AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT BETWEEN MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC. AND BLACKROCK, INC. DATED AS OF JULY 16, 2008
Exhibit 1.1
AMENDED
AND RESTATED
BETWEEN
XXXXXXX
XXXXX & CO., INC.
AND
BLACKROCK,
INC.
DATED
AS OF JULY 16, 2008
Table
of Contents
Page
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ARTICLE
I
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DEFINITIONS
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||
Section
1.1
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Certain
Defined Terms
|
1
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Section
1.2
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Other
Defined Terms
|
8
|
Section
1.3
|
Other
Definitional Provisions
|
8
|
Section
1.4
|
Methodology
for Calculations
|
8
|
ARTICLE
II
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||
SHARE
OWNERSHIP
|
||
Section
2.1
|
Acquisition
of Additional BlackRock Capital Stock
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9
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Section
2.2
|
Prohibition
of Certain Communications and Actions
|
10
|
Section
2.3
|
Purchases
of Additional Securities
|
12
|
Section
2.4
|
BlackRock
Share Repurchases
|
12
|
ARTICLE
III
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||
TRANSFER
RESTRICTIONS
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||
Section
3.1
|
General
Transfer Restrictions
|
13
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Section
3.2
|
Restrictions
on Transfer
|
13
|
Section
3.3
|
Right
of Last Refusal
|
14
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Section
3.4
|
Legend
on Securities
|
15
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Section
3.5
|
Change
of Control
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16
|
ARTICLE
IV
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||
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
|
||
Section
4.1
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Composition
of the Board
|
17
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Section
4.2
|
Vote
Required for Board Action; Board Quorum
|
17
|
Section
4.3
|
Committees
|
20
|
Section
4.4
|
Certificate
of Incorporation and Bylaws to be Consistent
|
21
|
Section
4.5
|
Information
Rights
|
21
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Section
4.6
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Voting
Agreements
|
23
|
Section
4.7
|
Related
Party Transactions
|
23
|
i
ARTICLE
V
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||
NON-COMPETITION
|
||
Section
5.1
|
Non-Competition
|
24
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ARTICLE
VI
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||
MISCELLANEOUS
|
||
Section
6.1
|
Conflicting
Agreements
|
29
|
Section
6.2
|
Termination
|
29
|
Section
6.3
|
Ownership
Information
|
30
|
Section
6.4
|
Savings
Clause
|
30
|
Section
6.5
|
Amendment
and Waiver
|
30
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Section
6.6
|
Severability
|
30
|
Section
6.7
|
Entire
Agreement
|
30
|
Section
6.8
|
Successors
and Assigns
|
31
|
Section
6.9
|
Counterparts
|
31
|
Section
6.10
|
Remedies
|
31
|
Section
6.11
|
Notices
|
31
|
Section
6.12
|
Governing
Law; Consent to Jurisdiction
|
32
|
Section
6.13
|
Interpretation
|
33
|
ii
AMENDED
AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT
AMENDED
AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT dated as of July 16, 2008 between BlackRock,
Inc., a Delaware corporation ("BlackRock") and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co., Inc., a
Delaware corporation ("Xxxxxxx Xxxxx").
WHEREAS,
BlackRock and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx are parties to a Stockholder Agreement, dated as of
February 15, 2006, as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated as of September 29,
2006, to the Stockholder Agreement (as so amended, the "Original
Agreement");
WHEREAS,
BlackRock and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx wish to amend and restate the Original Agreement in
its entirety;
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants and
obligations hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as
follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
Section
1.1 Certain Defined Terms. As used herein, the
following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Affiliate"
means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under
common control with, such specified Person; provided, however, that solely
for purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set
forth herein, neither BlackRock nor any of its Controlled Affiliates shall be
deemed to be a Subsidiary or Affiliate of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx solely by virtue of the
Beneficial Ownership by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx of BlackRock Capital Stock, the election
of Directors nominated by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx to the Board, the election of any other
Directors nominated by the Board or any other action taken by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx in
accordance with the terms and conditions of, and subject to the limitations and
restrictions set forth on such Person in, this Agreement (and irrespective of
the characteristics of the aforesaid relationships and actions under applicable
law or accounting principles).
"Agreement"
means this Amended and Restated Stockholder Agreement as it may be amended,
supplemented, restated or modified from time to time.
"Beneficial
Ownership" by a Person of any securities includes ownership by any Person who,
directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement,
understanding,
relationship
or otherwise, has or shares (i) voting power which includes the power to vote,
or to direct the voting of, such security; and/or (ii) investment power which
includes the power to dispose, or to direct the disposition, of such security;
and shall otherwise be interpreted in accordance with the term "beneficial
ownership" as defined in Rule 13d-3 adopted by the Commission under the Exchange
Act; provided
that for purposes of determining Beneficial Ownership, a Person shall be deemed
to be the Beneficial Owner of any securities which may be acquired by such
Person pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or
otherwise (irrespective of whether the right to acquire such securities is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time, including the passage
of time in excess of 60 days, the satisfaction of any conditions, the occurrence
of any event or any combination of the foregoing), except that in no event will
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx be deemed to Beneficially Own any securities which it has the
right to acquire pursuant to Section 2.3 unless, and then only to the extent
that, it shall have actually exercised such right. For purposes of
this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to Beneficially Own any securities
Beneficially Owned by its Affiliates (including as Affiliates for this purpose
its officers and directors only to the extent they would be Affiliates solely by
reason of their equity interest) or any Group of which such Person or any such
Affiliate is or becomes a member; provided, however, that
securities Beneficially Owned by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall not include, for any
purpose under this Agreement, any Voting Securities or other securities held by
such Person and its Affiliates in trust, managed, brokerage, custodial, nominee
or other customer accounts; in trading, inventory, lending or similar accounts
of such Person and Affiliates of such Person which are broker-dealers or
otherwise engaged in the securities business; or in pooled investment vehicles
sponsored, managed and/or advised or subadvised by such Person and its
Affiliates except, if they Beneficially Own more than 25% of the ownership
interests in a pooled investment vehicle, to the extent of their ownership
interests therein; provided that in each
case, such securities were acquired in the ordinary course of business of their
securities business and not with the intent or purpose of influencing control of
BlackRock or avoiding the provisions of this Agreement. The term "Beneficially
Own" shall have a correlative meaning.
"Board"
means the Board of Directors of BlackRock.
"Business
Day" shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which
banks are required or authorized by law to be closed in New York, New
York.
"By
Laws" means the By-Laws of New BlackRock, as amended or supplemented from time
to time.
"Capital
Stock" means, with respect to any Person at any time, any and all shares,
interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether
voting or non-voting) of capital stock, partnership interests (whether general
or limited) or equivalent ownership interests in or issued by such
Person.
2
A
"Change of Control of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx" shall be deemed to occur when the Board of
Directors of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx determines that a Change in Control of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
has occurred, as a Change in Control of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx may be defined from time
to time by the Board of Directors of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx; provided, however, that at a
minimum, a Change in Control of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall, without any action by the
Board of Directors of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, be deemed to occur if:
(i) any
Person, excluding employee benefit plans of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, is or becomes the
Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
representing a majority of the combined voting power of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x then
outstanding securities;
(ii) Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx consummates a merger, consolidation, share exchange, division or other
reorganization or transaction of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx (a "Fundamental Transaction")
with any other Person, other than a Fundamental Transaction that results in the
voting securities of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx outstanding immediately prior thereto
continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted
into voting securities of the surviving entity) at least a majority of the
combined voting power immediately after such Fundamental Transaction of (A)
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x outstanding securities, (B) the surviving entity's outstanding
securities, or (C) in the case of a division, the outstanding securities of each
entity resulting from the division;
(iii) the
shareholders of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx approve a plan of complete liquidation or
winding-up of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or an agreement for the sale or disposition (in one
transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx'x assets;
(iv) as
a result of a proxy contest, individuals who prior to the conclusion thereof
constituted the Board of Directors of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx (including for this purpose
any new director whose election or nomination for election by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x
shareholders in connection with such proxy contest was approved by a vote of at
least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors prior
to such proxy contest) cease to constitute at least a majority of the Board of
Directors of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx (excluding any Board seat that is vacant or otherwise
unoccupied);
(v) during
any period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months, individuals who at the
beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
(including for this purpose any new director whose election or nomination for
election by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two
thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning
of such period) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the
Board of Directors of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx (excluding any Board seat that is vacant or
otherwise unoccupied); or
(vi) Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, directly or indirectly, disposes in one transaction or a series of
related transactions of the business segment currently referred to as the Global
Private Client
3
business
of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, as the same may be renamed or restructured from time to
time. For purposes of this provision, a disposition shall not be
deemed to occur unless it results in the loss of a minimum of 66% of the annual
gross revenues (excluding net interest profit and related xxxxxx and adjustments
for any extraordinary items) of the Global Private Client segment as measured by
reference to the annual gross revenues of the Global Private Client segment
(excluding net interest profit and related xxxxxx and adjustments for any
extraordinary items) in the four fiscal quarters immediately preceding the first
such disposition transaction. For purposes of this definition, "net
interest profit and related xxxxxx" refers to interest revenues less interest
expense and includes the allocation to the Global Private Client business of the
interest spread earned in Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x banking subsidiaries for deposits, as
well as interest earned, net of provisions for loan losses, on securities-based
loans, mortgages, small- and middle-market business and other loans, corporate
funding allocations, and the interest component of non-qualifying
derivatives.
