AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER by and among BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC. R ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC and BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE CORPORATION November 2, 2009
EXHIBIT 2.1
EXECUTION COPY
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
by and
among
BERKSHIRE
HATHAWAY INC.
R
ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC
and
November
2, 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page |
ARTICLE
I
|
THE
MERGER
|
1
|
Section
1.1
|
The
Merger
|
1
|
Section
1.2
|
Effective
Time
|
2
|
Section
1.3
|
Closing
|
2
|
Section
1.4
|
Officers
of the Surviving Entity
|
2
|
ARTICLE
II
|
CONVERSION
OF SECURITIES
|
2
|
Section
2.1
|
Effect
on Capital Stock
|
2
|
Section
2.2
|
Proration
|
5
|
Section
2.3
|
Elections
|
6
|
Section
2.4
|
Exchange
of Certificates
|
7
|
Section
2.5
|
Company
Option Plans
|
10
|
Section
2.6
|
Certain
Definitions
|
12
|
ARTICLE
III
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
|
13
|
Section
3.1
|
Corporate
Organization
|
13
|
Section
3.2
|
Capitalization
|
14
|
Section
3.3
|
Authority
|
16
|
Section
3.4
|
Consents
and Approvals; No Violations
|
16
|
Section
3.5
|
SEC
Documents; Undisclosed Liabilities
|
17
|
Section
3.6
|
Broker’s
Fees
|
18
|
Section
3.7
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
18
|
Section
3.8
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
19
|
Section
3.9
|
Compliance
with Applicable Law
|
19
|
Section
3.10
|
Company
Information
|
19
|
Section
3.11
|
Employee
Matters
|
20
|
Section
3.12
|
Environmental
Matters
|
21
|
Section
3.13
|
Takeover
Statutes
|
21
|
Section
3.14
|
Properties
|
21
|
Section
3.15
|
Tax
Returns and Tax Payments
|
22
|
Section
3.16
|
Identified
Agreements
|
22
|
Section
3.17
|
Board
Recommendation
|
23
|
- i
-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page |
Section
3.18
|
Opinions
of Financial Advisors
|
23
|
Section
3.19
|
Certain
Additional Representations
|
23
|
ARTICLE
IV
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
|
23
|
Section
4.1
|
Corporate
Organization
|
23
|
Section
4.2
|
Authority
|
23
|
Section
4.3
|
Capitalization
|
24
|
Section
4.4
|
Consents
and Approvals; No Violation
|
25
|
Section
4.5
|
SEC
Documents; Undisclosed Liabilities
|
25
|
Section
4.6
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
26
|
Section
4.7
|
Broker’s
Fees
|
26
|
Section
4.8
|
Merger
Sub’s Operation
|
26
|
Section
4.9
|
Parent
or Merger Sub Information
|
27
|
Section
4.10
|
Financing
|
27
|
Section
4.11
|
Stock
Ownership
|
27
|
Section
4.12
|
Certain
Additional Representations
|
27
|
ARTICLE
V
|
COVENANTS
|
27
|
Section
5.1
|
Conduct
of Businesses Prior to the Effective Time
|
27
|
Section
5.2
|
No
Solicitation
|
29
|
Section
5.3
|
Preparation
of Form S-4 and Proxy Statement; Stockholders’ Meeting
|
32
|
Section
5.4
|
Publicity
|
33
|
Section
5.5
|
Notification
of Certain Matters
|
33
|
Section
5.6
|
Access
to Information
|
33
|
Section
5.7
|
Further
Assurances
|
34
|
Section
5.8
|
Indemnification
|
34
|
Section
5.9
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
36
|
Section
5.10
|
Additional
Agreements
|
36
|
Section
5.11
|
Pre-Closing
Restructuring
|
36
|
Section
5.12
|
[Intentionally
omitted]
|
37
|
Section
5.13
|
Stock
Exchange Listing
|
37
|
- ii
-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page |
Section
5.14
|
Parent
Class B Stock Split and Stock Option Plan Approval
|
37
|
ARTICLE
VI
|
CONDITIONS
TO THE MERGER
|
37
|
Section
6.1
|
Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligation To Effect the Merger
|
37
|
Section
6.2
|
Conditions
to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to Effect the
Merger
|
38
|
Section
6.3
|
Conditions
to Obligations of the Company to Effect the Merger
|
39
|
Section
6.4
|
Frustration
of Closing Conditions
|
40
|
ARTICLE
VII
|
TERMINATION
|
40
|
Section
7.1
|
Termination
|
40
|
Section
7.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
42
|
Section
7.3
|
Termination
Fee; Expenses
|
42
|
ARTICLE
VIII
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
43
|
Section
8.1
|
Amendment
and Modification
|
43
|
Section
8.2
|
Extension;
Waiver
|
43
|
Section
8.3
|
Nonsurvival
of Representations and Warranties
|
43
|
Section
8.4
|
Notices
|
43
|
Section
8.5
|
Counterparts
|
44
|
Section
8.6
|
Entire
Agreement; Third Party Beneficiaries
|
44
|
Section
8.7
|
Severability
|
44
|
Section
8.8
|
Governing
Law
|
44
|
Section
8.9
|
Assignment
|
44
|
Section
8.10
|
Headings;
Interpretation
|
45
|
Section
8.11
|
Enforcement;
Exclusive Jurisdiction
|
45
|
Section
8.12
|
WAIVER
OF JURY TRIAL
|
45
|
- iii
-
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement”), dated as of November
2, 2009, by and among Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a Delaware corporation
(“Parent”), R Acquisition Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and
an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), and Burlington
Northern Santa Fe Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”).
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of Parent, the sole member of Merger Sub, and the Board
of Directors of the Company have approved, and determined that it is advisable
and in the best interests of their respective companies and equityholders to
consummate, the merger of the Company with and into Merger Sub (the “Merger”),
with Merger Sub as the surviving entity in the Merger, upon and subject to the
terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, pursuant to which each share
of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Company Common
Stock” and, in the aggregate, the “Shares”) issued and outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time (as defined in Section 1.2), other than Shares
described in Section 2.1(b) and any Dissenting Shares (as defined in Section
2.1), will be converted into the right to receive, at the election of the
holders of Company Common Stock and subject to the terms hereof, a portion of a
share of Class A Common Stock, $5.00 par value per share, of Parent (“Parent
Class A Stock”), or a portion of a share of Class B Common Stock, $0.1667 par
value per share, of Parent (“Parent Class B Stock” and, together with the Parent
Class A Stock, “Parent Stock”), or cash; and
WHEREAS,
the Company, Parent and Merger Sub desire to make certain representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby; and
WHEREAS,
for United States Federal income tax purposes, it is intended that the Merger
shall qualify as a reorganization under the provisions of Section 368 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and this Agreement is
intended to be and is adopted as a plan of reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368 of the Code.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements set forth herein, the parties hereto agree
as follows:
ARTICLE
I
THE
MERGER
Section
1.1 The
Merger. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement
and the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) and the
Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “DLLCA”), at the Effective Time, the
Company and Merger Sub shall consummate the Merger pursuant to which (a) the
Company shall be merged with and into Merger Sub and the separate corporate
existence of the Company shall thereupon cease, (b) Merger Sub shall be the
successor or surviving entity in the Merger (the “Surviving Entity”) under the
name “Burlington Northern Santa Fe, LLC” and shall continue to be governed by
the laws of the State of Delaware, and (c) the separate existence of Merger Sub
with all its rights, privileges, immunities, powers and franchises shall
continue unaffected by the Merger. After the Effective Time, (x) the
certificate of formation of Merger Sub shall be amended as desired by Parent and
as so amended shall become the certificate of formation of the Surviving Entity,
until thereafter amended, and (y) the operating agreement of Merger Sub shall be
amended as desired by Parent and as so amended shall become the operating
agreement of the Surviving Entity, until thereafter amended. The
Merger shall have the effects set forth in the DGCL and the DLLCA.
1
Section
1.2 Effective
Time. Parent, Merger Sub, and the Company shall cause an
appropriate Certificate of Merger (the “Certificate of Merger”) to be executed
and filed on the Closing Date (as defined in Section 1.3) with the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware (the “Secretary of State”) as provided in the
DGCL and DLLCA. The Merger shall become effective on the date on
which the Certificate of Merger has been duly filed with the Secretary of State
or such later time as is agreed upon by the parties and specified in the
Certificate of Merger, and such time is hereinafter referred to as the
“Effective Time.”
Section
1.3 Closing. The
closing of the Merger (the “Closing”) shall take place at 10:00 a.m., on a date
to be specified by the parties, which shall be as soon as practicable, but in no
event later than the fourth business day, after satisfaction or waiver of all of
the conditions set forth in Article VI hereof (the “Closing Date”), at, or
directed from, the offices of Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, unless another date or place is agreed to
in writing by the parties hereto.
Section
1.4 Officers of the Surviving
Entity. The officers of the Company immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall, from and after the Effective Time, be the officers of the
Surviving Entity until their successors shall have been duly elected or
appointed or qualified or until their earlier death, resignation or removal in
accordance with the Surviving Entity’s certificate of formation and operating
agreement.
ARTICLE
II
CONVERSION
OF SECURITIES
Section
2.1 Effect on Capital
Stock. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and
without any action on the part of Parent, Merger Sub, the Company or the holders
of any of the following securities:
(a) Conversion of Company
Stock. Each share of Company Common Stock issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than Excluded Shares,
Dissenting Shares and Company Restricted Shares the vesting of which was not
accelerated pursuant to Section 2.5(f) (each as defined below)) shall be
converted into and shall thereafter represent the right to receive the following
consideration, as adjusted pursuant to Section 2.2 (in the aggregate for all
shares of Company Common Stock, the “Merger Consideration”):
(i) Cash Election
Shares. Each share of Company Common Stock with respect to
which an election to receive cash has been made and not revoked or lost (each
such share, together with any shares for which such an election is deemed to
have been made under clause (iii) below, the “Cash Election Shares”) shall be
converted into the right to receive $100.00 in cash without interest (the “Cash
Consideration”).
2
(ii) Stock Election
Shares. Each share of Company Common Stock with respect to
which an election to receive stock has been made and not revoked or lost (each
such share, together with any shares for which such an election is deemed to
have been made under clause (iii) below, the “Stock Election Shares”) shall be
converted into the right to receive the portion of a share of Parent Class A
Stock equal to the Class A Exchange Ratio; provided that if
after applying this calculation to all Stock Election Shares held by a
particular holder, that holder would become entitled to receive a fraction of a
share of Parent Class A Stock, in lieu of receiving such fractional share, the
holder shall have the right to receive that number of shares of Parent Class B
Stock as is equal to a quotient (A) the numerator of which is the product of (x)
such fraction multiplied by (y) the Average Parent Class A Stock Price and (B)
the denominator of which is the Average Parent Class B Stock Price (such
quotient, the “Class B Exchange Ratio”); and provided further
that if such holder would then become entitled to receive a fraction of a share
of Parent Class B Stock, in lieu of such fractional share, the holder shall have
the right to receive a cash payment equal to the product of (x) such fraction
and (y) the Average Parent Class B Stock Price (the “Stock
Consideration”).
(iii) No Election
Shares. With respect to each share of Company Common Stock for
which no election to receive cash or stock has been made (A) in the event the
Average Parent Class A Stock Price is less than $79,777.34, the holder thereof
shall be deemed to have made an election to receive cash and such shares shall
constitute “Cash Election Shares”, (B) in the event the Average Parent Class A
Stock Price is greater than $124,652.09, the holder thereof shall be deemed to
have made an election to receive stock and such shares shall constitute “Stock
Election Shares” and (C) otherwise, such shares shall be converted into the
right to receive the Cash Consideration or Stock Consideration or a combination
of both, as provided in Section 2.2 below (each share described in
clause (C), a “No Election Share”).
(iv) Fractional Shares of Company
Common Stock. Any fractional shares of Company Common Stock
resulting from the proration calculations in Section 2.2 shall be entitled to a
proportionate share of the applicable Merger Consideration.
(b) Parent or Company Owned
Shares. Each share of Company Common Stock owned by Parent or
the Company or their respective direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries
(“Excluded Shares”), in each case immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall
be canceled without any conversion thereof, and no Merger Consideration shall be
paid with respect thereto.
(c) Dissenting
Shares. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, if and to the extent required by the DGCL, shares of Company Common
Stock which are issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
and which are held by holders of such shares of Company Common Stock who have
properly exercised appraisal rights with respect thereto (the “Dissenting
Shares”) in accordance with Section 262 of the DGCL, shall not be exchangeable
for the right to receive the Merger Consideration, and holders of such
Dissenting Shares shall be entitled to receive payment of the appraised value of
such Dissenting Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 262 of the
DGCL unless and until such holders fail to perfect or effectively withdraw or
otherwise lose their rights to appraisal and payment under the
DGCL. If, after the Effective Time, any such holder fails to perfect
or effectively withdraws or loses such right, such Dissenting Shares shall
thereupon be treated as if they had been converted into and to have become
exchangeable for, at the Effective Time, the right to receive the Merger
Consideration payable in respect of Shares for which no election to receive cash
or stock has been made, without any interest thereon. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.1(c), if this Agreement is
terminated prior to the Effective Time, then the right of any stockholder to be
paid the fair value of such stockholder’s Dissenting Shares pursuant to Section
262 of the DGCL shall cease. The Company shall give Parent (i) prompt
notice of any written demands received by the Company for appraisal of
Dissenting Shares, withdrawals of such demands and any other instruments served
pursuant to the DGCL which are received by the Company relating to such holder’s
rights of appraisal, and (ii) the opportunity to direct all negotiations and
proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal under the DGCL. The
Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent, make any
payment with respect to any demand for appraisal or offer to settle or settle
any such demands.
3
(d) Merger Sub Membership
Interests. Each membership interest in Merger Sub issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall remain issued and
outstanding from and after the Effective Time as the membership interests of the
Surviving Entity in the Merger.
(e) Adjustments. If
after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time, (i) the Company pays a
dividend in, splits, combines into a smaller number of shares, or issues by
reclassification any shares of Company Common Stock (or undertakes any similar
act) or (ii) Parent pays a dividend in, splits, combines into a smaller number
of shares, or issues by reclassification any shares of Class A Parent Stock or
Class B Parent Stock (or undertakes any similar act); then the Merger
Consideration, the Stock Consideration, the Cash Consideration, the Class A
Exchange Ratio, the Class B Exchange Ratio, the number of shares of Parent Class
B Stock obtainable by holders of stock options and restricted stock units
pursuant to Section 2.5, and any other similarly dependent items, as the case
may be, shall be appropriately adjusted to provide to the holders of the Company
Common Stock, stock options and restricted stock units the same economic effect
as contemplated by this Agreement prior to such action, and as so adjusted
shall, from and after the date of such event, be the Merger Consideration, the
Stock Consideration, the Cash Consideration, the Class A Exchange Ratio, the
Class B Exchange Ratio, the number of shares of Parent Class B Stock obtainable
by holders of stock options and restricted stock units pursuant to Section 2.5
or other dependent item, as applicable, subject to further adjustment in
accordance with this provision.
