reasonably available on
a mutually convenient basis at its cost to provide explanation of any documents
or information so provided.
(f) The
Purchaser will be responsible for any Pre-Closing Period Taxes of the Company
attributable to any action taken by the Purchaser, its Affiliates or the Company
from and after the Closing and outside the ordinary course of business, unless
such action is required by Law.
8.5 Procedures Relating
to Tax
Claims.
(a) If
any Taxing Authority or other Person makes a Tax Claim, then the party hereto
first receiving notice of such Tax Claim promptly shall provide written notice
of such Tax Claim to the other party hereto. Such notice shall
specify in reasonable detail the basis for such Tax Claim and shall include a
copy of any relevant correspondence received from the Taxing Authority or other
Person.
(b) The
Seller shall have the right to defend, object to or prosecute, at its sole cost
and expense, those Tax Claims relating to Pre-Closing Periods of the Company or
the Business or the Assets. In order to defend, object to or
prosecute any such Tax Claim, the Seller shall notify the Purchaser that it
elects to defend, object to or prosecute such Tax Claim (such notice, an “Election Notice”)
within 30 days after (i) the date on which the Seller receives notice of any
such Tax Claim from the Purchaser (with respect to Tax Claims as to which the
Purchaser first received notice from a Taxing Authority or any other Person), or
(ii) the date on which the Seller delivered to the Purchaser notice of any such
Tax Claim (with respect to Tax Claims as to which the Seller first received
notice from a Taxing Authority or any other Person). The Seller may
in its discretion settle or compromise any Tax Claim as to which the Seller has
provided an Election Notice to the Purchaser; provided, however, that if the
results of such Tax Claim could reasonably be expected to have a material Tax
cost to the Purchaser, the Company or their Subsidiaries for any Tax period
including or ending after the Closing Date, then the Seller shall not settle or
compromise such Tax Claim without the Purchaser’s prior written consent (not to
be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned). The Purchaser or its
authorized representatives shall be entitled, at the expense of the Purchaser,
to attend but not participate in or control, all proceedings relating to such
Tax Claim. Whether or not the Seller has assumed the defense of
a
41
Tax
Claim, the Seller will not be obligated to indemnify the Purchaser hereunder
with respect to any settlement entered into or any judgment consented to without
the Seller’s prior written consent, such consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld, delayed or conditioned.
(c) If,
with respect to any Tax Claim related to a Pre-Closing Period, the Seller fails
to deliver an Election Notice to the Purchaser within the period provided in
Section 8.5(b), then the Purchaser shall have the right to defend or prosecute
such Tax Claim, at its sole cost and expense or, if the Purchaser incurs a Loss
with respect to the matter in question for which the Purchaser is entitled to
indemnification pursuant to clause (a) or (b) of Section 8.4, at the expense of
the Seller. The Purchaser shall have full control of such defense or
prosecution and such proceedings, except that the Seller: (i) shall
have the right to participate in the defense or prosecution, and such
proceedings, at its sole cost and expense; (ii) may at any time thereafter
assume the defense of such Tax Claim, in which event the Seller shall bear the
reasonable fees, costs and expenses of the Purchaser’s counsel incurred prior to
the assumption by the Seller of the defense of such Tax Claim; and (iii) shall
not be obligated to indemnify the Purchaser hereunder for any settlement entered
into or any judgment consented to without the Seller’s prior written consent,
such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or
conditioned.
8.6 Purchase Price
Allocations.
(a) The
parties shall treat for U.S. federal income tax purposes the purchase and sale
of the Interests provided for in Article II as a purchase and sale of all of the
assets of the Company and an assumption of all of the liabilities of the
Company. The Purchase Price shall be allocated, in accordance with
the rules under Section 1060 of the Code, and the Treasury regulations
thereunder, among the assets of the Company for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, and the parties agree not to file any Tax Return or otherwise take any
position for tax purposes that is inconsistent with such
allocation.
(b) The
Purchaser shall present a draft of the allocation (the “Proposed Allocation”)
to the Seller for review within 270 days after the Closing Date, but in no event
later than January 1, 2009. Except as provided in
Sections 8.6(c) and (d), within 30 days following the delivery of the
Proposed Allocation, the Proposed Allocation shall become final and
binding.
(c) The
Seller shall raise any objection to the Proposed Allocation in writing within 30
days of the delivery of the Proposed Allocation. The Purchaser and
the Seller shall negotiate in good faith to resolve any differences for 30 days
after delivery of any objection by the Seller. If the Purchaser and
the Seller reach written agreement amending the Proposed Allocation, the
Proposed Allocation, as amended by such written agreement, shall become final
and binding.
(d) If
the Purchaser and the Seller cannot mutually agree on the allocation within the
30-day time limit set forth in Section 8.6(c), the Purchaser and the Seller
shall submit all remaining disputes to the Independent Accounting Firm for
resolution. The Purchaser and the Seller shall use reasonable efforts
to cause the Independent Accounting Firm to resolve such disputes within 20 days
of its appointment, and the Independent Accounting Firm’s determination with
respect to any such disputed item shall be final and binding. The
fees and
42
expenses
of the Independent Accounting Firm shall be shared equally between the Purchaser
and the Seller.
8.7 Employment
Matters.
(a) On
or prior to the Closing Date, the Seller shall transfer the employment of all of
the Business Employees to the Company, and shall cause the Company to employ the
Business Employees, under terms and conditions of employment that are the same
in all material respects as those in effect immediately before such transfer of
employment. No provision of this Agreement will create any third
party beneficiary rights to any person, including, without limitation, any
Business Employee, any representative of a Business Employee, or any dependent
of such a Business Employee, including, without limitation, with respect to
continued employment or resumed employment, employee benefits or any other
matter.