"Commission"
means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common
Stock" means the shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BlackRock
and any securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, in
connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any
reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other
similar reorganization.
"control"
(including the terms "controlled by" and "under common control with"), with
respect to the relationship between or among two or more Persons, means the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the affairs or management of a Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, as trustee or executor, by contract or any other
means, or otherwise to control such Person within the meaning of such term as
used in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. For purposes of this
definition, a general partner or managing member of a Person shall always be
considered to control such Person provided, however, that a
Person shall not be treated as having any control over any collective investment
vehicle to which it provides services unless it and its Affiliates collectively
have a proprietary economic interest exceeding 25% of the equity interest in
such collective investment vehicle.
"Controlled
Affiliate" of any Person means a Person that is directly or indirectly
controlled by such other Person.
"Director"
means any member of the Board (other than any advisory, honorary or other
non-voting member of the Board).
"Equivalent
Securities" means at any time shares of any class of Capital Stock or other
securities or interests of a Person which are substantially equivalent to the
Voting Securities of such Person other than by reason of not having voting
rights, including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Series A Participating
Preferred Stock.
4
"Exchange
Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated by the Commission from time to time thereunder (or under
any successor statute).
"Fair
Market Value" means, as to any securities or other property, the cash price at
which a willing seller would sell and a willing buyer would buy such securities
or property in an arm's length negotiated transaction without time constraints.
With respect to any securities that are traded on a national securities exchange
or quoted on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, Fair Market Value shall mean the
arithmetic average of the closing prices of such securities on their principal
market for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding the applicable
date of determination and with respect to shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock shall be the same price per share as the Fair Market Value per
share of the Common Stock. The Fair Market Value of any property or assets,
other than securities described in the preceding sentence, with an estimated
value of less than 1% of the Fair Market Value of all of the issued and
outstanding BlackRock Capital Stock shall be determined by the Board (acting
through a majority of the Independent Directors) in its good faith judgment. The
Fair Market Value of all other property or assets shall be determined by an
Independent Investment Banking Firm, selected by a majority of the Independent
Directors, whose determination shall be final and binding on the parties hereto.
The fees and expenses of such Independent Investment Banking Firm shall be paid
by BlackRock.
"Group"
shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange
Act.
"Independent
Director" means any Director who (i) is or would be an "independent director"
with respect to BlackRock pursuant to Section 303A.02 of the New York Stock
Exchange Listed Company Manual (or any successor provision) and (ii) was not
nominated or proposed for nomination by or on behalf of, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, any
Significant Stockholder, or any Affiliates or Designated Directors of Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx or a Significant Stockholder.
"Independent
Investment Banking Firm" means an investment banking firm of nationally
recognized standing that in the reasonable judgment of the Person or Persons
engaging such firm, taking into account any prior relationship with Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, any Significant Stockholder or BlackRock, is independent of such Person
or Persons.
"Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx Alternative Manager" means any asset management business formed or
acquired, either in whole or in part, after the date hereof by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx,
substantially all of the business of which is the management of collective
investment funds and/or separately managed accounts that primarily utilize (i)
non-traditional investment techniques, including but not limited to short
selling, leverage, arbitrage, specialty finance, and quantitatively-driven
structured trades and (ii) other activities
that are not a Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activity.
5
"Ownership
Cap" means, at any time of determination, with respect to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its
Affiliates, each of (i) 49.8 percent of the Total Voting Power of the Voting
Securities of BlackRock issued and outstanding at such time (the "Voting
Ownership Cap") and (ii) 49.8 percent of the sum of the Voting Securities and
the Series A Participating Preferred Stock of BlackRock issued and outstanding
at such time and issuable upon the exercise of any options or other rights
outstanding at that time which, if exercised, would result in the issuance of
additional Voting Securities or Series A Participating Preferred Stock (the
"Total Ownership Cap").
"Ownership
Percentage" means, with respect to any Person, at any time, the quotient,
expressed as a percentage, of (i) with respect to the Voting Ownership Cap (A)
the Total Voting Power of all Voting Securities of another Person Beneficially
Owned by such Person and its Affiliates divided by (B) the Total Voting Power of
all Voting Securities of such other Person issued and outstanding at that time
and (ii) with respect to the Total Ownership Cap, (A) the Total Voting Power of
all Voting Securities and the total number of Equivalent Securities of another
Person Beneficially Owned by such Person and its Affiliates divided by (B) the
Total Voting Power of all Voting Securities and the total number of Equivalent
Securities of such other Person issued and outstanding at that time and issuable
upon the exercise of any options or other rights outstanding at that time which,
if exercised, would result in the issuance of additional Voting Securities or
Equivalent Securities.
"Ownership
Threshold" means, at any time of determination, with respect to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
and its Affiliates, 20 percent of the Total Voting Power of the Voting
Securities of BlackRock issued and outstanding at such time.
"Person"
means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, limited or general
partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust,
unincorporated organization, other entity, government or any agency or political
subdivision thereof or any Group comprised of two or more of the
foregoing.
"Restricted
Person" means each of the entities (and their successors) set forth in that
certain letter to be delivered by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx prior to the fifth anniversary
of the Closing who Xxxxxxx Xxxxx considers to be the nine organizations most
competitive with its overall business; provided, that not
more than once in any 12 month period thereafter, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx may, with the
consent of a majority of the Independent Directors, which consent, subject to
applicable fiduciary duties, shall not be unreasonably withheld, amend such
letter; provided, further, that at no
time may more than nine entities (together with their Affiliates) be Restricted
Persons.
"Securities
Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated by the Commission from time to time thereunder (or under any
successor statute).
6
"Series
A Participating Preferred Stock" means the Series A Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $.01 per share, of BlackRock and any securities issued in
respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, or in substitution therefor in
connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any
reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other
similar reorganization.
"Significant
Stockholder" means, at any time of determination, any Person other xxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx and its Affiliates that Beneficially Owns 20 percent or more of the Total
Voting Power of the Voting Securities of BlackRock issued and outstanding at
such time.
"Subsidiary"
means, with respect to any Person, any corporation or other organization,
whether incorporated or unincorporated, (i) of which such Person or any other
Subsidiary of such Person is a general partner (excluding partnerships, the
general partnership interests of which held by such Person or any Subsidiary of
such Person do not have a majority of the voting or similar interests in such
partnership), or (ii) at least a majority of the securities or other interests
of which having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the
board of directors or others performing similar functions with respect to such
corporation or other organization is directly or indirectly owned or controlled
by such Person or by any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such Person and
one or more of its Subsidiaries.
"Total
Voting Power" means the total number of votes entitled to be cast by the holders
of the outstanding Capital Stock and any other securities entitled, in the
ordinary course, to vote on matters put before the holders of the Capital Stock
generally.
"Transfer"
means, directly or indirectly, to sell, transfer, assign, pledge, encumber,
hypothecate or similarly dispose of (by operation of law or otherwise), either
voluntarily or involuntarily, or to enter into any contract, option or other
arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale, transfer, assignment,
pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or similar disposition of (by operation of
law or otherwise), any Capital Stock or any interest in any Capital Stock; provided, however, that a
merger, amalgamation, plan of arrangement or consolidation or similar business
combination transaction in which Xxxxxxx Xxxxx is a constituent corporation (or
otherwise a party including, for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction pursuant
to which a Person acquires all or a portion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x outstanding
Capital Stock, whether by tender or exchange offer, by share exchange, or
otherwise) shall not be deemed to be the Transfer of any BlackRock Capital Stock
Beneficially Owned by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, provided that the
primary purpose of any such transaction is not to avoid the provisions of this
Agreement and that the successor or surviving person to such a merger,
amalgamation, plan of arrangement or consolidation or similar business
combination transaction, if not Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, expressly assumes all obligations
of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx under this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term
Transfer shall include the sale of an Affiliate of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx'x interest in an Affiliate which Beneficially Owns BlackRock Capital Stock
unless such Transfer is in connection with a merger, amalgamation, plan of
arrangement or consolidation or similar business combination transaction
referred to in the first proviso of the previous sentence.
