AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER dated as of June 28, 2007 by and among infoUSA Inc., Knickerbocker Acquisition Corp. and Guideline, Inc.
dated
as of June 28, 2007
by
and among
infoUSA
Inc.,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Acquisition Corp.
and
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
THE
OFFER
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2
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1.1
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The
Offer
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2
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1.2
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Parent
and Purchaser’s Obligations with Respect to the Offer
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3
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1.3
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The
Company’s Obligations with Respect to the Offer
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3
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ARTICLE
2
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THE
MERGER
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4
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2.1
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The
Merger
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4
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2.2
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Effects
of the Merger
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5
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2.3
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Certificate
of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation
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5
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2.4
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Directors
|
5
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2.5
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Officers
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5
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2.6
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Effect
on Shares of Capital Stock
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6
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2.7
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Options;
Stock Option Plans
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7
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2.8
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Warrants
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7
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2.9
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Payment
for Shares in the Merger
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8
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2.10
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Withholdings
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10
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2.11
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Additional
Actions
|
10
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ARTICLE
3
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
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10
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3.1
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Organization
and Standing
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10
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3.2
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Subsidiaries
|
11
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3.3
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Corporate
Power and Authority
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12
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3.4
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Capitalization
of the Company
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12
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3.5
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Conflicts;
Consents and Approvals
|
13
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3.6
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Absence
of Certain Changes
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13
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3.7
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Company
SEC Documents
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14
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3.8
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Taxes.
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15
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3.9
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Compliance
with Law
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16
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3.10
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Intellectual
Property
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17
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3.11
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Title
to and Condition of Properties
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19
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3.12
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Litigation
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19
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3.13
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Brokerage
and Finder’s Fees; Expenses
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19
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3.14
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Employee
Benefit Plans
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19
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3.15
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Contracts
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22
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3.16
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Labor
Matters
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23
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3.17
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Undisclosed
Liabilities
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23
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3.18
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Operation
of the Company’s Business; Relationships
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24
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3.19
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Permits;
Compliance
|
24
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3.20
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Environmental
Matters
|
24
|
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3.21
|
Opinion
of Financial Advisor
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25
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3.22
|
Board
Approval
|
25
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3.23
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Vote
Required
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25
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3.24
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Insurance
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25
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3.25
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Company
IT
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26
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ARTICLE
4
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND PURCHASER
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26
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4.1
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Organization
and Qualification
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26
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4.2
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Authority
Relative to this Agreement
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26
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4.3
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No
Violation; Required Filings and Consents
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27
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4.4
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Brokers
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27
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4.5
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Proxy
Statement
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27
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4.6
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Offer
Documents
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27
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4.7
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Financing
|
28
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4.8
|
Legal
Proceedings
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28
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ARTICLE
5
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COVENANTS
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28
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5.1
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Interim
Operations
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28
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5.2
|
Merger
Without a Shareholder Meeting; Preparation of the Proxy Statement;
Shareholder Meeting
|
31
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5.3
|
Filings
and Consents
|
32
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5.4
|
Access
to Information
|
32
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5.5
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Notification
of Certain Matters
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33
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5.6
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Public
Announcements
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33
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5.7
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Indemnification;
Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance
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33
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5.8
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Further
Assurances; Reasonable Efforts
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35
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5.9
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Company
SEC Documents
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35
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5.10
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No
Solicitation
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35
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5.11
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Deregistration
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38
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5.12
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Option
to Acquire Additional Shares
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38
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5.13
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Directors
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40
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5.14
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Employee
Benefits
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41
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ii
ARTICLE
6
|
CONDITIONS
TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER
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42
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6.1
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Conditions
to the Obligations of Each Party
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42
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ARTICLE
7
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TERMINATION
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42
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7.1
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Termination
by Mutual Consent
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42
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7.2
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Termination
by Purchaser, Parent or the Company
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42
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7.3
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Termination
by the Company
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43
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7.4
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Termination
by Purchaser or Parent
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43
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7.5
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Payment
of Fees and Expenses
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44
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7.6
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Effect
of Termination
|
45
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ARTICLE
8
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MISCELLANEOUS
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46
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8.1
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Third-Party
Beneficiaries
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46
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8.2
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No
Survival
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46
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8.3
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Modification
or Amendment
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46
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8.4
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Entire
Agreement; Assignment
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46
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8.5
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Validity
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46
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8.6
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Notices
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46
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8.7
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Governing
Law
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47
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8.8
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Descriptive
Headings
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48
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8.9
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Counterparts
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48
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8.10
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Certain
Definitions
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48
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8.11
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Extension;
Waiver
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48
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Severability
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49
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8.13
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Submission
to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial
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49
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iii
THIS
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement”),
dated
as of June 28,
2007,
is
entered into by and among infoUSA
Inc.,
a Delaware corporation (“Parent”),
Knickerbocker Acquisition Corp., a New York corporation and a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Parent (“Purchaser”),
and
Guideline, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Company”).
RECITALS
A. The
respective boards of directors of Parent, Purchaser and the Company have
approved the acquisition of the Company by Parent on the terms and subject
to
the conditions set forth in this Agreement;
B. In
furtherance of such acquisition, Parent proposes to cause Purchaser to make
a
tender offer to purchase (i) all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company at a purchase price of $1.35 per
share, without interest or accrued dividends, and (ii) all of the
outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share,
of
the Company at a purchase price of $1.50 per share plus accrued dividends
thereon through the date of purchase of such shares in the tender offer, in
each
case, net to seller and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement;
C. In
furtherance of such acquisition, the respective boards of directors of Parent,
Purchaser and the Company have approved the merger of Purchaser with and into
the Company following the consummation of the above-described tender offer,
on
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, whereby
(i) each issued and outstanding share of the Company’s Common Stock not
owned by the Company, Parent, or Purchaser, or with respect to which the holder
thereof has not properly asserted appraisal rights under the New York Business
Corporation Law (“NYBCL”),
shall
be converted into the right to receive $1.35 in cash, and (ii) each issued
and outstanding share of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock not owned by
Company, Parent, or Purchaser, or with respect to which the holder thereof
has
not properly asserted appraisal rights under the NYBCL, shall be converted
into
the right to receive $1.50 in cash plus accrued dividends thereon through the
date of cancellation of such shares in the merger; and
D. To
induce
Parent and Purchaser to enter into this Agreement, certain shareholders of
the
Company have executed shareholder support agreements with Parent
contemporaneously herewith.
AGREEMENT
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the covenants set forth herein,
and for other good and valuable consideration, the parties agree as
follows:
ARTICLE
1
THE
OFFER
1.1 The
Offer.
(a) Provided
that none of the events set forth in Annex
A
hereto
shall have occurred and be continuing, as promptly as practicable and in any
event within fifteen (15) Business Days of the date of this Agreement, Parent
shall cause Purchaser to commence (within the meaning of Rule 14d-2 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”)),
an
offer to purchase (the “Offer”)
(i) all outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company, par value
$0.0001 per share (the “Common
Shares”)
at a
price of $1.35 per share, without any interest or accrued dividends, net to
the
seller in cash (the “Common
Share Offer Consideration”),
and
(ii) all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock of the Company, par
value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred
Shares”
and,
along with the Common Shares, the “Shares”)
at a
price of $1.50 per share plus accrued dividends thereon through the date of
purchase of the Preferred Shares in the Offer, but without interest, net to
the
seller in cash (the “Preferred
Share Offer Consideration”
and,
along with the Common Share Offer Consideration, the “Offer
Consideration”).
For
purposes of this Agreement, “Business
Day”
means
any day, other than Saturday, Sunday or a federal holiday, and shall consist
of
the time period from 12:01 a.m. through 12:00 midnight Eastern Time. The
obligations of Purchaser to commence the Offer, consummate the Offer, accept
for
payment and pay for Shares validly tendered in the Offer and not withdrawn
shall
be subject to those conditions set forth on Annex
A
hereto.
(b) Purchaser
expressly reserves the right, subject to compliance with the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”),
to
amend or waive any terms of the Offer in its sole discretion, except that,
without the prior written consent of the Company, Purchaser shall not (and
Parent shall not cause Purchaser to) (i) decrease the Offer Consideration
or change the form of consideration therefor or decrease the number of Shares
sought pursuant to the Offer, (ii) amend, modify or change the conditions
to the Offer set forth in Annex
A
hereto
in a manner adverse to the holders of Shares, (iii) impose conditions to
the Offer in addition to those set forth in Annex
A,
(iv) waive the Minimum Condition, or (v) extend or otherwise change
the expiration date of the Offer (except as set forth in this Section 1.1(b)).
The initial expiration date of the Offer shall be twenty (20) Business Days
from
the commencement of the Offer (determined in accordance with Rules 14d-1(g)(3)
and 14d-2 under the Exchange Act). Purchaser may extend the Offer (x) for
successive extension periods not in excess of fifteen (15) Business Days in
the
aggregate if, at the scheduled expiration date of the Offer or any extension
thereof, any of the conditions to the Offer shall not have been satisfied,
until
such time as such conditions are satisfied or waived, and (y) if and to the
extent required by the applicable rules and regulations of the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
Subject to the terms of the Offer and this Agreement and the satisfaction (or
waiver, to the extent permitted by this Agreement) of the conditions to the
Offer, Purchaser shall accept for payment all Shares validly tendered and not
withdrawn pursuant to the Offer as soon as practicable after the applicable
expiration date of the Offer and shall pay for all such Shares promptly after
acceptance. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Offer
shall terminate upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article
7.
2
(c) Subject
to Purchaser’s compliance with Rule 14d-11 under the Exchange Act, after the
acceptance for payment, and payment for, all Shares validly tendered and not
withdrawn pursuant to the Offer on the expiration date of the Offer, as
determined in accordance with Section 1.1(b) above, Purchaser may extend the
Offer for a further period of time, by means of a subsequent offering period
under Rule 14d-11 under the Exchange Act, of not more than twenty (20) Business
Days so that on or prior to the expiration of such subsequent offering period,
Purchaser shall have accepted for payment and paid for a number of Shares,
which
together with any Shares then owned by Parent and Purchaser, represents at
least
ninety percent (90%) of the Common Shares on a Fully Diluted Basis and ninety
percent (90%) of the issued and outstanding Preferred Shares.
1.2 Parent
and Purchaser’s Obligations with Respect to the Offer.
On the
date of commencement of the Offer, Parent and Purchaser shall file or cause
to be filed with the SEC a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO promulgated
under Section 14(d)(1) of the Exchange Act (the “Schedule
TO”)
with
respect to the Offer which shall contain the offer to purchase and related
letter of transmittal and other ancillary Offer documents and instruments
pursuant to which the Offer shall be made (collectively, with any supplements
or
amendments thereto, the “Offer
Documents”),
which
shall contain (or shall be amended in a timely manner to contain) all
information which is required to be included therein in accordance with the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and any other Laws, and
which shall conform in all material respects with the requirements of the
Exchange Act and any other Laws. For purposes of this Agreement, “Laws”
shall
mean any federal, state, local or non-U.S. law, statue, code, ordinance,
regulation, code, order, judgment, writ, injunction, decision, ruling or decree
promulgated by any Governmental Authority. The Company and its counsel shall
be
given a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the Offer Documents
and
any amendments thereto prior to the filing thereof with the SEC. The Parent
and
Purchaser shall deliver a copy of the Schedule TO to the Company at its
principal executive office and shall mail the Offer Documents to the holders
of
Shares. In conducting the Offer, Parent and Purchaser shall comply in all
material respects with the provisions of the Exchange Act and any other Law.
Without limiting the foregoing, at the times the Offer Documents are filed
with
the SEC, sent to the shareholders of the Company and Shares are purchased
pursuant to the Offer, the Offer Documents will not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Parent and Purchaser make no representations or warranties with
respect to any information supplied by the Company or its representatives that
is contained in or incorporated by reference in the Offer Documents. Parent,
Purchaser and the Company each agree promptly to correct any information
provided by them for use in the Offer Documents if and to the extent that it
shall have become false or misleading in any material respect and Purchaser
further agrees to take all lawful action necessary to cause the Offer Documents
as so corrected to be filed promptly with the SEC and to be disseminated to
holders of Shares, in each case as and to the extent required by Law.
3
1.3 The
Company’s Obligations with Respect to the Offer.
The
Company hereby consents to the Offer and agrees to file with the SEC within
one
(1) Business Day of the filing by Parent and Purchaser of the Schedule TO,
a
Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 (together with all
amendments and supplements thereto, the “Schedule
14D-9”)
containing the recommendation of the Board of Directors of the Company (the
“Company
Board”)
in
favor of the acceptance of the Offer and the approval of the Merger Agreement
and the Merger by the shareholders of the Company (the “Company
Board Recommendation”)
and
otherwise complying with Rule 14d-9 under the Exchange Act. The Schedule 14D-9
shall comply in all material respects with the Exchange Act and any other Law
and shall contain (or shall be amended in a timely manner to contain) all
information which is required to be included therein in accordance with the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and any other Law. Parent
and Purchaser and their counsel shall be given an opportunity to review and
comment on the Schedule 14D-9 and any amendments thereto prior to the filing
thereof with the SEC. At the times the Schedule 14D-9 is filed with the SEC,
given to the shareholders of the Company and Shares are purchased pursuant
to
the Offer, the Schedule 14D-9 will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Company makes no representations or warranties with respect
to
any information supplied by Parent or Purchaser or any of their respective
representatives that is contained in or incorporated by reference in the
Schedule 14D-9. Parent, Purchaser and the Company each agree promptly to correct
any information provided by them for use in the Schedule 14D-9 if and to the
extent that it shall have become false or misleading in any material respect,
and the Company further agrees to take all lawful action necessary to cause
the
Schedule 14D-9 as so corrected to be filed promptly with the SEC and to be
disseminated to holders of Shares, in each case as and to the extent required
by
Law. In connection with the Offer, the Company shall promptly furnish, or cause
its transfer agent to furnish, Parent with mailing labels, security position
listings and all available listings or computer files containing the names
and
addresses of the record holders of the Shares as of the latest practicable
date
and shall furnish, or cause its transfer agent to furnish, Parent with such
information and assistance (including updated lists of shareholders, mailing
labels and lists of security positions) as Parent or its agents may reasonably
request in communicating the Offer to the record and beneficial holders of
Shares. Subject to the requirements of Law, and except for such actions as
are
necessary to disseminate the Offer Documents and any other documents necessary
to consummate the Offer and the Merger, Parent and Purchaser and each of their
Affiliates and representatives shall hold in confidence the information
contained in such labels and lists, shall use such information only in
connection with the Offer and the Merger, and, if this Agreement is terminated,
in accordance with its terms, shall deliver promptly to the Company all copies
of such information then in their possession or under their
control.
ARTICLE
2
THE
MERGER
2.1 The
Merger.
(a) Subject
to the conditions contained in this Agreement, the closing of the Merger (the
“Closing”)
shall
take place (i) at the offices of Robins, Kaplan, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx
L.L.P., 0000 XxXxxxx Xxxxx, 000 XxXxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000,
as
promptly as practicable but in no event later than the third (3rd) Business
Day
following the satisfaction (or waiver if permissible) of the conditions set
forth in Article 6 (other than those conditions that by their terms will be
satisfied at the Closing), or (ii) at such other place and time and/or on
such other date as the Company and Purchaser may agree in writing. The date
on
which the Closing occurs is hereinafter referred to as the “Closing
Date.”
4
(b) On
the
Closing Date, the Company and Purchaser shall cause a Certificate of Merger
(the
“Certificate
of Merger”)
to be
duly executed, acknowledged and filed, in the manner required by the NYBCL,
with
the Secretary of State of the State of New York, and the parties shall take
such
other and further actions as may be required by Law to make the Merger
effective. The date and time the Merger becomes effective in accordance with
Law
is referred to herein as the “Effective
Time.”
At
the
Effective Time, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and in
accordance with the provisions of the NYBCL, Purchaser shall be merged (the
“Merger”)
with
and into the Company. Following the Merger, the separate corporate existence
of
Purchaser shall cease, and the Company shall continue as the surviving
corporation (the “Surviving
Corporation”)
and
shall continue to be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
2.2 Effects
of the Merger.
The
Merger shall have the effects set forth herein, in the Certificate of Merger
and
in the NYBCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, at the Effective
Time, all the properties, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of the
Company and the Purchaser shall vest in the Surviving Corporation, and all
debts, liabilities and duties of the Company and the Purchaser shall become
the
debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Corporation.
2.3 Certificate
of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation.
(a) The
Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation shall be amended
in
their entirety to read as the Certificate of Incorporation of Purchaser in
effect at the Effective Time until amended in accordance with applicable Law;
provided,
however,
that
Article I of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation
shall
be amended to read in its entirety as follows: “The name of the Corporation is
Guideline, Inc.” and such Certificate of Incorporation shall contain
indemnification provisions consistent with the obligations set forth in Section
5.7.
(b) The
Bylaws of the Company, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time,
shall be the Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation, until amended in accordance
with the provisions thereof and hereof and applicable Law.
2.4 Directors.
The
directors of Purchaser immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the
initial directors of the Surviving Corporation and shall hold office until
their
respective successors are duly elected and qualified, or their earlier death,
resignation or removal in accordance with applicable Law and the Surviving
Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.
2.5 Officers.
The
officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the
initial officers of the Surviving Corporation and shall hold office until their
respective successors are duly elected and qualified, or their earlier death,
resignation or removal.
5
2.6 Effect
on Shares of Capital Stock.