(b) With
respect to the Business Employees, the Purchaser agrees: (i) for the
18-month period following the Closing Date, to provide cash compensation levels
and employee benefits, without regard to equity compensation, which are
substantially comparable, in the aggregate, to those made available to such
Business Employee immediately prior to the Closing; (ii) to waive or use
commercially reasonable efforts to cause the applicable insurers to waive any
limitations regarding pre-existing conditions, exclusions and waiting periods
under any plan that provides for medical benefits maintained by the Purchaser or
any of their Affiliates for the benefit of such Business Employee; (iii) for all
purposes (excluding benefit accruals under defined benefit pension
plans) under all benefit plans of the Purchaser or its Affiliates,
including, but not limited to, any plan that provides for vacation,
paid-time-off or severance benefits, in which such Business Employee is eligible
to participate, to treat all service by the Business Employee provided to the
Business before the Closing Date as service provided to the Company, the
Purchaser and their Affiliates, provided that the
foregoing shall not result in the duplication of benefits; and (iv) to recognize
any unused sick, vacation or personal leave days that such Business Employee has
accrued as of the Closing Date for purposes of the vacation plan or policies of
the Purchaser or its Affiliates.
(c) Without
limiting the scope of Section 8.7(b), should the employment of any Business
Employee be terminated by the Purchaser or its Affiliates during the 18-month
period following the Closing, the Purchaser shall provide such Business Employee
severance payments and benefits in an amount no less than that to which the
Business Employee would have been entitled pursuant to the terms of the
Severance Pay Plan set forth in Section 8.7(c) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule
applicable to such employee immediately prior to the Closing (taking into
account both pre-Closing and post-Closing service performed by such Business
Employee, and without regard to the ability of the plan administrator thereunder
to reduce the severance levels).
(d) The
Purchaser acknowledges that the Seller has entered into retention/severance
agreements and arrangements (the “Retention/Severance
Agreements”) with certain Business Employees, as listed on Section 8.7(d)
of the Seller Disclosure Schedule. For the purposes of clarity, the
Seller shall not assign to the Company as part of the Reorganization, and shall
otherwise remain solely responsible for and pay to such Business Employees as
and when due any obligations or liabilities relating to, such agreements and
arrangements; provided
43
that
the Purchaser shall be responsible for severance payments and benefits which
would otherwise be payable to such Business Employees pursuant to Section 8.7(c)
of this Agreement in the absence of the Retention/Severance
Agreements.
(e) Upon
or as soon as practicable after the Closing, the Purchaser shall cause to be
maintained for the benefit of the Business Employees a defined contribution plan
intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code which includes a
qualified cash or deferred arrangement within the meaning of Section 401(k) of
the Code (the “Purchaser’s 401(k) Plan”). As
soon as practicable thereafter, and if requested by a Business Employee, the
Seller or one of its Affiliates shall take all actions necessary to initiate a
transfer of eligible rollover distributions as defined in section 401(a)(31) of
the Code, from the tax-qualified 401(k) plan maintained by the Seller or its
Affiliates in which the Business Employees participate, to the Purchaser’s
401(k) Plan, and the Purchaser shall cause its 401(k) Plan to accept such
rollover. Individual account balances shall be valued as of the
date of transfer, and the transfer shall be in cash or in kind, as determined by
the Seller, except that outstanding loan balances shall be transferred in the
form of notes or other documentation evidencing such
loans. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Seller and Purchaser may
mutually agree following the date hereof, but prior to the Closing, to provide
for a trust-to-trust transfer of the account balances of Business Employees
under the 401(k) Plan maintained by the Seller to the Purchaser’s 401(k)
Plan.
(f) The
Seller shall remain solely responsible for, and neither the Purchaser nor the
Company shall be responsible for any health, disability or workers’ compensation
claims in respect of the Business Employees (or their beneficiaries and
dependents) based on or arising out of facts, circumstances, actions or events
occurring on or before the Closing Date, but only to the extent not properly
accrued or reserved for in the calculation of the Final Net Working Capital,
with all such claims so properly reserved or accrued to be assumed by the
Company from and after the Closing. Workers' compensation claims
based on or arising out of facts, circumstances, actions or events occurring on
or before the Closing Date which by statute are covered under the Insurance
Policies shall be administered by the Seller under the terms and conditions of
those policies and adjusted by the appropriate third party administrator
appointed by the Seller to manage such claims. Nothing in the
immediately preceding sentence shall relieve the Purchaser of responsibility for
the cost of claims that it has otherwise assumed pursuant to this Section
8.7(f).
(g) The
Purchaser shall cause the Company to be responsible for the provision of “COBRA”
coverage under part 6 of Title I of ERISA with respect to the Business Employees
for “qualifying events” occurring after the Closing.
(h) The
Purchaser shall cause the Company to assume and maintain the Seller’s bonus plan
in respect of the Business Employees as described in Section 8.7(h) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule and pay bonuses thereunder (the “Business Employee
Bonuses”) in respect of the full calendar year in which the Closing
occurs in the amounts and manner that such bonuses would have been payable had
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement not occurred.
44
(i) Except
as otherwise provided in this Section 8.7, neither the Purchaser nor any of its
Affiliates shall adopt, become a sponsoring employer of, or have any liabilities
or obligations with respect to the Seller Benefit Plans.
8.8 Worker
Notification.
(a) On
or before the Closing Date, the Seller shall provide a list of the names and
sites of employment of any and all Business Employees who have experienced, or
will experience, within 90 days prior to the Closing Date, an employment loss or
layoff, as defined by the WARN Act or any similar applicable state or local Law
requiring notice to employees in the event of a closing or
layoff. The Seller shall update this list up to and including the
Closing Date.