(f)
Certificates. From
and after the Effective Time, the Company Common Stock converted into Merger
Consideration pursuant to this Section 2.1 shall no longer remain outstanding
and shall automatically be canceled and shall cease to exist, and each holder of
a certificate previously representing any such Company Common Stock or shares of
Company Common Stock that are in non-certificated book-entry form (either case
being referred to herein, to the extent applicable, as a “Certificate”) shall
thereafter cease to have any rights with respect to such Company Common Stock
except the right to receive (i) the Merger Consideration and (ii) any dividends
and other distributions in accordance with Section 2.4(f).
4
Section
2.2 Proration. Notwithstanding
any provision of this Agreement to the contrary and subject to Section
2.2(d):
(a) Cash Elections Exceeding the
Available Cash Amount. If the product of the aggregate number
of Cash Election Shares and the Cash Consideration (such product being the
“Elected Cash Consideration”) exceeds the Available Cash Amount,
then:
(i) all
Stock Election Shares and all No Election Shares shall be converted into the
right to receive the Stock Consideration; and
(ii) a
portion of the Cash Election Shares of each holder of Company Common Stock (if
any) shall be converted into the right to receive the Cash Consideration, with
such portion being equal to the product obtained by multiplying (x) the number
of such holder’s Cash Election Shares by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the Available Cash Amount and the denominator of which shall be the
Elected Cash Consideration, with the remaining portion of such holder’s Cash
Election Shares being converted into the right to receive the Stock
Consideration.
(b) Cash Elections Under the
Available Cash Amount. If the Elected Cash Consideration is
less than the Available Cash Amount (such difference being the “Shortfall
Number”), then:
(i) all
Cash Election Shares shall be converted into the right to receive the Cash
Consideration; and
(ii) all
Stock Election Shares and No Election Shares shall be treated in the following
manner: (A) if the Shortfall Number is less than or equal to the
product of the aggregate number of No Election Shares and $100 (the “No Election
Value”), then (1) all Stock Election Shares shall be converted into the right to
receive the Stock Consideration and (2) the No Election Shares of each holder of
Company Common Stock (if any) shall be converted into the right to receive the
Cash Consideration in respect of that number of No Election Shares equal to the
product obtained by multiplying (x) the number of No Election Shares of such
holder by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the Shortfall Number and the
denominator of which is the No Election Value, with the remaining portion of
such holder’s No Election Shares (if any) being converted into the right to
receive the Stock Consideration; or (B) if the Shortfall Number exceeds the No
Election Value, then (1) all No Election Shares shall be converted into the
right to receive the Cash Consideration and (2) a portion of the Stock Election
Shares of each holder of Company Common Stock (if any) shall be converted into
the right to receive the Cash Consideration, with such portion being equal to
the product obtained by multiplying (x) the number of Stock Election Shares of
such holder by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the amount by which the
Shortfall Number exceeds the No Election Value, and the denominator of which is
the product obtained by multiplying the aggregate number of Stock Election
Shares by $100.00, with the remaining portion of such holder’s Stock Election
Shares being converted into the right to receive the Stock
Consideration.
(c) Cash Elections Equal to the
Available Cash Amount. If the Elected Cash Consideration
equals the Available Cash Amount, then:
5
(i) all
Cash Election Shares shall be converted into the right to receive the Cash
Consideration; and
(ii) all
Stock Election and No Election Shares shall be converted into the right to
receive the Stock Consideration.
(d) Cash
Limit. The proration calculations provided for in this Section
2.2, and the calculation provided for in this Section 2.2(d), shall be
applied iteratively so that the total amount of cash paid to holders of Company
Common Stock on account of the Merger, including cash paid in lieu of fractional
shares and cash payable in respect of Dissenting Shares (the “Cash
Limit”), shall be as close as practicable to 60% of the sum of (i) the Cash
Limit, (ii) the number of shares of Parent Class A Stock to be issued in
the Merger multiplied by the VWAP of such a share on the trading day that
immediately precedes the Closing Date and (iii) the number of shares of Parent
Class B Stock to be issued in the Merger multiplied by the VWAP of such a share
on the trading day that immediately precedes the Closing Date. For
purposes of the foregoing and Section 2.6(a), (x) cash payable in respect of a
Dissenting Share shall be deemed to equal the greater of (i) $100 and (ii) an
amount equal to the Class A Exchange Ratio multiplied by the Average Parent
Class A Stock Price, and (y) the total amount of Merger Consideration payable to
the holders of the No Election Shares and the composition thereof, including the
total number of shares of Parent Class A Stock and Parent Class B Stock to be
issued to such holders, and the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of fractional
shares thereto, shall be deemed to be the amounts thereof that Parent and
the Company reasonably estimate on the Closing Date.
Section
2.3 Elections.
(a) Election
Form. Not less than thirty (30) days prior to the anticipated
Effective Time (the “Mailing Date”), an election form in such form as Parent
shall specify (the “Election Form”) shall be mailed to each holder of record of
shares of Company Common Stock as of five (5) business days prior to the Mailing
Date (the “Election Form Record Date”).
(b) Choice of
Election. Each Election Form shall permit the holder (or the
beneficial owner through customary documentation and instructions) to specify
(i) the number of shares of such holder’s Company Common Stock with respect to
which such holder elects to receive the Stock Consideration, (ii) the number of
shares of such holder’s Company Common Stock with respect to which such holder
elects to receive the Cash Consideration or (iii) that such holder makes no
election with respect to such holder’s Company Common Stock. Any
Company Common Stock with respect to which the Exchange Agent does not receive a
properly completed Election Form during the period (the “Election Period”) from
the Mailing Date to 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the second business day prior
to the Effective Time (the “Election Deadline”) shall be deemed not to have made
an election with respect to such holder’s Company Common
Stock. Parent shall publicly announce the anticipated Election
Deadline at least five (5) business days prior to the anticipated Effective
Time. If the Effective Time is delayed to a subsequent date, the
Election Deadline shall be similarly delayed to a subsequent date, and Parent
shall promptly announce any such delay and, when determined, the rescheduled
Election Deadline.
6
(c) New
Holders. Parent shall make available one or more Election
Forms as may reasonably be requested from time to time by all persons who become
holders or beneficial owners of Company Common Stock during the Election Period,
and the Company shall provide the Exchange Agent all information reasonably
necessary for it to perform its duties as specified herein.
(d) Revocations; Exchange
Agent. Any election made pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall
have been properly made only if the Exchange Agent shall have actually received
a properly completed Election Form during the Election Period. Any
Election Form may be revoked or changed by the person submitting it, by written
notice received by the Exchange Agent during the Election Period. In
the event an Election Form is revoked during the Election Period, the shares of
Company Common Stock represented by such Election Form shall be deemed to be
shares in respect of which no election has been made, except to the extent a
subsequent election is properly made during the Election
Period. Subject to the terms of this Agreement and of the Election
Form, the Exchange Agent shall have reasonable discretion to determine whether
any election, revocation or change has been properly or timely made and to
disregard immaterial defects in the Election Forms, and any good faith decisions
of the Exchange Agent regarding such matters shall be binding and
conclusive. None of Parent or the Company or the Exchange Agent shall
be under any obligation to notify any person of any defect in an Election
Form.
Section
2.4 Exchange of
Certificates.
(a) Exchange
Agent. Prior to the Mailing Date, Parent shall appoint an
exchange agent reasonably acceptable to the Company (the “Exchange Agent”) for
the purpose of exchanging Certificates for Merger Consideration. As
soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time, but in no event more
than five (5) business days following the Effective Time, Parent will send, or
will cause the Exchange Agent to send, to each holder of record of shares of
Company Common Stock as of the Effective Time (and, to the extent commercially
practicable, to make available for collection by hand if so elected by such
holder of record), whose shares of Company Common Stock were converted into the
right to receive the Merger Consideration, a letter of transmittal (which shall
specify that the delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title shall
pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates (or effective affidavits of
loss in lieu thereof) to the Exchange Agent) in such form as the Company and
Parent may reasonably agree, including instructions for use in effecting the
surrender of Certificates (or effective affidavits of loss in lieu thereof) to
the Exchange Agent in exchange for the Merger Consideration.
(b) Deposit. When
and as needed, Parent shall cause to be deposited with the Exchange Agent, in
trust for the benefit of the holders of shares of the Company Common Stock,
shares of Parent Stock and an amount of cash in U.S. dollars sufficient to be
issued and paid pursuant to Section 2.1 and Section 2.2, payable upon due
surrender of the Certificates (or effective affidavits of loss in lieu thereof)
pursuant to the provisions of this Article II. Following the
Effective Time, Parent agrees to make available to the Exchange Agent, when and
as needed, cash in U.S. dollars sufficient to pay any dividends and other
distributions pursuant to Section 2.4(f). All cash and book-entry shares
representing shares of Parent Stock deposited with the Exchange Agent shall be
referred to in this Agreement as the “Exchange Fund.” The Exchange
Agent shall, pursuant to irrevocable instructions, deliver the appropriate
Merger Consideration out of the Exchange Fund. The Exchange Fund shall not be
used for any other purpose. The Exchange Agent shall invest any cash included in
the Exchange Fund as directed by Parent; provided that no such
investment or losses thereon shall affect the Merger Consideration payable to
holders of shares of Company Common Stock entitled to receive such consideration
or cash in lieu of fractional interests and Parent shall promptly cause to be
provided additional funds to the Exchange Agent for the benefit of holders of
shares of Company Common Stock entitled to receive such consideration in the
amount of any such losses. Any interest and other income resulting from such
investments shall be the property of, and paid to, Parent.
7
(c) Exchange. Each
holder of shares of Company Common Stock that have been converted into the right
to receive the Merger Consideration, upon surrender to the Exchange Agent of a
Certificate (or effective affidavits of loss in lieu thereof), together with a
properly completed letter of transmittal, duly executed and completed in
accordance with the instructions thereto, and such other documents as may
reasonably be required by the Exchange Agent, will be entitled to receive in
exchange therefor (i) the number of shares of Parent Class A Stock representing,
in the aggregate, the whole number of shares of Parent Class A Stock, if any,
that such holder has the right to receive, (ii) the number of shares of Parent
Class B Stock representing, in the aggregate, the whole number of shares of
Parent Class B Stock, if any, that such holder has the right to receive, and/or
(iii) a check in the amount, if any, that such holder has the right to receive
in cash, including cash payable in lieu of fractional shares and dividends and
other distributions payable pursuant to Section 2.4(f) (subject to Section
2.4(g)), pursuant to Section 2.1, Section 2.2 and this Article
II. Following the Effective Time, the Merger Consideration shall be
paid as promptly as practicable (by mail or, to the extent commercially
practicable, made available for collection by hand if so elected by the
surrendering holder of a Certificate) after receipt by the Exchange Agent of the
Certificate and letter of transmittal in accordance with the
foregoing. No interest shall be paid or accrued on any Merger
Consideration, cash in lieu of fractional shares or on any unpaid dividends and
distributions payable to holders of Certificates.
(d) Other
Payees. If any cash payment is to be made to a person other
than the person in whose name the applicable surrendered Certificate is
registered, it shall be a condition of such payment that the person requesting
such payment shall pay any transfer or other similar Taxes required by reason of
the making of such cash payment to a person other than the registered holder of
the surrendered Certificate or shall establish to the satisfaction of the
Exchange Agent that such Tax has been paid or is not payable. If any portion of
the Merger Consideration is to be registered in the name of a person other than
the person in whose name the applicable surrendered Certificate is registered,
it shall be a condition to the registration thereof that the surrendered
Certificate shall be properly endorsed or otherwise be in proper form for
transfer and that the person requesting such delivery of the Merger
Consideration shall pay to the Exchange Agent any transfer or other similar
Taxes required as a result of such registration in the name of a person other
than the registered holder of such Certificate or establish to the satisfaction
of the Exchange Agent that such Tax has been paid or is not
payable.
(e) No Further
Transfers. After the Effective Time, there shall be no further
registration of transfers of shares of Company Common Stock. From and
after the Effective Time, the holders of Certificates representing shares of
Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall
cease to have any rights with respect to such shares of Company Common Stock
except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or by applicable
laws. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates are presented to the
Exchange Agent or Parent, they shall be canceled and exchanged for the
consideration provided for, and in accordance with the procedures set forth in
this Article II.
8
(f) Dividends and
Distributions. No dividends or other distributions with
respect to Parent Stock issued in the Merger shall be paid to the holder of any
unsurrendered Certificates until such Certificates are surrendered as provided
in this Section 2.4. Following such surrender, subject to the effect of escheat,
Tax or other applicable laws, there shall be paid, without interest, to the
record holder of the Parent Stock, if any, issued in exchange therefor (i) at
the time of such surrender, all dividends and other distributions payable in
respect of any such shares of Parent Class A Stock or Parent Class B Stock, as
applicable, with a record date after the Effective Time and a payment date on or
prior to the date of such surrender and not previously paid and (ii) at the
appropriate payment date, the dividends or other distributions payable with
respect to such shares of Parent Stock with a record date after the Effective
Time but with a payment date subsequent to such surrender. For purposes of
dividends or other distributions in respect of shares of Parent Stock, all
shares of Parent Stock to be issued pursuant to the Merger shall be entitled to
dividends pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence as if issued and
outstanding as of the Effective Time.
(g) Withholding
Taxes. Parent, the Surviving Entity and the Exchange Agent
shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise
payable to a holder of Shares pursuant to the Merger such amounts as Parent, the
Surviving Entity or the Exchange Agent is required to deduct and withhold with
respect to the making of such payment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the “Code”) or any provision of state, local or foreign tax
law. To the extent amounts are so withheld by Parent, the Surviving
Entity or the Exchange Agent, the withheld amounts shall be treated for all
purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the Shares in
respect of which the deduction and withholding was made.
(h) Lost, Stolen or Destroyed
Certificates. If any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen
or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person
claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if required by
Parent, the posting by such person of a bond, in such reasonable amount as
Parent may direct, as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it
with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will issue, in exchange for
such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate, the Merger Consideration to be paid
in respect of the shares of the Company Common Stock represented by such
Certificates as contemplated by this Article II.
(i)
Termination of
Exchange Fund. Any portion of the Exchange Fund that remains unclaimed by
the holders of shares of Company Common Stock one (1) year after the Effective
Time shall be returned to Parent, upon demand, and any such holder who has not
exchanged his or her shares of Company Common Stock for the Merger Consideration
in accordance with this Article II prior to that time shall thereafter look only
to Parent for delivery of the Merger Consideration in respect of such holder’s
shares of Company Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of Parent,
Merger Sub, the Surviving Entity or the Company shall be liable to any holder of
shares of Company Common Stock for any Merger Consideration delivered to a
public official pursuant to applicable abandoned property laws. Any Merger
Consideration remaining unclaimed by holders of shares of Company Common Stock
immediately prior to such time as such amounts would otherwise escheat to or
become property of any governmental authority shall, to the extent permitted by
applicable laws, become the property of Parent free and clear of any claims or
interest of any person previously entitled thereto.