(a) As
of the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of
the holder of any Shares, the Company or Purchaser:
(i) Each
Common Share that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time (other than (i) Dissenting Shares and (ii) those Common Shares to
be cancelled pursuant to Section 2.6(b)) shall be cancelled and extinguished
and
converted into the right to receive the Common Share Offer Consideration in
cash
(the “Common
Share Merger Consideration”),
payable to the holder thereof, without interest or dividends thereon, less
any
applicable withholding of taxes, in the manner provided in Section 2.9;
and
(ii) Each
Preferred Share that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time (other than (i) Dissenting Shares and (ii) those
Preferred Shares to be cancelled pursuant to Section 2.6(b)) shall be cancelled
and extinguished and converted into the right to receive the Preferred Share
Offer Consideration, plus all dividends accrued thereon through the Closing
Date, but without interest (the “Preferred
Share Merger Consideration”
and,
along with the Common Share Merger Consideration, the “Merger
Consideration”),
payable to the holder thereof, in either case payable in cash less any
applicable withholding of taxes, in the manner provided in Section
2.9.
All
such
Shares, when so converted, shall no longer be outstanding and shall
automatically be cancelled and each holder of a certificate or certificates
representing any such Shares shall cease to have any rights with respect
thereto, except the right to receive the consideration described in this Section
2.6(a).
(b) As
of the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of
the holder of any Shares, the Company or Purchaser, each Share that is owned
by
the Company or any wholly-owned subsidiary as treasury stock or otherwise or
owned by Purchaser or Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time shall
automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist, and no cash or other
consideration shall be delivered or deliverable in exchange
therefor.
(c) As
of the
Effective Time, each share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of
Purchaser (“Purchaser
Common Stock”)
issued
and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, by virtue of
the
Merger and without any action on the part of Parent, the Company or Purchaser,
be converted into one (1) validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable share
of
common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Surviving Corporation
(“Surviving
Corporation Common Stock”).
Each
certificate that, immediately prior to the Effective Time, represented issued
and outstanding shares of Purchaser Common Stock shall, from and after the
Effective Time, automatically and without the necessity of presenting the same
for exchange, represent the shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock into
which such shares have been converted pursuant to the terms hereof; provided,
however,
that
the record holder thereof shall receive, upon surrender of any such certificate,
a certificate representing the shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock
into
which the shares of Purchaser Common Stock formerly represented thereby shall
have been converted pursuant to the terms hereof.
6
(d) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, any Shares issued and outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by a holder (a “Dissenting
Shareholder”)
who
has not voted in favor of the Merger or consented thereto in writing and who
has
properly demanded appraisal for such Common Shares in accordance with the NYBCL
(“Dissenting
Shares”)
shall
not be converted into a right to receive the Merger Consideration at the
Effective Time in accordance with Section 2.6(a) hereof, but shall represent
and
become the right to receive such consideration as may be determined to be due
to
such Dissenting Shareholder pursuant to the laws of the State of New York,
unless and until such holder fails to perfect or withdraws or otherwise loses
such holder’s right to appraisal and payment under the NYBCL. If, after the
Effective Time, such holder fails to perfect or withdraws or otherwise loses
such holder’s right to appraisal, such former Dissenting Shares held by such
holder shall be treated as if they had been converted as of the Effective Time
into a right to receive, upon surrender as provided above, the applicable Merger
Consideration, without any interest or dividends thereon, in accordance with
Section 2.6(a). The Company shall give Parent and Purchaser prompt notice of
any
demands received by the Company for appraisal of Shares, withdrawals of such
demands and any other instruments served pursuant to the NYBCL and received
by
the Company. Parent shall have the right to direct all negotiations and
proceedings with respect to such demands,
and the
Company shall not voluntarily make any payment with respect to any demands
for
payment and shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent and
Purchaser, settle or offer to settle any such demands.
2.7 Options;
Stock Option Plans.
Immediately
prior to the Effective Time, each outstanding unexercised option to purchase
Common Shares, whether or not then vested or fully exercisable, granted on
or
prior to the date hereof (an “Option”),
shall
become immediately vested and exercisable in full, and at the Effective Time,
all Options then-outstanding shall be cancelled, in each case, in accordance
with and pursuant to the terms under which such Options were granted. In
consideration of such cancellation, each holder of an Option cancelled in
accordance with this Section 2.7 will be entitled to receive in settlement
of
such Option promptly following the Effective Time, a cash payment from the
Company, subject to any required withholding of taxes, equal to the product
of
(i) the total number of Common Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of
such Option and (ii) the excess, if any, of the Common Share Merger
Consideration over the exercise price per Common Share of such Option (such
product, the “Option
Consideration”);
provided,
however,
that
with respect to any person subject to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, any
such amount shall be paid as soon as practicable after the first date payment
can be made without liability to such person under Section 16(b) of the Exchange
Act.
The
Company Board agrees to take all actions necessary to fully accelerate the
vesting schedule of all Options issued under the Company’s Stock Option
Plans
and,
subject to the foregoing terms and conditions, to cause such Options to
terminate as of the Effective Time. Additionally, the Company agrees to
terminate the Company’s 1996 Stock Option Plan and 2003 Stock Incentive Plan
(collectively, the “Stock
Option Plans”)
as of
the Effective Time.
2.8 Warrants.
From
and after the Effective Time, each outstanding right to purchase Shares other
than the Options and the Top-Up Option (“Warrants”)
shall
represent only the right to acquire and receive, upon exercise thereof in
accordance with its terms, the Merger Consideration payable in respect of the
number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrant
immediately prior to the Effective Time.
7
2.9 Payment
for Shares in the Merger.
(a) Prior
to
the Effective Time, Parent and Purchaser shall appoint a commercial bank or
trust company reasonably acceptable to the Company to act as exchange and paying
agent, registrar and transfer agent (the “Agent”)
for
the purpose of payment of the Merger Consideration payable pursuant to Section
2.6 above with respect to certificates representing, immediately prior to the
Effective Time, Shares, surrendered after the Effective Time by the holders
thereof. Prior to the Effective Time, Parent or Purchaser shall deposit, or
shall otherwise take all steps necessary to cause to be deposited, in trust
with
the Agent for the benefit of the holders of Shares, cash in an aggregate amount
equal to the sum of (i) the product of (A) the number of Common Shares
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and entitled
to
receive the Common Share Merger Consideration in accordance with Section 2.6(a),
and (B) the Common Share Merger Consideration, plus (ii) the product
of (A) the number of Preferred Shares issued and outstanding immediately prior
to the Effective Time and entitled to receive the Preferred Share Merger
Consideration in accordance with Section 2.6(a), and (B) the Preferred
Share Merger Consideration (such amount is collectively referred to herein
as
the “Payment
Fund”).
The
Agent shall, pursuant to instructions provided by Parent or Purchaser, make
the
payments provided for in Section 2.6 of this Agreement out of the Payment Fund.
The Payment Fund may be invested by the Agent, as directed by the Purchaser,
in
(i) obligations of or guaranteed by the United States, (ii) commercial
paper rated A-1, P-1 or A-2, P-2, and (iii) certificates of deposit, bank
repurchase agreements and bankers acceptances of any bank or trust company
organized under federal Laws or the Laws of any state of the United States
or
the District of Columbia that has capital, surplus or undivided profits of
at
least $500,000,000 or in money market funds which are invested substantially
in
such investments. Any net earnings with respect thereto shall be paid to
Purchaser or, following the Effective Time, to the Surviving Corporation. The
Payment Fund shall not be used for any other purpose except as provided in
this
Agreement.
(b) Promptly
after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall cause the Agent to
mail to each record holder of certificates (the “Certificates”)
that
immediately prior to the Effective Time represented Shares (i) a notice of
the effectiveness of the Merger, (ii) a form letter of transmittal which
shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to
the
Certificates shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates to the
Agent, and (iii) instructions for surrendering such Certificates and
receiving the Merger Consideration, in respect thereof.
(c) Promptly
following the surrender to the Agent of a Certificate, together with such letter
of transmittal duly executed and completed in accordance with the instructions
thereto, the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled to receive, in
exchange therefor, (i) in the case of Common Shares (other than Common
Shares to be cancelled pursuant to Section 2.6(b)), cash in an amount equal
to
the product of (A) the number of Common Shares formerly represented by such
Certificate, and (B) the Common Share Merger Consideration, and (ii) in the
case of Preferred Shares (other than Preferred Shares to be cancelled pursuant
to Section 2.6(b)), cash in an amount equal to the product of (A) the number
of
Preferred Shares formerly represented by such Certificate, and (B) the Preferred
Share Merger Consideration, all of which amounts shall be paid by Agent by
check. No interest or dividends shall be paid or accrued on the consideration
payable upon the surrender of any Certificate. If the consideration provided
for
herein is to be delivered in the name of a party other than the party in whose
name the Certificate surrendered is registered, it shall be a condition of
such
delivery that the Certificate so surrendered shall be properly endorsed or
otherwise in proper form for transfer, that such party establishes to the
satisfaction of Parent and the Surviving Corporation that such transfer would
not violate any applicable federal or state securities Laws, and that the party
requesting such delivery shall pay any transfer or other taxes required by
reason of such delivery to a party other than the registered holder of the
Certificate, or that such party shall establish to the satisfaction of the
Surviving Corporation that such tax has been paid or is not applicable. Until
surrendered in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.09(c), each
Certificate (other than Certificates representing Dissenting Shares or Shares
to
be cancelled pursuant to Section 2.6(b)) shall represent, for all purposes,
only
the right to receive the payment of the amount of cash described in this Section
2.9(c).
8
(d) The
consideration issued upon the surrender of Certificates in accordance with
this
Agreement shall be deemed to have been issued in full satisfaction of all rights
pertaining to the Shares formerly represented thereby. After the Effective
Time,
there shall be no transfers on the stock transfer books of the Surviving
Corporation of any Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates are presented to
the
Surviving Corporation, they shall be cancelled and exchanged as provided in
this
Article 2.
(e) Any
portion of the Payment Fund that remains unclaimed at the one (1) year
anniversary of the Closing Date shall be returned to the Surviving Corporation,
upon demand, and any former shareholders of the Company who have not theretofore
complied with this Article 2 shall, subject to Section 2.9(f), thereafter look
only to the Surviving Corporation as a general unsecured creditor for payment
of
any Merger Consideration, without any interest or dividends thereon, that may
be
payable with respect to Shares held by such shareholder.
(f) None
of
Parent, the Surviving Corporation or Agent shall be liable to a holder of
Certificates or any other person in respect of any cash delivered to a public
official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar
Law.
If any Certificates shall not have been surrendered prior to the date the
amounts payable with respect thereto would otherwise escheat to or become the
property of any Governmental Authority, any such shares, cash, dividends or
distributions in respect of such Certificate shall, to the extent permitted
by
applicable Law, become the property of the Surviving Corporation, free and
clear
of all claims or interests of any person previously entitled
thereto.
(g) In
the
event any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making
of an affidavit (in form and substance acceptable to the Surviving Corporation
and the Agent) of that fact by the person (who shall be the record owner of
such
Certificate) claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed, the
Agent will issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate
the
Merger Consideration deliverable in respect thereof pursuant to this Agreement;
provided,
however,
the
Agent and Parent may, in their discretion, require the owner of such lost,
stolen or destroyed Certificate to deliver a bond in such sum as they may
reasonably direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the
Agent or Parent with respect to the Certificates alleged to have been lost,
stolen or destroyed.
9
2.10 Withholdings.
Parent,
the Surviving Corporation or the Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold
from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement to any
holder of Shares or Options such amounts as Parent, the Surviving Corporation
or
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 that amounts are
so
withheld and paid over to the appropriate taxing authority by Parent, the
Surviving Corporation or the Agent, such withheld amounts shall be treated
for
all purposes under this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the
Shares or Options in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made
by
Parent, the Surviving Corporation or the Agent.
2.11 Additional
Actions.
If, at
any time after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall consider
or
be advised that any deeds, bills of sale, assignments or assurances in Law
or
any other acts are necessary or desirable to vest, perfect or confirm, of record
or otherwise, in the Surviving Corporation its right, title or interest in,
to
or under any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company or Purchaser,
the Company and its officers and directors shall be deemed to have granted
to
the Surviving Corporation an irrevocable power of attorney to execute and
deliver all such deeds, assignments and assurances in Law and to take all acts
necessary, proper or desirable to vest, perfect or confirm title to and
possession of such rights, properties or assets in the Surviving Corporation,
and the officers and directors of the Surviving Corporation are authorized
in
the name of the Company to take any and all such action.
ARTICLE
3
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except
as
set forth by the Company in the applicable Schedule of the disclosure schedule
delivered to Parent by the Company prior to the execution of this Agreement
(the
“Company
Disclosure Schedule”),
or
any other Schedule of the Company Disclosure Schedule (so long as it is
reasonably clear from the context that the disclosure in such other paragraph
of
the Company Disclosure Schedule is also applicable to the Section of this
Agreement in question) or in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
quarterly period ended March 31, 2007 or Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, as amended on April 30, 2007,
each as filed with the SEC (including any schedules and exhibits thereto)
(collectively, “Previously
Disclosed”),
the
Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Purchaser as
follows:
3.1 Organization
and Standing.
The
Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good
standing under the Laws of the state of New York with full corporate power
and
authority to own, lease, use and operate its properties and to conduct its
business as and where now owned, leased, used, operated and conducted. Except
as
set forth on Schedule 3.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, each of the
Subsidiaries of the Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing
and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation
with full corporate power and authority to own, lease, use and operate its
properties and to conduct its business as and where now owned, leased, used,
operated and conducted. The Company and each Subsidiary of the Company is duly
qualified to do business and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which
the
nature of the business conducted by it or the property it owns, leases or
operates requires it to so qualify, except where the failure to be so qualified
or in good standing in such jurisdiction individually or in the aggregate would
not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect . The
Company is not in default in the performance, observance or fulfillment of
any
provision of its Certificate of Incorporation or its Bylaws, each as in effect
on the date hereof (the “Company
Articles”
and
the
“Company
Bylaws”,
respectively), and no Subsidiary of the Company is in material default in the
performance, observance or fulfillment of any provision of its Certificate
of
Incorporation or bylaws (or comparable organizational documents). The Company
has heretofore furnished to Parent a complete and correct copy of the Company
Articles and the Company Bylaws, as well as complete and correct copies of
the
Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws (or comparable organizational documents)
of each of its Subsidiaries.
10
A
“Company
Material Adverse Effect”
means
any event, change or effect that, individually or in the aggregate with other
events, changes or effects, (i) would have or would reasonably be expected
to have a material and adverse effect on the business, assets, liabilities,
results of operations or, financial condition of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) would prevent or prohibit the
Company from consummating the Offer and the Merger; provided,
however,
that a
Company Material Adverse Effect shall not include any event, change or effect
directly or indirectly arising out of or attributable to (s) any changes in
the market price or trading volume of Common Shares, (t) any changes in the
general economy, financial market or political conditions in the United States
or global economy as a whole, (u) economic or regulatory conditions in the
industry or industries in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries operates
to the extent that it does not disproportionately affect the Company and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (v) the public announcement of, or the
public or industry knowledge relating to, the execution of this Agreement and
the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, actual
or
threatened actions or inactions of employees, customers or vendors),
(w) changes in GAAP or changes in the interpretation thereof, (x) the
existence of, or the taking of any action required or permitted by, this
Agreement, or the taking of any action by the Company that has been approved
in
writing by Parent or (y) any changes, events or conditions relating to any
act of terrorism, war, national or international calamity or any similar
event.
3.2 Subsidiaries.
Schedule 3.2 of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth (i) a complete
and accurate list of all direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company, and
(ii) the Company’s percentage ownership of the voting securities thereof,
as well as a complete and accurate list of all equity or other ownership
interests in any other entities. The Company is not subject to any obligation
or
requirement to provide funds to or make any investment (in the form of a loan,
capital contribution or otherwise) in any entity or enterprise that is not
wholly-owned by the Company. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.2 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, the Company owns directly or indirectly all of the
outstanding shares of capital stock (or other ownership interests having by
their terms voting power to elect a majority of directors or others performing
similar functions with respect to such Subsidiary) of each of the Company’s
Subsidiaries, free and clear of all liens, pledges, security interests, claims
or other encumbrances. Each of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each
of the Company’s Subsidiaries is duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable. There are no outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, puts,
calls, agreements, understandings, claims or other commitments or rights of
any
type relating to the issuance, sale, repurchase or transfer of any capital
stock
or other securities of any Subsidiary of the Company, nor are there outstanding
any securities which are convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of
capital stock or other securities of any Subsidiary of the Company, and neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary of the Company has any obligation of any kind
to
issue any additional shares of capital stock or other securities of any
Subsidiary of the Company or to pay for or repurchase any shares of capital
stock or other securities of any Subsidiary of the Company.
11
3.3 Corporate
Power and Authority.
The
Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and
deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate
the Merger, subject to approval of this Agreement and the Merger by the
shareholders of the Company. The execution, delivery and performance of the
Merger Agreement by the Company have been duly and validly authorized by all
necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, other than, if
applicable, the approval of this Agreement by the holders of sixty-six and
two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the Shares entitled to vote in accordance with
the NYBCL and the Company Articles and the Company Bylaws, voting as a single
class and on an as-converted basis (the “Requisite
Company Vote”).
This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming
the
due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by Parent and Purchaser,
constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to (i) applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws, now
or
hereafter in effect, affecting creditors’ rights generally and (ii) rules of law
governing specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable
relief.
3.4 Capitalization
of the Company.
The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists solely of (a) 100,000,000
shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of which 21,165,145 shares
were issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, and
(b) 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share,
500,000 shares of which have been designated as Series A Preferred Stock,
333,333 of which were issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement.