(b) None
of the Seller, the Company or their Affiliates shall, at any time 90 days before
the Closing Date, without complying fully with the notice requirements and other
requirements of the WARN Act, effectuate (i) a plant closing as defined in the
WARN Act affecting any site of employment or one or more facilities or operating
units within any site of employment of the Business; (ii) a mass layoff as
defined in the WARN Act affecting any site of employment of the Business; or
(iii) any similar action under the WARN Act requiring notice to any Business
Employee in the event of an employment loss or layoff.
8.9 Further
Action.
(a) From
and after the Closing Date each of the Purchaser and the Seller shall, and shall
cause their respective Affiliates to, execute and deliver such documents and
other papers and take such further actions as may be reasonably required to
carry out the provisions of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and give
effect to the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. After the
Closing, all cash and other remittances, mail and other communications relating
to the Assets or the Business received by the Seller or its Affiliates shall be
promptly turned over to the Purchaser by the Seller. After the
Closing, all cash and other remittances, mail and other communications relating
to any business of the Seller not included within the Business being purchased
by the Purchaser hereunder that are received by the Purchaser shall be promptly
turned over to the Seller by the Purchaser.
(b) For
a period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the sixth anniversary of
the date hereof, the Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
maintain all books and records of the Business relating to periods ending on or
prior to the Closing Date and shall make them, and any individuals responsible
for the preparation and maintenance of such books and records, available to the
Seller as reasonably requested. If at any time after the Closing, the
Seller requires a copy of any such book or record, it shall have the right to
promptly obtain a copy thereof (at the Seller’s cost) from the
Purchaser.
8.10 No Use of
Names. Except
as specifically permitted by the Trademark License Agreement, the Purchaser
shall cause the Company promptly, and in any event within 90 days after the
Closing Date, to (a) revise newly produced print advertising and product
labeling to delete all references to the Names, (b) change signage and
stationery to delete all reference to the Names, and (c) otherwise discontinue
use of the Names; provided, however, that for a
period of 120 days after the Closing Date, the Company may continue to
distribute product literature and
45
other
Business materials that use the Names and distribute products with labeling that
use the Names to the extent that such product literature and other business
materials and products exists or are in process on the Closing
Date. Within 30 days following Closing the Purchaser shall take
reasonable steps to xxxx, or to cause the Company to xxxx, such product
literature and such labeling to obliterate the Names. Except as
specifically permitted by the Trademark License Agreement, in no event shall the
Company use any Names after the Closing in any manner or for any purpose
materially different from the use of either or both of such Names by the
Business, as the case may be, during the 90-day period preceding the Closing
Date. As promptly as practicable after the Closing Date, the
Purchaser shall cause the Company to file applications to amend or terminate any
certificate of assumed name, d/b/a, or equivalent foreign filings. As
promptly as practicable, but in no event later than 15 days after the Closing
Date, the Purchaser shall cause the name of the Company (in each case, to the
extent it makes use of the Names) to be changed to a name that does not include
the Names and is not confusingly similar to the Names. Nothing in
this Section 8.10 shall (i) preclude any uses of the Names by the Company that
are required by Law or any uses of the Names that are in reference to the
Acquisition or that qualify as “fair use,” under applicable Law regarding
Intellectual Property or any internal or non-public operational uses including
references to the Names in parts or labels not visible absent product or
equipment dismantling or historical, tax and similar records, or (ii) require
the Purchaser to modify the Names of products or services produced and provided
or committed to customers of the Company prior to Closing.
8.11 Intellectual Property
Matters. Prior
to or, to the extent that such action prior to the Closing Date is not
practical, promptly following the Closing Date, the Seller shall, at its sole
cost and expense, cause the Company to effect the necessary change of ownership
and recordals with all patent, trademark, and copyright offices and domain name
registrars and other similar authorities where Business Owned Intellectual
Property that is included in the Assets is still recorded in the name of the
Seller or of legal predecessors of the Company or any Person other than the
Company. Promptly, but in no event more than five Business Days,
following the Closing date, the Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser a
statement of the Business Owned Intellectual Property which has not yet been
recorded in the name of the Company.
8.12 Insurance
Matters
(a) The
Purchaser acknowledges that coverage under all of the Insurance Policies will
terminate with respect to the Business and the Company effective as of the close
of business on the Closing Date and that such termination shall not constitute a
breach of Section 4.16 or 6.1.
(b) To
the extent that the Seller shall be entitled under the terms and conditions of
any “occurrence” based third-party Insurance Policy in effect on the Closing
Date to coverage for Losses suffered after the Closing arising out of any
occurrences covered by such policies occurring prior to the Closing, at the
request of the Purchaser, and following the approval by the Purchaser of the
Seller’s good faith estimate of the out of pocket costs of the Seller to be
incurred in prosecuting any claim in respect of any such occurrence (the “Approved Costs”), the Seller
shall use such commercially reasonable efforts to recover such losses pursuant
to such policies as it would use or take in conducting the Business in the
ordinary course if such losses were suffered by the Seller, and shall deliver
the net proceeds thereby recovered as
46
promptly
as practicable (after recovery by the Seller of any out of pocket costs incurred
in prosecuting any such claim up to the applicable Approved Costs for such
claim) to either the Purchaser or the Company, as specified by the Purchaser;
provided, however, that the
Seller may immediately cease the prosecution of any claim upon incurring costs
in prosecuting such claim equal to or greater than 90% of the Approved Costs for
such claim if the Purchaser has not approved additional amounts of costs for
such claim within five Business Days upon receipt of such a request from the
Seller, unless and until the Purchaser approves an additional amount of such
costs, which additional amount shall increase the Approved Costs for such
claim. In the event of any dispute regarding the date of any loss or
occurrence, the terms of the applicable policy shall
govern. Following the Closing, the Purchaser shall provide, and
shall cause the Company to provide, Seller with all records and other
information necessary for the reporting, investigation, negotiation and, if
applicable, prosecution of any claim made by the Seller pursuant to this Section
8.12(b).