7
"Voting
Securities" means at any time shares of any class of Capital Stock or other
securities or interests of a Person which are then entitled to vote generally,
and not solely upon the occurrence and during the continuation of certain
specified events, in the election of Directors or Persons performing a similar
function with respect to such Person, and any securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable at the option of the holder thereof for such shares
of Capital Stock.
Section
1.2 Other Defined
Terms. The following terms shall have
the meanings defined for such terms in the Sections set forth
below:
TERM
|
SECTION
|
||
Additional
BlackRock Stock Purchase
|
Section
2.3
|
||
BlackRock
|
Preamble
|
||
BlackRock
Party
|
Section
3.3(a)
|
||
BlackRock
Restricted Activities
|
Section
5.1(a)
|
||
Closing
|
Section
2.1(d)
|
||
DGCL
|
Section
1.4
|
||
Final
Transfer Notice
|
Section
3.2
|
||
Initial
Transfer Notice
|
Section
3.2(b)
|
||
Last
Look Price
|
Section
3.2(b)
|
||
Litigation
|
Section
6.11(a)
|
||
Management
Designee
|
Section
4.1(a)
|
||
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
Preamble
|
||
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx Designee
|
Section
4.1(a)
|
||
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx Restricted Activities
|
Section
5.1(a)
|
||
Prohibited
Actions
|
Section
2.2(h)
|
||
Related
Person
|
Section
4.7
|
||
Significant
Stockholder Designee
|
Section
4.1(a)
|
||
Stock
Issuance
|
Section
2.3
|
||
Transaction
Agreement
|
Section
2.1(d)
|
||
Transferring
Party
|
Section
3.2(b)
|
Section
1.3 Other Definitional
Provisions. The words "hereof", "herein" and "hereunder" and
words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this
Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and
Article and Section references are to this Agreement unless otherwise
specified.
The
meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the
singular and plural forms of such terms.
Section
1.4 Methodology for
Calculations. For purposes of calculating the number of outstanding
shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or Voting Securities and the number of shares
of BlackRock Capital Stock or Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by any Person
as of any date, any shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or Voting Securities held
in BlackRock's treasury or belonging to any Subsidiaries of BlackRock which are
not entitled to be voted or
8
counted
for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum pursuant to Section
160(c) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (or any successor statute (the
"DGCL")) shall be disregarded.
ARTICLE
II
SHARE
OWNERSHIP
Section
2.1 Acquisition of Additional
BlackRock Capital Stock.
(a) Except
as provided in paragraph (b) below Xxxxxxx Xxxxx covenants and agrees
with BlackRock that it shall not, and shall not permit any of its Affiliates to,
directly or indirectly, acquire, offer or propose to acquire or agree to
acquire, whether by purchase, tender or exchange offer, through
the acquisition of control of another Person (whether by way of merger,
consolidation or otherwise), by joining a partnership, syndicate or other Group
or otherwise, the Beneficial Ownership of any additional BlackRock Capital
Stock, if after giving effect to such acquisition or action, it would
Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing more than its Voting
Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap.
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the acquisition (whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of
equity interests, purchase of all or part of the equity interests or assets
or otherwise) by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or an Affiliate thereof of any Person
that Beneficially Owns BlackRock Capital Stock, or the acquisition of BlackRock
Capital Stock in connection with securing or collecting a debt previously
contracted in good faith in the ordinary course of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x or such
Affiliate's banking, brokerage or securities business, shall not constitute a
violation of its Ownership Cap; provided that
(i) the primary purpose of any such transaction is not to avoid the provisions
of this Agreement, including its Ownership Cap, and (ii) in the case of an
acquisition of another Person, it uses reasonable best efforts to negotiate
terms in connection with the relevant acquisition agreement requiring such other
Person to divest itself of sufficient BlackRock Capital Stock it
Beneficially Owns so that its Voting Ownership Cap and its Total Ownership Cap
would not be exceeded pro forma for the acquisition, with such divestiture to be
effected concurrently with, or as promptly as practicable following, the
consummation of such acquisition (but in no event more than 120 days following
such consummation, or such longer period not in excess of 243 days following
such consummation as may be necessary due to the possession of material
non-public information or so that neither it nor any of its Affiliates incurs
any liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act if, for purposes of
Section 16(b), they have not acquired Beneficial Ownership of any other shares
of BlackRock Capital Stock or derivatives thereof after the date of the
transaction that resulted in Xxxxxxx Xxxxx exceeding its Ownership Cap) and the
successor or surviving Person to such transaction, if not Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or
such Affiliate, expressly assumes all obligations of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or such
Affiliate, as the case may be, under this Agreement; and provided, further, that the
provisions of paragraph (c) below are complied with.
(c) (i) If at any
time Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and any of its Affiliates Beneficially Own in the
aggregate BlackRock Capital Stock representing more than its Voting
Ownership Cap or
9
Total
Ownership Cap, then Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable
(but in no event longer than 120 days after its Ownership Percentage first
exceeds its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap or such longer period
not in excess of 243 days following such consummation as may be necessary due to
the possession of material non-public information or so that neither it nor any
of its Affiliates incurs any liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act
if, for purposes of Section 16(b), they have not acquired Beneficial Ownership
of any other shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or derivatives thereof after the
date of the transaction that resulted in Xxxxxxx Xxxxx exceeding its Ownership
Cap) Transfer (in any manner that would be permitted by Section 3.2(b) after the
lapse of any minimum holding period) a number of shares of BlackRock Capital
Stock sufficient to reduce the amount of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially
Owned by it and its Affiliates to an amount representing not greater than its
Ownership Cap.
(ii) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, in no event may Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any of
its Affiliates, directly or indirectly, including through any agreement or
arrangement, exercise any voting rights, during the term of this Agreement, in
respect of any BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by it and its
Affiliates representing in excess of its Voting Ownership Cap.
(d) Any
additional BlackRock Capital Stock acquired and Beneficially Owned by
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any of its Affiliates following the Closing (the
"Closing") of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement and
Plan of Merger, dated as of February 15, 2006 (the "Transaction
Agreement") shall be subject to the restrictions contained in this
Agreement as fully as if such shares of BlackRock Capital Stock were
acquired by it at or prior to the Closing.
(e) Notwithstanding
Section 2.1(a), Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall not and shall cause its Affiliates not to
acquire Beneficial Ownership of any shares of BlackRock Capital Stock from any
Person other than BlackRock or a Significant Stockholder (other than pursuant to
an acquisition effected in a manner contemplated by Section 2.1(b)) if after
giving effect to such acquisition Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, together with its Affiliates,
would Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing more than 90
percent of its Voting Ownership Cap.
Section
2.2 Prohibition of Certain
Communications and Actions. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall not and shall cause
its Affiliates and its and their directors officers and other agents not to (w)
solicit, seek or offer to effect, or effect, (x) negotiate with or provide any
information to the Board, any director or officer of BlackRock, any stockholder
of BlackRock, any employee or union or other labor organization representing
employees of BlackRock or any other Person with respect to, (y) make any
statement or proposal, whether written or oral, either alone or in concert with
others, to the Board, any director or officer of BlackRock or any
stockholder of, any employee or union or other labor organization representing
employees of BlackRock or any other Person with respect to, or (z) make any
public announcement (except as required by law in respect of actions permitted
hereby) or proposal or offer whatsoever (including, but not limited to,
any "solicitation" of "proxies" as such terms are defined or used in
Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act) with respect to:
10
(a) any
acquisition, offer to acquire, or agreement to acquire, directly or indirectly,
by purchase or any other action the purpose or result of which would be to
Beneficially Own (i) BlackRock Capital Stock or Voting Stock of any
successor to or person in control of BlackRock in an amount which, when
added to any other BlackRock Capital Stock then Beneficially Owned by
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and any of its Affiliates would cause the total amount of
BlackRock Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx to
exceed its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap, (ii) any equity
securities of any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock, (in each case except to the
extent such acquisition, offer or agreement would be permissible under Section
2.1),
(b) any
form of business combination or similar or other extraordinary transaction
involving BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate thereof, including, without
limitation, a merger, tender or exchange offer or sale of any substantial
portion of the assets of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of
BlackRock,
(c) any
form of restructuring, recapitalization or similar transaction with respect to
BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock,
(d) any
purchase of any assets, or any right to acquire any asset (through purchase,
exchange, conversion or otherwise), of BlackRock or any Controlled
Affiliate of BlackRock, other than investment assets of BlackRock or any
Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock in the ordinary course of its banking,
brokerage or securities business and other than an insubstantial portion of such
assets in the ordinary course of business,
(e) being
a member of a Group for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of any
shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or any Controlled Affiliate of
BlackRock,
(f) selling
any share of BlackRock Capital Stock in an unsolicited tender offer that is
opposed by the Board,
(g) any
proposal to seek representation on the Board except as contemplated by this
Agreement or, other than as permitted by the proviso to Section 4.6(a) of this
Agreement, any proposal to seek to control or influence the management, Board or
policies of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock,
or
(h) encourage,
join, act in concert with or assist (including, but not limited to, providing or
assisting in any way in the obtaining of financing for, or acting as a joint or
co-bidder with) any third party to do any of the foregoing (the actions referred
to in the foregoing provisions of this sentence being referred to as "Prohibited
Actions"). If at any time Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any Affiliate
thereof is approached by any Person requesting Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any
Affiliate to instigate, encourage, join, act in concert with or assist any
Person in a Prohibited
11
Action
involving the assets, businesses or securities of BlackRock or any of its
Controlled Affiliates or any other Prohibited Actions, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx will
promptly inform BlackRock of the nature of such contact and the parties
thereto.