As of the date of this Agreement, (i) 1,086,712 Common Shares were reserved
for issuance pursuant to restricted stock awards, (ii) 2,435,825 Common Shares
were subject to outstanding Options, (iii) 4,056,112 Common Shares were
reserved for issuance pursuant to the exercise of outstanding Warrants, and
(iv)
no Common Shares were held by the Company in its treasury. Except as set forth
in Schedule 3.4 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there are no options,
warrants, calls, subscriptions, convertible securities or other rights, or
other
agreements obligating the Company to issue, transfer or sell any shares of
capital stock of, or other equity interests in, the Company. Except as set
forth
on Schedule 3.4 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, all issued and outstanding
Common Shares are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable
and
free of preemptive rights, rights of refusal or similar rights or limitations.
There are no outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of,
or
other equity interests in, the Company. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.4
of
the Company Disclosure Schedule and except for the Stock Option Plans and the
agreements executed thereunder and any support agreements entered into in
connection with the Offer and the Merger at the request of Parent or Purchaser,
there
are
no contracts, commitments or agreements relating to the voting, purchase or
sale
of Shares (i) between or among the Company or its Subsidiaries and any of its
shareholders, or (ii) to the Company’s actual knowledge, and except as
disclosed in any forms, reports, statements or schedules filed by a third party
with the SEC, among any of the Company’s shareholders or between any of the
Company’s shareholders and any third party. The Stock Option Plans and the
agreements evidencing options granted thereunder do not prohibit the
acceleration and cancellation of outstanding Options and the termination of
the
Stock Option Plans as contemplated by Section 2.7 of this Agreement, and do
not
require the consent or approval of the holders of the outstanding Options,
the
Company’s shareholders, or any other party to effect such acceleration,
cancellation and termination except for the action of the Company Board
described in Section 2.7.
12
3.5 Conflicts;
Consents and Approvals.
Except
as set forth in Schedule 3.5 of the Company Disclosure Schedule and subject
to
the Requisite Company Vote, neither the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
shall:
(a) conflict
with, or result in a breach of any provision of, the Company Articles or the
Company Bylaws;
(b) violate,
or conflict with, or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute
a
default (or an event which, with the giving of notice, the passage of time
or
otherwise, would constitute a default) under, or entitle any party (with the
giving of notice, the passage of time or otherwise) to terminate, accelerate,
modify or call a default under, or result in the creation of any lien, security
interest or encumbrance upon any of the properties or assets of the Company
under, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage,
indenture, deed of trust, license, contract, undertaking, agreement, lease
or
other instrument or obligation to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is a party;
(c) violate
any order, writ, injunction, decree, statute, rule or regulation applicable
to
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties
or
assets; or
(d) require
any action or consent or approval of, or review by, or registration or filing
by
the Company or any of its Affiliates with, any third party or any local,
domestic, foreign or multi-national or supra-national court, tribunal,
administrative agency or commission or other governmental or regulatory body,
agency, instrumentality or authority (a “Governmental
Authority”),
other
than (A) approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger by the Requisite
Company Vote, and (B) registrations, filings, consents, approvals or other
actions required under federal and state securities Laws;
except,
in the
cases of clauses (b), (c) and (d), as is not reasonably likely to result in
a Company Material Adverse Effect.
3.6 Absence
of Certain Changes.
Except
as set forth in the Company SEC Documents or on Schedule 3.6 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, since December 31, 2006 (the “Company
Balance Sheet Date”),
through the date of this Agreement, (i) the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries have conducted their respective businesses in the ordinary course
of business consistent with past practice and (ii) there has not occurred:
(A) any change, event or condition (whether or not covered by insurance) that
has resulted in, or might reasonably be expected to result in, a Company
Material Adverse Effect, (B) any acquisition, sale, or transfer of any
material asset of the Company or its Subsidiaries, (C) any material change
in accounting methods or practices (including any change in depreciation or
amortization policies or rates) by the Company or any revaluation by the Company
of any of its assets, (D) any declaration, setting aside or payment of a
dividend or other distribution with respect to the shares of the Company, or
any
direct or indirect redemption, purchase or other acquisition by Company or
any
of its Subsidiaries of any of its shares of capital stock, respectively,
(E) any Material Contract entered into by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, other than as provided to Parent, or any material amendment or
termination of, or default under, any Material Contract (or contract that,
but
for such termination, would be a Material Contract), (F) any amendment or
change to the Company Articles or the Certificate of Incorporation of any of
its
Subsidiaries, (G) any increase in or modification of the compensation or
benefits payable or to become payable by Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to
any of their respective directors, employees or consultants other than, with
respect to non-officer employees and consultants only, any increases in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, or (H) any
agreement by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to do any of the things
described in the preceding clauses (A) through (G).
13
3.7 Company
SEC Documents.
(a) The
Company has filed or furnished (as required or permitted) with the SEC all
forms, reports, schedules, statements and other documents required to be filed
by it since December 31, 2003 under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act
of
1933, as amended, (the “Securities
Act”)
(such
documents, as supplemented and amended since the time of filing, collectively,
the “Company
SEC Documents”).
The
Company SEC Documents, including, without limitation, any financial statements,
exhibits or schedules included or incorporated by reference therein, at the
time
filed (and, in the case of registration statements and proxy statements, on
the
dates of effectiveness and the dates of mailing, respectively) (a) did not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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, and (b) complied in all material respects as to form with the
applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the Securities Act, as the
case
may be. The financial statements of the Company included in the Company SEC
Documents at the time filed (and, in the case of registration statements and
proxy statements, on the dates of effectiveness and the dates of mailing,
respectively) complied as to form in all material respects with applicable
accounting requirements and with the published rules and regulations of the
SEC
with respect thereto, were prepared in accordance with United States generally
accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods
involved unless otherwise corrected in the Company SEC Documents filed with
the
SEC (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto or, in the case of
unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC), and fairly present
(subject, in the case of the unaudited interim financial statements, to normal,
recurring year-end audit adjustments consistent with past practice), in all
material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and its
consolidated Subsidiaries as at the dates thereof and the consolidated results
of their operations and cash flows for the periods then ended. No Subsidiary
of
the Company is subject to the periodic reporting requirements of Section 13(a)
or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act or required to file any form, report or
other document with the SEC or any other comparable Governmental Authority.
14
(b) The
Company is in compliance with, and since July 29, 2005 has complied, in all
material respects, with the applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act
of
2002 and the related rules and regulations promulgated under such Act (the
“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act”)
or the
Exchange Act. Each Company SEC Report that was required to be accompanied by
the
certifications required to be filed or submitted by the Company’s principal
executive officer and principal financial officer pursuant to the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act was accompanied by such certification and, at the time of filing or
submission of each such certification, to the Knowledge of the Company, such
certification was true and accurate and complied with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act.
3.8 Taxes.
(a) The
Company and its Subsidiaries (i) have duly filed all Tax Returns
(including, but not limited to, those filed on a consolidated, combined or
unitary basis) required to have been filed (taking into account any extensions
of time within which to file) by the Company or its Subsidiaries, all of which
Tax Returns are true and complete, (ii) have within the time and manner
prescribed by applicable Law paid all Taxes, due and owing in respect of the
periods covered by such Tax Returns or otherwise due to any Governmental
Authority, (iii) have established in accordance with their normal
accounting practices and procedures, accruals and reserves that are adequate
for
the payment of all Taxes not yet due and payable, and (iv) have not
received written notice of any deficiencies for any Tax from any Governmental
Authority against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which deficiency
has
not been satisfied. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.8(a) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is the
subject of any currently ongoing Tax audit. Neither the Company nor any of
its
Subsidiaries has requested, or been granted, an extension of time in which
to
file Tax Returns or pay Taxes, which extension has continuing effect. With
respect to any taxable period ended prior to December 31, 2000, all federal
income Tax Returns including the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have been
audited by the Internal Revenue Service or are closed by the applicable statute
of limitations. To the Knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any
of
its Subsidiaries is or may be subject to any “accuracy related penalty” under
Section 6662 of the Code (or any comparable provision of state, local or foreign
Law) with respect to Tax periods for which Tax Returns have been filed. To
the
Knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is
subject to any extension of the statute of limitations for collection of Taxes
under Code Section 6501 (or any comparable provision of state, local, or foreign
Law) from the minimum period allowed by Law as a result of failure to accurately
complete, or disclose any items in, a Tax Return. To the Knowledge of the
Company, there are no liens with respect to Taxes upon any of the properties
or
assets, real or personal, tangible or intangible, of the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries (other than liens for Taxes not yet due and payable). No claim
has
ever been made in writing by a Governmental Authority in a jurisdiction where
the Company or its Subsidiaries do not file Tax Returns that the Company or
any
of its Subsidiaries is or may be subject to taxation by that
jurisdiction.
15
(b) Except
as
set forth in Schedule 3.8 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is obligated by any contract, agreement
or
other arrangement to indemnify any other person with respect to Taxes. Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is now or has ever been a party to
or
bound by any contract, agreement or other arrangement (whether or not written
and including, without limitation, any arrangement required or permitted by
applicable Law (including pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6
or
any analogous provision of state, local or foreign Law)) that (i) requires
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to make any Tax payment to or for the
account of any other person, (ii) affords any other person the benefit of
any net operating loss, net capital loss, investment Tax credit, foreign Tax
credit, charitable deduction or any other credit or Tax attribute which could
reduce Taxes (including, without limitation, deductions and credits related
to
alternative minimum Taxes) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or
(iii) requires or permits the transfer or assignment of income, revenues,
receipts or gains to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from any other
person, other than payments made to the Company and its Subsidiaries in the
ordinary course of business. Neither the Company nor any or its Subsidiaries
shall be required to include any item of income in, or exclude any item of
deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof)
ending after the Closing Date as a result of any (i) change in method of
accounting for a taxable period ending on or prior to the Closing Date,
(ii) “closing agreement” as described in Code Section 7121 (or any
comparable provision of state, local, or foreign Law), (iii) intercompany
transactions or any excess loss account described in Treasury Regulations under
Code Section 1502 (or any comparable provision of state, local, or foreign
Law),
(iv) installment sale or open transaction disposition made or prior to the
Closing Date, or (v) prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing
Date. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any “gain
recognition agreement” as described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.367(a)-8
(or any analogous provision of foreign Law). Neither the Company nor any of
its
Subsidiaries is a party to any transaction that is or was (i) since
January 1, 1998 intended to qualify under Code sections 355 or 368 (other
than as a recapitalization pursuant to Code Section 368(a)(1)(E)), or
(ii) required to be reported as a “listed transaction” to any Governmental
Authority under Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(2) (or any comparable
or
predecessor provision of federal, state, local or foreign Law).
(c) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have withheld and paid all Taxes required to have
been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee,
independent contractor, creditor, shareholder or other third party.
(d) For
purposes of this Agreement, (i) “Tax”
(and,
with correlative meaning, “Taxes”)
means
any federal, state, local or foreign income, gross receipts, property, sales,
use, license, excise, franchise, employment, payroll, premium, withholding,
alternative or added minimum, ad valorem, inventory, transfer or excise tax,
or
any other tax, custom, duty, governmental fee or other like assessment or charge
of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest or penalty, imposed by any
Governmental Authority, and (ii) “Tax
Return”
means
any return, report or similar statement required to be filed with respect to
any
Tax (including any attached schedules), including, without limitation, any
information return, claim for refund, amended return or declaration of estimated
Tax.
3.9 Compliance
with Law.
The
Company is in compliance with all applicable laws, statutes, orders, rules,
regulations, policies or guidelines promulgated, or judgments, decisions or
orders entered, by any Governmental Authority (all such laws, statutes, orders,
rules, regulations, policies, guidelines, judgments, decisions and orders,
collectively, “Laws”),
relating to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective business or
properties, except where the failure to be in compliance with such Laws
individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect. No investigation or proceeding by any
Governmental Authority with respect to the Company is pending, or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened, nor has any Governmental Authority
indicated in writing an intention to conduct the same other than those the
outcome of which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
16
3.10 Intellectual
Property.
(a) Definitions.
For the purposes of this Section 3.10, the following terms have the following
definitions:
(i) “Intellectual
Property”
shall
mean the following: (i) all patents and applications therefore,
(ii) all know-how and technology and applications therefore, (iii) all
copyrights and applications therefore, (iii) all trade names, logos, common
law trademarks and service marks, trademark and service xxxx registrations
and
applications therefore, (iv) all databases and data collections and all
rights therein throughout the world, and (v) all software, domain names and
proprietary information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Intellectual Property”
shall not include any licenses, agreements or other rights in any generally
available “off the shelf” third party software or related intellectual property.
(ii) “Company
Intellectual Property”
shall
mean any Intellectual Property that is owned by, controlled by or licensed
to
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Without in any way limiting the
generality of the foregoing, Company Intellectual Property includes all
Intellectual Property owned or licensed by the Company and relating to the
Company’s products and services.
(iii) “Registered
Intellectual Property”
shall
mean all United States, international and foreign: (i) patents and patent
applications (including provisional applications), (ii) registered
trademarks, applications to register trademarks, intent-to-use applications,
or
other registrations or applications related to trademarks, and any domain name
registrations, (iii) registered copyrights and applications for copyright
registration, (iv) any mask work registrations and applications to register
mask works, and (v) any other Intellectual Property that is the subject of
an application, certificate, filing, registration or other document issued
by,
filed with, or recorded by, any state, government or other public legal
authority.
(iv) “Company
Registered Intellectual Property”
means
all of the Registered Intellectual Property owned by, exclusively licensed
to or
filed in the name of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(b) Schedule
3.10(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and accurate
list
of all Company Registered Intellectual Property and specifies, where applicable,
(i) the jurisdictions in which each such item of Company Registered
Intellectual Property has been issued or registered, (ii) the owner of the
Company Registered Intellectual Property, (iii) the issuance, application,
serial or registration number, and (iv) the date of its creation,
application and issuance or registration.
(c) To
the
Knowledge of the Company, no Company Intellectual Property is subject to any
proceeding or outstanding decree, order, or judgment restricting in any manner
the use, transfer, or licensing thereof by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, or which may affect the validity, use or enforceability of such
Company Intellectual Property.
17
(d) Each
item
of Company Registered Intellectual Property is valid and subsisting, all
necessary registration, maintenance and renewal fees currently due in connection
with such Company Registered Intellectual Property have been made, and all
necessary documents, recordations and certificates in connection with such
Company Registered Intellectual Property have been filed with the relevant
patent, copyright, trademark or other authorities in the United States or
foreign jurisdictions, as the case may be, for the purposes of maintaining
such
Company Registered Intellectual Property, except in the case where failure
to
file is not reasonably likely to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Company
owns and has good and exclusive title to, each item of the Company Intellectual
Property free and clear of any lien or encumbrance. Without limiting the
foregoing: (i) the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company is the exclusive
owner of all trademarks and trade names used in connection with the operation
or
conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, including the
sale,
distribution or provision of any Company products or services by the Company
or
its Subsidiaries, (ii) the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company owns
exclusively, and has good title to, all copyrighted works that the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries purports to own, and (iii) to the extent that any
patents would be infringed by any Company Products, the Company is the exclusive
owner of such patents, except in the case where a breach of any of the foregoing
clauses (i) through (iii) is not reasonably likely to result in a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
(f) To
the
extent that any technology, software or Intellectual Property has been developed
or created independently or jointly by a third party specifically for the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company has a written agreement with
such third party with respect thereto and the Company thereby either
(i) has obtained ownership of, and is the exclusive owner of, or
(ii) has obtained valid and enforceable rights (sufficient for the conduct
of its business as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted) to
all
such third party’s Intellectual Property in such work, material or invention by
operation of Law or by valid assignment, except where the failure to so obtain
a
written agreement is not reasonably likely to result in a Company Material
Adverse Effect.
(g) The
Company Intellectual Property includes all Intellectual Property required for
the operation of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as such
business has been conducted and currently is conducted, including the Company’s
and its Subsidiaries’ design, development, manufacture, distribution,
reproduction, marketing or sale of the products or services of Company and
its
Subsidiaries. To the Company’s Knowledge, the Company’s use of any product,
device or process does not infringe or misappropriate the Intellectual Property
of any third party.
(h) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice from any third
party
(i) alleging invalidity with respect to any Intellectual Property used by
the Company or its Subsidiaries, or (ii) that the operation of the business
of Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any act, product or service of Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, infringes or misappropriates the Intellectual
Property of any third party or constitutes unfair competition or trade practices
under the Laws of any jurisdiction.
18
(i) To
the
Company’s Knowledge, no third party is infringing or has misappropriated any of
the Company Intellectual Property.
(j) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries have taken prudent and reasonable steps
to
protect their respective rights in their trade secrets and confidential
information, as well as any trade secrets or confidential information of third
parties provided to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including imposing
and using commercial reasonable efforts to enforce a requirement that employees
involved in the development of or having access to Company Intellectual Property
to execute a commercially reasonable form of nondisclosure and assignment of
copyrights and inventions agreement.
3.11 Title
to and Condition of Properties.
The
Company owns or holds under valid leases all material real property, plants,
machinery and equipment necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company
in substantially the same manner as presently conducted. The plants, property
and equipment used in the operations of the respective businesses of the Company
and each of its Subsidiaries are in good operating condition and repair, normal
wear and tear excepted.
3.12 Litigation.
There
is no suit, claim, action, proceeding, audit or investigation (an “Action”)
pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company
which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have
a
Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries are not
subject to any outstanding order, writ, injunction or decree specifically
applicable to the Company or its Subsidiaries which, individually or in the
aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
3.13 Brokerage
and Finder’s Fees; Expenses.
Except
as set forth on Schedule 3.13 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the
Company nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, any of its directors or officers,
nor, to the actual knowledge of the Company, any of its shareholders or
employees, have employed any broker, finder or financial advisor or incurred
any
brokerage, finder’s or similar fee in connection with the Offer or the
Merger.
3.14 Employee
Benefit Plans.