ARTICLE
IX
CONDITIONS
TO CLOSING
9.1 Conditions to Obligations of
the Purchaser and the Seller. The
obligations of the Purchaser and the Seller to consummate the Acquisition are
subject to the satisfaction on or prior to the Closing Date of the following
conditions:
(a) HSR Act; Antitrust
Laws. The waiting period (and any extension thereof)
applicable to the consummation of the Acquisition under the HSR Act and the
applicable waiting periods under the other Antitrust Laws listed on Section
9.1(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule shall have expired or been
terminated.
(b) Governmental
Authorizations. All Authorizations and Orders of, declarations
and filings with, and consents of or notices to any Governmental Entity listed
on Section 9.1(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule and required to permit the
consummation of the Acquisition shall have been obtained or made.
(c) No
Order. No temporary restraining order, preliminary or
permanent injunction or other Order preventing the consummation of the
Acquisition or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby shall be in
effect, and no Law shall have been enacted or shall be deemed applicable to the
Acquisition or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby which makes the
consummation of the Acquisition or any such transaction illegal.
9.2 Conditions to Obligation of
the Purchaser. The
obligation of the Purchaser to consummate the Acquisition is subject to the
satisfaction (or waiver in writing by the Purchaser in its sole discretion) of
the following further conditions:
(a) Representations and
Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties of the
Seller set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct at and as of the
date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though such warranties were made at
and as of the Closing Date in each case, without regard to any qualification as
to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, except (i) to the extent that such
representations and warranties expressly relate to a
47
specific
date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and
correct as of such date and (ii) for any failures to be true and correct that,
individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) Covenants and
Agreements. The Seller shall have performed or complied in all
material respects with all covenants and agreements required by this Agreement
to be performed or complied with at or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) Officer’s
Certificate. The Purchaser shall have received a certificate,
dated as of the Closing Date, duly executed by an officer of the Seller and
certifying as to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Sections 9.2(a)
and (b).
(d) Reorganization. The
Seller shall have consummated the Reorganization in accordance with the terms of
Section 6.5.
(e) Transition Services
Agreement. The Seller and the Company shall have executed and
delivered the Transition Services Agreement.
(f) Supply and Services
Agreement. The Seller and the Company shall have executed and
delivered the Supply and Services Agreement.
(g) Paper Purchase
Agreement. The Paper Purchase Agreements with the each of the
Company and Seller Parent shall have been executed and delivered by the parties
thereto.
(h) Material Adverse
Effect. Since December 31, 2006, there shall not have been a
Material Adverse Effect.
(i) Consents. The
Seller shall have obtained the consents set forth in Section 9.2(i) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule.
(j) GAAP Audited
Financials. The Purchaser shall have received the GAAP Audited
Financials for the twelve months ended December 31, 2006 and
2005.
9.3 Conditions to Obligation of
the Seller. The
obligation of the Seller to consummate the Acquisition is subject to the
satisfaction (or waiver in writing by the Seller in its sole discretion) of the
following further conditions:
(a) Representations and
Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties of the
Purchaser set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct at and as of the
date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though such warranties were made at
and as of the Closing Date in each case, without regard to any qualification as
to materiality or Purchaser Material Adverse Effect, except (i) to the extent
that such representations and warranties expressly relate to a specific date, in
which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct
as of such date and (ii) for any failures to be true and correct that,
individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Purchaser Material
Adverse Effect.
48
(b) Covenants and
Agreements. The Purchaser shall have performed or complied in
all material respects with all covenants and agreements required by this
Agreement to be performed or complied with at or prior to the Closing
Date.
(c) Officer’s
Certificate. Seller shall have received a certificate, dated
as of the Closing Date, duly executed by an officer of the Purchaser and
certifying as to the satisfaction of the condition set forth in Sections 9.3(a)
and (b).
ARTICLE
X
TERMINATION
10.1 Termination.
(a) This
Agreement may be terminated and the Acquisition abandoned at any time prior to
the Closing:
(i) by
mutual written consent of the Purchaser and the Seller;
(ii) by
the Purchaser or the Seller, if the Closing does not occur on or before the
first anniversary of the date hereof (the “Outside Date”); provided, however, that the
right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.1(a)(ii)
shall not be available to any party whose breach of a representation, warranty,
covenant or agreement under this Agreement has been the cause of or resulted in
the failure of the Closing to occur on or before the Outside Date; for avoidance
of doubt, the Outside Date shall be extended until the issuance of any final and
non-appealable Order enjoining the consummation of the Acquisition;
(iii) by
the Purchaser if a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement
on the part of the Seller set forth in this Agreement shall have occurred which
would cause any of the conditions set forth in Section 9.2(a), (b) or (c) not to
be satisfied, and such breach is incapable of being cured by the Outside
Date;
(iv) by
the Seller if a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on
the part of the Purchaser set forth in this Agreement shall have occurred which
would cause any of the conditions set forth in Section 9.3(a), (b) or (c) not to
be satisfied, and such breach is incapable of being cured by the Outside Date;
or
(v) by
either the Purchaser or the Seller if a Governmental Entity shall have issued an
Order or taken any other action, in any case having the effect of permanently
restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the Acquisition, which Order,
legal restraint or other action is final and non-appealable.