Nothing
in this Section 2.2 shall limit the ability of any Director, including any
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Designee, to vote in his or her capacity as a Director in such
manner as he or she sees fit.
Section
2.3 Purchases of Additional Securities. At
any time that BlackRock effects an issuance (a "Stock Issuance") of
additional Voting Securities or Equivalent Securities other than in connection
with any employee restricted stock, stock option, incentive or other benefit
plan to any Person or Persons other xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any Affiliate thereof,
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall, subject to Section 2.1, have the right to purchase
from BlackRock (in each instance, an "Additional BlackRock Stock Purchase")
(i) additional shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock such that
following such Stock Issuance and such purchase Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its Affiliates
will Beneficially Own shares and/or other securities representing the lesser of
(A) the lesser of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x Voting Ownership Cap and its Total
Ownership Cap and (B) the same Ownership Percentage of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x Voting
Ownership Cap and Total Ownership Cap as they Beneficially Owned immediately
prior to such Stock Issuance and (ii) if the total of all Stock
Issuances including the Stock Issuance in question since the Closing
has the effect, after taking into account any repurchases of BlackRock
Capital Stock by BlackRock since the Closing and any Transfers of BlackRock
Capital Stock by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its Affiliates in accordance with Section
3.2(b)(i) or (ii), of decreasing the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital
Stock issued and outstanding after giving effect to such Stock Issuance
Beneficially Owned by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its Affiliates to 90% or less of Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx'x Voting Ownership Cap, additional Voting Securities of the same
class or series issued in the Stock Issuance such that following such Stock
Issuance and such purchase Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its Affiliates will Beneficially
Own shares and/or other securities representing the lesser of (x) Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx'x Voting Ownership Cap and (y) the same Ownership Percentage of Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx'x Voting Ownership Cap as Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x and its Affiliates Beneficially
Owned immediately prior to such Stock Issuance. If Xxxxxxx Xxxxx exercises
such right within 30 days after the pricing date of such Stock Issuance and
if the purchaser or purchasers of Voting Securities in such Stock Issuance pays
cash in consideration for such securities, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall pay an equal
per security amount of cash consideration in the Additional BlackRock Stock
Purchase following such Stock Issuance. In all other cases, the price
that Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall pay to purchase the additional securities shall be the
Fair Market Value per unit of the class or series of securities. BlackRock
shall give Xxxxxxx Xxxxx written notice of any Stock Issuance as far in advance
as practicable and on the date of completion.
Section
2.4 BlackRock Share
Repurchases. If BlackRock engages in any share repurchase
program or self-tender that has the effect of causing Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x Beneficial
Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock to exceed its Voting Ownership Cap or Total
Ownership Cap, subject to any restrictions in the Exchange Act, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
shall, at the request of BlackRock, promptly sell such number of shares of
BlackRock Capital Stock to BlackRock as shall cause its Beneficial Ownership of
BlackRock Capital Stock not to exceed its Voting Ownership Cap or Total
Ownership Cap.
12
ARTICLE
III
TRANSFER
RESTRICTIONS
Section
3.1 General Transfer
Restrictions. The right of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its Affiliates to
Transfer any BlackRock Capital Stock is subject to the restrictions set
forth in this Article III, and no Transfer of BlackRock Capital Stock by
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any of its Affiliates may be effected except in compliance
with this Article III. Any attempted Transfer in violation of this Agreement
shall be of no effect and null and void, regardless of whether the purported
transferee has any actual or constructive knowledge of the Transfer restrictions
set forth in this Agreement, and shall not be recorded on the stock transfer
books of BlackRock.
Section
3.2 Restrictions on
Transfer.
(a) Without
the prior written consent of BlackRock (acting through a majority of the
Independent Directors), during an initial period of three years following
the Closing, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall not, and shall not permit its Affiliates
to, Transfer any Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital Stock or agree
to Transfer, directly or indirectly, any Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital
Stock; provided
that the foregoing restriction shall not prohibit Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any of
its Affiliates from Transferring any Beneficially Owned BlackRock
Capital Stock (i) to BlackRock pursuant to Section 2.4 or (ii) to an
Affiliate of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx that agrees in writing with BlackRock to be
bound by this Agreement as fully as if it were an initial signatory
hereto.
(b) Following
the third anniversary of the Closing, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall not, and shall
not permit its Affiliates to, Transfer any Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital
Stock or agree to Transfer, directly or indirectly, any Beneficially Owned
BlackRock Capital Stock; provided that the
foregoing restriction shall not be applicable to Transfers:
(i) to
an Affiliate of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx which agrees in writing with BlackRock to be
bound by this Agreement as fully as if it were an initial signatory
hereto;
(ii) pursuant
to the restrictions of Rule 144 under the Securities Act applicable to sales of
securities by Affiliates of an issuer (regardless of whether Xxxxxxx Xxxxx is
deemed at such time to be an Affiliate of BlackRock) to any Person who after
giving effect to such Transfer would not Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital
Stock representing in the aggregate more than 5% of the Total Voting Power of
BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding;
(iii) pursuant
to privately negotiated transactions, in each calendar quarter in an amount not
in excess (together with Transfers pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(ii) and (iv)
during such calendar quarter) of 4.5% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock
Capital Stock issued and outstanding to any Person who after giving effect to
such Transfer would not Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing in
the aggregate more than 5% of the
13
Total
Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding; provided, that
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or the Affiliate proposing to Transfer pursuant to this Section
3.2(b)(iii) (the "Transferring Party") promptly provide to BlackRock written
notice (an "Initial Transfer Notice"), stating such Transferring Party's
intention to effect such a Transfer, and stating that Xxxxxxx Xxxxx will comply
with the provisions of Section 3.3 and prior to making any Transfer or entering
into any definitive agreement to do so shall provide to BlackRock a further
written notice (a "Final Transfer Notice") stating such Transferring Party's
intention to effect the specific transfer described therein (including price and
terms (the "Last Look Price"));
(iv)
in
each calendar quarter, in an amount not in excess (together with Transfers
pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(ii) and (iii)) of 4.5% of the Total Voting Power of
BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding, pursuant to a distribution to
the public, registered under the Securities Act, in which Xxxxxxx Xxxxx uses its
commercially reasonable efforts to (A) effect as wide a distribution of such
BlackRock Capital Stock as is reasonably practicable, and (B) not knowingly sell
BlackRock Capital Stock to any Person who after consummation of such offering
would have Beneficial Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock representing in the
aggregate more than 5% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock;
or
(v) with
the prior written consent of a majority of the Independent
Directors.
(c) Subject
to Sections 3.2(a) and (b), if Xxxxxxx Xxxxx wishes or is required to Transfer
an amount of BlackRock Capital Stock constituting more than 10% of the Total
Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall coordinate with
BlackRock regarding optimizing the manner of distribution and sale of such
shares, including whether such sale should occur through an underwritten
offering and shall cooperate in the marketing of any such
offering.
(d) Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx shall reimburse BlackRock for any fees and expenses incurred in
connection with any Transfer by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx pursuant to this Section 3.2
(other than any Transfer pursuant to Sections 3.3(a) and 3.3(b)).
Section
3.3 Right of Last Refusal.
(a) Upon
receipt of a Final Transfer Notice, unless the proposed Transfer described
therein is being made in a tax-free Transfer to a charitable organization or
foundation, BlackRock will have an irrevocable and transferable option to
purchase all of the BlackRock Capital Stock subject to such Final Transfer
Notice at the Last Look Price and otherwise on the terms and conditions
described in the Final Transfer Notice. BlackRock and/or its transferees
(collectively and/or separately, the "BlackRock Party") shall, within
10 Business Days from receipt of the Final Transfer Notice, indicate if it
intends to exercise such option by sending irrevocable written notice of any
such exercise to the Transferring Party, and such BlackRock
14
Party
shall then be obligated to purchase all such BlackRock Capital Stock on terms
and conditions no less favorable (other than date of closing) to Transferring
Party than those set forth in the Final Transfer Notice.