9
Section
2.5 Company Option
Plans.
(a) If
the Parent Approvals are obtained, the Board of Directors of the Company (or, if
appropriate or required, any committee or other entity or person administering
the Company Stock Plans (as defined below), as well as any required subset of
the Board of Directors) shall adopt such resolutions and take such other actions
as may be required to adjust the terms of all outstanding Company Stock Options
(as defined below) granted under any of the Company Stock Plans to provide that,
at the Effective Time, (I) each Company Stock Option outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be deemed to constitute an option
(an “Adjusted Option”) to acquire, on the same terms and conditions as were
applicable under such Company Stock Option, the number of shares of Parent Class
B Stock equal to the product of (1) the number of shares of Company Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of such Company Stock Option and (2) the Option Exchange
Ratio, provided that any fractional shares of Parent Class B Stock
resulting from such multiplication shall be rounded down to the nearest share
(provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the terms of such Adjusted Option
shall provide for an appropriate payment, upon exercise thereof, of cash in lieu
of any fractional share of Parent Class B Common Stock lost due to such
rounding), at a price per share equal to (x) the exercise price for the shares
of Company Common Stock otherwise purchasable pursuant to such Company Stock
Option divided by (y) the Option Exchange Ratio, provided that such exercise
price shall be rounded up to the nearest cent; and provided, further, that the
adjustments provided herein with respect to any Company Stock Options, whether
or not such Company Stock Options are “incentive stock options” as defined in
Section 422 of the Code, shall be and are intended to be effected in a manner
which is consistent with Section 424(a) of the Code and Section 409A of the
Code and (II) with respect to the stock options that are deliverable in
connection with the exercise of any Adjusted Option that has a “reload” feature,
such stock options shall be adjusted in a manner consistent with the
foregoing.
(b) If
the Parent Approvals are obtained, the Board of Directors of the Company (or, if
appropriate or required, any committee or other entity or person administering
the Company Stock Plans, as well as any required subset of the Board of
Directors) shall adopt such resolutions and take such other actions as may be
required to adjust the terms of all outstanding Company RSUs (as defined below)
granted under any of the Company Stock Plans to provide that, at the Effective
Time, each Company RSU outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
(including each Company RSU outstanding under the Senior Management Stock
Deferral Plan) shall be deemed to constitute a restricted stock unit (an
“Adjusted RSU”) with respect to, on the same terms and conditions as were
applicable under such Company RSU (except as otherwise provided on Section 2.5
of the Company Disclosure Letter), the number of shares of Parent Class B Stock
equal to the product of (1) the number of shares of Company Common Stock
issuable with respect to such Company RSU (including “performance stock” to be
issued thereunder) and (2) the Option Exchange Ratio; provided that any
fractional shares of Parent Class B Stock resulting from such multiplication
shall be rounded down to the nearest share (provided that, notwithstanding the
foregoing, the terms of such Adjusted RSU shall provide for an appropriate
payment, upon delivery of shares thereunder, of cash in lieu of any fractional
share of Parent Class B Common Stock lost due to such rounding) and the
adjustments provided herein with respect to any Company RSUs shall be and are
intended to be effected in a manner which is consistent with Section 409A
of the Code.
10
(c) If
the Parent Approvals are obtained, and to the extent the actions described in
Section 2.5(f) are not taken because of the proviso thereto, the Board of
Directors of the Company (or, if appropriate or required, any committee or other
entity or person administering the Company Stock Plans, as well as any required
subset of the Board of Directors) shall adopt such resolutions and take such
other actions as may be required to adjust the terms of all outstanding Company
Restricted Shares (as defined below) granted under any of the Company Stock
Plans to provide that, at the Effective Time, each award of Company Restricted
Shares outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be deemed to
constitute, on the same terms and conditions as were applicable under such
award, an award of restricted shares of Parent Class B Stock (“Adjusted
Restricted Shares”) covering a number of shares of Parent Class B Stock equal to
the product of (1) the number of shares of Company Common Stock underlying
such award and (2) the Option Exchange Ratio; provided that any resulting
fractional shares of Parent Class B Stock shall be rounded down to the nearest
share (provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the terms of such award of
Adjusted Restricted Shares shall provide for an appropriate payment, promptly
following the Effective Time, of cash in lieu of any fractional share of Parent
Class B Stock lost due to such rounding) and the adjustments provided herein
with respect to any Company Restricted Shares shall be and are intended to be
effected in a manner which is consistent with Section 409A of the
Code.
(d) The
Board of Directors of the Company (or, if appropriate or required, any committee
or other entity or person administering the Company Stock Plans (as defined
below)) shall adopt such resolutions and take such other actions as may be
required to provide that the 1999 Stock Incentive Plan, the 1996 Stock Incentive
Plan, the Non-Employee Directors’ Stock Plan, the Senior Management Stock
Deferral Plan and any other plan, program or arrangement providing for the
issuance or grant of any interest in respect of the capital stock of the Company
or any subsidiary (collectively, the “Company Stock Plans”) shall terminate as
of the Effective Time, and the Company shall ensure that following the Effective
Time no participant in any of the Company Stock Plans shall have any right
thereunder to acquire any equity securities of the Company, any subsidiary of
the Company or the Surviving Entity.
(e) If
the Parent Approvals are obtained, as soon as practicable following the
Effective Time, Parent shall prepare and file with the SEC a registration
statement on Form S-8 (or another appropriate form, including with respect to
Adjusted Options, Adjusted Restricted Shares or Adjusted RSUs held by persons
who, immediately following the Effective Time, are not employees of the
Surviving Entity) registering a number of shares of Parent Class B Stock equal
to the number of shares subject to the Adjusted Options, Adjusted Restricted
Shares and the Adjusted RSUs. Any such registration statement shall
be kept effective (and the prospectus or prospectuses required thereby shall be
kept current) as long as any Adjusted Options, Adjusted Restricted Shares or
Adjusted RSUs remain outstanding. If the Parent Approvals are
obtained, the Adjusted Options, Adjusted Restricted Shares and Adjusted RSUs
shall be obligations of Parent following the Effective Time. As soon
as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time, Parent shall deliver to
holders of Adjusted Options, Adjusted Restricted Shares and Adjusted RSUs
appropriate notices setting forth the terms of such awards.
11
(f) The
Board of Directors of the Company (or, if appropriate or required, any committee
or other entity or person administering the Company Stock Plans, as well as any
required subset of the Board of Directors) shall adopt such resolutions and take
such other actions as may be required to cause all Company Restricted Shares to
be vested no later than 10 days prior to the Closing Date, provided that no such
vesting shall be required to the extent it would result in a breach of any
Company Stock Plan or award agreement thereunder or any applicable law or
adverse tax consequences to the Company, Parent, Merger Sub or the holder of
such Company Restricted Shares.
Section
2.6 Certain
Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms
shall have the meanings specified below:
(a) “Available
Cash Amount” means the Cash Limit minus (i) the aggregate amount of cash paid in
lieu of fractional Class B Parent Shares in accordance with Section 2.1(a)(ii),
and (ii) the amount of cash payable in respect of Dissenting
Shares.
(b) “Average
Company Stock Price” means the average VWAP price per share of the Company
Common Stock, for the period of ten (10) consecutive trading days ending on the
second full trading day prior to the Effective Time.
(c) “Average
Parent Class A Stock Price” means the average VWAP price per share, rounded to
four decimals, of the Parent Class A Stock, for the period of ten (10)
consecutive trading days ending on the second full trading day prior to the
Effective Time.
(d) “Average
Parent Class B Stock Price” means the average VWAP price per share, rounded to
four decimals, of the Parent Class B Stock, for the period of ten (10)
consecutive trading days ending on the second full trading day prior to the
Effective Time, provided that, for purposes of the Option Exchange Ratio, the
Average Parent Class B Stock Price shall not be rounded.
(e) “Class
A Exchange Ratio” means: (i) if the Average Parent Class A Stock Price is an
amount greater than or equal to $79,777.34 and less than or equal to
$124,652.09, the quotient obtained by dividing $100.00 by the Average Parent
Class A Stock Price and rounding to nine decimals; (ii) if the Average Parent
Class A Stock Price is an amount less than $79,777.34, then 0.001253489; and
(iii) if the Average Parent Class A Stock Price is an amount greater than
$124,652.09, then 0.000802233.
(f)
“Company Restricted Shares” means shares of Company Common Stock held by
employees that are subject to vesting or forfeiture provisions.
(g) “Company
Stock Options” means employee or director stock options to purchase shares of
Company Common Stock.
12
(h) “Company
RSUs” means employee or director restricted stock units with respect to shares
of Company Common Stock.
(i)
“Option Exchange Ratio” means the quotient obtained by dividing the
Average Company Stock Price by the Average Parent Class B Stock
Price.
(j)
“VWAP” per share of Parent Class A Stock, Parent Class B Stock
or Company Common Stock, as applicable, on any trading day means the per share
volume-weighted average price as displayed under the heading Bloomberg VWAP on
Bloomberg (or, if Bloomberg ceases to publish such price, any successor service
reasonably chosen by Parent) page “BRK/A.N<Equity> VAP”,
“BRK/B.N<Equity> VAP” or “BNI.N<Equity> VAP”, as applicable (or the
equivalent successor if such page is not available), in respect of the period
from the open of trading on the relevant trading day until the close of trading
on such trading day (or if such volume-weighted average price is unavailable,
the market price of one share of Parent Class A Stock, Parent Class B Stock or
Company Common Stock, as applicable, on such trading day determined, using a
volume-weighted average method, by a nationally recognized investment banking
firm (unaffiliated with Parent or the Company) retained for this purpose by
Parent).
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The
Company represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub as
follows:
Section
3.1 Corporate
Organization. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of the jurisdiction of its organization and has the requisite corporate power
and authority to own or lease all of its properties and assets and to carry on
its business as it is now being conducted, except (other than with respect to
the Company’s due organization, valid existence and good standing) as would not
have a Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). Each of
the Company and its subsidiaries is duly licensed or qualified to do business in
each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or the
character or location of the properties and assets owned or leased by it makes
such licensing or qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so
licensed or qualified would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or
when aggregated with all other such failures, a Material Adverse Effect (as
defined below) on the Company (“Company Material Adverse
Effect”). The copies of the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
of the Company (the “Company Charter” and “Company Bylaws”), as most recently
filed with the Company’s SEC Documents (as defined below), are true, complete
and correct copies of such documents as in effect as of the date of this
Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the term “Material Adverse
Effect” means, with respect to the Company, on the one hand, or Parent, on the
other hand, a material adverse effect on (i) the ability of the Company, on the
one hand, or Parent and Merger Sub, on the other hand, to consummate the Merger,
or (ii) the business, results of operations or financial condition of such party
and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except to the extent such material
adverse effect under this clause (ii) results from (A) any changes in general
United States or global economic conditions, (B) any changes in conditions
generally affecting any of the industries in which such party and its
subsidiaries operate, except to the extent such changes in conditions have a
disproportionate effect on such party or its subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
relative to others in such industries, (C) any decline in the market price of
the common stock of such party, (D) regulatory, legislative or political
conditions or securities, credit, financial or other capital markets conditions,
in each case in the United States or any foreign jurisdiction, except to the
extent such conditions have a disproportionate effect on such party and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to others in the industries in which
such party and any of its subsidiaries operate, (E) any failure, in and of
itself, by such party to meet any internal or published projections, forecasts,
estimates or predictions in respect of revenues, earnings or other financial or
operating metrics for any period (it being understood that the facts or
occurrences giving rise to or contributing to such failure may be deemed to
constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether there has been or
will be a Material Adverse Effect), (F) the execution and delivery of this
Agreement or the public announcement or pendency of the Merger or any of the
other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the impact thereof
on the relationships, contractual or otherwise, of such party or any of its
subsidiaries with employees, labor unions, customers, suppliers or partners, (G)
any change in applicable law, regulation or GAAP (as defined below) (or
authoritative interpretations thereof), (H) geopolitical conditions, the
outbreak or escalation of hostilities, any acts of war, sabotage or terrorism,
or any escalation or worsening of any such acts of war, sabotage or terrorism
threatened or underway as of the date of this Agreement, except to the extent
such conditions or events have a disproportionate effect on such party and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to others in the industries in which
such party and any of its subsidiaries operate or (I) any hurricane, tornado,
flood, earthquake or other natural disaster, except to the extent such events
have a disproportionate effect on such party and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, relative to others in the industries in which such party and any of its
subsidiaries operate. For purposes of analyzing whether any state of
facts, change, development, effect, occurrence or condition has resulted in a
Company Material Adverse Effect, Parent and Merger Sub will not be deemed to
have knowledge of any state of facts, change, development, effect, occurrence or
condition relating to the Company or its subsidiaries unless it is disclosed in
the Company’s SEC Documents or the Company Disclosure Letter (as defined
below). As used in this Agreement, the word “subsidiary” when used
with respect to any party means any corporation, partnership or other
organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, (i) of which at least a
majority of the securities or other interests having by their terms voting power
to elect a majority of the board of directors or others performing similar
functions with respect to such corporation or other organization is directly or
indirectly beneficially owned or controlled by such party or by any one or more
of its subsidiaries, or by such party and one or more of its subsidiaries, or
(ii) that would be required to be consolidated in such party’s financial
statements under generally accepted accounting principles as adopted (whether or
not yet effective) in the United States.