(b) The
party seeking to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.1(a)(ii),
(iii), (iv) or (v) shall give written notice of such termination to the other
party hereto.
49
10.2 Effect of
Termination. In the event of termination of this Agreement as
provided in Section 10.1, this Agreement shall immediately become null and void
and there shall be no liability or obligation on the part of the Purchaser or
the Seller or their respective officers, directors, stockholders or Affiliates
hereunder or in respect hereof, except as set forth in Section 10.3;
provided, however, that the
provisions of Sections 6.8, 7.1, 8.3, this Section 10.2, Section 10.3 and
Article XII shall remain in full force and effect and survive any termination of
this Agreement.
10.3 Remedies. Any
party terminating this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.1 shall have the
right to recover any Losses sustained by such party as a result of any willful
breach by the other party of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement
contained in this Agreement or fraud.
ARTICLE
XI
INDEMNIFICATION
11.1 Survival. The
representations and warranties of the parties hereto contained in this Agreement
and any certificate or other document provided hereunder or thereunder will
terminate at the Closing, except that the representations and warranties made in
Articles III, IV and V shall survive in full force and effect until the
first anniversary of the Closing Date, and provided that (i) the
representations and warranties contained in Sections 3.2 (Authority and
Enforceability), 3.4 (Interests), 4.17 (Brokers), 5.2 (Authority and
Enforceability) and 5.7 (Brokers) shall survive indefinitely, (ii) the
representations and warranties contained in Sections 4.5 (Tax), 4.6(c)
(Compliance with Law) and 4.13 (Employee Benefits) shall survive until the date
which is 30 days following the expiration of the applicable statute of
limitations and (iii) the representations and warranties set forth in Section
4.15 (Environmental) shall survive until the third anniversary of the Closing
Date (the representations listed in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of
this Section 11.1 being referred to as the “Specified
Representations”). Any representation or warranty that would
otherwise terminate in accordance with the preceding sentence will continue to
survive if a Claim Notice shall have been timely given under this Article XI on
or prior to such termination date until the related claim for indemnification
has been satisfied or otherwise resolved as provided in Article XI, but only
with respect to matters described in such Claim Notice. The covenants
and agreements which by their terms do not contemplate performance after the
Closing shall terminate as of, and not survive, the Closing, except that claims
for indemnification with respect to any breach thereof prior to the Closing
shall survive until the first anniversary of the Closing Date. The
covenants and agreements which by their terms contemplate performance after the
Closing and expire upon a date certain shall survive until such date certain,
except that claims for indemnification with respect of any breach thereof prior
to such date certain shall survive until the first anniversary of such date
certain. The covenants and agreements which do not expire upon a date
certain shall survive the Closing in accordance with their terms.
11.2 Indemnification by the
Seller. Subject
to the limitations set forth herein, following the Closing, the Seller shall
indemnify and defend the Purchaser and its Affiliates and any of their
respective former, current and future direct or indirect equity holders,
controlling
50
Persons,
stockholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, members, managers, general
or limited partners or assignees (collectively, the “Purchaser Parties”),
and shall hold the Purchaser Parties harmless from, any loss, liability, claim,
charge, action, suit, proceeding, assessed interest, penalty, damage, cost or
expense (including the reasonable fees and costs of attorneys accountants,
experts and other advisors), or Tax (collectively, “Losses”) resulting
from, arising out of, or incurred by the Purchaser in connection with (a) any
breach of any representation or warranty (with such representation or warranty
being read for this purpose without regard to any qualifications or limitations
relating to materiality, Material Adverse Effect or similar expressions),
covenant or agreement of the Seller contained in this Agreement and/or (b) the
Excluded Liabilities.
11.3 Indemnification by the
Purchaser. Subject
to the limitations set forth herein, following the Closing the Purchaser shall
indemnify and defend the Seller and its Affiliates and any of their respective
former, current and future direct or indirect equity holders, controlling
Persons, stockholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, members,
managers, general or limited partners or assignees (collectively, the “Seller Parties”), and
shall hold the Seller Parties harmless from, any Loss resulting from, arising
out of, or incurred by the Seller in connection with (a) any breach of any
representation or warranty (with such representation or warranty being read for
this purpose without regard to any qualifications or limitations relating to
materiality, Purchaser Material Adverse Effect or similar expressions), covenant
or agreement of the Purchaser contained in this Agreement and/or (b) the Assumed
Liabilities.
11.4 Indemnification Procedure
for Third Party Claims.
(a) In
the event that any claim or demand for which an Indemnitor may be liable to an
Indemnitee hereunder is asserted by a third party (a “Third Party Claim”),
the Indemnitee shall promptly notify the Indemnitor in writing of such Third
Party Claim (such notice, a “Claim Notice”), provided that the
failure to give such notice will not affect the indemnification obligations set
forth herein except to the extent (and only to the extent) that the Indemnitor
is materially prejudiced by such failure. The Claim Notice shall
state in reasonable detail the nature and basis of the Third Party Claim and the
amount thereof, to the extent known, as well as the basis for indemnification
sought. The Indemnitee shall enclose with the Claim Notice a copy of
all relevant papers served with respect to such Third Party Claim, if any, and
any other documents evidencing such Third Party Claim.