(b) If
a BlackRock Party elects to purchase all of such BlackRock Capital Stock,
the BlackRock Party and the Transferring Party shall be legally obligated
to consummate such transaction and shall use their commercially reasonable
efforts to consummate such transaction as promptly as practicable but in any
event within 10 Business Days following the delivery of such election
notice or, if later, 5 Business Days after receipt of all required
regulatory approvals (but in no event more than 60 days after the delivery of
such election notice).
(c) If
a BlackRock Party does not elect to purchase all of such BlackRock Capital
Stock pursuant to this Section 3.3 (or if, having made such election, does
not complete such purchase within the applicable time period specified in
Section 3.3(b)), then the Transferring Party shall be free for a period of 30
days from the date the election notice was due to be received from a
BlackRock Party to enter into definitive agreements to Transfer such
BlackRock Capital Stock in accordance with Section 3.2(b)(ii) for not less
than the Last Look Price; provided that any
such definitive agreement provides for the consummation of such Transfer to take
place within nine months from the date of such definitive agreement and is
otherwise on terms not more favorable to the transferee in any material
respect than were contained in the Final Transfer Notice. In the
event that the Transferring Party has not entered into such a definitive
agreement with such 30-day period, or has so entered into such an agreement but
has not consummated the sale of such BlackRock Capital Stock within nine
months from the date of such definitive agreement, then the provisions of this
Section 3.3 shall again apply, and such Transferring Party shall not Transfer or
offer to Transfer such BlackRock Capital Stock not so Transferred without
again complying with this Section 3.3, to the extent applicable.
(d) Each
of the time periods set forth in Section 3.3(a)-(c) above shall be doubled if
the number of shares Xxxxxxx Xxxxx seeks to Transfer (as set forth in the Final
Transfer Notice) exceeds 4.5% of the Total Voting Power of the BlackRock Capital
Stock issued and outstanding at that time.
Section
3.4 Legend on
Securities.
(a) Each
certificate representing shares of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or its Affiliates and subject to the terms of this Agreement
shall bear the following legend on the face thereof:
"THE
SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON
TRANSFER AND CERTAIN OTHER LIMITATIONS SET FORTH IN A CERTAIN AMENDED AND
RESTATED STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT DATED AS OF JULY 16, 2008, AMONG BLACKROCK, INC.
(THE
15
"COMPANY")
AND XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO, INC., AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME
(THE "AGREEMENT"), COPIES OF WHICH AGREEMENT ARE ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE
OF THE COMPANY."
(b) Upon
any acquisition by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any of its Affiliates of additional
shares of BlackRock Capital Stock, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall, or shall cause such
Affiliate to, submit the certificates representing such shares of BlackRock
Capital Stock to BlackRock so that the legend required by this Section 3.4 may
be placed thereon (if not so endorsed upon issuance).
(c) BlackRock
may make a notation on its records or give instructions to any transfer agents
or registrars for BlackRock Capital Stock in order to implement the
restrictions on Transfer set forth in this Agreement.
(d) In
connection with any Transfer of shares of Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital
Stock, the transferor shall provide BlackRock with such customary certificates,
opinions and other documents as BlackRock may reasonably request to assure that
such Transfer complies fully with this Agreement and with applicable securities
and other laws. In connection with any Transfer pursuant to Section
3.2(b)(ii), (iii) or (iv), BlackRock shall remove such portion of the foregoing
legend as is appropriate in the circumstances.
Section
3.5 Change of
Control. Upon a Change of Control of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx within
the first five years after the Closing, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx (or any successor Person)
shall, (a) within 30 days of such Change of Control, initiate and
thereafter as promptly as practicable (consistent with applicable legal
requirements) Transfer in accordance with the provisions of Sections 3.2 and/or
3.3 of this Agreement (or such other manner as the parties shall have agreed is
optimal in the circumstances and will not result in an "assignment" of any
investment advisory agreements of BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates under
the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940) such number of Voting Securities of
BlackRock as shall be necessary to reduce to 24.9 percent the Total Voting Power
of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its
Affiliates immediately after giving effect to such Change of Control or, at the
election of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, (b) Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall exchange all of its shares of
Common Stock for shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock on the basis
of one share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock for each share of Common
Stock so exchanged and shall agree to elect cash dividends on all such shares,
and BlackRock shall effect such exchange. The parties shall cooperate
in completing and marketing such Transfer, and shall take into account all
relevant considerations, including market conditions, in determining the timing
and manner of such Transfer.
16
ARTICLE
IV
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
Section
4.1 Composition of the
Board.
(a) Following
the Closing, BlackRock and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall each use its best efforts to
cause the election at each meeting of stockholders of BlackRock of such nominees
reasonably acceptable to the Board such that there are no more than 17
Directors; there are four Directors (including at least one who also is a former
senior executive of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx) who are members of BlackRock management (each
a "Management Designee"); there are two Directors, each in a different class,
who are individuals designated in writing to BlackRock by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx (each, a
"Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Designee"); there are two Directors, each in a different class,
who are individuals designated in writing to BlackRock by a Person who is a
Significant Stockholder and has held such status since prior to the date of the
Transaction Agreement (each, a "Significant Stockholder Designee"); and the
remaining Directors are Independent Directors.
(b) Following
the Closing, upon the resignation, retirement or other removal from office of
any Management Designee or Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Designee (i) BlackRock or Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, as the case may be, shall be entitled promptly to designate a replacement
Management Designee or Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Designee, as the case may be, who meets the
qualifications of a Director and is reasonably acceptable to the Board and (ii)
BlackRock and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall each use its best efforts to cause the
appointment or election of such replacement designee as a Director by the other
Directors or by the stockholders of BlackRock.
Section
4.2 Vote Required for Board
Action; Board Quorum.
(a) Except
as provided in this Section 4.2 and in Section 4.7, any determination or other
action of or by the Board (other than action by unanimous written consent in
lieu of a meeting) shall require the affirmative vote or consent, at a meeting
at which a quorum is present, of a majority of directors present at such
meeting.
(b) In
addition to the requirements of Section 4.2(a), BlackRock shall not enter into
or effectuate any of the following transactions without the prior approval of
either all of the Independent Directors then in office, or at least two-thirds
of the Directors then in office, at a meeting with respect to which such
transaction was specifically described in a written notice of meeting called at
least two Business Days in advance; provided, however, that if a
Director is not present (for the avoidance of doubt, a Director may attend, and
be counted as present, at a meeting telephonically) at either of two meetings
called and noticed in the foregoing manner to consider such transaction, such
Director shall be deemed, solely for purposes of this Section 4.2(b), not to be
a Director then in office if such Director is not present at the third meeting
called and noticed in the foregoing manner to consider such
transaction:
17
(i)
appointment
of a new Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock;
(ii)
any
merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, issuance of shares or similar
transaction as a result of which a majority of the Total Voting Power of
BlackRock Capital Stock or the Person surviving such transaction issued and
outstanding immediately after giving effect to such transaction would be
Beneficially Owned by one or more Persons other than Persons holding a majority
of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock Issued and outstanding
prior to the occurrence of such transaction, or any sale of all or substantially
all of the assets of BlackRock to any Person;
(iii)
any
acquisition, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests,
purchase of equity interests or assets or similar transaction of any Person or
business the consolidated net income after taxes of which for its preceding
fiscal year equals or exceeds 20% of BlackRock's consolidated net income after
taxes for it preceding fiscal year if such acquisition involves the current or
potential issuance of BlackRock Capital Stock constituting more than 10% of the
Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding immediately
after completion of such acquisition;
(iv)
any
acquisition, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests,
purchase of equity interests or assets or similar transaction of any Person or
business constituting a line of business that is materially different from the
lines of business BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates are engaged in
immediately prior to such acquisition if such acquisition involves consideration
in excess of 10% of the total assets of BlackRock on a consolidated
basis;
(v)
except
for repurchases pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, any repurchase by
BlackRock or any Subsidiary of BlackRock of shares of BlackRock Capital Stock
such that after giving effect to such repurchase BlackRock and its Subsidiaries
shall have repurchased more than 10% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock
Capital Stock within the 12-month period ending on the date of such
repurchase;
(vi) any
amendment, modification or waiver of BlackRock's Certificate of
Incorporation;
(vii) any
matter requiring stockholder approval pursuant to the New York Stock Exchange
listed company manual;
(viii) any
amendment, modification or waiver (as distinct from a consent or approval
provided therein) of any restriction or prohibition on Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or its
Affiliates provided for herein or any amendment, modification or waiver (as
distinct from a consent or approval provided for therein) of any restriction or
prohibition on a Significant Stockholder or its
18
Affiliates
provided for in a stockholders agreement between BlackRock and such Significant
Stockholder;
provided, however, that if a
Change of Control of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx occurs prior to the fifth anniversary of the
Closing, the provisions of this Section 4.2(b) shall immediately
cease.