13
Section
3.2 Capitalization.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 600,000,000 shares of
Company Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, 25,000,000 shares of preferred
stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Company $0.01 Par Value Preferred Stock”)
and 50,000,000 shares of Class A preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the
“Company Class A Preferred Stock” and together with the Company $0.01 Par Value
Preferred Stock, the “Company Preferred Stock”). As of November 1,
2009, there were (i) 340,522,033 shares of Company Common Stock
(including 833 Company Restricted Shares granted under the Company Stock
Plans) and no shares of Company Preferred Stock issued and outstanding,
(ii) 53,900,000 shares of Company Common Stock reserved for issuance
pursuant to the Company Stock Plans, including (A) 10,746,515 shares of
Company Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding Company Stock
Options (whether or not presently exercisable) (of which 294,561 shares are
issuable under Company Stock Options that have a “reload” feature) and (B)
1,649,460 shares of Company Common Stock issuable upon vesting of outstanding
Company RSUs, assuming target performance with respect to performance-based
Company RSUs, and 674,535 additional shares of Company Common Stock
designated as “performance stock” issuable assuming performance greater than
target is achieved with respect to such performance-based Company RSUs, and
(C) 472,519 share units credited to the accounts of employees under the
Senior Management Stock Deferral Plan and (iii) 202,643,194 shares of
Company Common Stock are owned by the Company as treasury
stock. Except as set forth above, no shares of capital stock or other
equity securities of the Company are issued, reserved for issuance or
outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Company
Stock have been, and any shares of Company Common Stock issued upon the exercise
of Company Stock Options or the vesting of Company RSUs will be, duly authorized
and validly issued and are or will be fully paid, nonassessable and free of
preemptive rights. Except as set forth above or in Section 3.2(a) of
the Company’s letter relating to disclosure delivered to Parent concurrently
with the execution of this Agreement (the “Company Disclosure Letter”), and
except with respect to obligations under the Company’s Investment and Retirement
Plan, as of the date hereof, there are not, and (except as permitted in
connection with Section 5.1(a)) as of the Effective Time there will not be, any
outstanding securities, options, warrants, calls, rights, commitments,
agreements, derivative contracts, forward sale contracts or undertakings of any
kind to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party, or by which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound, obligating the Company or any of
its subsidiaries to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or
sold, additional shares of capital stock or other voting securities of the
Company or of any subsidiary of the Company or obligating the Company or any
subsidiary of the Company to issue, grant, extend or enter into any such
security, option, warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement, derivative
contract, forward sale contract or undertaking, or obligating the Company to
make any payment based on or resulting from the value or price of the Company
Common Stock or of any such security, option, warrant, call, right, commitment,
agreement, derivative contract, forward sale contract or
undertaking. Except for acquisitions, or deemed acquisitions, of
Company Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company in connection
with (i) the payment of the exercise price of Company Stock Options with Company
Common Stock (including in connection with “net” exercises), (ii) required
tax withholding in connection with the exercise of Company Stock Options and
vesting of Company RSUs and Company Restricted Shares and (iii) forfeitures
of Company Stock Options, Company RSUs and Company Restricted Shares, there are
no outstanding contractual obligations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than pursuant to the Company Benefit
Plans.
14
(b) Except
as set forth in Section 3.2(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, the
Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding shares
of capital stock of each of its subsidiaries (excluding subsidiaries that are
not, in the aggregate, material to the Company), free and clear of any liens,
charges, encumbrances, adverse rights or claims and security interests
whatsoever (“Liens”), and all of such shares are duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive
rights.
Section
3.3 Authority.
(a) The
Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, subject
to obtaining the affirmative vote in favor of adopting this Agreement and
approving the Merger of (i) the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares
of Company Common Stock, and (ii) the holders of sixty-six and two-thirds
percent (66-2/3%) of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock (excluding
Parent and any associate or affiliate (as such terms are defined in Section 203
of the DGCL) of Parent) (collectively, the “Company Stockholder
Approvals”). The Company Stockholder Approvals are the only votes of
the holders of any class or series of the Company’s securities necessary to
approve this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of
this Agreement, and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated
hereby, have been duly authorized by its Board of Directors (including the Board
of Directors having made the determination pursuant to Article Sixth,
Section II(b) of the Company Charter with respect to the execution and
delivery by the Company of this Agreement) and, except for obtaining the Company
Stockholder Approvals, no other corporate action on the part of the Company is
necessary to authorize the execution and delivery by the Company of this
Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated
hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the
Company and, assuming due and valid authorization, execution and delivery hereof
by the other parties thereto, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the
Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except
that such enforceability (i) may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
moratorium or other similar laws affecting or relating to the enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and (ii) is subject to general principles of
equity.
(b) The
Board of Directors of the Company has approved and taken all corporate action
required to be taken by the Board of Directors for the consummation by the
Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section
3.4 Consents and Approvals; No
Violations.
(a) Except
for (i) the consents and approvals set forth in Section 3.4(a) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, (ii) the filing with the SEC of the preliminary proxy
statement, the Proxy Statement and the Form S-4, (iii) the filing of the
Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State pursuant to the DGCL and the
DLLCA, (iv) the Company Stockholder Approvals and (v) filings, permits,
authorizations, consents and approvals as may be required under, and other
applicable requirements of, (A) the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”), (B) the Securities Act (as defined below), (C) the rules
and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange, and (D) the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx
Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”), and any foreign
antitrust or competition laws, no consents or approvals of, or filings,
declarations or registrations with, any federal, state or local court,
administrative or regulatory agency or commission or other governmental
authority or instrumentality, domestic or foreign (each a “Governmental
Entity”), are necessary for the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated hereby, other than such other consents, approvals, filings,
declarations or registrations that, if not obtained, made or given, would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
15
(b) Except
as set forth in Section 3.4(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation by
the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor compliance by the
Company with any of the terms or provisions hereof, will (i) conflict with or
violate any provision of the Company Charter or Company Bylaws or any of the
similar organizational documents of any of its subsidiaries or (ii) assuming
that the authorizations, consents and approvals referred to in Section 3.4(a)
and the Company Stockholder Approvals are duly obtained in accordance with the
DGCL, (x) violate any statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment,
order, writ, decree or injunction applicable to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, or (y) violate,
conflict with, result in the loss of any material benefit under, constitute a
default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would
constitute a default) under, result in the termination of or a right of
termination or cancellation under, accelerate the performance required by, or
result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the respective properties or
assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries under, any of the terms,
conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust,
license, lease, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is a party, or by which they or any of their
respective properties or assets may be bound or affected, except, in the case of
clause (ii) above, for such violations, conflicts, breaches, defaults, losses,
terminations of rights thereof, accelerations or Lien creations which,
individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
3.5 SEC Documents; Undisclosed
Liabilities. The Company and each of its subsidiaries that is
required to file any registration statement, prospectus, report, schedule, form,
statement or other document with the SEC, has filed all required registration
statements, prospectuses, reports, schedules, forms, statements and other
documents required to be filed by it with the SEC (collectively, and in each
case including all exhibits, schedules and amendments thereto and documents
incorporated by reference therein, the “SEC Documents”) since December 31,
2008. Except as disclosed in Section 3.5 of the Company Disclosure
Letter, as of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all
material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “Securities Act”), or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the
rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to such SEC
Documents, and none of the SEC Documents (including any and all financial
statements included therein) as of such dates contained any untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
consolidated financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents
(the “SEC Financial Statements”) comply as to form in all material respects with
applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of
the SEC with respect thereto, have been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) (except, in the case of unaudited
consolidated quarterly statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC) applied
on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated in
the notes thereto) and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated
financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the
dates thereof and the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows
for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited quarterly
statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments). Since December 31,
2008, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, has incurred any
liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent
or otherwise) required, if known, to be reflected or reserved against on a
consolidated balance sheet of the Company prepared in accordance with GAAP
except (i) as and to the extent set forth on the audited balance sheet of the
Company and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008 (including the notes
thereto) included in the SEC Documents, (ii) as incurred in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) as incurred after December
31, 2008 in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice,
(iv) as described in the SEC Documents filed since December 31, 2008 (such SEC
Documents, excluding any exhibits thereto or documents incorporated by reference
therein, the “Recent SEC Documents”), or (v) as would not, individually or in
the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect. If, at
any time from the date hereof and until the Effective Time, the Company shall
obtain knowledge of any material facts that would require supplementing or
amending any of the foregoing documents in order to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or
to comply with applicable laws, such amendment or supplement shall be promptly
filed with the SEC and, as required by law, disseminated to the stockholders of
the Company. The management of the Company has (i) designed
disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls to be
designed under its supervision, to ensure that material information relating to
the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the
management of the Company by others within those entities, and (ii) has
disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation of internal controls over
financial reporting, to the Company’s auditors and the audit committee of the
Company’s Board of Directors (A) all significant deficiencies and material
weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial
reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability
to record, process, summarize and report financial information and (B) any
fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial
reporting.
16
Section
3.6 Broker’s
Fees. Except for the Financial Advisors’ fees set forth in
Section 3.6 of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor any
subsidiary of the Company nor any of their respective officers or directors on
behalf of the Company or such subsidiaries has employed any financial advisor,
broker or finder or incurred any liability for any financial advisory fee,
broker’s fees, commissions or finder’s fees in connection with any of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
Section
3.7 Absence of Certain Changes
or Events. Except as set forth in the Recent SEC Documents
filed prior to the date hereof, since December 31, 2008, the Company and its
subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in all material respects only in
the ordinary course and in a manner consistent with past practice and, since
such date, there has not been any event that, individually or in the aggregate,
has had or would reasonably be expected to have in the future a Company Material
Adverse Effect. Except as set forth in Section 3.7 of the Company
Disclosure Letter or in the Recent SEC Documents, since December 31, 2008
through the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has taken any action that would have constituted a breach of
Section 5.1(a) hereof, had the covenants therein applied since December 31,
2008.
17
Section
3.8 Legal
Proceedings.
(a) Except
as set forth in the Recent SEC Documents, there is no action, suit or
proceeding, claim, arbitration or investigation pending or, to the Company’s
knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any action, suit
or proceeding, arbitration or investigation, in each case which, individually or
in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material
Adverse Effect.
(b) Except
as disclosed in the Recent SEC Documents, there is no injunction, order,
judgment, decree or regulatory restriction imposed upon the Company, any of its
subsidiaries or the assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which,
individually or when aggregated with all other such injunctions, orders,
judgments, decrees and restrictions, would reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
3.9 Compliance with Applicable
Law. Except as disclosed in the Recent SEC Documents, (a)
the Company and each of its subsidiaries hold all material licenses, franchises,
permits and authorizations necessary for the lawful conduct of their respective
businesses as presently conducted and are in compliance with the terms thereof,
except where the failure to hold such license, franchise, permit or
authorization or such noncompliance would not, individually or when aggregated
with all other such failures or noncompliance, reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect, and (b) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries knows of, or has received notice of, any material violations of any
applicable law, statute, order, rule, regulation, policy and/or guideline of any
Governmental Entity relating to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which,
individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
Section
3.10 Company
Information. None of the information supplied or to be
supplied by the Company for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (i) the
registration statement on Form S-4 to be filed with the SEC by Parent in
connection with the issuance of Parent Stock in the Merger (the “Form S-4”)
will, at the time the Form S-4 is filed with the SEC, and at any time it is
amended or supplemented or at the time it becomes effective under the Securities
Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and (ii) the Proxy Statement will, at the date it or any
amendment or supplement is mailed to holders of the shares of Company Common
Stock and at the time of the Special Meeting, contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances in which they are made, not misleading
(except that no representation or warranty is made by the Company to such
portions thereof that relate expressly to Parent, Merger Sub or any of their
subsidiaries or to statements made therein based on information supplied by or
on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub for inclusion or incorporation by reference
therein). The Proxy Statement will comply as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
18
Section
3.11 Employee
Matters.
(a) Each
material employment, severance, bonus, change-in-control, profit sharing,
compensation, termination, stock option, stock appreciation right, restricted
stock, phantom stock, performance unit, pension, retirement, deferred
compensation, welfare or other employee benefit agreement, trust fund or other
arrangement and any union, guild or collective bargaining agreement maintained
or contributed to or required to be contributed to by the Company or any of its
ERISA Affiliates (as defined below), for the benefit or welfare of any director,
officer, employee or former employee of the Company or any of its ERISA
Affiliates (such plans and arrangements being collectively the “Company Benefit
Plans”) is in material compliance with all applicable laws including the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and the
Code except where such noncompliance would not reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect. The Internal Revenue Service has
determined that each Company Benefit Plan that is intended to be a qualified
plan under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified as to form and the Company
is aware of no event occurring after the date of such determination that would
adversely affect such determination, except for any such events that would not
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. No
condition exists that is reasonably likely to subject the Company or any of its
subsidiaries to any direct or indirect liability under Title IV of ERISA or to a
civil penalty under Section 502(j) of ERISA or liability under Section 4069 of
ERISA or Section 4975, 4976, or 4980B of the Code or other liability with
respect to the Company Benefit Plans, in each case that would reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect and that is not reflected on
the latest balance sheet of the Company included in the Recent SEC
Documents. There are no pending or to the Company’s knowledge,
threatened, claims (other than routine claims for benefits or immaterial claims)
by, on behalf of or against any of the Company Benefit Plans or any trusts
related thereto except where such claims would not reasonably be expected to
have a Company Material Adverse Effect. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with
respect to any person, any trade or business, whether or not incorporated, that
together with such person would be deemed a “single employer” within the meaning
of Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA.
(b) Except
for such matters that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or
in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, there is no (i) unfair
labor practice, labor dispute or labor arbitration proceeding pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, or (ii) lockout, strike, slowdown, work stoppage or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threat thereof by or with respect to any employees of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(c) Except
as disclosed in Section 3.11(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not, either
alone or in combination with another event, (i) entitle any current or former
employee or officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or ERISA
Affiliate of the Company to any severance pay, unemployment compensation or any
other payment, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, or (ii)
accelerate the time of payment or vesting, or increase the amount of
compensation due any such employee or officer.
19
Section
3.12 Environmental
Matters. Except as set forth in the Recent SEC Documents,
there are no legal, administrative, arbitral or other proceedings, claims,
actions, causes of action, required environmental remediation activities or, to
the knowledge of the Company, governmental investigations of any nature seeking
to impose, or that reasonably would be expected to result in the imposition, on
the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any liability or obligations arising
under common law standards relating to environmental protection, human health or
safety, or under any local, state, federal, national or supernational
environmental statute, regulation or ordinance, including the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended
(collectively, “Environmental Laws”), pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which
liability or obligation would have or would reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company,
during or prior to the period of (i) its or any of its subsidiaries’ ownership
or operation of any of their respective current properties, (ii) its or any of
its subsidiaries’ participation in the management of any property, or (iii) its
or any of its subsidiaries’ holding of a security interest or other interest in
any property, there was no release or threatened release of hazardous, toxic,
radioactive or dangerous materials or other materials regulated under
Environmental Laws in, on, under or affecting any such property which would
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect. Except as set forth in the Recent SEC Documents, neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries is subject to any agreement, order,
judgment, decree, letter or memorandum by or with any court, governmental
authority, regulatory agency or third party imposing any material liability or
obligations pursuant to or under any Environmental Law that would have or would
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
3.13 Takeover
Statutes. Except as set forth in Section 3.13 of the Company
Disclosure Letter, the Company has taken all actions necessary such that no
restrictive provision of any “fair price,” “moratorium,” “control share
acquisition,” “interested shareholder” or other similar anti-takeover statute or
regulation (each a “Takeover Statute”) or restrictive provision of any
applicable anti-takeover provision in the governing documents of the Company is,
or at the Effective Time will be, applicable to the Company, Parent, Merger Sub,
the shares of Company Common Stock (including shares of Company Common Stock
acquired in the Merger), the Merger or any other transaction contemplated by
this Agreement.