(b) The
Indemnitor shall have 45 days from the date on which the Indemnitor received the
Claim Notice to notify the Indemnitee that the Indemnitor desires to assume the
defense or prosecution of such Third Party Claim and any litigation resulting
therefrom with counsel of its choice and at its sole cost and
expense. If the Indemnitor assumes the defense of such claim in
accordance herewith: (i) the Indemnitee may retain separate
co-counsel at its sole cost and expense and participate in the defense of such
Third Party Claim (provided, however, that if, at
the advice of outside counsel to the Indemnitee, there exists a material
conflict of interest which would make it inappropriate for the same counsel to
represent both the Indemnitee and the Indemnitor, the Indemnitee shall be
entitled to retain separate counsel of its choosing at the expense of the
Indemnitor; provided that the
Indemnitor shall under no circumstances be obligated to pay or reimburse all
Indemnitees in respect of Third Party Claims or series of related Third Party
Claims for the fees or expenses of more than one separate counsel), but the
51
Indemnitor
shall control the investigation, defense and settlement thereof; (ii) the
Indemnitee shall not file any papers or consent to the entry of any judgment or
enter into any settlement with respect to such Third Party Claim without the
prior written consent of the Indemnitor; and (iii) the Indemnitor shall not
consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement with
respect to such Third Party Claim without the prior written consent of the
Indemnitee (A) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment includes an
unconditional written release by the claimant or plaintiff of the Indemnitee
from all liability in respect of such Third Party Claim, (B) if the settlement
imposes equitable remedies or material obligations on the Indemnitee other than
financial obligations for which such Indemnitee will be indemnified hereunder
(excluding amounts not indemnifiable pursuant to Section 11.6(a)), or (C) if the
result is to admit civil or criminal liability or culpability on the part of the
Indemnitee or that gives rise to criminal liability with respect to the
Indemnitee. The parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
minimize Losses from Third Party Claims, act in good faith in responding to,
defending against, settling or otherwise dealing with such claims, and cooperate
in any such defense and give each other reasonable access to and copies of
information, records and documents relevant thereto. If the
Indemnitor has assumed the defense of such Third Party Claim, the Indemnitor
will not be obligated to indemnify the Indemnitee hereunder with respect to any
settlement entered into or any judgment consented to without the Indemnitor’s
prior written consent.
(c) If
the Indemnitor does not assume the defense of such Third Party Claim within 45
days of receipt of the Claim Notice, the Indemnitee will be entitled to assume
such defense, at its sole cost and expense (or, if the Indemnitee incurs a Loss
with respect to the matter in question for which the Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification pursuant to Section 11.2 or 11.3, as applicable, at the expense
of the Indemnitor), upon delivery of notice to such effect to the Indemnitor;
provided, however,
that: the Indemnitor (i) shall have the right to participate in the
defense of the Third Party Claim at its sole cost and expense, but the
Indemnitee shall control the investigation, defense and settlement thereof and
(ii) may at any time thereafter assume defense of the Third Party Claim, in
which event the Indemnitor shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of
the Indemnitee’s counsel incurred prior to the assumption by the Indemnitor of
defense of the Third Party Claim. If the Indemnitee assumes the
defense of such Third Party Claim pursuant to this Section 11.4, it may defend
such claim in such manner as it may deem appropriate and may settle such claim
on such terms as it may deem appropriate; provided, however, that in
settling any action in respect of which indemnification is payable under this
Article XI, it shall act reasonably and in good faith.
11.5 Indemnification Procedures
for Non-Third Party Claims. The
Indemnitee will notify the Indemnitor in writing promptly of its discovery of
any matter for which the Indemnitor may be liable to the Indemnitee hereunder
that does not involve a Third Party Claim (provided that the
failure to give such notice will not affect the indemnification obligations set
forth herein except to the extent (and only to the extent) that the Indemnitor
is materially prejudiced by such failure), which Claim Notice shall state in
reasonable detail the nature and basis of the claim and the amount thereof, to
the extent known, as well as the basis for indemnification sought. In
the event that the Indemnitor does not notify the Indemnitee that it disputes
such claim within 60 days from receipt of such Claim Notice, the claim specified
therein shall be deemed a liability of the Indemnitor hereunder (subject to the
limitations set forth in this Article XI, as applicable). The
Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate and assist the Indemnitor in determining
the validity of any claim for indemnity by the Indemnitee and in otherwise
resolving such matters. Such
52
assistance
and cooperation shall include providing commercially reasonable access to and
copies of information, records and documents relating to such matters,
furnishing employees to assist in the investigation, defense and resolution of
such matters and providing legal and business assistance with respect to such
matters.
11.6 Limitations on
Indemnification.
(a) No
party hereto shall be required to indemnify, defend or hold harmless any Person
with respect to any breach of any representation or warranty pursuant to this
Article XI: (i) unless and until the aggregate Losses of (A) the
Purchaser, in the case of any such breaches by the Seller, or (B) the Seller, in
the case of any such breaches by the Purchaser, exceed one and one-half percent
(1.5%) of the Purchase Price, after which such party shall be liable only for
such Losses in excess of such amount; and (ii) for any individual items or
aggregated items arising out of the same facts, events or circumstances where
the Loss relating thereto is less than $25,000.00; provided that the
limitations set forth in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii) shall not apply to
any Loss resulting from, arising out of, or incurred in connection with the
breach of a Specified Representation other than Section 4.15
(Environmental).
(b) In
no event shall the cumulative indemnification obligations of the Seller, on the
one hand, or the Purchaser, on the other hand, under this Article XI in the
aggregate exceed twenty percent (20%) of the Purchase Price (the “Cap”); provided that the
limitations set forth in the immediately preceding clause shall not apply to any
Loss resulting from, arising out of, or incurred in connection with (A) the
breach of a Specified Representation (other than Section 4.13 (Employee
Benefits) or Section 4.15 (Environmental)), (B) the breach of a covenant or
agreement that contemplates performance after the Closing or (C) any Excluded
Liability.