(c) In
addition to the requirements of Section 4.2(a) and (b), BlackRock shall not
enter into any agreement providing for, or effectuate any of the following
transactions without the prior written approval of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx:
(i) until
the fifth anniversary of the Closing, (A) any merger, consolidation, exchange of
shares, issuance of shares or similar transaction as a result of which a
majority of the Total Voting Power of the Capital Stock of BlackRock or the
Person surviving such transaction issued and outstanding immediately after
giving effect to such transactions would be Beneficially Owned by one or more
Persons other than Persons holding a majority of the Total Voting Power of the
BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding prior to the occurrence of such
transaction or (B), in the case of a merger, consolidation, exchange of shares,
issuance of shares or similar transaction that is not covered by clause (A)
above, more than 20% of the Total Voting Power of the Capital Stock of BlackRock
or the other Person surviving such transaction issued and outstanding
immediately after giving effect to such transaction would be Beneficially Owned
by any Person who Beneficially Owned less than 20% of the Total Voting Power of
the BlackRock Capital Stock or of the Capital Stock of such other Person
immediately prior to such transaction;
(ii)
after
the fifth anniversary of the Closing, any merger, consolidation, exchange of
shares, issuance of shares or similar transaction as a result of which a
majority of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock would be
Beneficially Owned by a Restricted Person or any sale of all or substantially
all of the assets of BlackRock to any Restricted Person;
(iii) any
sale, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests, sale of
equity interests in or assets or similar transaction of any Subsidiary if the
annualized revenues of such Subsidiary or assets, together with the annualized
revenues of all other Subsidiaries so disposed of within the 12-month period
ending on the date of such sales exceeds more than 20% of the annualized
revenues of BlackRock for the preceding fiscal year on a consolidated
basis;
(iv)
any
acquisition, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests,
purchase of equity interests or assets or similar transaction of any Person or
business which would be reasonably likely in the opinion of counsel to Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx require Xxxxxxx Xxxxx to register with the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System as a bank holding company or become subject to
regulation, supervision or restrictions under the Bank
19
Holding
Company Act of 1956, the Change of Bank Control Act or Section 10 of the
Homeowners Loan Act;
(v) any
amendment, modification, repeal or waiver of Section 3.2 of BlackRock's By-Laws
or of BlackRock's Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws that would be viewed
by a reasonable Person as being adverse to the rights of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or more
favorable to the rights of a Significant Stockholder than to the rights of
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx;
(vi) any
settlement or consent in a regulatory enforcement matter that would be
reasonably likely, in the opinion of counsel to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, to cause Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx or any of its Affiliates to suffer (A) any regulatory disqualification,
(B) suspension of registration or license or (C) other material adverse
regulatory consequence (which approval may not be unreasonably withheld in the
case of this clause (C));
(vii) any
amendment, modification or waiver (as distinct from a consent or approval
provided for therein) of any provision of a stockholders agreement between
BlackRock and a Significant Stockholder that would be viewed by a reasonable
Person as being adverse to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or materially more favorable to the
rights of such Significant Stockholder thereunder than to the rights of Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx hereunder; or
(viii) any
voluntary bankruptcy or similar filing or declaration by BlackRock.
provided, however, that if a
Change of Control of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx occurs prior to the fifth anniversary of the
Closing, the provisions of Section 4.2(c)(i), (ii) and (iii) shall immediately
cease.
(d) A
quorum for any meeting of the Board shall require the presence of a majority of
the total number of Directors then in office.
Section
4.3 Committees. To
the extent permitted by applicable laws, rules and regulations (including any
requirements under the Exchange Act or the rules of the New York Stock Exchange
or any other applicable securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then
listed) and except as otherwise determined by the Board (in accordance with
Section 4.2) each committee of the Board shall consist of a majority of
Independent Directors, the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and, to
the extent required by applicable laws, rules and regulations and
self-regulatory organization requirements, the Nominating Committee shall
consist entirely of Independent Directors and the Executive Committee shall
consist of not less than five members of which one shall be a Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Designee. Subject to Sections 4.2 and 4.7 all decisions of such committees shall
require the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then serving on such
committee.
20
Section
4.4 Certificate of Incorporation
and Bylaws to be Consistent. Each of BlackRock and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
shall use its best efforts to take or cause to be taken all lawful action
necessary or appropriate to ensure that at all times the Certificate of
Incorporation and the Bylaws of BlackRock contain provisions consistent with the
terms of this Agreement (including without limitation this Article IV) and none
of the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of BlackRock or any of the
corresponding constituent documents of BlackRock's Subsidiaries contain any
provisions inconsistent therewith or which would in any way nullify or impair
the terms of this Agreement or the rights of BlackRock or Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
hereunder. Neither BlackRock nor Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall take or cause to be taken
any action inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement (including without
limitation this Article IV) or the rights of BlackRock or Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
hereunder.
Section
4.5 Information
Rights.
(a) BlackRock
acknowledges that the investments of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx in BlackRock are
material and strategic to it. Accordingly, BlackRock shall provide to Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, on an ongoing and current basis, such access to and information with
respect to BlackRock's business, operations, plans and prospects as either of
them may from time to time reasonably determine it requires in order to
appropriately manage and evaluate its investment in BlackRock.
(b) Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, for so long as Xxxxxxx Xxxxx is
required (the "Equity Accounting Period") to account for its investment in
BlackRock under the equity method of accounting (determined in accordance with
GAAP as applicable to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx), BlackRock agrees that:
(i) BlackRock
shall provide Xxxxxxx Xxxxx with (A) consolidated financial results for the
latest available period of the BlackRock consolidated group (the "BlackRock
Group") in order to allow Xxxxxxx Xxxxx to prepare its US regulatory filings
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Public Filings"),
including Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x quarterly financial statements and annual audited
financial statements and (B) such financial information or documents in the
possession of BlackRock and any of its Subsidiaries as Xxxxxxx Xxxxx may
reasonably request; and
(ii) BlackRock
shall cooperate, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause BlackRock's
independent certified public accounts ("BlackRock's Auditors") to cooperate,
with Xxxxxxx Xxxxx to the extent reasonably requested by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx in the
preparation of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x public earnings releases or other press releases,
Current Reports on Form 8-K, Annual Reports to Shareholders, Annual Reports on
Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any other proxy, information and
registration statements, reports, notices, prospectuses and any other filings
made by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx with the Commission, or any other Governmental Authority
or otherwise made publicly available (collectively, the "Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Public
Filings"). BlackRock agrees to provide to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx all
information that Xxxxxxx Xxxxx reasonably requests in connection with any
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Public Filings or that, in the reasonable judgment
21
of
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or its legal counsel, is required to be disclosed or incorporated
by reference therein under any applicable law. BlackRock shall
provide such information to enable Xxxxxxx Xxxxx to prepare, print and release
all Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Public Filings on a timely basis. BlackRock shall
use its reasonable best efforts to cause BlackRock's Auditors to consent to any
reference to them as experts in any Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Public Filings required under
applicable law..
(c) To
the extent required in order for any Party to comply with applicable law,
BlackRock and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx will work together in good faith to develop
appropriate protocols for each to share with the other aggregate security
position information for use in their respective compliance
programs. For so long as BlackRock shall be deemed a subsidiary of
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx for purposes of the Home Owners Loan Act or Change in Bank Control
Act, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall have appropriate coordination rights with respect to
holdings of voting shares of savings and loan holdings companies, savings
associations, banks and bank holding companies.
(d) With
respect to any information provided by BlackRock:
(i) Subject
to the requirements of law, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx shall keep confidential, and
shall cause its representatives to keep confidential, all information and
documents obtained pursuant to this Section 4.5 unless such information (w) is
or becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section
4.5(d) by it or its representatives; (x) was within its possession prior to
being furnished to it by or on behalf of BlackRock, provided that the
source of such information was not known by it to be bound by a confidentiality
agreement with, or other contractual or legal obligation of confidentiality to,
BlackRock with respect to such information; (y) is or becomes available to
such Person or any of its representatives on a non-confidential basis from a
source other than BlackRock or any of its representatives; provided that such
source was not known to it to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with, or
other contractual or legal obligation of confidentiality to, BlackRock with
respect to such information; or (z) is independently developed by or on its
behalf without violating any of its obligations under this Section
4.5(d).