Section
3.14 Properties. Except
(a) as disclosed in Section 3.14 of the Company Disclosure Letter, (b) as
disclosed in the Recent SEC Documents or in the notes to the latest audited
financial statements included in the SEC Documents and (c) for any of the
following which would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect, each of the
Company and its subsidiaries (i) has good and valid title to all the properties
and assets reflected on the latest audited balance sheet included in the SEC
Documents as being owned by the Company or one of its subsidiaries or acquired
after the date thereof which are, individually or in the aggregate, material to
the Company’s business on a consolidated basis (except properties sold or
otherwise disposed of since the date thereof in the ordinary course of
business), free and clear of (A) all Liens except (1) statutory liens securing
payments not yet due, (2) reversionary obligations in respect of real estate
granted to the Company or any of its subsidiaries by Governmental Entities and
(3) such imperfections or irregularities of title or other Liens (other than
real property mortgages or deeds of trust) as do not materially affect the use
of the properties or assets subject thereto or affected thereby or otherwise
materially impair business operations at such properties, and (B) all real
property mortgages and deeds of trust except such secured indebtedness as is
properly reflected in the latest audited balance sheet included in the SEC
Documents, and (ii) is the lessee of all leasehold estates reflected in the
latest audited financial statements included in the SEC Documents or acquired
after the date thereof which are material to its business on a consolidated
basis and is in possession of the properties purported to be leased thereunder,
and each such lease is valid without material default thereunder by the lessee
or, to the knowledge of the Company, the lessor.
20
Section
3.15 Tax Returns and Tax
Payments. Except as disclosed in Section 3.15 of the Company
Disclosure Letter, (a) the Company and its subsidiaries have timely filed (or,
as to subsidiaries, the Company has filed on behalf of such subsidiaries) all
material Tax Returns (as defined below) required to be filed by it, (b) the
Company and its subsidiaries have paid (or, as to subsidiaries, the Company has
paid on behalf of such subsidiaries) all Taxes (as defined below) shown to be
due on such Tax Returns or has provided (or, as to subsidiaries, the Company has
made provision on behalf of such subsidiaries) reserves in its financial
statements for any Taxes that have not been paid, whether or not shown as being
due on any Tax Returns, (c) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has
granted any request that remains in effect for waivers of the time to assess any
Taxes, (d) no claim for unpaid Taxes has been asserted against the Company or
any of its subsidiaries in writing by a Tax authority which, if resolved in a
manner unfavorable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, as the case may
be, would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Company Material Adverse Effect, (e) there are no Liens for Taxes upon the
assets of the Company or any subsidiary, except for Liens for Taxes not yet due
and payable or for Taxes that are being disputed in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves have been taken, (f) no
audit of any material Tax Return of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
being conducted by a Tax authority and (g) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has any liability for Taxes of any person (other than the Company
and its subsidiaries) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any
comparable provision of state, local or foreign law). As used herein,
“Taxes” shall mean all taxes of any kind, including those on or measured by or
referred to as income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, franchise,
profits, license, value added, property or windfall profits taxes, customs,
duties or similar fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatsoever, together
with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts
imposed by any governmental authority, domestic or foreign. As used
herein, “Tax Return” shall mean any return, report or statement required to be
filed with any governmental authority with respect to Taxes. As used
herein, “Code” shall mean the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated
thereunder.
Section
3.16 Identified
Agreements. Other than the contracts or agreements of the
Company included as exhibits to the SEC Documents, the Company Benefit Plans and
contracts or agreements between the Company and its subsidiaries or between
subsidiaries of the Company, Section 3.16 of the Company Disclosure Letter lists
each of the contracts and agreements to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party as of the date hereof, which are (a) material contracts
or agreements between the Company and any of its affiliates (other than ordinary
course of business contracts or agreements), (b) contracts or arrangements
between the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any
executive officer or director of the Company or any of its affiliates or
associates (as defined in the Exchange Act), on the other hand, or (c)
stockholder, voting trust or similar contracts or agreements relating to the
voting of Company Common Stock or other equity interests of the Company or any
of its subsidiaries.
21
Section
3.17 Board
Recommendation. The Board of Directors of the Company, at a
meeting duly called and held, has (A) unanimously approved this Agreement
(including all terms and conditions set forth herein) and the transactions
contemplated hereby, including the Merger, (B) determined that the Merger is
advisable and that the terms of the Merger are fair to, and in the best
interests of, the Company’s stockholders, and (C) subject to Section 5.2,
resolved to recommend that the Company’s stockholders approve and adopt this
Agreement and the Merger.
Section
3.18 Opinions of Financial
Advisors. The Financial Advisors have delivered to the
Company’s Board of Directors their opinions (in writing or to be confirmed in
writing), dated the date hereof, to the effect that, as of the date hereof and
based upon and subject to the factors and assumptions set forth therein, the
Stock Consideration and the Cash Consideration to be paid to the holders of the
Shares, taken in the aggregate, pursuant to the Agreement is fair to such
holders from a financial point of view.
Section
3.19 Certain Additional
Representations. The Company has consulted Cravath, Swaine
& Xxxxx LLP, counsel to the Company, and believes that it will be able to
give representations reasonably necessary for tax counsel to Parent and tax
counsel to the Company to be able to render the opinions referred to in Sections
6.2(d) and 6.3(c).
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF
PARENT
AND MERGER SUB
Parent
and Merger Sub jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Company as
follows:
Section
4.1 Corporate
Organization. Parent is a corporation and Merger Sub is a
limited liability company, and each is duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has the requisite
corporate or limited liability company power and authority, as applicable, to
own or lease all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it
is now being conducted, except for such failure regarding corporate or limited
liability company power and authority as would not reasonably be expected to
have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
4.2 Authority. Each
of Parent and Merger Sub has all necessary corporate or limited liability
company power and authority, as applicable, to execute and deliver this
Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The
execution, delivery and performance by Parent of this Agreement, and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, have been duly authorized
and approved by its Boards of Directors. The execution, delivery and
performance by Merger Sub of this Agreement, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, have been duly authorized and approved by
National Indemnity Company, a Nebraska corporation and an indirect wholly owned
subsidiary of Parent and the sole member of Merger Sub. No other
corporate or limited liability company action, as applicable, on the part of
Parent or Merger Sub is necessary to authorize the execution and delivery by
Parent and Merger Sub of this Agreement and the consummation by them of the
Merger. All corporate or limited liability company actions, as
applicable required to be taken by the Boards of Directors of Parent and the
sole member of Merger Sub to approve the holding of a special meeting of
stockholders of Parent and the filing of a preliminary proxy statement with
respect to, and the recommendation to the stockholders of Parent to vote in
favor of, the Parent Class B Stock Authorization and the Parent Class B Stock
Split have been taken. The approval of the holders of a majority of
the outstanding shares of Parent Stock, and the approval of the holders of a
majority of the outstanding shares of Parent Class B Stock, voting as a separate
class, are the only votes of the holders of any class or series of the
securities of Parent and its subsidiaries necessary to approve the Parent Class
B Stock Authorization and the Parent Class B Stock Split. Subject to
obtaining such approvals, the approval of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Parent Stock is the only vote of the holders of any class
or series of the securities of Parent and its subsidiaries necessary to approve
the Parent Equity Plan. This Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by Parent and Merger Sub, and, assuming due and valid authorization,
execution and delivery hereof by the Company, is a valid and binding obligation
of each of Parent and Merger Sub, enforceable against each of them in accordance
with its terms, except that such enforceability may be limited by (a)
bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or other similar laws affecting or relating
to the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or (b) general principles of
equity.
22
Section
4.3 Capitalization. The
authorized capital stock of Parent consists of 1,650,000 shares of Parent Class
A Stock, 55,000,000 shares of Parent Class B Stock, and 1,000,000 shares of
preferred stock, no par value per share (“Parent Preferred
Stock”). As of October 29, 2009, there were (i) 1,056,884 shares of
Parent Class A Stock, 14,845,356 shares of Parent Class B Stock, and no shares
of Parent Preferred Stock issued and outstanding and (ii) less than 1,100
shares of Parent Class B Stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock
options or vesting of restricted share units to acquire shares of Parent Class B
Stock (whether or not presently exercisable) (“Parent Stock
Options”). Except as set forth above, and for shares of Parent Class
B Stock reserved for issuance upon conversion of Parent Class A Stock or under
Parent equity plans, no shares of capital stock or other equity securities of
Parent are issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding. All of the
issued and outstanding shares of Parent Stock have been, and any shares of
Parent Stock issued upon the exercise of options to acquire Parent Stock will
be, duly authorized and validly issued and are or will be fully paid,
nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. Except as set forth
above or in Section 4.3 of Parent’s letter relating to disclosure delivered to
the Company concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the “Parent
Disclosure Letter”), as of the date hereof, there are not, and as of the
Effective Time there will not be, any outstanding securities, options, warrants,
calls, rights, commitments, agreements, derivative contracts, forward sale
contracts or undertakings of any kind to which Parent is a party, or by which
Parent is bound, obligating Parent to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be
issued, delivered or sold, additional shares of capital stock or other voting
securities of Parent or obligating Parent to issue, grant, extend or enter into
any such security, option, warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement,
derivative contract, forward sale contract or undertaking, or obligating Parent
to make any payment based on or resulting from the value or price of the Parent
Stock or of any such security, option, warrant, call, right, commitment,
agreement, derivative contract, forward sale contract or
undertaking.
23
Section
4.4 Consents and Approvals; No
Violation.
(a) Except
for (i) the filing with the SEC of the preliminary proxy statement, the Proxy
Statement, and the Form S-4, (ii) the filing of the Certificate of Merger with
the Secretary of State pursuant to the DGCL and the DLLCA, and (iii) filings,
permits, authorizations, consents and approvals as may be required under, and
other applicable requirements of, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the
HSR Act, no consents or approvals of, or filings, declarations or registrations
with, any Governmental Entity are necessary for the consummation by Parent and
Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby, other than such other
consents, approvals, filings, declarations or registrations that, if not
obtained, made or given, would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on Parent (a “Parent Material
Adverse Effect”).
(b) Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent or Merger Sub, nor the
consummation by Parent or Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby,
nor compliance by Parent or Merger Sub with any of the terms or provisions
hereof, will (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Restated
Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of Parent or the certificate of formation
or operating agreement of Merger Sub or (ii) assuming that the authorizations,
consents and approvals referred to in Section 4.4(a) are obtained, (A) violate
any statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ, decree or
injunction applicable to Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective
properties or assets, or (B) violate, conflict with, result in the loss of any
material benefit under, constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or
lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under, result in the
termination of or a right of termination or cancellation under, accelerate the
performance required by, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the
properties or assets of Parent or Merger Sub under, any of the terms, conditions
or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, license,
lease, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which Parent or Merger Sub
is a party, or by which they or any of their respective properties or assets may
be bound or affected, except, in the case of clause (ii) above, for such
violations, conflicts, breaches, defaults, losses, terminations of rights
thereof, accelerations or Lien creations which, individually or in the
aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
4.5 SEC Documents; Undisclosed
Liabilities. Parent and each of its subsidiaries that is
required to file any registration statement, prospectus, report, schedule, form,
statement or other document with the SEC, has filed all required registration
statements, prospectuses, reports, schedules, forms, statements and other
documents required to be filed by it with the SEC (collectively, and in each
case including all exhibits, schedules and amendments thereto and documents
incorporated by reference therein, the “Parent SEC Documents”) since December
31, 2008. As of their respective dates, the Parent SEC Documents
complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or
the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations of the SEC
promulgated thereunder applicable to such Parent SEC Documents, and none of the
Parent SEC Documents (including any and all financial statements included
therein) as of such dates contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading. The consolidated financial statements
of Parent included in the Parent SEC Documents (the “Parent SEC Financial
Statements”) comply as to form in all material respects with applicable
accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with
respect thereto, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except, in the case
of unaudited consolidated quarterly statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the
SEC) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be
indicated in the notes thereto) and fairly present in all material respects the
consolidated financial position of Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries as
of the dates thereof and the consolidated results of their operations and cash
flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited quarterly
statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments). Since December 31,
2008, neither Parent nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities or
obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise)
required, if known, to be reflected or reserved against on a consolidated
balance sheet of Parent prepared in accordance with GAAP except (i) as and to
the extent set forth on the audited balance sheet of Parent and its subsidiaries
as of December 31, 2008 (including the notes thereto) included in the Parent SEC
Documents, (ii) as incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, (iii) as incurred after December 31, 2008 in the ordinary course
of business and consistent with past practice, (iv) as described in the Parent
SEC Documents filed since December 31, 2008 (such SEC Documents, excluding any
exhibits thereto or documents incorporated by reference therein, the “Parent
Recent SEC Documents”), or (v) as would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. If, at any time prior to the
Effective Time, Parent shall obtain knowledge of any material facts that would
require supplementing or amending any of the foregoing documents in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, or to comply with applicable laws, such amendment or
supplement shall be promptly filed with the SEC and, as required by law,
disseminated to the stockholders of Parent.
24
Section
4.6 Absence of Certain Changes
or Events. Except as set forth in the Parent Recent SEC
Documents filed prior to the date hereof, since December 31, 2008, Parent has
conducted its businesses only in the ordinary course and in a manner consistent
with past practice and, since such date, there has not been any event that,
individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to
have in the future a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.7 Broker’s
Fees. Neither Parent nor any of its officers or directors, nor
Merger Sub nor any of its officers, on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub, has
employed any financial advisor, broker or finder in a manner that would result
in any liability of the Company for any broker’s fees, commissions or finder’s
fees in connection with any of the transactions contemplated hereby or that
would result in any reduction of the consideration payable to the stockholders
of the Company.
Section
4.8 Merger Sub’s
Operation. Merger Sub was formed solely for the purpose of
engaging in the transactions contemplated hereby and has not engaged in any
business activities or conducted any operations other than in connection with
the transactions contemplated hereby. All of the issued and
outstanding membership interests of Merger Sub have been validly issued, are
fully paid and nonassessable and are owned as of the date hereof, and will be
owned, as of the Closing Date, either directly or indirectly, by Parent, free
and clear of any Liens.
25
Section
4.9 Parent or Merger Sub
Information. None of the information supplied or to be
supplied by Parent or Sub for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (i) the
Form S-4 will, at the time the Form S-4 is filed with the SEC, and at any time
it is amended or supplemented or at the time it becomes effective under the
Securities Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Proxy Statement will, at the
date it or any amendment or supplement is mailed to holders of the shares of
Company Common Stock and at the time of the Special Meeting, contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. The Form
S-4 will comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, except that
no representation or warranty is made by Parent or Merger Sub with respect to
statements made or incorporated by reference therein based on information
supplied by the Company for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Form
S-4.
Section
4.10 Financing. Parent
and Merger Sub collectively have and will have at the Effective Time sufficient
funds to pay the cash portion of the Merger Consideration for all outstanding
shares of Company Common Stock converted into cash pursuant to the Merger, to
perform Parent’s and Merger Sub’s obligations under this Agreement and to pay
all fees and expenses related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
payable by them.
Section
4.11 Stock
Ownership. As of the date hereof, except as disclosed in
Parent’s filings with the SEC, neither Parent nor any of its subsidiaries
beneficially owns any shares of Company Common Stock. Prior to the
date of this Agreement, Parent has represented to the Company that the fair
market value of the Merger Consideration per share of Company Common Stock is
greater than the consideration per share of Company Common Stock (including
brokerage commissions and soliciting dealer’s fees) paid by Parent or any of its
subsidiaries in acquiring any shares of Company Common Stock, whether before or
after Parent became an “Interested Stockholder” as defined in the Article Sixth
of the Company Charter.