(c) The
amount of Losses payable under this Article XI by the Indemnitor shall be
reduced by any amounts actually recovered by the Indemnitee under insurance
policies or from any other Person.
(d) No
party hereto shall be obligated to indemnify any other Person with respect to
(i) any covenant or condition waived in writing by the other party on or prior
to the Closing or (ii) any consequential or punitive damages, unless such
damages are recovered by a third party in a Third Party Claim, or (iii) any Loss
with respect to any matter specifically resolved as part of the Final Net
Working Capital adjustment process pursuant to Section 2.5. Each
party hereto agrees that, for so long as such party has any right of
indemnification under Article XI, it shall not, and shall use its commercially
reasonable efforts to ensure that their Affiliates do not, voluntarily or by
discretionary action, accelerate the timing, or increase the cost of any
obligation of any other party under this Article XI, except to the extent that
such action is taken (x) for a reasonable legitimate purpose and not primarily
with a purpose of discovering a condition that would constitute a breach of any
representation or warranty, covenant or agreement of the other party hereto or
(y) in response to a discovery by such party, without violation of the
immediately preceding clause (x), of meaningful evidence of a condition that
constitutes a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement of
any other party hereunder.
53
(e) In
addition to the other limitations set forth in this Article XI, with
respect to any claim for indemnification regarding any breach of any
representation and warranty set forth in Section 4.15 relating to the
investigation or remediation of actual or alleged contamination of the Owned
Real Property: (i) the Seller’s indemnification obligation shall be
limited to the cost of the least restrictive standard or remedy acceptable under
applicable Environmental Law (including engineering or institutional controls)
based on the industrial use of the relevant facility or property taking into
account the protection of the environment and human health and safety, provided, that the
use of such standards or engineering or institutional controls does not
interfere in more than a de minimis manner with operations at the affected
facility; and (ii) if any contamination at any Owned Real Property that is
subject to indemnity by the Seller is exacerbated due to the gross negligence or
willful misconduct of the Purchaser or the Company after the Closing Date, to
the extent such exacerbation increases the cost of the investigation or
remediation of such contamination, the Seller shall not be responsible for any
such increase in costs. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
herein, from and after the Closing, the Purchaser and the Company shall retain
the right to control all matters subject to indemnification hereunder relating
to compliance with applicable Environmental Law at the Owned Real Property,
including matters relating to the investigation or remediation of contamination
at or migrating from such properties.
11.7 Exclusive
Remedy. Each
party hereto acknowledges and agrees that, should the Closing occur, its sole
and exclusive remedy with respect to any and all matters arising out of,
relating to or connected with this Agreement, the Acquisition and the other
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be a claim pursuant to the
provisions of this Article XI; provided that the
provisions of this Section 11.7 shall not apply (a) in the case of intentional
fraud or willful misrepresentation on the part of the Seller or the Purchaser or
(b) to the indemnification provided for in Section 8.4.
11.8 Characterization of
Indemnification Payments. Except
as otherwise required by applicable Law, the parties hereto shall treat any
indemnification payment made hereunder as an adjustment to the Purchase
Price.
ARTICLE
XII
MISCELLANEOUS
12.1 Notices. All
notices, requests and other communications hereunder must be in writing and will
be deemed to have been duly given only if (a) delivered personally against
written receipt, (b) sent by facsimile transmission, (c) mailed by registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or (d) mailed by
reputable international overnight courier, fee prepaid, to the parties hereto at
the following addresses or facsimile numbers:
54
If
to the Purchaser, to:
M
& F Worldwide Corp.
00
Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: General
Counsel
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
With
a copy to:
Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP
0
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx
X. Xxxxx
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
If
to the Seller, to:
c/o
Pearson Inc.
0000
Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
and
Xxxxxxx
Education, Inc.
Xxx
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
and
NCS
Xxxxxxx, Inc.
0000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
With
a copy to:
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Xx.
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
55
All
such notices, requests and other communications will be deemed given, (w) if
delivered personally as provided in this Section 12.1, upon delivery, (x) if
delivered by facsimile transmission as provided in this Section 12.1, upon
confirmed receipt, (y) if delivered by mail as provided in this Section 12.1,
upon the earlier of the fifth Business Day following mailing and receipt, and
(z) if delivered by overnight courier as provided in this Section 12.1, upon the
earlier of the second Business Day following the date sent by such overnight
courier and receipt (in each case regardless of whether such notice, request or
other communication is received by any other Person to whom a copy of such
notice is to be delivered pursuant to this Section 12.1). In addition
to the foregoing methods, the parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts
to send any notice or communication via electronic mail; provided that such
electronic mail not shall not constitute effective notice under this Agreement
and the failure to provide a notice via electronic mail shall not negate the
effectiveness of an otherwise valid notice delivered in accordance with this
Section 12.1. Any party hereto may change the address to which
notices, requests and other communications hereunder are to be delivered by
giving the other parties hereto notice in the manner set forth
herein.
12.2 Amendments and
Waivers. No
amendment of any provision of this Agreement shall be valid unless such
amendment is in writing and signed by the Purchaser and the
Seller. No failure or delay by any party hereto in exercising any
right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any
single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise
thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.
12.3 Expenses. Except
as otherwise provided in this Agreement, each party hereto shall bear its own
costs and expenses in connection with this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, including all legal, accounting, financial advisory,
consulting and all other fees and expenses of third parties, whether or not the
Acquisition is consummated; provided that, the
Purchaser shall be responsible for one-half and the Seller shall be responsible
for one-half of all filing fees payable in connection with filings made under
the HSR Act or other Antitrust Laws, and for any local counsel fees associated
with any filings under other Antitrust Laws.