(ii) In
the event Xxxxxxx Xxxxx believes that it is legally required to disclose
any information or documents contemplated by this Section 4.5(d), it shall to
the extent possible under the circumstances provide reasonable prior notice to
BlackRock so that BlackRock may, at its own expense, seek a protective order or
otherwise take reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of such
information.
(iii)
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx may disclose any information or documents
contemplated by this Section 4.5(d) in a filing with a governmental authority
to the extent required by applicable law, provided that it
shall to the extent practicable under the circumstances provide prior notice to
BlackRock.
22
(iv)
The
rights of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and the obligations of BlackRock hereunder shall be
subject to applicable laws relating to the exchange of information and other
applicable laws. The provisions of this Section 4.5(d) shall survive any
termination of this Agreement.
Section
4.6 Voting
Agreements.
(a) Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx shall, and shall cause any of its Affiliates, to vote or act by written
consent all of the shares of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by it
(i) in favor of each matter required to effectuate any provision of this
Agreement and against any matter the approval of which would be inconsistent
with any provision of this Agreement and (ii) to the extent consistent with
clause (i) above, in accordance with the recommendation of the Board on all
matters approved by the Board in accordance with the provisions of Article
IV, including elections of Directors; provided, however, that if the
Board shall either fail to nominate for election as a Director either or both of
two individuals designated by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx who are reasonably acceptable to the
Board, or shall unreasonably reject one or more Xxxxxxx Xxxxx designees who is
otherwise eligible to serve, then, so long as such individuals otherwise meet
the requirements for serving as a Director of BlackRock, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its
Affiliates shall have the right to nominate such individuals at the
applicable meeting of stockholders and to solicit proxies for the election of
such individuals and, if such individuals are nominated at such meeting, may
vote all of their shares of BlackRock Capital Stock entitled to vote on such
matter in favor of the election of such individuals.
(b) Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx shall, and shall cause each of its Affiliates who hold BlackRock Capital
Stock entitled to vote on any matter, be present in person or represented by
proxy at all meetings of securityholders of BlackRock to the extent necessary so
that all Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its
Affiliates shall be counted as present for the purpose of determining the
presence of a quorum at such meeting and to vote such shares in accordance with
this Section 4.6.
Section
4.7 Related Party
Transactions. Neither BlackRock nor any of its Controlled
Affiliates shall enter into or effectuate any transaction or agreement with
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any Affiliate of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any director, officer or
employee of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any such Affiliate (each a "Related Person") that
is material to BlackRock, unless such transaction or agreement is in effect at
the time of the Closing, relates to transactions by or on behalf of clients of
BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates in the ordinary course of business or
has been approved by or is consistent with or pursuant to the terms of a policy,
transaction or agreement (or form of agreement) approved by, the affirmative
vote or consent of a majority of the Directors, excluding the Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx Designees, present at a meeting at which a quorum is present.
23
ARTICLE
V
NON-COMPETITION
Section
5.1 Non-Competition.
(a) Subject
to subsection (b) of this Section 5.1, from and after the Closing, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
agrees that it shall not, and that it shall cause its Controlled Affiliates
(other than BlackRock and BlackRock's Controlled Affiliates should they at any
time be Controlled Affiliates of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx) not to engage in Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Restricted Activities anywhere in the World (other than India to the extent
required by the asset management joint venture to which Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its
Affiliates are party in that country) except on the terms and conditions set
forth herein, and BlackRock agrees that it shall not, and that it shall
cause its Controlled Affiliates not to engage in BlackRock Restricted Activities
anywhere in the World except on the terms and conditions set forth
herein.
(i)
As
used in this Section 5.1, the term "Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities" means
(i) acting as an Asset Manager (as defined below) to a Fund (as defined below),
or (ii) acting as an Asset Manager to a Separately Managed Account (as defined
below). Notwithstanding the previous sentence, the parties agree to
establish a committee composed of two BlackRock managers and one Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
manager to consider cases in which it would be acceptable and appropriate to
allow Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its Affiliates to engage on a limited, case-by-case
basis, in Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities. In particular, if
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or its Affiliates determine that (1) there is customer demand for
a product that BlackRock does not provide, or desire to provide on
commercially reasonable terms, and (2) Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and/or its Affiliates
has made a reasonable exploration for alternative providers, then the committee
will consider and decide in good faith, in the discretion of a majority of the
committee members, whether to permit Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or an Affiliate to provide
such product notwithstanding that to do so Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or such Affiliate would
be engaged in Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities.
Furthermore,
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx hereby agrees, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary
other than as an incidental effect of the exceptions to the definitions of Fund
and Separately Managed Account set forth below, that neither IQ Investment
Advisors nor any other investment advisor controlled by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx during the
term of this Agreement will (i) directly or through one or more sub-advisers
create a family of open-end funds for the purpose of replicating that portion of
the asset management business of BlackRock or establishing a direct competitive
threat to BlackRock, or (ii) create an open-end fund or family of open-end funds
for the purpose of replicating the MLIM FDP platform or establishing a direct
competitive threat to MLIM FDP.
For
purposes of this provision, "acting as an Asset Manager" means acting as a
discretionary investment adviser or sub-adviser primarily responsible for making
the day-to-day investment decisions with respect to which underlying securities
or other assets will be purchased and sold by a Fund or a Separately Managed
Account; provided, however, that
neither
24
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx nor any Affiliate will be deemed to be acting as an Asset Manager in
instances where it serves as an investment adviser with responsibilities for
manager selection and asset allocation (or other overlay functions) that
delegates primary day-to-day selection of underlying securities or other assets
to a sub-adviser that is not under the control of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx (it being agreed
that BlackRock is not under the control of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx for this purpose) and
provided further, that Xxxxxxx Xxxxx will not be deemed to be acting as an Asset
Manager to new financial technology, the primary purpose of which is not to
provide active asset management services to third party investors.
For
purposes of this section, "Fund" shall mean any collective investment fund,
wherever domiciled.
For
purposes of this provision, "Separately Managed Account" shall mean an account
established in the name of and for the exclusive benefit of any person that is
not a Fund pursuant to which such person receives investment advisory services;
provided, however, Separately Managed Account shall not include an account of a
customer or client of a retail broker, retail financial advisor, private wealth
advisor or other retail sales person ("Retail Sales Person") for which (1) a
Retail Salesperson acts as portfolio manager, or (2) a Xxxxxxx Xxxxx affiliated
bank or trust company acts as trustee or investment advisor but qualifies for
exclusion from acting as an Asset Manager pursuant to the first proviso to the
definition thereof or supervises asset management services by the Retail Sales
Person or an unaffiliated third party manager.
The
term "Fund" shall not include any collective investment vehicle that, and the
term "Separately Managed Account" shall not include any account that is not a
Fund that:
(1)
|
invests
primarily in collective investment vehicles such as hedge funds, private
equity funds, ETFs, and/or mutual funds that are not Restricted
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Activities or that are managed by an unaffiliated third
party manager, a Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Alternative Manager or a manager acquired
by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx in conformity with Section 5.1(b)(i)(C) or
(D),
|
(2)
|
invests
substantially all of its assets in Real
Estate.
|
For
purposes of this Section 5.1, "Real Estate" shall include, but not be limited
to, any direct or indirect, public or private, wholly-owned, joint venture, TIC
interest, partnership, total return swap, and/or participation or other
interests (including, without limitation, debt, equity, hybrid security
interests (e.g. preferred equity and convertible securities), and options) in
and acquisitions, sales, and direct and indirect syndications of:
(i)
|
real
estate properties, including licenses, space and ground leases, and
sub-leases for such properties and any interests therein and all rights
and interests appurtenant thereto (e.g., air rights, riparian rights,
etc.),
|
25
(ii)
|
real
estate operating, asset management, property management, loan servicing
and special servicing, Section 1031 vehicle and/or holding
companies,
|
(iii)
|
any
entity or structure primarily representing interests in, or backed by,
real estate-related credit instruments, real estate equity interests, real
estate derivatives, CDO instruments or real estate
properties,
|
(iv)
|
instruments,
assets, or operating enterprises whose values are primarily driven or
supported by real property or tangible assets attached to real property
including, but not limited to, hotels, homebuilding, commercial and
residential real estate, land development, cell towers, real estate credit
instruments, lease claims, lien (including tax lien) claims, timber,
timeshare units, and fractional
interests,
|
(v)
|
investment
vehicles whose target investments include primarily Real Estate (e.g.,
partnerships, limited liability companies, hedge funds, private equity
funds and REITs and their foreign
counterparts),
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(vi)
|
secured
and unsecured performing and non-performing loans and obligations backed
primarily by Real Estate (including Commercial Mortgage Backed
Securities), or pools of such loans and obligations,
and
|
(vii)
|
non-investment
grade or high yield loans, bonds, mezzanine loans, B-notes, and preferred
equity secured or backed primarily by Real
Estate.