Section
4.12 Certain Additional
Representations. Parent has consulted Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx &
Xxxxx, LLP, counsel to Parent, and believes that it will be able to give
representations reasonably necessary for tax counsel to Parent and tax counsel
to the Company to be able to render the opinions referred to in Sections 6.2(d)
and 6.3(c).
26
ARTICLE
V
COVENANTS
Section
5.1 Conduct of Businesses Prior
to the Effective Time. Except as expressly contemplated or
permitted by this Agreement, or as required by applicable law, rule or
regulation, during the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective
Time, unless Parent otherwise agrees in writing, the Company shall, and shall
cause its subsidiaries to, in all material respects, conduct its business in the
usual, regular and ordinary course consistent with past practice and use all
reasonable efforts to maintain and preserve intact its business organization and
the good will of those having business relationships with it and retain the
services of its present officers and key employees. Without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, and except as set forth in Section 5.1 of the
Company Disclosure Letter, as expressly contemplated or permitted by this
Agreement, or as required by applicable law, rule or regulation, during the
period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, the Company shall
not, and shall not permit any of its subsidiaries to, without the prior written
consent of Parent in each instance (such consent, solely in the case of clauses
(b), (c) and (d) below, not to be unreasonably withheld or
delayed):
(a) (i)
issue, sell, grant, dispose of, pledge or otherwise encumber, or authorize or
propose the issuance, sale, disposition or pledge or other encumbrance of (A)
any additional shares of its capital stock or any securities or rights
convertible into, exchangeable for, or evidencing the right to subscribe for any
shares of its capital stock, or any rights, warrants, option, calls, commitments
or any other agreements of any character to purchase or acquire any shares of
its capital stock or any securities or rights convertible into, exchangeable
for, or evidencing the right to subscribe for, any shares of capital stock of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (B) any other securities in
respect of, in lieu of, or in substitution for, any shares of capital stock or
options of the Company or any of its subsidiaries outstanding on the date
hereof, other than, in the case of clauses (A) and (B), the issuance of shares
of Company Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of Company Stock Options or
rights under the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Program (the “ESPP”) or the
Company’s Discounted Stock Purchase Program (the “DSPP”) or the vesting of
Company RSUs, in each case outstanding as of the date hereof, the issuance of
Company Stock Options (and the issuance of shares of Company Common Stock
pursuant to the exercise of such Company Stock Options) pursuant to the exercise
of Company Stock Options outstanding as of the date hereof with a “reload”
feature, the issuance of rights under the ESPP and the DSPP in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice (and the issuance of shares of
Company Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of such rights) and the issuance
of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to the Company’s Investment and
Retirement Plan; (ii) accelerate the vesting of any Company Stock Options,
Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares, except as may be required pursuant to
the terms of such Company Stock Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted
Shares as in effect on the date hereof; (iii) redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire, or propose to redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, any of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
(other than pursuant to the Company Benefit Plans); or (iv) split, combine,
subdivide or reclassify any shares of its capital stock or declare, set aside
for payment or pay any dividend, or make any other actual, constructive or
deemed distribution, in respect of any shares of its capital stock or otherwise
make any payments to its stockholders in their capacity as such, other than the
Company’s ordinary course quarterly dividends to holders of Company Common Stock
in a per share amount no greater than the Company’s most recently declared
dividend; provided, however, that the Company may accelerate its usual quarterly
dividend record and payment dates with respect to the first quarter of 2010 if
necessary to ensure that the portion of the per share dividend for such quarter
equal to the First Quarter Dividend Payment is paid on the Closing Date (with
the “First Quarter Dividend Payment” defined as the product of (1) the number of
calendar days between (and including) December 15, 2009 and the Closing Date,
and (2) $0.0044);
27
(b) other
than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, incur any
indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such indebtedness or make any
loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other person
other than the Company or its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries,
except pursuant to contracts or agreements in force at the date of this
Agreement;
(c) sell,
transfer, mortgage, encumber or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or
assets with a minimum value in excess of $100,000,000 to any individual,
corporation or other entity other than a direct or indirect wholly owned
subsidiary of the Company, or cancel, release or assign to any such person any
indebtedness in excess of $100,000,000 or any claims related thereto, in each
case that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
except (i) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, or
(ii) pursuant to contracts or agreements in force at the date of this
Agreement;
(d) other
than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, make any
material acquisition or investment in a business either by purchase of stock or
securities, merger or consolidation, contributions to capital, loans, advances,
property transfers, or purchases of any property or assets of any other
individual, corporation or other entity other than a direct or indirect wholly
owned subsidiary of the Company, except pursuant to contracts or agreements in
force at the date of this Agreement;
(e) increase
in any manner the compensation of any of its directors, officers or employees or
enter into, establish, amend or terminate any Company Benefit Plans, for or in
respect of, any stockholder, officer, director, other employee, agent,
consultant or affiliate other than (i) as required pursuant to the terms of
agreements or Company Benefit Plans, in each case in effect on the date of this
Agreement, and (ii) increases in salaries, wages and benefits of employees who
are not directors or executive officers of the Company made in the ordinary
course of business and in a manner consistent with past practice;
(f)
amend its charter, bylaws, or similar
organizational documents; or
(g) make
any commitment to take any of the actions prohibited by this Section
5.1.
Section
5.2 No
Solicitation.
(a) The
Company shall immediately cease any discussions or negotiations with any parties
that may be ongoing with respect to a Takeover Proposal (as hereinafter defined)
and shall seek to have returned to the Company any confidential information that
has been provided in any such discussions or negotiations. From the
date hereof, the Company shall not, nor shall it permit any of its subsidiaries
to, nor shall it authorize or permit any of its officers, directors or employees
or any affiliate, investment banker, financial advisor, attorney, accountant or
other representative retained by it or any of its subsidiaries to, directly or
indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate or knowingly encourage (including by way of
furnishing information which has not been previously publicly disseminated), or
take any other action designed to facilitate, any inquiries or the making of any
proposal which constitutes, or may reasonably be expected to lead to, any
Takeover Proposal or (ii) participate in any discussions or negotiations
regarding any Takeover Proposal; provided, however, that if,
following the receipt of a Superior Proposal (as hereinafter defined) or a
proposal which is reasonably expected to lead to a Superior Proposal that in
either case was unsolicited and made after the date hereof in circumstances not
otherwise involving a breach of this Agreement, the Board of Directors of the
Company determines in good faith, after considering applicable provisions of
state law and after consultation with outside counsel, that a failure to do so
would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties to the Company’s shareholders
under applicable law, the Company may, in response to such Takeover Proposal and
subject to compliance with Section 5.2(c), (A) request information from the
party making such Takeover Proposal for the sole purpose of the Board of
Directors of the Company informing itself about the Takeover Proposal that has
been made and the party that made it, (B) furnish information with respect to
the Company to the party making such Takeover Proposal pursuant to a customary
confidentiality agreement, provided that (1) such confidentiality agreement may
not include any provision calling for an exclusive right to negotiate with the
Company and (2) the Company advises Parent of all such nonpublic information
delivered to such person concurrently with its delivery to the requesting party,
and (C) participate in negotiations with such party regarding such Takeover
Proposal. It is agreed that any violation of the restrictions set
forth in the preceding sentence by any executive officer, director or investment
banker, attorney or other advisor or representative of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries shall be deemed to be a breach of this Section 5.2(a) by the
Company. The Company agrees not to waive or fail to enforce any
provision of any confidentiality or standstill agreement to which it is a party
relating to a potential or actual Takeover Proposal.
28
(b) Except
as expressly permitted in this Section 5.2(b), neither the Board of Directors of
the Company nor any committee thereof shall (i) withdraw or modify, or propose
publicly to withdraw or modify, in a manner adverse to Parent, the approval,
determination of advisability, or recommendation by such Board of Directors or
such committee of this Agreement, the Merger, and the other transactions
contemplated hereby, (ii) approve, determine to be advisable, or recommend, or
propose publicly to approve, determine to be advisable, or recommend, any
Takeover Proposal or (iii) cause the Company to enter into any letter of intent,
agreement in principle, acquisition agreement or other similar agreement (each,
an “Acquisition Agreement”) related to any Takeover Proposal (other than a
customary confidentiality agreement referred to in clause (B) of the proviso to
Section 5.2(a)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the
Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith, in response to a
Superior Proposal that was unsolicited and made after the date hereof in
circumstances not otherwise involving a breach of this Agreement, after
considering applicable provisions of state law and after consultation with
outside counsel, that the failure to do so would be inconsistent with its
fiduciary duties to the Company’s stockholders under applicable law, the Board
of Directors of the Company may (subject to compliance with this sentence
and to compliance with Sections 5.2(a) and 5.2(c)) (x) withdraw or modify
its approval, determination of advisability, or recommendation of this
Agreement, the Merger, and the other transactions contemplated hereby or (y)
approve, determine to be advisable, or recommend a Superior Proposal, or (z)
cause the Company to enter into an Acquisition Agreement, provided, however, that any
actions described in clause (x), (y) or (z) may be taken only at a time that is
after the second business day following Parent’s receipt of written notice from
the Company advising Parent that the Board of Directors of the Company has
received a Superior Proposal, specifying the material terms and conditions of
such Superior Proposal, identifying the person making such Superior Proposal and
providing notice of the determination of the Board of Directors of the Company
of what actions described in clause (x), (y) or (z) the Board of Directors of
the Company has determined to take, and further provided, that the
action described in clause (z) may be taken only upon compliance by the Company
with Section 7.1(c)(ii) and Section 7.3. In addition, and
notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Board of
Directors of the Company may at any time (other than in connection with a
Takeover Proposal) withdraw or modify its approval, determination of
advisability, or recommendation of this Agreement, the Merger, and the other
transactions contemplated hereby in the event it determines in good faith, after
considering applicable provisions of state law and after consultation with
outside counsel, that any such withdrawal or modification of its approval,
determination of advisability or recommendation is required in order for the
Company’s Board of Directors to comply with its fiduciary duties to the
Company’s stockholders under applicable law, provided that the Company has
provided to Parent five (5) business days’ prior written notice advising Parent
that it intends to take such action and specifying, in reasonable detail, the
reasons for such action.
29
(c) In
addition to the obligations of the Company set forth in Section 5.2(a) and
5.2(b), the Company shall promptly advise Parent orally and in writing of any
request for confidential information in connection with a Takeover Proposal or
of any Takeover Proposal, the material terms and conditions of such request or
the Takeover Proposal and the identity of the person making such request or
Takeover Proposal and shall keep Parent promptly advised of all significant
developments which could reasonably be expected to culminate in the Board of
Directors of the Company withdrawing, modifying or amending its recommendation
of this Agreement, the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, or in exercising any of its other rights under Section 5.2(a) or
(b).
(d) Nothing
contained in this Section 5.2 or Section 5.4 shall prohibit the Company from
taking and disclosing to its stockholders a position contemplated by Rule
14e-2(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act or from making any disclosure to the
Company’s stockholders; provided, however, neither the
Company nor its Board of Directors nor any committee thereof shall, except as in
accordance with Section 5.2(b), withdraw or modify, or propose publicly to
withdraw or modify, its approval, determination of advisability or
recommendation of this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated hereby or approve, determine to be advisable, or recommend, or
propose publicly to approve, determine to be advisable, or recommend, a Takeover
Proposal.
30
(e) For
purposes of this Agreement:
(i) “Takeover
Proposal” means any inquiry, proposal or offer from any person (other than
Parent and its subsidiaries, affiliates, and representatives) relating to any
direct or indirect acquisition or purchase of 10% or more of the consolidated
assets (including equity interests in subsidiaries) of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or 10% or more of any class of equity securities
of the Company, any tender offer or exchange offer that if consummated would
result in any person beneficially owning 10% or more of any class of equity
securities of the Company, or any merger, consolidation, share exchange,
business combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or similar
transaction involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(ii) “Superior
Proposal” means a bona
fide written offer from any person (other than Parent and its
subsidiaries, affiliates and representatives) for a direct or indirect
acquisition or purchase of 50% or more of the consolidated assets (including
equity interests in subsidiaries) of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole, or 50% or more of any class of equity securities of the Company, any
tender offer or exchange offer that if consummated would result in any person
beneficially owning 50% or more of any class of equity securities of the
Company, or any merger, consolidation, share exchange, business combination,
recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction involving the
Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement) (A) which, considering all relevant factors, is more favorable
to the Company and its stockholders than the Merger, and (B) for which the third
party has demonstrated that the financing for such offer is fully committed or
is reasonably likely to be obtained, in each case as determined by the Board of
Directors in its good faith judgment (after receiving the advice of independent
financial advisors and outside counsel).
Section
5.3 Preparation of Form S-4 and
Proxy Statement; Stockholders’ Meeting.
(a) Promptly
following the date of this Agreement, the Company shall prepare and file with
the SEC the Proxy Statement, and Parent shall prepare and file with the SEC the
Form S-4, in which the Proxy Statement will be included as a
prospectus. Each of the Company and Parent shall use its reasonable
best efforts as promptly as practicable (and after consultation with the other)
to respond to any comments made by the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement
and the Form S-4 and to have the Form S-4 declared effective under the
Securities Act as promptly as practicable after such filing. The
Company will use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Proxy Statement to be
mailed to the Company’s stockholders as promptly as practicable after the Form
S-4 is declared effective under the Securities Act.
(b) The
Company, acting through its Board of Directors, shall, in accordance with
applicable law:
(i) duly
call, give notice of, convene and hold a special meeting of its stockholders for
the purpose of considering and taking action upon this Agreement (the “Special
Meeting”) as soon as practicable following the date hereof;
31
(ii) include
in the Proxy Statement (1) the recommendation of the Board that stockholders of
the Company vote in favor of the approval of the Merger and the adoption of this
Agreement, unless such recommendation has been withdrawn, or as such
recommendation has been modified or amended, in each case in accordance with
Section 5.2, and (2) the opinions of Evercore Partners and Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx &
Co. (the “Financial Advisors”) described in Section 3.18.
Section
5.4 Publicity. The
initial press release with respect to the execution of this Agreement shall be a
joint press release reasonably acceptable to Parent and the
Company. Thereafter, so long as this Agreement is in effect, none of
the Company, Parent or Merger Sub, nor any of their respective affiliates shall
issue or cause the publication of any press release or other announcement with
respect to the Merger, this Agreement or the other transactions contemplated
hereby without the prior consultation of the other parties, except in connection
with a Takeover Proposal or as may be required by law or by any listing
agreement with a national securities exchange as determined in the good faith
judgment of the party wanting to make such release.