12.4 Successors and
Assigns. This
Agreement may not be assigned by either party hereto without the prior written
consent of the other party; provided, however, that without
such prior consent, the Purchaser shall have the right to (a) assign all or any
part of its right, title, interest or obligations hereunder to any wholly-owned
Subsidiary of the Purchaser and (b) collaterally assign all or any part of its
right, title, interest or obligations hereunder to any of its financing sources,
provided in each case that the Purchaser remains liable for its obligations
hereunder notwithstanding a permitted assignment. Subject to the
foregoing sentence, all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall
inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their
respective successors and permitted assigns.
12.5 Governing
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of the
State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law
provision or rule that would cause the application of the Laws of any
jurisdiction other than the State of New York.
12.6 Guarantee. The
Seller Parent unconditionally guarantees the performance when due by the Seller
of all of the Seller’s obligations under this Agreement. To the
extent permitted by applicable Law, the Seller Parent hereby waives all defenses
of a surety or guarantor to which
56
it
may be entitled. The Seller Parent hereby waives notice of all of the
Seller’s obligations and the acceptance of this guaranty by the
Purchaser. The Seller Parent hereby waives protest, presentment,
demand for payment, notice of default or non-payment and notice of
dishonor. This shall be a continuing guaranty and the Purchaser shall
not be obliged to exhaust its recourse against the Seller or any guaranty or
security that it may hold before being entitled to performance from the Seller
Parent of the obligations hereby guaranteed. This is a guaranty of
payment and not merely collection. This guaranty is
irrevocable. The Seller Parent further agrees that in the event any
payment made by the Seller under this Agreement in respect of any obligation of
the Seller hereunder is recovered from, or repaid by, the Purchaser, in whole or
in part in any bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar proceeding instituted by or
against the Seller, this guaranty shall continue to be fully applicable to such
obligation or be reinstated to the same extent as though the payment so
recovered or repaid had never been originally made on such
obligation. The Seller Parent agrees that it will not exercise any
rights of subrogation that it may acquire due to its payment of an obligation of
the Seller unless and until the Purchaser shall have been paid in full
hereunder. In the event that the Seller Parent shall receive any
payment on account of such rights of subrogation while any portion of the
obligations guaranteed hereby remains outstanding, the Seller Parent agrees to
pay all such amounts so received to the Purchaser to be applied to the payment
of the obligations payable hereunder. The Seller Parent hereby
represents and warrants that (i) it is duly organized and validly existing under
the Laws of its jurisdiction of organization and has all necessary power
(corporate or otherwise) and authority to enter into the guaranty set forth in
this Agreement and to carry out its obligations under this guaranty and (ii) the
guaranty contained in this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the
Seller Parent, and this guaranty constitutes a legal, valid and binding
obligation of the Seller Parent enforceable against the Seller Parent in
accordance with its terms, subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy,
reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’
rights generally.
12.7 Consent to
Jurisdiction. Each
party hereto irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of any state or
Federal court located within the County of New York in the State of New York for
the purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of this
Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby, and agrees to commence any
such action, suit or proceeding only in such courts. Each party
further agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or document by U.S.
registered mail to such party’s respective address set forth herein shall be
effective service of process for any such action, suit or
proceeding. Each party irrevocably and unconditionally waives any
objection to the laying of venue of any action, suit or proceeding arising out
of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in such courts, and
hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim
in any such court that any such action, suit or proceeding brought in any such
court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
12.8 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different
parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be
deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one
and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a
signature page to this Agreement by facsimile shall be effective as delivery of
a manually executed counterpart to this Agreement.
57
12.9 No Third Party
Beneficiaries. No
provision of this Agreement is intended or shall be deemed to confer upon any
Person other than the parties hereto any rights or remedies
hereunder.
12.10 Entire
Agreement. This
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements (including the Exhibits and the Schedules
hereto and thereto) constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto
with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior
understandings, agreements or representations by or between the parties hereto,
written or oral, with respect to such subject matter (except for the
Confidentiality Agreement, which shall, subject to Section 7.1, continue in full
force and effect in accordance with its terms). All Exhibits and
Schedules referred to herein are intended to be and hereby are specifically made
a part of this Agreement.
12.11 Captions. All
captions contained in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, do
not form a part of this Agreement and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.
12.12 Severability. If
any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable
under any present or future Law, and if the rights or obligations of any party
hereto under this Agreement will not be materially and adversely affected
thereby, (a) such provision will be fully severable, (b) this Agreement will be
construed and enforced as if such provision had never comprised a part hereof,
(c) the remaining provisions of this Agreement will remain in full force and
effect and will not be affected by such provision or its severance herefrom and
(d) in lieu of such provision, there will be added automatically as a part of
this Agreement a legal, valid and enforceable provision as similar in terms to
such provision as may be possible.
12.13 Interpretation. The
parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this
Agreement, and any rule of construction or interpretation otherwise requiring
this Agreement to be construed or interpreted against any party by virtue of the
authorship of this Agreement shall not apply to the construction and
interpretation hereof.
[Signature
page follows.]
58
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the
date first written above.
M&F
WORLDWIDE CORP.
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By:
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/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Name:
|
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Title:
|
President & Chief Executive Officer |
NCS
XXXXXXX, INC.
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||||
By:
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/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Name:
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Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Title:
|
Authorized Secretary |
XXXXXXX
INC.
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||||
By:
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/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Name:
|
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Title:
|
EVP |
Signature Page to Membership Interest Purchase Agreement