(a) For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the definitions given
below:
“Company
Plan”
means
any plan, program, policy, practice or other arrangement providing for bonus,
pension, profit sharing, deferred compensation, incentive compensation, stock
ownership, stock purchase, stock option, vacation, severance, retirement
benefits, fringe benefits or other benefits of any kind (including, but not
limited to, all employee welfare benefit plans within the meaning of Section
3(l) of ERISA and all employee pension benefit plans within the meaning of
Section 3(2) of ERISA) maintained or contributed to by the Company or its ERISA
Affiliates for the benefit of its employees, former employees, dependents and
spouses of employees or former employees, directors or independent contractors.
19
“Controlled
Group Liability”
means
any and all liabilities under (i) Title IV of ERISA, (ii) Section 302
of ERISA, (iii) Sections 412 and 4971 of the Code, (iv) the
continuation coverage requirements of Section 601 et seq. of ERISA and Section
4980B of the Code, or (v) corresponding or similar provisions of foreign
Laws or regulations, in each case other than pursuant to the Company
Plans.
“ERISA”
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the
regulations thereunder.
“ERISA
Affiliate”
means,
with respect to any entity, trade or business, any other entity, trade or
business that is a member of a group described in Section 414(b), (c), (m)
or
(o) of the Code or Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA that includes the first entity,
trade or business, or that is a member of the same “controlled
group”
as
the
first entity, trade or business pursuant to Section 4001(a)(14) of
ERISA.
(b) With
respect to each Company Plan, the Company has provided to Parent a true, correct
and complete copy of (where applicable): (i) the most recent Annual Report
(Form 5500 Series) and accompanying schedule, if any, filed with the Internal
Revenue Service, and (ii) the current Company Plan.
(c) The
Company Plans which are “employee pension benefit plans” within the meaning of
Section 3(2) of ERISA and which are intended to meet the qualification
requirements of Section 401(a) of the Code, or Sections 401(k) or 401(m) of
the
Code, as applicable (each a “Qualified
Plan”),
now
meet, and, except where the failure to do so would not be reasonably likely
to
result in a Company Material Adverse Effect, at all times since their inception
have met, the requirements for such qualification, and the related trusts are
now, and, except where the failure to do so would not be reasonably likely
to
result in a Company Material Adverse Effect, at all times since their inception
have been, exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code. Each of the
Qualified Plans has received a favorable determination from the Internal Revenue
Service, and no such determination letter has been revoked nor are there any
existing circumstances why any such determination letter should be revoked
nor
has any Qualified Plan been amended since the date of its most recent
determination letter in any respect which would adversely affect the qualified
status of any Company Qualified Plan or the related trust. No Company Plan
is
currently being audited by a governmental agency for compliance with applicable
Laws or has been audited with a determination by the governmental agency that
the Company Plan failed to comply with applicable Laws.
(d) No
Company Plans are now or at any time have been subject to Part 3, Subtitle
B of
Title I of ERISA or Title IV of ERISA. All contributions required to be made
to
any Company Plan by applicable Laws or by any plan document or other contractual
undertaking, and all premiums due or payable with respect to insurance policies
funding any Company Plan, before the date hereof have been made or paid in
full
on or before the final due date thereof. All contributions with respect to
the
period ending at the Effective Time shall have been paid in full or accrued
for
on the Company’s balance sheet even if not due until a later date. All payments
under the Company Plans, except those to be made from a trust qualified under
section 501(a) of the Code, for any period ending before the Effective Time
that
are not yet, but shall be, required to be made are properly accrued and
reflected on the Company’s balance sheet.
20
(e) The
Company and its ERISA Affiliates have complied with, and are now in compliance
with the terms of, all Company Plans and all applicable laws, including ERISA
and the Code. Each Company Plan has been established and operated in compliance
with its terms and applicable Laws. There has been no written or oral
representation or communication with respect to any aspect of the Company Plans
made to employees of the Company which is not in accordance with the written
or
otherwise preexisting terms and provisions of such Company Plans. There is
not
now, and there are no existing circumstances that, individually or in the
aggregate, in connection with which the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates,
would be subject to liability that would reasonably be likely to have a Company
Material Adverse Effect (except liability for benefit claims and funding
obligations payable in the ordinary course of business), under ERISA, the Code
or any other applicable law.
(f) No
Company Plan is a “multiemployer
plan”
within
the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA (a “Multiemployer
Plan”)
or a
plan that has two or more contributing sponsors at least two of whom are not
under common control, within the meaning of Section 4063 of ERISA (a
“Multiple
Employer Plan”),
nor
has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective ERISA
Affiliates, at any time within six (6) years before the date hereof, contributed
to or been obligated to contribute to any Multiemployer Plan or Multiple
Employer Plan.
(g) There
does not now exist, and there are no existing circumstances that individually
or
in the aggregate would reasonably be expected to result in, any material
Controlled Group Liability. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective
ERISA Affiliates has engaged in any transaction described in Section 4069 or
Section 4204 of ERISA.
(h) Except
for health continuation coverage as required by Section 4980B of the Code or
Part 6 of Title I of ERISA or similar state Laws or as set forth on Schedule
3.14(h) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any of
its
Subsidiaries have any liability for life, health, medical or other welfare
benefits to former employees or beneficiaries or dependents
thereof.
(i) Except
as
set forth in Schedule 3.14 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the
execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the Offer
or
the Merger shall result in, or constitute an event which, with the passage
of
time or the giving of notice or both shall result in, cause the accelerated
vesting or delivery of, or increase the amount or value of, any payment or
benefit to any employee, officer, director or consultant of the Company or
any
of its Subsidiaries. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.14(i) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, there is no agreement, plan, arrangement or other contract
covering any employee or independent contractor or former employee or
independent contractor of the Company that, considered individually or
considered collectively with any other such contracts, will, or could reasonably
be expected to, give rise directly or indirectly to the payment of any amount
that would not be deductible pursuant to Section 280G or Section 162 of the
Code, and the Company will not be required to “gross up” or otherwise compensate
any such person because of the imposition of any excise tax on a payment to
such
person.
21
(j) There
are
no pending, or to the Knowledge of the Company threatened, Actions (other than
claims for benefits in the ordinary course) with respect to the Company
Plans.
(k) Schedule
3.14(k) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of each employment,
consulting, severance or similar agreement under which the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries is or could become obligated to provide compensation or benefits
in
excess of $100,000, and the Company has provided to Parent a copy of each such
agreement.
(l) No
employer securities, employer real property or other employer property is
included in the assets of any Company Plan.
3.15 Contracts.
Schedule 3.15 of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists all contracts,
agreements, guarantees, leases and executory commitments (each a “Material
Contract”),
other
than Company Plans and any Material Contracts heretofore listed as an exhibit
to
any Company SEC Document since January 1, 2004, that exist as of the date hereof
to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound and which fall within any of the
following categories: (i) any agreement, contract or commitment in
connection with which or pursuant to which the Company and its Subsidiaries
is
likely to spend or receive, in the aggregate, more than $250,000 during the
current fiscal year or during the next fiscal year, (ii) any
non-competition or other agreement that prohibits or otherwise restricts, in
any
material respect, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from freely engaging
in
business anywhere in the world, (iii) any employment, severance, change in
control or consulting agreement with any executive officer or other employee
of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or member of the Company Board earning
an
annual base salary or other compensation in excess of $150,000, other than
those
that are terminable by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on no more than
30
days’ notice without material liability or financial obligation to the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) any contract which would prevent or
materially impede or delay the consummation of the Merger or any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (v) joint venture and
partnership agreements, (vi) indentures, mortgages, promissory notes, loan
agreements, letters of credit or guarantees under which the amount the amount
outstanding or guaranteed is in excess of $100,000, or pursuant to which the
Company has the right borrow in excess of $100,000, or providing for the
creation of any security interest or lien upon any of the assets of the Company
with an aggregate value in excess of $100,000, (vii) contracts providing
for “earn-outs” or other contingent payments by the Company involving more than
$100,000 in the aggregate over the remaining terms of such Contracts,
(viii) contracts associated with off balance sheet financing in excess of
$100,000 in the aggregate, including but not limited to arrangements for the
sale of receivables, (ix) licenses or similar agreements granting the
Company the right to use any material Intellectual Property, or granting any
third party the right to use any Company Intellectual Property (other than
non-exclusive end-user or customer licenses granted by or to the Company in
the
ordinary course of business), (x) agreements that contain minimum purchase
conditions or requirements or other terms that restrict or limit the purchasing
relationships of the Company or its Subsidiaries, (xi) stock purchase
agreements, asset purchase agreements or similar agreements relating to the
purchase or sale of a business or the assets thereof, under which the Company
or
its Subsidiaries have any remaining obligations, or (xii) any other
agreement that would be required to be filed as an exhibit to an Annual Report
on Form 10-K of the Company if the Company were to file such report on the
date
of this agreement (assuming for this purpose that the fiscal year covered
thereby ended on the date of this Agreement). All Material Contracts to which
the Company or its Subsidiaries are party or by which it is bound are valid
and
binding obligations of the Company or such Subsidiary and, to the Knowledge
of
the Company, the valid and binding obligation of each other party thereto,
except to the extent it has previously expired in accordance with its terms
or
where the failure to be in full force and effect, individually or in the
aggregate, is not reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Neither the Company or any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Knowledge of the
Company, any other party thereto is in violation of or in default in respect
of,
nor has there occurred an event or condition which with the passage of time
or
giving of notice (or both) would constitute a default under or permit the
termination of, any such Material Contract, except for such violations and
defaults which, individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably likely
to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. There have been no material changes
to the amount and terms of the indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries
from (i) the Exhibits to the Company’s Form 10-K for the period ended
December 31, 2006 filed with the SEC, with respect to the terms of such
indebtedness, and (ii) the description in the financial statements
(including the notes thereto) incorporated in the Company’s Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2006 filed with the SEC, with respect to the amounts
of
such indebtedness.
22
3.16 Labor
Matters.
Since
December 31, 2003, (a) no unfair labor practice complaint or charge against
the
Company has been brought before, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened
by, the National Labor Relations Board or any other government agency or court
in any jurisdiction, (b) there has not occurred or, to the Knowledge of the
Company, been threatened any labor strike, dispute, picketing, slowdown,
stoppage, or other similar labor activity against or involving the Company
or
its Subsidiaries, (c) the Company and its Subsidiaries are not nor have
they been party to any collective bargaining agreement and there are no labor
unions or other organizations representing or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
purporting to represent or attempting to represent any employee, and
(d) the Company and its Subsidiaries have not been a party to, or affected
by or threatened with, any union organizing or election activity or any dispute
or controversy with a union involving its employees. The Company and its
Subsidiaries have not effectuated a “plant closing” or “mass layoff” under the
Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification Act (“WARN Act”) with respect to the
business of the Company or its Subsidiaries; nor in the past ninety (90) days
have the Company and its Subsidiaries effectuated any plant closings or layoffs,
which constitute an “employment loss” within the meaning of the WARN Act or any
state or local Law similar to the WARN Act.
3.17 Undisclosed
Liabilities.
Except
(i) as and to the extent disclosed or reserved against in the consolidated
balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2006 included in the Company’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ending December 31, 2006 filed with
the SEC, or disclosed in the footnotes to the financial statements as of such
date or the footnotes to the financial statements included in the Company SEC
Documents filed prior to the date hereof, (ii) as incurred after December
31, 2006 in the ordinary course of business consistent with prior practice
and
in compliance with this Agreement, (iii) as described in the Company SEC
documents filed since December 31, 2006 but prior to the date hereof or
(iv) as set forth in Schedule 3.17 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the
Company does not have any liabilities or obligations of any nature, whether
known or unknown, absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise and whether due
or
to become due other than (a) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of
business, (b) liabilities that, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect and
(c) liabilities incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.
23
3.18 Operation
of the Company’s Business; Relationships.
Since
December 31, 2006 through the date of this Agreement, no material customer
of
the Company or its Subsidiaries has indicated that it shall stop or materially
decrease purchasing materials, products or services from the Company or its
Subsidiaries and (ii) since December 31, 2006, no material supplier of the
Company has indicated in writing that it shall stop or materially decrease
the
supply of materials, products or services to the Company or its
Subsidiaries.
3.19 Permits;
Compliance.
The
Company and its Subsidiaries are in possession of all material franchises,
grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, variances, exemptions,
consents, certificates, approvals and orders necessary to own, lease and operate
their properties and to carry on their business as now being conducted
(collectively, the “Company
Permits”),
and
there has occurred no default or breach under any such Company Permit except
for
such defaults or breaches which would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
3.20 Environmental
Matters.
(a) The
properties, operations and activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries have
at all times been for all application periods of limitation, and are, in
compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits
(each as defined below), except where such noncompliance would not reasonably
be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The
Company and its Subsidiaries and the properties and operations of the Company
and its Subsidiaries are not subject to any pending or, to the Knowledge of
the
Company, threatened Action under any Environmental Law, including without
limitation with respect to any present or former operations, facilities or
Subsidiaries.
(c) To
the
Knowledge of the Company, there has been no release of any Hazardous Materials
into the environment by the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(d) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (x) has received any written notice
that the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective present
or
former operations, facilities or Subsidiaries is or may be a potentially
responsible party or otherwise liable in connection with any site used for
the
disposal of or otherwise containing Hazardous Materials, or (y) has
disposed of, arranged for the disposal of, or transported any Hazardous
Materials to any site which is listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s National Priorities List or which is otherwise subject to remediation
or investigation.
24
(e) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have made available to Parent all material internal
and external environmental audits and reports (in each case relevant to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries) in the possession of the Company or its
Subsidiaries.
(f) The
term
“Environmental
Laws”
means
all Laws relating to pollution or the environment (including, without
limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface
strata), including, without limitation, Laws relating to emissions, discharges,
releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or
industrial, toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous
Materials”)
into
the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing,
distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of
Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands
or
demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters,
orders, permits, plans or regulations issued, entered, promulgated or approved
thereunder, as in effect on the date hereof. “Environmental Permit” means any
permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required
under or issued pursuant to any applicable Environmental Law.
3.21 Opinion
of Financial Advisor.
The
Company Board and the special committee of the Company Board (the “Special
Committee”)
have
received the written opinion of Xxxxxxxxx-Agio-Xxxxx, its financial advisor,
to
the effect that, as of the date of this Agreement and based upon and subject
to
the matters set forth therein, the Merger Consideration to be received by the
holders of Common Shares pursuant to this Agreement is fair to such holders
from
a financial point of view, and such opinion has not been withdrawn or revoked
or
modified in any respect prior to the date of this Agreement. A copy of such
opinion has been made available to Parent and Purchaser. The Company has been
authorized by Xxxxxxxxx-Agio-Xxxxx to permit the inclusion of such opinion
in
its entirety, if required by the SEC, in such filings made by the Company with
the SEC in connection with the Offer or the Merger, provided
that
Xxxxxxxxx-Agio-Xxxxx shall have the right to review and approve in advance
of
filing the form of such opinion and any reference thereto contained in such
filings.
3.22 Board
Approval.
The
Company Board, upon the recommendation of the Special Committee and at a meeting
duly called and held at which a quorum was present throughout,
(i) determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby, including the Offer and the Merger, are fair to and in the best
interests of the Company’s shareholders, and (ii) resolved to recommend
that holders of Shares accept the Offer and that such holders entitled to vote
on the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein,
including the Merger, vote to approve the same (the “Company
Board Approval”).
The
Company Board Approval has not been withdrawn, revoked or modified.
3.23 Vote
Required.
The
Requisite Company Vote is the only vote of the holders of any class or series
of
the Company’s capital stock necessary (under the Company Articles, the NYBCL,
other applicable Law or otherwise) to approve this Agreement and the Merger.
3.24 Insurance.
The
Company and its Subsidiaries carry insurance in such amounts and covering such
risks as is customary in their respective businesses. All premiums due and
payable under all insurance policies maintained by the Company have been paid
and the Company and its Subsidiaries are otherwise in compliance with the
material terms of such policies. As of the date hereof, neither the Company
nor
any of its Subsidiaries maintains any material self-insurance or co-insurance
programs. As of the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has any disputed claim or claims aggregating $100,000 or more with any insurance
provider relating to any claim for insurance coverage under any policy or
insurance maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
25
3.25 Company
IT.
(a) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have taken steps consistent with industry practice
to maintain the material Company IT Systems in good working condition to perform
information technology operations necessary for the conduct of the business
of
the Company and its subsidiaries as conducted on the date hereof, including
as
necessary for the conduct of such business as a whole, causing the material
Company IT Systems to be generally available for use during normal working
hours
and performing reasonable back-up procedures in respect of the data critical
to
the conduct of its business (including such data and information that is stored
on magnetic or optical media in the ordinary course of business consistent
with
past practice) as conducted on the date hereof.
(b) For
purposes of this Agreement, “Company
IT Systems”
shall
mean any information technology and computer systems (including computers,
software, programs, databases, middleware, servers, workstations, routers,
hubs,
switches, data communications lines, and hardware) used in the transmission,
storage, organization, presentation, generation, processing or analysis of
data
in electronic format, which technology and systems are necessary to the conduct
of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as conducted on the date
hereof.
ARTICLE
4
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND PURCHASER
Except
as
set forth in the disclosure schedule delivered by Parent and Purchaser to the
Company prior to the execution of this Agreement (the “Purchaser
Disclosure Schedule”),
Parent and Purchaser jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Company
that:
4.1 Organization
and Qualification.
Each of
Parent and Purchaser is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and
in
good standing under the Laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the
requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now being conducted,
except where the failure to be in good standing would not, individually or
in
the aggregate, have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. As used in this Agreement,
the term “Parent
Material Adverse Effect”
means
any effect, event or change that would prevent or prohibit Parent and Purchaser
from consummating the Offer and the Merger.