Section
5.5 Notification of Certain
Matters. The Company shall give prompt notice to Parent if any
of the following occur after the date of this Agreement: (i) receipt of any
notice or other communication in writing from any person alleging that the
consent or approval of such third party is or may be required in connection with
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) receipt of any notice or
other communication from any Governmental Entity or the New York Stock Exchange
(or any other securities market) in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement; or (iii) the occurrence of an event which would
or would be reasonably likely in the future to (A) have a Company Material
Adverse Effect or prevent or delay the consummation of the Merger or (B) cause
any condition to the Merger to be unsatisfied; provided, however, that the
delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 5.5 shall not limit or otherwise
affect the remedies of Parent and Merger Sub available hereunder.
Section
5.6 Access to
Information.
(a) Upon
reasonable notice and subject to applicable laws relating to the exchange of
information, the Company shall, and shall cause each of its subsidiaries to,
afford to the officers, employees, accountants, counsel and other
representatives of the Parent, during normal business hours during the period
prior to the Effective Time, reasonable access to all its properties, books,
contracts, commitments and records, and to its officers, employees, accountants,
counsel and other representatives and, during such period, the Company shall,
and shall cause its subsidiaries to, make available to Parent (i) a copy of each
report, schedule, registration statement and other document filed or received by
it during such period pursuant to the requirements of federal securities laws
and (ii) all other information concerning its business, properties and personnel
as such other party may reasonably request.
(b) No
investigation by any of the parties or their respective representatives shall
affect the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements of any other
party set forth herein.
32
(c) The
information provided pursuant to Section 5.6(a) shall be used solely for the
purpose of the transactions contemplated hereby, and unless and until the Merger
is consummated, such information shall be kept confidential by Parent and Merger
Sub, except that the information provided pursuant to Section 5.6(a) or portions
thereof may be disclosed to those of Parent’s and Merger Sub’s or their
affiliates’ directors, officers, members, employees, agents and advisors
(collectively, the “Representatives”) who (i) need to know such information for
the purpose of the transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) shall be advised by
Parent or Merger Sub, as the case may be, of this provision, (iii) agree to hold
the information provided pursuant to Section 5.6(a) as confidential and (iv)
agree with Parent and Merger Sub to be bound by the provisions
hereof. Parent and Merger Sub jointly agree to be responsible for any
breach of this section by any of their Representatives. If this
Agreement is terminated, Parent shall, and shall cause Merger Sub and each of
their Representatives to, return or destroy (and certify destruction of) all
information provided pursuant to Section 5.6(a).
Section
5.7 Further
Assurances.
(a) Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of Parent and the Company
shall, and shall cause its subsidiaries to, use all reasonable best efforts (i)
to take, or cause to be taken, all actions necessary, proper or advisable to
comply promptly with all legal requirements which may be imposed on such party
or its subsidiaries with respect to the Merger and, subject to the conditions
set forth in Article VI hereof, to consummate the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, including the Merger, as promptly as practicable and (ii) to
obtain (and to cooperate with the other party to obtain) any consent,
authorization, order or approval of, or any exemption by, any Governmental
Entity and any other third party which is required to be obtained by the Company
or Parent or any of their respective subsidiaries in connection with the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and to comply with
the terms and conditions of any such consent, authorization, order or
approval.
(b) Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of Parent and the Company
shall use all reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all
actions, and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or
advisable to consummate and make effective, as soon as practicable after the
date of this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby, including using
all reasonable efforts to lift or rescind any injunction or restraining order or
other order adversely affecting the ability of the parties to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby and using all reasonable efforts to defend any
litigation seeking to enjoin, prevent or delay the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby or seeking material damages.
(c) Notwithstanding Section
5.7(a) or 5.7(b) or any other provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, in no event shall Parent or its subsidiaries (including Merger Sub) or
affiliates be required to agree to (i) any prohibition of or limitation on its
or their ownership (or any limitation that would materially affect its or their
operation) of any portion of their respective businesses or assets, (ii) divest,
hold separate or otherwise dispose of any portion of its or their respective
businesses or assets, (iii) any limitation on its or their ability to effect the
Merger, or the ability of the Company (or Merger Sub) or its or their respective
subsidiaries to acquire or hold or exercise full rights of ownership of any
capital stock of any material subsidiary of the Company, or (iv) any other
limitation on its or their ability to effectively control their respective
businesses or any limitation that would materially affect its or their ability
to control their respective operations.
33
Section
5.8 Indemnification.
(a) From
and after the Effective Time, Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Entity
to, indemnify, defend and hold harmless each person who is now, or has been at
any time prior to the date of this Agreement or who becomes such prior to the
Effective Time, an officer or director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
(the “Indemnified Parties”) against (i) any and all losses, claims,
damages, costs, expenses, fines, liabilities or judgments or amounts that are
paid in settlement with the approval of the indemnifying party (which approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of or in connection with any
claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation based in whole or in part on or
arising in whole or in part out of the fact that such person is or was a
director or officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries whether pertaining
to any action or omission existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective
Time and whether asserted or claimed prior to, or at or after, the Effective
Time (“Indemnified Liabilities”), and (ii) all Indemnified Liabilities
based in whole or in part on, or arising in whole or in part out of, or
pertaining to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, that, in the
case of Merger Sub and the Surviving Entity, such indemnification shall only be
to the fullest extent a corporation is permitted under the DGCL to indemnify its
own directors and officers, and in the case of Parent, such indemnification
shall not be limited by the DGCL but such indemnification shall not be
applicable to any claims made against the Indemnified Parties (A) if a judgment
or other final adjudication established that their acts or omissions were
committed in bad faith or were the result of active and deliberate dishonesty
and were material to the cause of action so deliberated or (B) arising out
of, based upon or attributable to the gaining in fact of any financial profit or
other advantage to which they were not legally entitled. Parent,
Merger Sub, and the Surviving Entity, as the case may be, will pay all expenses
of each Indemnified Party in advance of the final disposition of any such action
or proceeding to the fullest extent a corporation is permitted by law to advance
such expenses upon receipt of an undertaking of the kind described in
Section 145(e) of the DGCL. Without limiting the foregoing, in
the event any such claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation is brought
against any Indemnified Party (whether arising before or after the Effective
Time), (i) the Indemnified Parties may retain counsel satisfactory to them
and reasonably satisfactory to Parent and Merger Sub, (ii) Parent shall, or
shall cause the Surviving Entity to, pay all reasonable fees and expenses of
such counsel for the Indemnified Parties promptly as statements therefor are
received, and (iii) Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Entity to,
use all reasonable efforts to assist in the vigorous defense of any such matter,
provided that none of Parent, Merger Sub or the Surviving Entity shall be liable
for any settlement of any claim effected without its written consent, which
consent, however, shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Any
Indemnified Party wishing to claim indemnification under this Section 5.8,
upon learning of any such claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation,
shall notify Parent, Merger Sub or the Surviving Entity (but the failure so to
notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it
may have under this Section 5.8 except to the extent such failure
materially prejudices such party), and shall deliver to Merger Sub and the
Surviving Entity an undertaking of the kind described in Section 145(e) of
the DGCL. The Indemnified Parties as a group may retain only one law
firm (in addition to local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction if reasonably
required) to represent them with respect to each such matter unless there is,
under applicable standards of professional conduct, a conflict on any
significant issue between the positions of any two or more Indemnified
Parties.
34
(b) Successors. In
the event Parent or any of its successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or
merges into any other person and shall not be the continuing or surviving entity
of such consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of
its properties and assets to any person, then and in either such case, proper
provisions shall be made so that the continuing or surviving entity or
transferee, as appropriate, shall assume the obligations set forth in this
Section 5.8.
(c) Survival of
Indemnification. To the fullest extent not prohibited by law,
from and after the Effective Time, all rights to indemnification as of the date
hereof in favor of the directors, officers and fiduciaries of the Company and
its subsidiaries with respect to their activities as such prior to the Effective
Time, as provided in their respective certificates of incorporation and bylaws
or comparable documents in effect on the date hereof, shall survive the Merger
and shall continue in full force and effect for a period of not less than six
years from the Effective Time, provided that in the event any claim or claims
are asserted or made within such six-year period, all such rights to
indemnification in respect of such claim or claims shall continue until the
final disposition thereof.
Section
5.9 Employee Benefit
Plans. For purposes of all employee benefit plans (as defined
in Section 3(3) of ERISA) and other employment agreements, arrangements and
policies of the Surviving Entity under which an employee’s benefits depends, in
whole or in part, on length of service, credit will be given to current
employees of the Company and its subsidiaries for service with the Company or
any of its subsidiaries prior to the Effective Time, provided that such
crediting of service does not result in duplication of
benefits. Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Entity to,
honor in accordance with their terms all employee benefit plans (as defined in
Section 3(3) of ERISA) and the other Company Benefit Plans; provided, however, that Parent
or the Surviving Entity may amend, modify or terminate any individual Company
Benefit Plan in accordance with its terms and applicable law (including
obtaining the consent of the other parties to and beneficiaries of such Company
Benefit Plan to the extent required thereunder). For a period of two years from
the Closing Date, Parent or the Surviving Entity shall provide, or cause to be
provided, compensation and benefits to the employees and former employees of the
Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company Employees”) that are no less
favorable, in the aggregate, than the compensation and benefits that are
provided to the Company Employees immediately prior to the Effective Time;
provided that the foregoing obligation shall not restrict Parent and the
Surviving Entity from making changes that (i) are consistent with changes
currently planned or contemplated by the Company, (ii) are in response to
business conditions which may exist at the time of such changes or
(iii) are collectively bargained for. Notwithstanding the
foregoing or anything else in this Agreement to the contrary, the Surviving
Entity and its subsidiaries shall not, after the Effective Time, provide any
form of equity-based compensation, including, without limitation, options to
purchase shares of capital stock in the Surviving Entity or any of its
subsidiaries; provided that any equity-based compensation provided by the
Company and its subsidiaries pursuant to the Company Benefit Plans immediately
prior to the Effective Time shall be taken into account in determining whether
the compensation and benefits provided by Parent and the Surviving Entity are
less favorable than those provided by the Company for purposes of the
immediately preceding sentence.
Section
5.10 Additional
Agreements. In case at any time after the Effective Time any
further action is necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this
Agreement or to vest the Surviving Entity with full title to all properties,
assets, rights, approvals, immunities and franchises of any of the parties to
the Merger, the proper officers and directors of each party to this Agreement
and their respective subsidiaries shall take all such necessary action as may be
reasonably requested by, and at the sole expense of, Parent.
35
Section
5.11 Pre-Closing
Restructuring. Parent will make (or not make) or cause to be
made (or not be made) such entity classification elections under the Code,
convert any corporate entities into LLCs under state corporate law, or do such
other restructuring, as may be necessary to enable the Merger to be treated as a
merger into a corporation wholly owned by Parent for U.S. federal income tax
purposes.
Section
5.12 [Intentionally
omitted]
Section
5.13 Stock Exchange
Listing. Parent shall use its best efforts to cause the shares
of Parent Stock to be issued in the Merger to be approved for listing on the
NYSE, subject to notice of issuance, prior to the Closing Date.
Section
5.14 Parent Class B Stock Split
and Stock Option Plan Approval.
(a) Parent,
acting through its Board of Directors, shall, in accordance with applicable
law:
(i) duly
call, give notice of, convene and hold a special meeting of its stockholders, as
soon as practicable following the date hereof, for the purpose of considering
and voting upon the approval of (i) an amendment to Parent’s certificate of
incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of Parent Class B
Stock and make other appropriate changes (the “Parent Class B Stock
Authorization”) in order to permit and effectuate a 50-for-1 split of Parent
Class B Stock (the “Parent Class B Stock Split”), and (ii) the adoption of a
Parent equity plan (the “Parent Equity Plan”) that will authorize the issuance
of Adjusted Options, Adjusted Restricted Shares and Adjusted RSUs as
contemplated by Section 2.5 hereof (the “Parent Equity Plan Approval” and
together with the Parent Class B Stock Authorization, the “Parent Approvals”);
and
(ii) include
in the related proxy statement the recommendation of the Board that stockholders
of Parent vote in favor of the Parent Approvals.
(b) If
the Parent Approvals are not obtained pursuant to Section 5.14(a)(i), Parent and
the Company shall reasonably agree on and implement a mechanism or mechanisms
(i) to ensure that (A) the Company Stock Options, Company RSUs and Company
Restricted Shares are treated in a manner that is reasonably comparable from the
point of view of the holders to the treatment that would have resulted had the
Parent Approvals been obtained and (B) the condition set forth in Section
6.2(e), if not waived, is satisfied and (ii) that do not violate any legal or
contractual obligations of the Company relating to such Company Stock Options,
Company RSUs or Company Restricted Shares.
36
ARTICLE
VI.
CONDITIONS
TO THE MERGER
Section
6.1 Conditions to Each Party’s
Obligation To Effect the Merger. The respective obligation of
each party to effect the Merger shall be subject to the satisfaction on or prior
to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions:
(a) Stockholder
Approval. The Company Stockholder Approvals shall have been
obtained.
(b) NYSE
Listing. The shares of Parent Class A Stock and Parent Class B
Stock issuable to the Company’s stockholders pursuant to this Agreement shall
have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to notice of
issuance.
(c) Statutes and
Injunctions. No statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order or
injunction shall have been promulgated, entered, enforced, enacted or issued or
be applicable to the Merger by any Governmental Entity which prohibits,
restrains, or makes illegal the consummation of the Merger.
(d) Form
S-4. The Form S-4 shall have become effective under the
Securities Act and shall not be the subject of any stop order or proceedings
seeking a stop order.
(e) Governmental
Consents. (i) The waiting period under the HSR Act applicable
to the Merger shall have expired or been terminated, any approval from
Governmental Entities regarding Federal Communications Commission licenses
required for the continuing utilization of such licenses following the Merger by
the Surviving Entity and its subsidiaries shall have been obtained (an “FCC
Approval”), and all other material governmental consents, orders, approvals and
waiting periods required for the consummation of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby, shall have been obtained and shall be in
effect, or, with respect to waiting periods, shall have expired or been
terminated, and (ii) all material filings with any Governmental Entity required
for the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby shall have been made.
Section
6.2 Conditions to Obligations of
Parent and Merger Sub to Effect the Merger. The obligations of
Parent and Merger Sub to effect the Merger are subject to the satisfaction on or
prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions (which may be waived in
whole or in part by Parent):
(a) The
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement that
are qualified by materiality shall be true and correct in all respects, and the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement that
are not so qualified shall be true and correct in all material respects, in each
case, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date as though made
on or as of such date (or, in the case of representations and warranties that
address matters only as of a particular date, as of such date), and Parent and
Merger Sub shall have received a certificate to such effect signed on behalf of
the Company by its chief executive officer and chief financial
officer.
37
(b) The
Company shall have performed or complied with, as applicable, all material
obligations, agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed
or complied with by it (including the Company not having entered into any
definitive agreement or any agreement in principle with any person with respect
to a Takeover Proposal or similar business combination with the Company in
violation of Section 5.2), and Parent and Merger Sub shall have received a
certificate to such effect signed on behalf of the Company by its chief
executive officer and chief financial officer.