4.2 Authority
Relative to this Agreement.
Each of
Parent and Purchaser has the requisite corporate power and authority to execute
and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and to
consummate the Offer and the Merger. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the Offer and the Merger have been duly and
validly authorized by all necessary corporate action and no other corporate
proceedings on the part of Parent or Purchaser are necessary to authorize their
execution and delivery of this Agreement or to consummate the Offer and the
Merger (other than the filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents
as
required by the NYBCL). This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and
delivered by each of Parent and Purchaser, and (assuming this Agreement
constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company) constitutes the
valid
and binding obligations of each of Parent and Purchaser, enforceable against
them in accordance with its respective terms, subject to (i) applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws, now
or
hereafter in effect, affecting creditors’ rights generally and (ii) rules of law
governing specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable
relief.
26
4.3 No
Violation; Required Filings and Consents.
(a) The
execution and delivery by each of Parent and Purchaser of this Agreement does
not, and the performance of this Agreement and the consummation by each of
Parent and Purchaser of the Offer and the Merger contemplated hereby shall
not,
(i) violate any provision of Parent’s or Purchaser’s Certificate of
Incorporation or bylaws, (ii) violate any Law applicable to Parent or any
of its Subsidiaries or by which any asset of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries
is bound or affected, except to the extent that any such violations would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) The
execution and delivery by each of Parent and Purchaser of this Agreement does
not, and the performance of this Agreement and the consummation by each of
Parent and Purchaser of the Offer and the Merger shall not, require any consent,
approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any
Governmental Authority, except (i) for applicable requirements of the
Exchange Act (including without limitation the filing of the Offer Documents
with the SEC), the Securities Act, the filings required by Article 16 of
the NYBCL and the filing of the Certificate of Merger as required by the NYBCL,
and (ii) where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals,
authorizations or permits, or to make such filings or notifications, would
not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
4.4 Brokers.
Except
as set forth in Section 4.4 of the Purchaser Disclosure Schedule, no broker,
finder, financial adviser, investment banker or other banker is entitled to
any
brokerage, finder’s or other similar fee or commission in connection with the
Offer and the Merger based upon arrangements made by, or on behalf of, Parent
or
any of its Subsidiaries.
4.5 Proxy
Statement.
At the
times (if any) the Proxy Statement is filed with the SEC, sent to the
shareholders of the Company and the Shareholder Meeting, none of the information
supplied by Parent, Purchaser and their respective Affiliates specifically
for
inclusion in the Proxy Statement will contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
4.6 Offer
Documents.
The
Offer Documents shall comply as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder. On the date filed with the SEC and on the date first published,
sent
or given to holders of Shares, the Offer Documents will not 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 the
light of circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, except that
no
representation is made by Parent or Purchaser with respect to any written
information supplied by the Company specifically for inclusion in the Offer
Documents.
27
4.7 Financing.
Parent
and Purchaser have or have access to sufficient funds, either from available
cash and cash equivalents, availability under Parent’s existing credit
facilities or from other sources of immediately available funds, to satisfy
the
obligation to pay for the Shares in the Offer and to pay the Merger
Consideration in the Merger.
4.8 Legal
Proceedings.
There
is no claim, suit, action, proceeding or investigation of any nature pending
or,
to
the
Knowledge of Parent and
Purchaser, being threatened, against Parent or Purchaser that would reasonably
be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
ARTICLE
5
COVENANTS
5.1 Interim
Operations.
Except
as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement or as Previously Disclosed or as
agreed to in writing by Parent, the Company agrees that during the period from
the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time (or until termination of
this Agreement in accordance with Article 7 hereof) the
business and operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be conducted
only in the ordinary course of business, and the Company and its Subsidiaries
shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to preserve intact their current
business organizations, keep available the services of their current officers
and employees and preserve their relationships with their material customers,
suppliers, licensors, licensees, advertisers, distributors and other third
parties having business dealings with them, and to preserve the goodwill of
their respective businesses. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
the Company shall not, and (as applicable) shall not permit any of its
Subsidiaries to, without the prior written consent of Parent:
(a) (i)
authorize for issuance, issue, deliver, sell, or agree to issue, deliver or
sell, or pledge or otherwise encumber, any shares of its capital stock or the
capital stock of any of its Subsidiaries, or any other securities convertible
into, or any rights, warrants or options to acquire, any such shares, except
for
(A) pledges or encumbrances in connection with the Credit Agreement, dated
as of
March 31, 2005, between the Company, as the borrower, and Fleet National Bank,
a
Bank of America company, as the lender (the “Company
Credit Agreement”)
and
(B) issuances of Common Shares upon the exercise of Options and Warrants or
conversion of Preferred Shares outstanding on the date hereof, or
(ii) repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, or permit any of its
Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, any shares of capital
stock or other equity interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(b) (i)
sell,
transfer or pledge, or agree to sell, transfer or pledge, any equity interest
owned by it, (ii) alter through merger, liquidation, reorganization,
restructuring or in any other fashion the corporate structure or ownership
of
any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) amend or otherwise change the Company
Articles or Company Bylaws or permit any of its Subsidiaries to amend their
Certificate of Incorporation, bylaws or equivalent organizational documents,
or
(iv) split, combine or reclassify any shares of its capital stock, or
permit any of its Subsidiaries to split, combine or reclassify any shares of
their capital stock;
28
(c) declare,
set aside or pay any dividends on (whether in cash, stock or property), or
make
any other distributions in respect of, any of its capital stock, except for
(i) dividends paid by direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries to the
Company or another of its wholly owned Subsidiaries with respect to capital
stock, and (ii) the payment of dividends accrued with respect to Preferred
Shares pursuant to the Company Articles;
(d) (i)
grant
or agree to any material increase in the compensation or fringe benefits of,
or
pay any bonus to or enter into any new employment, severance or termination
agreement, or amend any existing employment, severance or termination agreement
with any current or former director, officer or employee except for
(A) increases in compensation and payment of bonuses expressly required
under employment agreements, bonus plans and other agreements and arrangements
existing as of the date of this Agreement, (B) ordinary course raises
granted to non-officer employees in connection with regularly scheduled
performance reviews and (C) entering into offer letters with newly-hired
non-officer employees, the terms and conditions of which shall be substantially
similar to the terms and conditions of the forms previously provided to Parent
and Purchaser, and which shall not provide for a term of employment or severance
payments (other than those generally made pursuant to applicable Company policy,
if any), (ii) become obligated under any employee benefit plan that was not
in existence on the date hereof, or amend, modify or terminate any Company
plan
or other employee benefit plan or any agreement, arrangement, plan or policy
for
the benefit of any current or former director, officer or employee in existence
on the date hereof, except as required by Law or the terms of any such plan,
or
(iii) pay any benefit not required by any plan or arrangement as in effect
as of the date hereof (including, without limitation, the granting of,
acceleration of, exercisability of or vesting of stock options, stock
appreciation rights or restricted stock, except as otherwise required or
permitted by the terms of this Agreement);
(e) acquire
or agree to acquire, including, without limitation, by merging or consolidating
with, or purchasing all or substantially all the assets or capital stock or
other equity interests of, any business or any corporation, limited liability
company, partnership or other business organization, other than purchases of
assets in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and
not
in excess of $50,000;
(f) sell,
lease, license, mortgage or otherwise encumber or subject to any lien or
otherwise dispose of, or agree to sell, lease, license, mortgage or otherwise
encumber or subject to any lien or otherwise dispose of, any of its properties
or assets other than (i) properties or assets not in excess of $50,000 in
one instance or $100,000 in the aggregate, (ii) in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice, (iii) nonexclusive licenses granted
by the Company in the ordinary course of business to customers for such
customers’ use of the Company’s products and services, (iv) liens relating
to Taxes that are not yet due and payable or otherwise being contested in good
faith and as to which appropriate reserves have been established by the Company
in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles,
(v) liens of landlords, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics and materialmen
that are incurred in the ordinary course of business, in each instance for
amounts not yet due and payable, and (vi) liens or encumbrances on new
collateral under the Company Credit Agreement;
29
(g) incur,
assume or pre-pay any indebtedness for borrowed money or enter into any
agreement to incur, assume or pre-pay any indebtedness for borrowed money,
except for (i) payments required or permitted under, or the incurrence of
indebtedness pursuant to, the Company Credit Agreement (including pursuant
to
commercial and standby letters of credit thereunder) in the ordinary course
of
business consistent with past practice, (ii) financing of capital
expenditures in the ordinary course of business and not in excess of $150,000,
and (iii) incurrence of indebtedness for business expenses to American
Express in its capacity as credit card processing agent, which indebtedness
shall not exceed $200,000 at any given time;
(h) make
or
forgive any loans, advances or capital contributions to, guarantees for the
benefit of, or investments in, any party, other than loans between or among
the
Company and any of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries and cash advances to the
Company’s or any such Subsidiary’s employees for reimbursable travel and other
business expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice;
(i) assume,
guarantee or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether directly,
contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any person other than the
Company and its Subsidiaries, enter into any “keep well” or other agreement to
maintain any financial statement condition of any person other than the Company
and its Subsidiaries, or enter into any arrangement having the economic effect
of any of the foregoing;
(j) fail
to
maintain insurance covering risks of such types and in such amounts as are
consistent with the Company’s past practices, or permit any material insurance
policy naming it as beneficiary or loss payable payee to be cancelled or
terminated;
(k) establish
or acquire (i) any Subsidiary other than wholly-owned Subsidiaries, or
(ii) Subsidiaries organized outside of the United States and its
territorial possessions;
(l) amend,
modify or waive any term of any outstanding security of the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries;
(m) enter
into any labor or collective bargaining agreement, memorandum or understanding,
grievance settlement or any other agreement or commitment to or relating to
any
labor union, except as required by Law;
(n) settle
or
compromise any pending or threatened suit, action, claim or litigation, except
in the ordinary course of business and where such settlement or compromise
would
result in payments (individually and not in the aggregate), net of insurance,
by
the Company of less than $50,000;
(o) change
any of the material accounting policies, practices or procedures (including
material Tax accounting policies, practices and procedures) used by the Company
and its Subsidiaries as of the date hereof, except as may be required as a
result of a change in applicable Law or in United States generally accepted
accounting principles;
(p) make
or
change any material tax election, make or change any material method of
accounting with respect to Taxes or compromise any material Tax liability or
file any material amended Tax Return, except in each case as required by
applicable Law; provided,
however,
that,
with respect to this subsection, Parent’s consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed;
30
(q) pay,
discharge or satisfy any claims, liabilities or obligations (absolute, accrued,
asserted or unasserted, contingent or otherwise), other than the payment,
discharge or satisfaction in the ordinary course of business and consistent
with
past practice of liabilities reflected or reserved against in the financial
statements of the Company or incurred in the ordinary course of business and
consistent with past practice, or payments otherwise expressly permitted by
the
terms of this Agreement;
(r) transfer
or license to any third party any Company Intellectual Property (other than
pursuant to a contract in effect as of the date of this Agreement), or amend
or
modify any contract in effect as of the date of this Agreement and relating
to
Company Intellectual Property, other than the grant in the ordinary course
of
business of non-exclusive licenses to customers in connection with the sale
of
the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ products and services, and other than the
sale of uniform resource locators (URLs) that are not used in or related to
the
business of the Company or its Subsidiaries; and
(s) agree
or
commit to do any of the foregoing.
5.2 Merger
Without a Shareholder Meeting; Preparation of the Proxy Statement; Shareholder
Meeting.
In the
event that Parent and Purchaser shall collectively own at least ninety percent
(90%) of the Common Shares on a Fully-Diluted Basis and ninety percent (90%)
of
the issued and outstanding Preferred Shares, immediately following the
acceptance for payment of and payment for Shares by Purchaser in the Offer,
the
parties hereto agree, at the request of Purchaser, to take all necessary and
appropriate action to cause the Merger to become effective as soon as
practicable after the expiration of the Offer without a meeting of shareholders
of the Company in accordance with Section 905 of the NYBCL. In the event
Parent and Purchaser do not collectively own at least ninety percent (90%)
of
the Common Shares on a Fully Diluted Basis and ninety percent (90%) of the
issued and outstanding Preferred Shares, immediately following the acceptance
for payment of and payment for Shares by Purchaser in the Offer, then as soon
as
practicable following the acceptance for payment of and payment for Shares
by
Purchaser in the Offer, the Company shall prepare and file with the SEC a proxy
statement relating to a meeting of Company shareholders to approve this
Agreement and the Merger (such proxy statement, as amended or supplemented
from
time to time, being hereinafter referred to as the “Proxy
Statement”),
and
shall, as soon as practicable, duly call, give notice of, convene and hold
a
meeting of the shareholders of the Company (the “Shareholder
Meeting”)
for
the purpose of approving this Agreement and the Merger. Each of the Company,
the
Parent and the Purchaser shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, after
consultation with the other parties hereto, to respond to all SEC comments
with
respect to the Proxy Statement and to cause the Proxy Statement to be mailed
to
the Company’s shareholders at the earliest practicable date. The Proxy Statement
shall comply in all material respects with the Exchange Act and any other Law
and shall contain (or shall be amended in a timely manner to contain) all
information which is required to be included therein in accordance with the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and any other Law. Parent,
Purchaser and their counsel shall be given an opportunity to review and comment
on the Proxy Statement and any amendments thereto prior to the filing thereof
with the SEC, provided
that
Parent and Purchaser shall review and respond to drafts of the Proxy Statement
and any amendments thereto in a commercially reasonable manner. At the times
the
Proxy Statement is filed with the SEC, sent to the shareholders of the Company
and of the Shareholder Meeting, the Proxy Statement shall not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to
be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light
of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Company makes no representations or warranties with respect
to any information supplied by Parent or Purchaser or any of their respective
representatives that is contained in or incorporated by reference in the Proxy
Statement. At the Shareholder Meeting, Parent shall cause all of the Shares
then
owned by Parent and Purchaser to be voted in favor of the approval of this
Agreement and the Merger. Parent shall not, and shall cause Purchaser not to
sell, transfer, pledge, mortgage or otherwise encumber or subject to lien or
otherwise dispose of (or agree to do any of the foregoing) any of the Shares
then owned by Parent and Purchaser prior to cancellation thereof pursuant to
Section 2.6(b).
31
5.3 Filings
and Consents.
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of the parties hereto shall
use commercially reasonable efforts to assist the other parties hereto in timely
making all filings and timely seeking all such consents, approvals, permits,
authorizations and waivers required to be made or obtained by the other parties
from any third party or any Governmental Authority in connection with or as
a
condition to the Merger. Prior to making any application to or filing with
any
Governmental Authority in connection with this Agreement, each party shall
provide the other parties with drafts thereof (excluding any confidential
information included therein) and afford the other parties a reasonable
opportunity to comment on such drafts. If, at any time after the Effective
Time,
any further action is necessary or desirable to carry out the purpose of this
Section 5.3,
the
proper officers and directors of the Surviving Corporation shall take all such
necessary action.
5.4 Access
to Information.
From
the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Effective Time or the date
this Agreement is terminated in accordance with Article 7, and subject to the
requirements of any applicable Law, the Company shall, and shall cause each
of
its Subsidiaries and each of their respective directors, officers, employees,
counsel, accountants, investment bankers, financial advisors and other
representatives (collectively, the “Company
Representatives”)
to,
give Parent and Purchaser and their respective directors, officers, employees,
counsel, accountants, investment bankers, financial advisors and other
representatives (collectively, the “Parent
Representatives”)
access, in a manner reasonably designed to minimize disruption to the operations
of the Company, upon reasonable notice and during the Company’s normal business
hours, to the offices and other facilities and to the books and records of
the
Company and each of its Subsidiaries and shall cause the Company Representatives
to furnish or make available to Parent, Purchaser and the Parent Representatives
such financial and operating data and such other information with respect to
the
business and operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries as Parent, Purchaser
or the Parent Representatives may from time to time reasonably request. Unless
otherwise required by Law, each of Parent and Purchaser shall, and shall cause
the Parent Representatives to, hold any such information in confidence in
accordance with the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement . Except as otherwise
agreed to by the Company, and notwithstanding termination of this Agreement,
the
terms and provisions of the Disclosing Party and Non-Disclosure Agreement,
dated
February 15, 2007 (the “Confidentiality
Agreement”),
between Parent and the Company shall apply to all information furnished to
any
Parent Representative by any Company Representative hereunder or
thereunder.
32
5.5 Notification
of Certain Matters.
Each of
the parties hereto shall promptly notify the others in writing of (a) receipt
of
any written notice from any third party alleging that the consent of such third
party is or may be required in connection with the Offer or the Merger,
(b) the occurrence of any Company Material Adverse Effect or Parent
Material Adverse Effect, as applicable, or any facts or circumstances that
would
reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect or Parent
Adverse Effect, as applicable, (c) any material claims, actions,
proceedings or governmental investigations commenced or, to its Knowledge,
threatened, involving or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
any
of their property or assets, (d) any representation or warranty made by
such party contained in this Agreement becoming, to such party’s Knowledge,
untrue or inaccurate in any material respect, and (e) any failure of the
Company, Parent or Purchaser, as the case may be, to comply with or satisfy,
in
any material respect, any covenant, condition or agreement to be complied with
or satisfied by it hereunder. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the
contrary, no such notification, nor any information or Knowledge obtained
pursuant to Section 5.4, shall affect the representations, warranties or
covenants of any party or the conditions to the obligations of any party
hereunder, nor shall it limit or otherwise affect the remedies available
hereunder to the party receiving such notice.
5.6 Public
Announcements.
Each of
the parties hereto agrees that, promptly following the execution of this
Agreement, Parent and the Company shall issue a press release announcing the
execution of this Agreement, and file a current report with the SEC on Form
8-K
attaching the press release and a copy of this Agreement as exhibits.
Thereafter, the parties agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to consult
promptly with each other prior to issuing any press release or otherwise making
any public statement with respect to the Offer or the Merger, to provide each
other with a copy of any such press release or statement for review, and not
to
issue any such press release or make any such public statement prior to such
consultation and review, unless required by applicable Law.
5.7 Indemnification;
Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance
(a) The
Certificate of Incorporation and the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation shall
contain provisions with respect to indemnification and related matters as are
set forth in the Company Articles and Company Bylaws as in effect as of the
date
of this Agreement, which provisions shall not prior to the six (6) year
anniversary of the Closing Date be amended, repealed or otherwise modified
in
any manner that would adversely affect the rights thereunder of the persons
who
at any time prior to the Effective Time were entitled to indemnification and
related matters under the Company Articles, the Company Bylaws or any other
indemnification agreement in effect prior to the date hereof in respect of
actions or omissions occurring at or prior to the Effective Time.
(b) Without
limiting Section 5.7(a) or any additional rights that an Indemnified Party
may
have under any agreement or otherwise, for a period of six (6) years following
the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall indemnify, defend and hold
harmless each person who is or has been prior to the date of this Agreement
a
director or executive officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
(collectively, the “Indemnified
Parties”)
against all expenses, damages, losses, judgments, settlements and other
liabilities (“Losses”)
in
connection with any claim, action, suit, demand, proceeding or investigation
(a
“Claim”),
to
which any Indemnified Party is or may become a party to by virtue of his or
her
service as a director or executive officer of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries and arising out of actions or omissions occurring or alleged to
have occurred at or prior to the Effective Time, including all actions taken
or
omitted in connection with this Agreement and the Offer, in each case, to the
fullest extent permitted by Law and as provided in the Company Articles and
Company Bylaws as in effect at the date hereof.
33
(c) Any
Indemnified Party wishing to claim indemnification under this Section 5.7 after
the Effective Time, upon learning of any such Claim, shall notify the Surviving
Corporation thereof. In the event of a Claim, the Surviving Corporation shall
have the right to assume the defense thereof and, if it so assumes such defense,
the Surviving Corporation shall not be liable to such Indemnified Party for
any
legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses subsequently incurred
by
such Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof; provided,
however,
that if
a conflict of interest exists between the Surviving Corporation and one or
more
Indemnified Parties as to a Claim, the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Parties
shall have the right to participate, through one (1) counsel of its or their
choosing, in the defense, compromise or settlement of such Claim, and the legal
and other expenses thereof shall be paid for by the Surviving Corporation.
In
the event the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Parties retain separate counsel
pursuant to the preceding sentence, the Surviving Corporation shall nonetheless
be entitled to sole control of the defense and settlement of such Claim, so
long
as, in the case of settlement, such settlement involves only the payment of
monies and includes a complete release in favor of the Indemnified Party or
Indemnified Parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Surviving Corporation
shall not have any obligation hereunder to an Indemnified Party if a court
of
competent jurisdiction shall finally determine that the indemnification of
such
Indemnified Party in the manner contemplated hereby is prohibited by applicable
Law.
(d) On
or
prior to the first acceptance of and payment for Shares by the Purchaser in
connection with the Offer, the Company or Parent shall purchase “tail” insurance
policies for directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and fiduciary
liability coverage (“D&O
Insurance”)
with
respect to matters existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time
providing such coverages that are no less favorable than the policies maintained
by the Company as of the date hereof, with a claims period of at least six
(6)
years from the Effective Time from an insurance carrier with the same or better
credit rating as the Company’s current insurance carrier with respect to all
such coverage in an amount and scope at least as favorable as the Company’s
existing policies (the “Tail
Policy”).
Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, honor and perform
under all indemnification agreements entered into by the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries. In the event that the carriers do not make the Tail Policy
available to the Company for any reason, Parent shall cause the Surviving
Corporation to maintain the Company’s existing D&O Insurance policy (or a
comparable policy) for a period of not less than six (6) years after the
Effective Time (“D&O
Insurance”);
provided,
however,
that if
the annual premium paid for such insurance at any time following the Closing
shall exceed 250% of the per annum rate of premium paid by the Company as of
the
date of this Agreement for such insurance, then Parent shall, or shall cause
the
Surviving Corporation to, provide as much coverage as shall then be available
at
an annual premium equal to 250% of such rate.
34
(e) In
the
event that Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any of their respective
successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other person
and shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such
consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of its
properties and assets to any person, then and in each such case, proper
provisions shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Parent and the
Surviving Corporation, as the case may be, shall assume the obligations set
forth in this Section 5.7.
(f) This
Section 5.7 shall survive the consummation of the Merger and is intended to be
for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, the Indemnified Parties
referred to herein, their heirs, legal representatives, successors, assigns
and
personal representatives and shall be binding on the Surviving Corporation
and
its successors and assigns.
5.8 Further
Assurances; Reasonable Efforts.
(a) Except
as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, prior to the Effective Time, the parties
hereto shall use commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken,
all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order to consummate,
as
expeditiously as practicable, the Offer and the Merger on the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, including but not limited to
eliminating the effect of any “fair price,” “moratorium,” “control share
acquisition,” “interest shareholder” or similar anti-takeover statute or
regulation (including, without limitation, Article 16 of the NYBCL) (each,
a
“Takeover
Statute”)
applicable to the Company, Parent, Purchaser, this Agreement, the Offer, the
Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby, or, if such effect
cannot be eliminated, complying with, and using commercially reasonable efforts
to assist the other parties hereto in complying with, such Takeover
Statutes.
(b) Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, Parent agrees to file as soon as
practicable the registration statement required by Section 1603 of the NYBCL
and
to otherwise comply with the provisions of Article 16 of the NYBCL.
5.9 Company
SEC Documents.
From
the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Article 7 or the Effective Time, the Company shall file
on
a timely basis (including all permissible extensions under Rule 12b-25) all
Company SEC Documents required to be filed by it with the SEC under the Exchange
Act, the Securities Act and the published rules and regulations of the SEC
thereunder. All such Company SEC Documents shall comply in all material respects
as to form with the requirements of the Exchange Act, the Securities Act and
the
published rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder.
5.10 No
Solicitation.
(a) From
and
after the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Effective Time or
the
termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article 7, the Company and its
Subsidiaries shall not, and each of them shall use its reasonable best efforts
to cause the Company Representatives not to, directly or indirectly,
(i) solicit, initiate or encourage, or take any other action intended to
facilitate or with the reasonably foreseeable effect of facilitating, any
inquiry in connection with, or the making of any proposal by any party that
constitutes, an Acquisition Proposal (other than the Offer and the Merger),
(ii) participate in any discussions or negotiations with any party (other
than Parent, Purchaser or the Parent Representatives) regarding an Acquisition
Proposal, (iii) furnish to any party (other than Parent, Purchaser or the
Parent Representatives) any information intended to facilitate, or with the
reasonably foreseeable effect of facilitating, an Acquisition Proposal, or
(iv) enter into any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect
to, or otherwise endorse, any Acquisition Proposal; provided,
however,
that
nothing contained in this Section 5.10(a) shall prohibit the Company Board
or
the Special Committee from furnishing information to, or engaging in discussions
or negotiations with, any party that makes an Acquisition Proposal if
(A) Purchaser has not yet accepted for payment and paid for Shares in the
Offer, (B) the Company Board determines in good faith after consultation with
its outside legal counsel, that failing to take such action would create a
reasonable likelihood of a breach of its fiduciary duties to the Company’s
shareholders under applicable Law, (C) the Acquisition Proposal constitutes
a Superior Proposal, (D) prior to furnishing such information to, or
engaging in discussions or negotiations with, such party, the Company receives
from such party an executed confidentiality agreement with terms no less
favorable to the Company, in all material respects, than those contained in
the
Confidentiality Agreement, and (E) the Company notifies Parent not less
than three (3) Business Days prior to taking such action (which notice shall
identify the party making the proposal, and describe the material terms
thereof).
The
Company agrees that it shall immediately cease and cause to be terminated any
existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any parties conducted
heretofore with respect to any Acquisition Proposal.
35
(b) The
Company Board shall not withdraw (or modify in a manner adverse to Parent or
Purchaser) or propose publicly to withdraw (or modify in a manner adverse to
Parent or Purchaser) the Company Board Recommendation, or recommend, or propose
publicly to recommend, the approval or adoption of any Acquisition Proposal
(other than an Acquisition Proposal made by Parent) (such action is referred
to
herein as an “Adverse
Recommendation Change”),
unless (A) the Company Board determines in good faith after consultation
with its outside legal counsel that the failure to make such an Adverse
Recommendation Change would create a reasonable likelihood of a breach of its
fiduciary duties to the Company’s shareholders under applicable Law,
(B) the Company shall have complied in all respects with this Section 5.10
(other than immaterial failures to comply that do not prejudice Purchaser or
Parent in any respect), (C) the Company shall have given Parent at least
three (3) Business Days prior written notice of its intent to make an Adverse
Recommendation Change and, in the event such Adverse Recommendation Change
is
the result of having received an Acquisition Proposal, attaching a description
(if applicable) of all material terms and conditions of such Acquisition
Proposal (it being agreed that any amendment to the amount or form of
consideration of the Acquisition Proposal shall require a new notice and a
new
three (3) Business Day period), (D) during such three (3) Business Day
period, the Company engages in good faith negotiations with Parent with respect
to such changes to the terms of the Offer, the Merger and this Agreement as
may
be proposed by Parent, and (E) if applicable, the Company does not receive
from Parent a definitive and binding offer to enter into a definitive agreement
which the Company Board determines, in good faith in consultation with its
financial advisors, is at least as favorable to the shareholders of the Company
as the Acquisition Proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a communication
by
the Company Board to the shareholders of the Company pursuant to Rule 14e-2(a)
or Rule 14d-9 of the Exchange Act shall not, in and of itself, be deemed to
constitute an Adverse Recommendation Change, but any statement by the Company
pursuant to Rule 14e-2(a) other than a recommendation to Company
shareholders to accept the Offer (or any failure to make within the prescribed
time period a recommendation to Company shareholders) shall be considered an
Adverse Recommendation Change.
36
(c) If
at any
time prior to the acceptance for payment and payment of Shares by Purchaser
in
the Offer, the Company Board determines in good faith after consultation with
its outside legal counsel, that the failure to accept an unsolicited Superior
Proposal that did not result from a breach of this Section 5.10 would create
a
reasonable likelihood of a breach of its fiduciary duties to the Company’s
shareholders under applicable Law, the Company Board may terminate this
Agreement pursuant to Section 7.3 hereof; provided,
however,
that
the Company shall not terminate this Agreement, and any such termination shall
be void and of no force and effect, unless (i) the Company pays to Parent
the Termination Payment required by Section 7.5(a) and enters into a definitive
agreement concerning the Superior Proposal, (ii) the Company shall have
complied in all respects with this Section 5.10 (other than immaterial failures
to comply that do not prejudice Purchaser or Parent in any respect),
(iii) the Company shall have given Parent at least three (3) Business Days
prior written notice of its intent to terminate the Agreement, attaching a
description of all material terms and conditions of the Superior Proposal to
such notice (it being agreed that any amendments to the amount or form of
consideration of the Superior Proposal shall require a new notice and a new
three (3) Business Day period), (iv) during such three (3) Business Day
period, the Company engages in good faith negotiations with Parent with respect
to such changes to the terms of the Offer, the Merger and this Agreement as
may
be proposed by Parent, and (v) Parent does not make prior to such
termination a definitive and binding offer to enter into a definitive agreement
which the Company Board determines, in good faith in consultation with its
financial advisors is at least as favorable to the shareholders of the Company
as the Superior Proposal; provided,
however,
that if
the Superior Proposal consists entirely of cash consideration, an offer by
Parent involving per share cash consideration payable to holders of Common
Shares equal to or in excess of the per share cash consideration described
in
the Superior Proposal shall be deemed “at least as favorable to the
shareholders” of the Company as the Superior Proposal; provided that the
conditions to Parent’s obligation to close the Merger are, in the opinion of the
Company’s Board determined in good faith after consultation with the Company’s
legal counsel, no more onerous to the Company and its shareholders than those
contained in the Superior Proposal.
(d) “Acquisition
Proposal”
shall
mean any offer or proposal for, or any indication of interest in, (i) any
direct or indirect acquisition of ten percent (10%) or more of the total assets
of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in a single transaction or series of
related transactions, (ii) any direct or indirect acquisition of ten
percent (10%) or more of any class of equity securities of the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries, in a single transaction or series of related transactions,
(iii) any tender offer or exchange offer (including a self-tender offer)
that if consummated would result in any party beneficially owning ten percent
(10%) or more of any class of equity securities of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, (iv) any merger, consolidation, share exchange, business
combination, recapitalization, reclassification or other similar transaction
involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (v) any public
announcement of an agreement, proposal or plan to do any of the foregoing,
other
than the Offer and the Merger.
37
(e) “Superior
Proposal”
shall
mean any bona fide Acquisition Proposal by a third party that
the
Company Board determines in its good faith judgment, after consultation with
an
independent financial advisor, to be more favorable to and in the best interests
of the shareholders of the Company, taking into account (i) all the terms and
conditions of such Acquisition Proposal and this Agreement (including any
proposal or offer by Parent to amend the terms of this Agreement during the
three (3) Business Day period referred to in Section 5.10(b)), and (ii) all
financial, regulatory, legal and other aspects of such proposal, and that the
Company Board has concluded in good faith is reasonably capable of being
consummated in a timely manner; provided,
however,
that if
the Acquisition Proposal consists entirely of cash consideration, and the
conditions to Parent’s obligation to close the Merger are, in the opinion of the
Company’s Board determined in good faith after consultation with the Company’s
legal counsel, no more onerous to the Company and its shareholders than those
contained in such Acquisition Proposal, such Acquisition Proposal shall not
be
considered a “Superior Proposal” unless the per share cash consideration payable
to holders of Common Shares represented by the Acquisition Proposal exceeds
the
Common Share Offer Consideration (or such greater amount as Parent and Purchaser
may have offered in response to the Acquisition Proposal); provided,
further,
that
for purposes of this definition, the references in the definition of
“Acquisition Proposal” to “ten percent (10%)” shall be deemed to be a reference
to “at least fifty percent (50%).”
(f) Any
breach by a Company Subsidiary or a Company Representative of this Section
5.10
shall be deemed a breach by the Company.
5.11 Deregistration.
Each of
the parties hereto agrees to cooperate with the other parties in taking, or
causing to be taken, all actions necessary to terminate the registration of
the
Shares under the Exchange Act promptly following the Effective
Time.
5.12 Option
to Acquire Additional Shares.
(a) In
the
event that the number of Preferred Shares tendered and accepted pursuant to
the
Offer exceed ninety percent (90%) of all Preferred Shares issued and outstanding
on the date the Offer is consummated, the Company hereby grants to Parent an
irrevocable option (the “Top-Up
Option”)
to
purchase up to a number of Common Shares (the “Top-Up
Option Shares”)
equal
to the lowest number of Common Shares that when added to the number of Common
Shares directly or indirectly owned by Parent at the time of such exercise
shall
constitute one share more than ninety percent (90%) of the number of Common
Shares on a Fully Diluted Basis at a cash purchase price per Common Share (the
“Top-Up
Option Purchase Price”)
equal
to the Common Share Offer Consideration or such higher price per share, if
applicable, paid upon acceptance for payment of all Common Shares validly
tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer on the expiration date of
the
Offer; provided,
however,
that in
no event shall the number of Top-Up Option Shares exceed (i) a number that
would require the Company to obtain approval of its shareholders under
applicable Law in connection with such issuance, or (ii) the Company’s then
authorized and unissued Common Shares. Parent may exercise the Top-Up Option
in
whole or in part at any time after the acceptance to payment and payment for
Shares by Purchaser in the Offer. Parent shall exercise the Top-Up Option by
sending the Company a written notice (an “Exercise
Notice,”
and
the date on which such Notice is given, the “Notice
Date”)
specifying the denominations of the certificate or certificates evidencing
the
Top-Up Option Shares which Parent wishes to receive and the place for the
closing of the purchase and sale pursuant to the Top-Up Option (the
“Top-Up
Option Closing”)
and a
date not earlier than one (1) Business Day nor later than five (5) Business
Days
after the Notice Date for the Top-Up Option Closing; provided,
however,
that
(i) if the Top-Up Option Closing cannot be consummated by reason of any
applicable Laws, the period of time that otherwise would run pursuant to this
sentence shall run instead from the date on which such restriction on
consummation has expired or been terminated, and (ii) without limiting the
foregoing, if prior notification to or approval of any Governmental Authority
is
required in connection with such purchase, Parent and the Company shall promptly
file the required notice or application for approval and shall cooperate in
the
expeditious filing of such notice or application, and the period of time that
otherwise would run pursuant to this sentence shall run instead from the date
on
which, as the case may be, (A) any required notification period has expired
or been terminated or (B) any required approval has been obtained, and in
either event, any requisite waiting period has expired or been terminated.
The
Company shall, promptly after receipt of the Exercise Notice, deliver a written
notice to Parent confirming the number of Top-Up Option Shares and the Top-Up
Option Purchase Price therefor.