(c) No
statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order or injunction shall have been
promulgated, entered, enforced, enacted, issued or applicable to the Merger by
any Governmental Entity which (1) prohibits, or imposes any limitations on,
Parent’s or its subsidiaries’ (or Merger Sub’s) or affiliates’ ownership (or
which imposes any limitations that would materially affect its or their
operation) of any portion of their respective businesses or assets, (2) imposes
any requirement to divest, hold separate or otherwise dispose of any portion of
their respective businesses or assets, (3) prohibits or imposes any limitation
on its or their ability to effect the Merger, or the ability of the Company (or
Merger Sub) or its or their respective subsidiaries to acquire or hold or
exercise full rights of ownership of any capital stock of any material
subsidiary of the Company or (4) imposes limitations on its or their ability to
effectively control their respective businesses or any limitation which would
materially affect its or their ability to control their respective operations,
and no action or proceeding by any Governmental Entity shall be pending which
seeks any of the results described in clauses (1) through (4).
(d) Parent
shall have received the opinion of Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, counsel to
Parent, or the opinion of other tax counsel of a prominent law firm designated
by Parent and reasonably acceptable to the Company, dated the Closing Date,
based on appropriate representations of the Company, its affiliates, and Parent,
and such other facts, representations, assumptions, and agreements as counsel
may reasonably deem relevant, to the effect that for United States Federal
income tax purposes the Merger will qualify as a reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368 of the Code and that each of Parent, the direct owner of
Merger Sub and the Company will be a party to the reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code.
(e) The
holders of Company Stock Options and Company RSUs shall, at the Effective Time,
no longer have the right to acquire any shares of Company Common Stock or any
other equity securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
Section
6.3 Conditions to Obligations of
the Company to Effect the Merger. The obligation of the
Company to effect the Merger is subject to the satisfaction on or prior to the
Closing Date of the following conditions (which may be waived in whole or in
part by the Company):
(a) The
representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub set forth in this
Agreement that are qualified by materiality shall be true and correct in all
respects, and the representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub set
forth in this Agreement that are not so qualified shall be true and correct in
all material respects, in each case, as of the date of this Agreement and as of
the Closing Date as though made on or as of such date (or, in the case of
representations and warranties that address matters only as of a particular
date, as of such date), and the Company shall have received a certificate to
such effect signed on behalf of Parent by an officer of Parent.
38
(b) Parent
and Merger Sub shall have performed or complied with, as applicable, all
material obligations, agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be
performed or complied with by each of them, and the Company shall have received
a certificate to such effect signed on behalf of Parent by an officer of
Parent.
(c) The
Company shall have received the opinion of Cravath, Swaine and Xxxxx LLP,
counsel to the Company, or the opinion of other tax counsel of a prominent law
firm designated by Parent and reasonably acceptable to the Company, dated the
Closing Date, based on appropriate representations of the Company, its
affiliates, and Parent and such other facts, representations, assumptions, and
agreements as counsel may reasonably deem relevant, to the effect that for
United States Federal income tax purposes the Merger will qualify as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of the Code and that each of
Parent, the direct owner of Merger Sub and the Company will be a party to the
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code.
Section
6.4 Frustration of Closing
Conditions. None of Parent, Merger Sub or the Company may rely
on the failure of any condition to its obligation to consummate the Merger set
forth in Section 6.1, 6.2 or 6.3, as the case may be, to be satisfied if such
failure was caused by such party’s failure (subject, in the case of Parent and
Merger Sub, to Section 5.7(c)) to use its reasonable best efforts to consummate
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
otherwise comply with Section 5.7.
ARTICLE
VII
TERMINATION
Section
7.1 Termination. Anything
herein or elsewhere to the contrary notwithstanding, this Agreement may be
terminated and the Merger contemplated herein may be abandoned at any time prior
to the Effective Time, whether before or after stockholder approval
thereof:
(a) By
the mutual consent of the Parent and the Company.
(b) By
either of the Company or Parent:
(i) if
any Governmental Entity shall have issued an order, decree or ruling or taken
any other action in each case permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise
prohibiting the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and such order,
decree, ruling or other action shall have become final and non-appealable (any
such order, decree, ruling or other action, a “Final Order”); provided that the
party seeking to terminate this Agreement shall have used all reasonable best
efforts (subject, in the case of Parent and Merger Sub, to Section 5.7(c)) to
challenge such order, decree, ruling or other action; or
39
(ii) if
the Effective Time shall not have occurred on or before June 30, 2010 (the
“Outside Date”), provided, that, a
party may not terminate the Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.1(b)(ii) if its
failure to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement results in the
failure of the Effective Time to occur by such time, provided, however, that the
Outside Date shall be extended day-by-day for each day during which any party
shall be subject to a nonfinal order, decree, ruling or action restraining,
enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the consummation of the Merger, provided further, however,
that the Outside Date shall not be extended past July 31, 2010.
(c) By
the Company:
(i) if
the Company Stockholder Approvals shall not have been obtained by reason of the
failure to obtain the required votes upon a vote held at a duly held meeting of
stockholders or at any adjournment thereof;
(ii) if
concurrently it enters into a definitive agreement providing for a Superior
Proposal entered into in accordance with Section 5.2, provided that prior
thereto or simultaneously therewith the Company has paid the Termination Fee to
Parent in accordance with Section 7.3; or
(iii) if
the representations and warranties of Parent or Merger Sub set forth in this
Agreement that are qualified by materiality shall not be true and correct in any
respect, or if the representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub set
forth in this Agreement that are not so qualified shall not be true and correct
in all material respects, in each case as of the date of this Agreement and as
of the Closing Date as if made on such date (or, in the case of representations
and warranties that address matters only as of a particular date, as of such
date), or either Parent or Merger Sub shall have breached or failed in any
material respect to perform or comply with any material obligation, agreement or
covenant required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it,
which inaccuracy or breach is incapable of being cured or has not been cured
within thirty (30) business days after the Company gives written notice of such
inaccuracy or breach to Parent.
(d) By
Parent:
(i) if
the Company Stockholder Approvals shall not have been obtained by reason of the
failure to obtain the required votes upon a vote held at a duly held meeting of
stockholders or at any adjournment thereof;
(ii) if
the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof shall have
withdrawn or modified, or proposed publicly to withdraw or modify, in a manner
adverse to Parent the approval, determination of advisability or recommendation
of this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, or
approved, determined to be advisable or recommended, or proposed publicly to
approve, determine to be advisable or recommend, any Takeover Proposal, or the
Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof shall have resolved
to take any of the foregoing actions; or
40
(iii) if
the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement
that are qualified by materiality shall not be true and correct in any respect,
or if the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this
Agreement that are not so qualified shall not be true and correct in all
material respects, in each case as of the date of this Agreement and as of the
Closing Date as if made on such date (or, in the case of representations and
warranties that address matters only as of a particular date, as of such date),
or the Company shall have breached or failed in any material respect to perform
or comply with any material obligation, agreement or covenant required by this
Agreement to be performed or complied with by it, which inaccuracy or breach is
incapable of being cured or has not been cured within thirty (30) business days
after Parent gives written notice of such inaccuracy or breach to the
Company.
Section
7.2 Effect of
Termination. In the event of the termination of this Agreement
as provided in Section 7.1, written notice thereof shall forthwith be given to
the other party or parties specifying the provision hereof pursuant to which
such termination is made, and this Agreement (other than Sections 5.6(b),
5.6(c), 7.2, 7.3, 8.4, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9 and 8.11 hereof) shall forthwith
become null and void, and there shall be no liability on the part of the Parent
or the Company, except as provided in Section 7.3; provided, however, that
nothing in this Section 7.2 shall relieve any party from liability for any
breach (occurring prior to any such termination) of any of the covenants or
agreements set forth in this Agreement.
Section
7.3 Termination Fee;
Expenses. Except as provided in this Section 7.3 and except
for (i) the filing fee under the HSR Act and any fees for similar filings or
notices under foreign laws or regulations, (ii) the expenses in connection with
printing and mailing the proxy statement required in connection with the actions
specified in Section 5.14(a), the Proxy Statement and the Form S-4, (iii) the
fees and expenses in connection with obtaining each FCC Approval and
(iv) all SEC filing fees relating to the transactions contemplated herein
(which fees and expenses shall be borne, in each case, equally by Parent and the
Company), all fees and expenses incurred by the parties hereto shall be borne
solely by the party that has incurred such fees and expenses. In the
event that (i) a Takeover Proposal shall have been made known to the Company or
shall have been made directly to its stockholders generally or any person shall
have publicly announced an intention (whether or not conditional) to make a
Takeover Proposal and thereafter this Agreement is terminated either (a)
pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(ii), 7.1(c)(i), or 7.1(d)(i), or (b) pursuant to
Section 7.1(b)(i), but only if, in the case of this clause (b), the applicable
Final Order is based on the existence of such Takeover Proposal (whether or not
modified after it was first made), and such Takeover Proposal (whether or not
modified after it was first made) is consummated within one (1) year of such
termination or (ii) this Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to Section
7.1(d)(ii), or is terminated by the Company pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(ii), then
the Company shall pay to Parent on the date of such termination, or in the case
of subclause (i) upon such consummation, a termination fee equal to $264,000,000
(the “Termination Fee”), payable by wire transfer of same day
funds. In the event that the Termination Fee is payable to Parent,
the Company shall, together with the payment of the Termination Fee, reimburse
Parent for any SEC filing fees previously paid by Parent or Merger Sub in
connection with the transactions contemplated herein. The Company
acknowledges that the agreements contained in this Section 7.3 are an integral
part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and that, without these
agreements, Parent and Merger Sub would not enter into this
Agreement. The fee arrangement contemplated hereby shall be paid
pursuant to this Section 7.3 regardless of any alleged breach by Parent of its
obligations hereunder, provided, that no
payment made by the Company pursuant to this Section 7.3 shall operate or be
construed as a waiver by the Company of any breach of this Agreement by Parent
or Merger Sub or of any rights of the Company in respect thereof. The
Termination Fee, if paid, shall be credited against any damages recovered by
Parent or Merger Sub from the Company arising from a breach of this Agreement by
the Company. Solely for purposes of this Section 7.3, the term
“Takeover Proposal” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.2(e) except that references to “10%” in the definition of “Takeover Proposal”
in Section 5.2(e) shall be deemed to be references to “50%”.
41
ARTICLE
VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
8.1 Amendment and
Modification. Subject to applicable law, this Agreement may be
amended, modified and supplemented in any and all respects, whether before or
after any vote of the stockholders of the Company contemplated hereby, by
written agreement of the parties hereto at any time prior to the Closing Date
with respect to any of the terms contained herein; provided, however, that no
amendment, modification or supplement of this Agreement shall be made following
the adoption of this Agreement by the stockholders unless, to the extent
required, approved by the stockholders.
Section
8.2 Extension;
Waiver. At any time prior to the Effective Time, the parties
may (a) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other
acts of the other parties, (b) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and
warranties contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant to
this Agreement or (c) subject to the proviso of Section 8.1, waive
compliance with any of the agreements or conditions contained in this
Agreement. Any agreement on the part of a party to any such extension
or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on
behalf of such party. The failure of any party to this Agreement to
assert any of its rights under this Agreement or otherwise shall not constitute
a waiver of such rights.
Section
8.3 Nonsurvival of
Representations and Warranties. None of the representations
and warranties in this Agreement or in any schedule, instrument or other
document delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall survive the Effective
Time.
Section
8.4 Notices. All
notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given if delivered personally, telecopied (which is confirmed) or sent by
an overnight courier service, such as Federal Express, to the parties at the
following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified
by like notice):
(a) if
to Parent or Merger Sub, to:
Berkshire
Hathaway Inc.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Telephone
No.: (000) 000-0000
Telecopier
No.: (000) 000-0000
42
with a
copy to:
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP
000 Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Esq.
Telephone
No.: (000) 000-0000
Telecopier
No.: (000) 000-0000
(b) if
to the Company, to:
0000 Xxx Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Esq.
Telephone
No.: (000) 000-0000
Telecopier
No.: (000) 000-0000
with a
copy to:
Cravath,
Swaine & Xxxxx LLP
Worldwide
Plaza
000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
Telephone
No.: (000) 000-0000
Telecopier
No.: (000) 000-0000
Section
8.5 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which shall be
considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when two or
more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the
other parties, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same
counterpart.
Section
8.6 Entire Agreement; Third
Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement (including the Exhibits
hereto and the documents and the instruments referred to herein): (a)
constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the
subject matter hereof, and (b) except as provided in Section 5.8, is not
intended to confer upon any person other than the parties hereto any rights or
remedies hereunder. Section 5.8 is intended for the benefit of, and
shall be enforceable by, the Indemnified Parties.
Section
8.7 Severability. If
any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a
court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void,
unenforceable or against its regulatory policy, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, so
long as the economic and legal substance of the transactions contemplated
hereby, taken as a whole, are not affected in a manner materially adverse to any
party hereto.
43
Section
8.8 Governing
Law. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the
principles of conflicts of law thereof or of any other
jurisdiction.
Section
8.9 Assignment. Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall
be assigned by any of the parties hereto (whether by operation of law or
otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other parties, except that
Merger Sub may assign, in its sole discretion, any or all of its rights,
interests and obligations hereunder to Parent or to any entity that is wholly
owned, directly or indirectly, by Parent. Subject to the preceding
sentence, this Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be
enforceable by the parties and their respective successors and
assigns.
Section
8.10 Headings;
Interpretation. The descriptive headings used herein are
inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of or
to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. “Include,”
“includes,” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by “without
limitation” whether or not they are in fact followed by such words or words of
like import. “Knowledge” and “known” means the actual knowledge after
reasonable inquiry of the executive officers of the Company or Parent, as the
case may be.
Section
8.11 Enforcement; Exclusive
Jurisdiction. The parties agree that irreparable damage would
occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not
performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached and
that any breach of this Agreement could not be adequately compensated in all
cases by monetary damages alone. It is accordingly agreed that the
parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of
this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this
Agreement. Any proceeding arising out of or relating to this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, shall
be brought in any court of the State of Delaware, and each party irrevocably
submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of each such court in any such proceeding,
waives any objection it may now or hereafter have to venue or to convenience of
forum, agrees that all claims in respect of the proceeding shall be heard and
determined only in any such court, and agrees not to bring any proceeding
arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby, including the Merger, in any other court.
Section
8.12 WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES
ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR
RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
44
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, Parent, Merger Sub and the Company have caused this Agreement
to be signed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the
date first written above.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | |||
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxx X. Buffet | |
Name: Xxxxxx X. Buffet | |||
Title: Chairman and CEO | |||
R Acquisition Company, LLC | ||||
|
By:
|
National Indemnity Company | ||
Its: | Sole Member | |||
By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Hamburg | |||
Name: Xxxx X. Hamburg | ||||
Title: Chairman of the Board – National Indemnity Company | ||||
45
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, Parent, Merger Sub and the Company have caused this Agreement
to be signed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the
date first written above.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation | |||
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx | |||
Title: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer | |||
46