38
(b) At
the
Top-Up Option Closing (i) the Company shall deliver to Parent (against
payment as herein provided) a certificate or certificates evidencing the
applicable number of Top-Up Option Shares (in the denominations designated
by
Parent in the Exercise Notice) and (ii) Parent shall purchase each Top-Up
Option Share from the Company at the Top-Up Option Purchase Price specified
in
Section 5.12(a) above. Payment by Parent of the Top-Up Option Purchase Price
for
the Top-Up Option Shares may be made, at the option of Parent, by delivery
of
(i) immediately available funds by wire transfer to an account designated
by Company and/or (ii)(A) an amount equal to the number of Top-Up Option
Shares to be issued multiplied by the par value of such Top-Up Option Shares,
payable by certified or cashier’s check, plus (B) a promissory note, in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company and in a principal
face amount equal to the aggregate amount of the Top-Up Option Purchase Price
less the cash payment described in the foregoing clause (A), which promissory
note shall be payable in full with accrued interest immediately at the Effective
Time. Failure or refusal of the Company to confirm the number of Top-Up Option
Shares or the Top-Up Option Purchase Price as required by Section 5.12(a) above
or to designate a bank account for receipt of wire transfer shall not preclude
Parent from exercising the Top-Up Option by delivering a bank check or
promissory note in the amount of the Top-Up Option Purchase Price to the Company
at the address set forth in Section 8.6 no later than the date of the Top-Up
Option Closing. Upon the delivery by Parent to the Company of the Top-Up Option
Purchase Price for the Top-Up Option Shares, to the extent permitted by
applicable Laws, Parent shall be deemed the holder of record of the Top-Up
Option Shares, notwithstanding that the stock transfer books of the Company
shall then be closed or that certificates representing the Top-Up Option Shares
shall not then be actually delivered to Parent. The Company shall pay all
expenses, and any and all federal, state and local taxes and other charges,
that
may be payable in connection with the preparation, issuance, and delivery of
stock certificates under this Section 5.12.
(c) The
Top-Up Option shall terminate on the “Option
Termination Date,”
which
shall occur upon the earlier to occur of the Effective Time or the
termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article 7. Notwithstanding the
occurrence of the Option Termination Date, Parent shall be entitled to purchase,
and, as described in Section 5.12(b), upon tender of payment of the Top-Up
Option Purchase Price shall be deemed to have purchased, the Top-Up Option
Shares if it has provided the Exercise Notice to the Company in accordance
with
the terms hereof prior to such termination, and the occurrence of the Option
Termination Date shall not affect any rights hereunder which by their terms
do
not terminate or expire prior to or as of such date.
39
5.13 Directors.
(a) Promptly
upon the payment by Purchaser for Shares purchased pursuant to the Offer, and
from time to time thereafter, Parent, may, but shall not be required to,
designate up to such number of directors, rounded up to the nearest whole
number, on the Company Board as shall give Parent representation on the Company
Board equal to the product of the number of directors on the Company Board
(after giving effect to such new Parent designated directors) and the percentage
that the number of Shares so purchased (on an as-converted basis) bears to
the
number of Shares outstanding, and the Company shall, upon request of Parent,
promptly increase the size of the Company Board and/or use its reasonable best
efforts to secure the resignations of such number of directors as is necessary
to provide Parent with such level of representation and shall cause Parent’s
designees to be so elected. The Company shall also use its reasonable best
efforts to cause persons designated by Parent to constitute the same percentage
as is on the entire Company Board to be on (i) each committee of the
Company Board, (ii) the board of directors of each Subsidiary of the
Company, and (iii) each committee of each such board, in each case only to
the extent permitted by applicable Laws. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this
Section 5.13, the Parent and the Company shall use reasonable efforts to ensure
that, at all times prior to the Effective Time, at least two (2) of the members
of the Company Board are Continuing Directors; provided,
however,
that
(i) if at any time prior to the Effective Time there shall be less than two
(2) Continuing Directors serving as directors of the Company for any reason,
then the Company Board shall cause an individual or individuals selected by
the
remaining Continuing Director(s) to be appointed to serve on the Company Board
(and any such individual shall be deemed to be a Continuing Director for all
purposes under this Agreement), and (ii) if at any time prior to the
Effective Time no Continuing Directors remain on the Company Board, then the
Company Board shall appoint two (2) individuals who are not officers, employees
or Affiliates of the Company, Parent or Purchaser to serve on the Company Board
(and such individuals shall be deemed to be Continuing Directors for all
purposes under this Agreement).
(b) The
Company’s obligations to effect election of Parent’s designees to the Company
Board shall be subject to Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1
thereunder, if applicable. The Company shall promptly take all actions required
pursuant to such Section and Rule in order to fulfill its obligations under
this Section 5.13, including mailing to its shareholders the information
required by such Section and Rule which, unless Parent otherwise elects, shall
be so mailed together with the Schedule 14D-9. The Company shall include in
the
Schedule 14D-9 such information with respect to Company and its officers and
directors as is required under Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1
thereunder in order to fulfill its obligations under this Section 5.13. Parent
shall promptly supply any information with respect to itself and its designees,
officers, directors and Affiliates required by such Section and Rule to
Company, which information shall be true and correct in all material
respects.
40
(c) During
the period following the election or appointment of Parent’s designees pursuant
to this Section 5.13 until the Effective Time, the unanimous approval of the
Continuing Directors then in office shall be required (and such approval shall
constitute the approval of the Company Board, even if the Continuing Directors
do not constitute a majority of all directors then in office, and no other
action on the part of the Company, including action by any other director of
the
Company shall be required) to authorize (i) any amendment or termination of
this Agreement or abandonment by the Company or the Company Board of the Merger,
(ii) any amendment to the Company Articles or the Company Bylaws, other
than as contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) any extension by the Company
or the Company Board of the time for the performance of any of the obligations
or other acts of Parent or Purchaser, including any extension of the Closing
Date pursuant to Section 2.1 or any extension of the Effective Time of the
Merger to any time subsequent to the time of filing of the Certificate of Merger
pursuant to Section 2.1, (iv) any waiver of any of the Company’s rights
hereunder, or (v) any Adverse Recommendation Change. For purposes of this
Agreement, “Continuing
Directors”
shall
mean the directors of the Company not affiliated with Parent who were not
designated by Parent and (A) were “independent” as defined in the rules of
the American Stock Exchange, or (B) were elected subsequent to the date
hereof by, or on the recommendation of, (x) directors who were directors on
the date hereof, or (y) the Continuing Directors. If no such directors are
then in office, no action described in clauses (i) - (v) of this
Section 5.13(c) shall be taken.
5.14 Employee
Benefits.
(a) Parent
agrees that following the Effective Time it shall cause the Surviving
Corporation to comply with the applicable terms and provisions of the
employment, retirement, termination, severance and similar agreements with
officers or other employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries that are in
effect as of the date of this Agreement. The Company shall not enter into any
such agreement after the date of this Agreement without Parent’s prior written
consent.
(b) Parent
agrees that from the date of purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer and for
at
least the first twelve (12) months following the Effective Time, it shall,
or
shall cause the Company or Surviving Corporation, as applicable, and its
Subsidiaries to, continue to maintain the Company Plans as in effect as of
the
date of this Agreement, and/or, following the Effective Time, maintain other
plans that, in the aggregate, provide benefits to the Company’s employees that
are not less favorable in the aggregate to the Company’s employees than the
benefits currently in effect with respect to such employees, it being understood
that the foregoing shall not require Parent or the Surviving Corporation to
maintain any particular employee benefit plan, and that the Stock Option Plans
shall be terminated immediately prior to the Effective Time.
(c) Nothing
in this Section 5.14 shall be construed to prevent termination of any individual
employee, and except as expressly set forth in this Section 5.14, no provision
of this Agreement shall prevent the Surviving Corporation from changing benefits
available for any individual employee, or amending or terminating any particular
plan.
41
ARTICLE
6
CONDITIONS
TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER
6.1 Conditions
to the Obligations of Each Party.
The
respective obligations of the Company, Parent and Purchaser to consummate the
Merger are subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Effective Time, of
each
of the following conditions:
(a) To
the
extent shareholder approval is required by law for consummation of the Merger,
the Company shall have obtained the Requisite Company Vote at the Shareholder
Meeting in accordance with the NYBCL and the Company Articles and Company
Bylaws;
(b) No
Governmental Authority shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or
entered any Law, rule, regulation, executive order or decree, judgment,
injunction, ruling or other order, whether temporary, preliminary or permanent
(collectively, “Order”),
that
is then in effect and has the effect of preventing or prohibiting consummation
of the Merger; provided,
however,
that
each of the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts
to
have any such Order vacated;
(c) All
material consents, approvals, permits of, authorizations from, notifications
to
and filings with any Governmental Authorities required to be made or obtained
prior to the consummation of the Merger shall have been made or obtained;
and
(d) Purchaser
shall have accepted for purchase and purchased all of the Shares properly
tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Offer.
ARTICLE
7
TERMINATION
7.1 Termination
by Mutual Consent.
This
Agreement may be terminated, and in connection therewith the Offer may be
terminated at any time prior to the acceptance and payment for Shares tendered
in the Offer by Purchaser, and the Merger may be abandoned at any time prior
to
the Effective Time, before or after the approval of this Agreement by the
shareholders of the Company, by the mutual written consent of the Company,
acting under the direction of the Company Board, and Parent and Purchaser,
acting under the direction of their respective boards of directors.
7.2 Termination
by Purchaser, Parent or the Company.
This
Agreement may be terminated, and in connection therewith the Offer may be
terminated at any time prior to the acceptance and payment for Shares tendered
in the Offer by Purchaser, and the Merger may be abandoned at any time prior
to
the Effective Time, by either Purchaser and Parent, on the one hand, by action
of their respective boards of directors, or the Company, on the other hand,
by
action of the Company Board, if:
(a) any
Governmental Authority shall have issued an Order (which has not been vacated,
withdrawn or overturned) permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise
prohibiting the acceptance for payment of, or payment for, the Shares pursuant
to the Offer or the consummation of the Merger and such Order shall have become
final and nonappealable; provided,
however,
that
the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.02(a) shall
not
be available to any party that has failed to perform in all material respects
its obligations under Section 5.8 or that has not used its commercially
reasonable efforts to have any such Order vacated;
42
(b) the
Offer
shall not have been consummated on or before October 31, 2007 (the “Offer
Outside Date”);
provided,
however,
that
the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 7.2(b) shall not be
available to any party whose failure to perform in any material respect any
covenant or obligation under this Agreement has been the primary cause of or
resulted in the failure of the Offer to have been consummated on or before
the
Offer Outside Date;
(c) there
shall be any Law that makes consummation of the Offer or the Merger illegal
or
otherwise prohibited; or
(d) the
Requisite Company Vote shall not have been obtained by reason of the failure
to
obtain the required vote at the Shareholder Meeting or at any adjournment or
postponement thereof or by written consent;
provided,
however,
that
the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.2(d) shall
not
be available to any party that has failed to perform in all material respects
its obligations under Section 5.2.
7.3 Termination
by the Company.
This
Agreement may be terminated by the Company, acting under the direction of the
Company Board, and in connection therewith the Offer may be terminated and
the
Merger may be abandoned, at any time prior to the acceptance of and payment
for
Shares by Purchaser in connection with the Offer:
(a) pursuant
to and in accordance with Section 5.10; or
(b) if
there
has been a breach by Parent or Purchaser of any representation, warranty,
covenant or agreement of Parent or Purchaser set forth in this Agreement, which
breach is reasonably likely to result in a Parent Material Adverse Effect,
except where such breach (if curable) shall have been cured prior to the earlier
of (a) fifteen (15) calendar days following notice from the Company, or (b)
prior to the expiration date of the Offer.
7.4 Termination
by Purchaser or Parent.
This
Agreement may be terminated by Parent or Purchaser, acting under the direction
of their respective boards of directors, and in connection therewith the Offer
may be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned at any time prior to the
acceptance of and payment for Shares by Purchaser in connection with the
Offer:
(a) as
a
result of the failure of any of the conditions set forth in Annex A to this
Agreement, other than those set forth in paragraphs (D) and (E) of Annex
A;
(b) if
a
Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred;
(c) as
a
result of (i) the failure of the condition set forth in paragraph (D) of this
Agreement (after compliance with the notice and cure requirements described
therein) or (ii) the failure of the condition set forth in paragraph (E) of
this
Agreement (after compliance with the notice and cure requirements described
therein); or
43
(d)
(i) an Adverse Recommendation Change has occurred, (ii) the Company
has breached any of its obligations under Section 5.10 (other than immaterial
failures to comply that do not prejudice Purchaser or Parent in any respect),
(iii) the Company Board fails to reaffirm its recommendation of this
Agreement or the Offer or the Merger within ten (10) Business Days after Parent
requests in writing that such recommendation be reaffirmed at any time following
the public announcement of an Acquisition Proposal that has not been
withdrawn.
7.5 Payment
of Fees and Expenses
(a) In
the
event this Agreement is terminated:
(i) by
the
Company pursuant to Section 7.3(a);
(ii) by
Parent
or Purchaser pursuant to Section 7.4(d);
then
in
any such event, the Company shall pay to Parent a termination fee equal to
One
Million Three Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($1,375,000) in cash payable
concurrently with such termination (in the event of termination by the Company)
or within two (2) Business Days of such termination (in the event of termination
by Parent or Purchaser). Such termination payment shall be payable to Parent
by
wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by
Parent.
(b) In
the
event this Agreement is terminated:
(i) by
Parent
or Purchaser pursuant to Section 7.2(b) (but only if the Minimum Condition
has
not been met by such date), 7.2(d), Section 7.4(c)(i) (but only where the right
to terminate under such section arose from a failure of the condition set forth
in paragraph (D)(ii) of Annex A) or Section 7.4(c)(ii), and in any such case
an
Acquisition Proposal has been made or publicly disclosed (or, with respect
to
termination under Section 7.2(b) and 7.2(d) only, publicly disclosed) prior
to
the earlier of the termination of the Offer and the Outside Date, in the case
of
Section 7.2(b), the Requisite Company Vote, in the case of Section 7.2(d),
or
the earlier of the date of such termination and the acceptance of and payment
for the Shares by the Purchaser in connection with the Offer, in the case of
Section 7.4(c), and such Acquisition Proposal has not been withdrawn, the
Company shall pay to Parent, within two (2) Business Days of such termination,
a
termination fee in an amount equal to Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000);
and furthermore, if within nine (9) months of the date of such termination,
the
Company enters into a letter of intent, written agreement in principle,
acquisition agreement or similar agreement with respect to, or publicly
discloses, a Subsequent Transaction with a person who had made or publicly
disclosed an Acquisition Proposal during the term of this Agreement, the Company
shall, upon the first to occur of (A) entering into such letter of intent,
written agreement in principle, acquisition agreement or other similar
agreement, or such public disclosure, or (B) upon the consummation of such
Subsequent Transaction, pay to Parent an additional termination fee in an amount
equal to Eight Hundred Seventy-Fifty Thousand Dollars ($875,000). For purposes
of this Section 7.5(b), a “Subsequent Transaction” shall be deemed to have
occurred on the date the Company enters into a letter of intent, agreement
in
principle, acquisition agreement or similar agreement with respect to, or
publicly discloses a transaction the proposal of which would constitute an
Acquisition Proposal (substituting 51% for the 10% thresholds set forth in
the
definition of “Acquisition Proposal”). Such termination payment(s) shall be
payable to Parent by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account
designated by Parent.
44
(ii) by
Parent
or Purchaser pursuant to Section 7.4(c) (inclusive), and Section 7.5(b)(i)
above
is not applicable, then the Company shall pay to Parent, within two (2) Business
Days of such termination, a termination fee in an amount equal to Five Hundred
Thousand Dollars ($500,000); provided,
however,
that no
termination fee will be payable in the event of termination pursuant to Section
7.4(c)(i) unless such termination occurs on or before the close of business
on
October 1, 2007. Such termination payment shall be payable to Parent by wire
transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by
Parent.
(iii) The
payments set forth in Sections 7.5(b)(i)-(ii), above, are mutually exclusive
and
in no event shall Parent or Purchaser be entitled to any fees under such
subsection if it has already received fees or is entitled to fees under the
other subsection.
(c) In
the
event this Agreement is terminated by the Company pursuant to Section 7.3(b)
(but only where the right to terminate under such section arose from either
a
breach of a representation or warranty on the date of this Agreement or a breach
of a covenant or agreement), then the Parent shall pay to the Company, within
two (2) Business Days of such termination, a termination fee in an amount equal
to Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000). Such termination payment shall
be
payable to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an
account designated by the Company.
(d) Except
for the right to receive the termination fee payments pursuant to Section 7.5(a)
and Section 7.5(b) above, if applicable, each of the parties hereto shall bear
its own expenses incurred by or on behalf of such party in preparing for,
entering into and carrying out this Agreement and the consummation of the Offer
and the Merger.
(e) Company
and Parent acknowledge that the agreements contained in this Section 7.5 are
an
integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that
without these agreements, Company or Parent, as applicable, would not enter
into
this Agreement. If either party fails to promptly pay the termination fees
contemplated by Section 7.5(a), 7.5(b), or Section 7.5(c), as applicable, and
in
order to obtain such payment, the other party commences a suit that results
in a
judgment against the non-paying party for such termination fees, the non-paying
party shall additionally pay to the other party such other party’s costs and
expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with such suit, as
well as an interest on the termination fees, at the prime rate of Xxxxx Fargo
N.A. in effect on the date such payment was required to be made.
7.6 Effect
of Termination.
If this
Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Article 7, this Agreement shall become
void and of no effect with no liability on the part of any party or its
shareholders, directors, officers, employees or representatives, except as
otherwise prescribed in Section 8.2.
45
ARTICLE
8
MISCELLANEOUS
8.1 Third-Party
Beneficiaries.
Except
for the provisions of Section 5.7, this Agreement is not intended to confer
upon
any person other than the parties hereto any rights or remedies.
8.2 No
Survival.
The
representations, warranties and agreements made in this Agreement shall not
survive beyond the Effective Time or the termination of this Agreement in
accordance with Article 7 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section
8.2 shall not limit any covenant or agreement which by its terms contemplates
performance after the Effective Time or the termination of this Agreement as
the
case may be. For the avoidance of doubt, the agreements set forth in Article
2,
Section 5.7 and Article 8 shall survive the Effective Time and those set forth
in the last sentence of Section 5.4, Section 7.5 and this Section 8.2 shall
survive termination
of this
Agreement.
8.3 Modification
or Amendment.
This
Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto at any time before or after
approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of the Company; provided,
however,
that
after any such approval, there shall not be made any amendment that either
changes the amount or type of consideration into which the Shares shall be
converted pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise by Law requires the further
approval by such shareholders without such further approval. Without limiting
the foregoing, this Agreement may not be amended or modified except by an
instrument in writing signed by the parties.
8.4 Entire
Agreement; Assignment.
This
Agreement (including the documents and the instruments referred to herein)
and
the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire agreement and supersede
all
prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties
with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. 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. 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.
8.5 Validity.
The
invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not
affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement,
each of which shall remain in full force and effect.
8.6 Notices.
All
notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall
be
in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in person,
by overnight courier or telecopier to the respective parties as
follows:
If
to Parent or Purchaser:
|
infoUSA
Inc.
0000
Xxxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
X.X.
Xxx 00000
Xxxxx,
XX 00000-0000
Attention:
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Facsimile
No.: 000-000-0000
|
46
with
a copy to:
|
Robins,
Kaplan, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P.
|
0000
XxXxxxx Xxxxx
|
000
XxXxxxx Xxxxxx
|
Xxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000-0000
|
Attention:
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
|
Facsimile
No.: (000) 000-0000
|
|
If
to the Company:
|
|
000
Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Facsimile
No.: (000) 000-0000
|
with
copies to:
|
|
Xxxx
Xxxxxxx, P.C.
|
1350
Avenue of the Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
|
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
|
Attention:
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
|
Facsimile
No.: (000) 000-0000
|
or
to
such other address as the person to whom notice is given may have previously
furnished to the other in writing in the manner set forth above; provided
that
notice of any change of address shall be effective only upon receipt
thereof.
8.7 Governing
Law.
This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of
the
State of New York, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under
applicable principles of conflicts of laws thereof.
47
8.8 Descriptive
Headings.
The
descriptive headings 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.
8.9 Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall
be
deemed to be an original, but all of which when executed and delivered shall
constitute one and the same agreement, and any of which may be delivered by
facsimile.
8.10 Certain
Definitions.
As used
in this Agreement:
(a) the
term
“Affiliate,”
as
applied to any party, shall mean any other person or party directly or
indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, that party.
For the purposes of this definition, “control”
(including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,”
“controlled
by”
and
“under
common control with”),
as
applied to any party, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the
power
to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of that party,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise;
(b) the
term
“Knowledge,”
of
a
party means (i) with respect to the Company, the actual Knowledge of the
Company’s executive officers, or the Knowledge such individuals would have as a
result of a reasonably diligent inquiry into the matter in question, and
(ii) with respect to Parent and Purchaser, the actual Knowledge of Parent’s
and Purchaser’s executive officers; and
(c) the
term
“Subsidiary”
or
“Subsidiaries”
means,
with respect to party, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership
or other legal entity of which such party (either alone or through or together
with any other Subsidiary), owns, directly or indirectly, more than fifty
percent (50%) of the voting power of the equity securities of such corporation,
limited liability company, partnership or other legal entity generally entitled
to vote for the election of the board of directors (or comparable governing
body) of such corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other
legal
entity.
(d) The
phrase “Fully
Diluted Basis”
means
(i) when used with respect to the achievement of the Minimum Condition, as
of
the date of determination (A) the number of Common Shares outstanding, assuming
the conversion of all outstanding Preferred Shares, together with (B) Common
Shares which the Company may be required to issue pursuant to outstanding
Options and Warrants that are exercisable and the exercise price of which is
less than the Common Share Offer Consideration on such date, and (ii) when
used
with respect to the achievement of the ninety percent (90%) threshold required
to effect a short form merger under the NYBCL, as of the date of determination
(A) the number of Common Shares outstanding, without taking into account the
conversion of any Preferred Shares, together with (B) Common Shares which the
Company may be required to issue pursuant to outstanding Options and Warrants
that are exercisable and the exercise price of which is less than the Common
Share Offer Consideration on such date.
8.11 Extension;
Waiver.
At any
time prior to the Effective Time, a party may (a) extend the time for the
performance of any of the obligations of the other parties, (b) waive any
inaccuracies in the representations and warranties of the other parties
contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant to this
Agreement, or (c) subject to Section 8.3, waive compliance by the other
parties 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.
48
8.12 Severability.
If any
term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable
of
being enforced by any rule of law or public policy, unless the effects of such
invalidity, illegality or unenforceability would prevent the parties from
realizing the major portion of the economic benefits of the Merger that they
currently anticipate obtaining therefrom, all other conditions and provisions
of
this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect. Upon such
determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable
of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify
this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely
as
possible to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law in an acceptable
manner to the end that the Offer and the Merger are fulfilled to the extent
possible.
8.13 Submission
to Jurisdiction;
Waiver of Jury Trial.
Each of
the parties hereto submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the
State of New York and the United States of America located in the State of
New
York in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement
and agrees that all claims in respect of the action or proceeding may be heard
and determined in any such court. Each of the parties hereto also agrees not
to
bring any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement
in
any other court. Each of the parties hereto waives any defense of inconvenient
forum to the maintenance of any action or proceeding so brought and waives
any
bond, surety, or other security that might be required of any other Party with
respect thereto. Any party hereto may make service on any other Party by sending
or delivering a copy of the process to the party to be served at the address
and
in the manner provided for the giving of notices in Section 8.6 above. Nothing
in this Section 8.13, however, shall affect the right of any party to serve
legal process in any other manner permitted by law or at equity. Each party
hereto agrees that a final judgment in any action or proceeding so brought
shall
be conclusive and may be enforced by suit on the judgment or in any other manner
provided by law or at equity. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY
WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT
OF
OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY.
*
* * *
*
49
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement and Plan of
Merger to be executed on its behalf by its respective officer thereunto duly
authorized as of the date first above written.
PARENT: | ||
infoUSA Inc. | ||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx |
Its:
|
Chief Administrative Officer | |
PURCHASER:
|
||
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Acquisition Corp.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx |
Its:
|
Chief Administrative Officer | |
COMPANY:
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx |
Its:
|
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary |
ANNEX
A
The
capitalized terms used in this Annex
A
shall
have the respective meanings given to such terms in the Agreement and Plan
of
Merger, dated as of June 28, 2007, among Parent, Purchaser and the Company
(the
“Agreement”)
to
which this Annex
A
is
attached.
CONDITIONS
TO THE OFFER
Notwithstanding
any other provision of the Offer, but subject to the terms and conditions of
the
Agreement, Purchaser shall not be required to accept for payment or, subject
to
any applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, including Rule 14e-1(c) under
the Exchange Act (relating to Purchaser’s obligation to pay for or return
tendered Shares promptly after expiration or termination of the Offer), to
pay
for any Shares tendered, and may postpone the acceptance for payment or, subject
to the restriction referred to above, payment for any Shares tendered, and
may
amend or terminate the Offer (if no Shares have theretofore been purchased
or
paid for) (i) if, by the expiration of the Offer (as it may be extended in
accordance with Section 1.1 of this Agreement) there
shall not have been validly tendered and not withdrawn a
number
of Shares which, together with any other Shares owned directly or indirectly
by
Parent, would constitute at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%)
of
the Shares outstanding on a Fully Diluted Basis on the date of
purchase
(the
“Minimum
Condition”),
or
(ii) at any time on or after the date of the Agreement and before
acceptance for payment of Shares any of the following events shall
occur:
(A) There
shall be pending any suit, action or proceeding that has a reasonable likelihood
of success brought by any Governmental Authority, or any Governmental Authority
shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Order that
is
then in effect, or shall have taken action that has a reasonable likelihood
of
resulting in an Order, and such suit, action or proceeding has, or such Order
has (or if enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered would reasonably
be
expected to have), the effect of (i) preventing or prohibiting consummation
of the Offer or Merger, (ii) prohibiting or imposing any material
limitation on the ownership or operation by Parent, Purchaser, the Surviving
Corporation or any of their respective subsidiaries of, or to compel Parent,
Purchaser, the Surviving Corporation or any of their respective subsidiaries
to
dispose of or hold separate, any material portion of the business or assets
of
Parent, the Company or any of their respective subsidiaries, as a result of
the
Offer, (iii) imposing any limitations on the ability of Parent, Purchaser
or any other Affiliate of Parent to acquire or hold, or exercise effectively,
full rights of ownership of, any Shares acquired in the Offer or the Merger,
including the right to vote any Shares on matters properly presented to the
shareholders of the Company, including without limitation the approval and
adoption of the Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including
the Merger, or (iv) otherwise imposing material limitations on the ability
of Parent or Purchaser to effectively acquire and hold the business or
operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries;
(B) The
U.S.
Federal Reserve Board or any other federal Governmental Authority shall have
declared a general banking moratorium or general suspension of payments in
respect of banks or any limitation (whether or not mandatory) on the extension
of credit by banks or other lending institutions in the United
States;
A-1
(C) There
shall have occurred and continued to exist any general suspension of, or
limitation on, trading in securities on any national securities exchange or
in
the over-the-counter markets in the United States (other than any suspension
or
limitation on trading in any particular security as a result of a computerized
trading limit or any intraday suspension due to “circuit
breakers”);
(D) Any
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in the Agreement, which
for purposes of this clause D, shall be read as though none of them contained
any Company Material Adverse Effect or materiality qualifications, shall not
be
true and correct (i) as of the date of the Agreement and (ii) as of
the expiration date of the Offer (or any extension thereof) as though then
made
on and as of that date, except for those representations and warranties that
address matters only as of a particular date (in which case such representations
shall be true and correct as of such date), except where the failure to be
so
true and correct, when taken together with all other such failures, in the
aggregate, would not be reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect, and except where such failure (if curable) shall have been cured prior
to the earlier of (y) three (3) Business Days following notice from the
Parent of such failure and (z) two (2) Business Days prior to the final
expiration date of the Offer;
(E) The
Company shall have failed to perform in any material respect any obligation
or
to comply in any material respect with any covenant of the Company to be
performed or complied with under the Agreement except where such failure (if
curable) shall have been cured prior to the earlier of (i) three (3)
Business Days following notice from the Parent of such failure and (ii) two
(2) Business Days prior to the final expiration date of the Offer;
(F) The
Company Board shall have made an Adverse Recommendation Change;
(G) Any
Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred; or
(H) The
Agreement shall have been terminated in accordance with its terms.
The
foregoing conditions (other than the Minimum Condition) are for the sole benefit
of Parent and Purchaser and may be asserted by Parent or Purchaser regardless
of
the circumstances (other than any action or inaction by Parent or Purchaser)
giving rise to any such condition, or may be waived by Parent or Purchaser,
in
whole or in part, from time to time in its sole discretion, except as otherwise
provided in the Agreement. The failure by Parent or Purchaser at any time to
exercise any of the foregoing rights shall not be deemed a waiver of any such
right and each such right shall be deemed an ongoing right and may be asserted
at any time and from time to time.
Should
the Offer be terminated pursuant to the foregoing provisions, all tendered
Shares not theretofore accepted for payment shall forthwith be returned by
the
Agent to the tendering shareholders.
A-2
Glossary
of Defined Terms
DEFINED
TERM
|
LOCATION
OF DEFINITION
|
|
Acquisition
Proposal
|
Section
5.10
|
|
Action
|
Section
3.12
|
|
Affiliate
|
Section
8.10
|
|
Adverse
Recommendation Change
|
Section
5.10
|
|
Agent
|
Section
2.9
|
|
Agreement
|
Recitals
|
|
Business
Day
|
Section
1.1
|
|
Certificate
of Merger
|
Section
2.1
|
|
Certificates
|
Section
2.9
|
|
Claim
|
Section
5.7
|
|
Closing
|
Section
2.1
|
|
Closing
Date
|
Section
2.1
|
|
Code
|
Section
2.10
|
|
Common
Shares
|
Section
1.1
|
|
Common
Share Merger Consideration
|
Section
2.6
|
|
Common
Share Offer Consideration
|
Section
1.1
|
|
Company
|
Recitals
|
|
Company
Articles
|
Section
3.1
|
|
Company
Balance Sheet Date
|
Section
3.6
|
|
Company
Board
|
Section
1.3
|
|
Company
Board Approval
|
Section
3.22
|
|
Company
Board Recommendation
|
Section
1.3
|
|
Company
Bylaws
|
Section
3.1
|
|
Company
Credit Agreement
|
Section
5.1
|
|
Company
Disclosure Schedule
|
Article
3
|
|
Company
Expense Reimbursement Payment
|
Section
7.5
|
|
Company
IT Systems
|
Section
3.27
|
|
Company
Intellectual Property
|
Section
3.10
|
|
Company
Material Adverse Effect
|
Section
3.1
|
|
Company
Permits
|
Section
3.19
|
|
Company
Plan
|
Section
3.14
|
|
Company
Registered Intellectual Property
|
Section
3.10
|
|
Company
Representatives
|
Section
5.4
|
|
Company
SEC Documents
|
Section
3.7
|
|
Company
Termination Payment
|
Section
7.5
|
|
Confidentiality
Agreement
|
Section
5.4
|
|
Continuing
Directors
|
Section
5.13
|
|
Contract
|
Section
3.15
|
|
Control
|
Section
8.10
|
|
Controlled
Group Liability
|
Section
3.14
|
|
D&O
Insurance
|
Section
5.7
|
DEFINED
TERM
|
LOCATION
OF DEFINITION
|
|
Dissenting
Shares
|
Section
2.6
|
|
Dissenting
Shareholder
|
Section
2.6
|
|
Effective
Time
|
Section
2.1
|
|
Environmental
Laws
|
Section
3.20
|
|
Environmental
Permit
|
Section
3.20
|
|
ERISA
|
Section
3.14
|
|
ERISA
Affiliate
|
Section
3.14
|
|
Exchange
Act
|
Section
1.1
|
|
Exercise
Notice
|
Section
5.12
|
|
Fully
Diluted Basis
|
Section
8.10
|
|
Governmental
Authority
|
Section
3.5
|
|
Hazardous
Materials
|
Section
3.20
|
|
Indemnified
Parties
|
Section
5.7
|
|
Intellectual
Property
|
Section
3.10
|
|
Knowledge
|
Section
8.10
|
|
Laws
|
Section
3.9
|
|
Losses
|
Section
5.7
|
|
Material
Contract
|
Section
3.15
|
|
Merger
|
Section
2.1
|
|
Merger
Consideration
|
Section
2.6
|
|
Minimum
Condition
|
Annex
A
|
|
Multiemployer
Plan
|
Section
3.14
|
|
Multiple
Employer Plan
|
Section
3.14
|
|
Notice
Date
|
Section
5.12
|
|
NYBCL
|
Recitals
|
|
Offer
|
Section
1.1
|
|
Offer
Consideration
|
Section
1.1
|
|
Offer
Documents
|
Section
1.2
|
|
Offer
Outside Date
|
Section
7.2
|
|
Option
|
Section
2.7
|
|
Option
Consideration
|
Section
2.7
|
|
Option
Termination Date
|
Section
5.12
|
|
Order
|
Section
6.1
|
|
Parent
|
Recitals
|
|
Parent
Expense Reimbursement Payment
|
Section
7.5
|
|
Parent
Material Adverse Effect
|
Section
4.1
|
|
Parent
Representatives
|
Section
5.4
|
|
Payment
Fund
|
Section
2.9
|
|
Preferred
Shares
|
Section
1.1
|
|
Preferred
Share Merger Consideration
|
Section
2.6
|
|
Preferred
Share Offer Consideration
|
Section
1.1
|
|
Previously
Disclosed
|
Article
3 Preamble
|
|
Proxy
Statement
|
Section
5.2
|
|
Purchaser
|
Recitals
|
DEFINED
TERM
|
LOCATION
OF DEFINITION
|
|
Purchaser
Common Stock
|
Section
2.6
|
|
Purchaser
Disclosure Schedule
|
Article
4
|
|
Qualified
Plan
|
Section
3.14
|
|
Registered
Intellectual Property
|
Section
3.10
|
|
Requisite
Company Vote
|
Section
3.3
|
|
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act
|
Section
3.7
|
|
Schedule
14D-9
|
Section
1.3
|
|
Schedule
TO
|
Section
1.2
|
|
SEC
|
Section
1.1
|
|
Securities
Act
|
Section
3.7
|
|
Shares
|
Section
1.1
|
|
Special
Committee
|
Section
3.21
|
|
Stock
Option Plans
|
Section
2.7
|
|
Shareholder
Meeting
|
Section
5.2
|
|
Subsequent
Transaction
|
Section
7.5
|
|
Subsidiary
|
Section
8.10
|
|
Superior
Proposal
|
Section
5.10
|
|
Surviving
Corporation
|
Section
2.1
|
|
Surviving
Corporation Common Stock
|
Section
2.6
|
|
Tail
Policy
|
Section
5.7
|
|
Takeover
Statute
|
Section
5.8
|
|
Tax
|
Section
3.8
|
|
Tax
Return
|
Section
3.8
|
|
Taxes
|
Section
3.8
|
|
Termination
Payment
|
Section
7.5
|
|
Top-Up
Option
|
Section
5.12
|
|
Top-Up
Option Closing
|
Section
5.12
|
|
Top-Up
Option Purchase Price
|
Section
5.12
|
|
Top-Up
Option Shares
|
Section
5.12
|
|
WARN
Act
|
Section
3.16
|
|
Warrants
|
Section
2.8
|