|
(3)
|
invests
primarily in commodities, collateralized debt obligations (broadly
defined), collateralized loan obligations (broadly defined), any types of
residual equity interests of structured assets or infrastructure
products,
|
(4)
|
is
a "Structured Fund" or an "Enhanced Index
Fund,"
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(i)
|
For
purposes of this section, a "Structured Fund" is defined to mean any
collective investment vehicle or other account that reshapes, repackages,
and/or reproduces traditional cash flows or risk-return profiles through
derivatives or other financial instruments and is operated in a passive
and mechanistic manner in accordance with a predetermined set of trading
and investment rules that do not seek to replicate the active asset
management techniques or performance of a particular investment product or
manager, and
|
(ii)
|
For
purposes of this section, an "Enhanced Index Fund" is defined to mean any
collective investment vehicle or account that (1) seeks to replicate the
performance of an index that is constructed in a customized manner to
provide greater returns than those provided by traditional indexes, or
replicate the performance of a proprietary index that is developed,
co-developed, or exclusively licensed by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any of its
Affiliates and (2) is operated in a passive and mechanistic manner in
accordance with a predetermined set of trading and investment rules that
do not seek to replicate active asset management
techniques,
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(5)
|
is
a "Structured Finance Vehicle,"
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26
For
purposes of this section, a "Structured Finance Vehicle" is any collective
investment vehicle that relies on a trust, commodity pool, depositary facility
or other collective investment entity that has the primary purpose of
aggregating securities, commodities or other financial instruments for the
purpose of (i) repackaging illiquid instruments or derivatives, or (ii)
tranching or aggregating financial instruments to change their tax, cost,
accounting, yield, credit, leverage, ERISA or risk characteristics,
(6)
|
is
otherwise ancillary or incidental to any non Fund or non Separately
Managed Account business of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or its Affiliates,
or
|
(7)
|
has
the primary purpose of seeding funds and/or raising additional third-party
capital to facilitate, support or assist in capitalizing current or future
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx'x proprietary trading and investing activities, including,
but not limited to, equity and equity-linked products, fixed income and
fixed income-linked products, loans, and distressed credit, Real Estate,
private equity, venture capital, infrastructure, timber, foreign exchange
and commodities assets or commodities
products.
|
Nothing
herein shall prohibit Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or any of its Affiliates from engaging in
any business activities of any kind or nature currently engaged in by Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx or any of its Affiliates as of the date of the Transaction Agreement or
this Agreement; provided, however, that the acquisition and holding of an
Affiliate pursuant to Section 5.1(b)(i)(C) or (D) after the date of the
Transaction Agreement shall not give rise to any rights on the part of Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx or any other Affiliate of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx to engage in any business
activities under this sentence.
(ii) As
used in this Section 5.1, the term "BlackRock Restricted Activities" means
engaging, whether directly or indirectly through ownership of any interest in or
consensual arrangements relating to another Person that is directly or
indirectly engaged, in the retail securities brokerage business; provided, however, that the
term "BlackRock Restricted Activities" shall in no event include acting as the
distributor of publicly offered Funds primarily through third party sales forces
or acting as a placement agent for privately offered Funds.
(b) Notwithstanding
Section 5.1(a) above, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and any Controlled Affiliate restricted
thereby may, with respect to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities, and
BlackRock and any Controlled Affiliate restricted thereby may, with respect
to BlackRock Restricted Activities:
(i)
acquire
or hold any interest (whether by way of a purchase, merger, consolidation or
other transaction) in any Person or business unit engaged directly or indirectly
in any Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities or BlackRock Restricted Activities,
as applicable, if (and only if) (A) the direct and indirect interest
Beneficially Owned by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its Controlled Affiliates (other than
BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates should they at any time be
Controlled Affiliates of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx), in the case of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted
Activities, or
27
by
BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates, in the case of BlackRock Restricted
Activities, represents less than 10 percent of the voting interests and less
than 10 percent of the ownership, revenue and profits interests in such Person
or business unit, assuming the exercise of all rights of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its
Controlled Affiliates ((other than BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates
should they at any time be Controlled Affiliates of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx), or BlackRock
and its Controlled Affiliates, as applicable, to acquire any such interests, (B)
such Person or business unit is at all times a Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Alternative
Manager (C) in connection with the bona fide third party venture
capital business of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or its Affiliates or (D) in connection with
the bona fide third party merchant banking line of business of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or
its Affiliates (the term "third party" being intended to exclude any vehicle or
arrangement in which Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or its Affiliates both have a 50% or greater
ownership or economic interest and are not in the process of seeking to reduce
such interest below 50%); or
(ii)
acquire
or hold any interest in any Person in excess of the amount set forth in clause
(i) above if (and only if) either (A) both (x) the consolidated revenues of such
Person from Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities or BlackRock Restricted
Activities, as applicable, in the previous four fiscal quarters are less than
33.3% of such Person's consolidated revenues during such period and (y) the sum
of the aggregate consolidated revenues of such Person and its Subsidiaries in
the preceding four fiscal quarters from Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities or
BlackRock Restricted Activities, as applicable, multiplied times the direct
or indirect percentage economic interest of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its restricted
Controlled Affiliates or BlackRock and its restricted Controlled
Affiliates, as applicable, in such Person is, in the case of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Restricted Activities, less than 10% of the consolidated revenues of BlackRock
for such period and, in the case of BlackRock Restricted Activities, less than
10% of the consolidated revenues of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx derived from BlackRock
Restricted Activities, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or BlackRock, as applicable, shall, or
shall cause such Affiliate to, take commercially reasonable actions necessary to
cease and terminate such Restricted Activities or to sell such Person or
business to a third party that is not an Affiliate, as soon as reasonably
practicable, and BlackRock or Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, as applicable, shall have a
right to participate as a bidder in respect of any such sale transaction, or (B)
if such acquisition or holding satisfies Section 5.1(b)(ii)(A)(x) above but not
Section 5.1(b)(ii)(A)(y) above, then Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or BlackRock may
continue to own such Person and operate its Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted
Activities or BlackRock Restricted Activities, as applicable (the "Continuing
Business"); provided that, (1) for so long as the restrictions of Section 5.1(a)
continue to apply to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or BlackRock, as applicable, the Continuing
Business shall not use the "Xxxxxxx Xxxxx" name or the "BlackRock" name, or any
derivation thereof, and (2) for so long as the Distribution Agreement in the
Transaction Agreement remains in effect, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its Affiliates or
BlackRock and its Affiliates (in each case, other than the acquired Person and
its Affiliates as of the time of acquisition) shall not enter into any agreement
similar to the Distribution Agreement with the acquired Person and its
Affiliates; or
(iii)
in
the case of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, merge, consolidate or otherwise engage in a business
combination with, or sell all or substantially all of its assets or businesses
to, any Person that is not an Affiliate of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and that has an
existing business engaged in Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities which such
Person continues to operate; provided that
28
members
of the Xxxxxxx Xxxxx board of directors do not constitute a majority of the
board of directors of the surviving entity of such transaction (or of the board
of directors of its ultimate parent company) and that the Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
shareholders immediately prior to consummation of such transaction do not
immediately after consummation of such transaction own 60% or more of the
outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of the surviving entity of
such transaction (or of its ultimate parent company); the restrictions of
Section 5.1(a) shall not apply to the activities of such surviving entity and
its Affiliates (other than (x) Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, (y) the Subsidiaries and
Controlled Affiliates of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx as of the closing of the transaction, and
(z) any Subsidiary or Controlled Affiliate of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or of such ultimate
parent company which, following the closing, holds or operates the business that
had been held or operated prior to such closing by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its
Subsidiaries and Controlled Affiliates or all or substantially all of the assets
of such business)); or
(iv)
engage
in Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities or BlackRock Restricted Activities, as
applicable, (including through an acquisition or holding in excess of that
permitted by Section 5.1(b)(i) or (ii) above) if and to the extent that, prior
to engaging therein,
if (A) Xxxxxxx Xxxxx discloses to the
Board of Directors of BlackRock, or BlackRock discloses to the Board of
Directors of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, as applicable, in reasonable detail and with
reasonable particularity, including by responding to the inquiries and questions
of such Board of Directors, the nature, extent and duration of the proposed
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities or BlackRock Restricted Activities; and (B)
a majority of the Independent Directors on such Board of Directors approves the
proposed Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Restricted Activities by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx or such Controlled
Affiliate or BlackRock Restricted Activities by BlackRock or such Controlled
Affiliate, as applicable.
ARTICLE
VI
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
6.1 Conflicting
Agreements. Each party represents and warrants that it has not
granted and is not a party to any proxy, voting trust or other agreement that is
inconsistent with or conflicts with any provision of this
Agreement.
Section
6.2 Termination.
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, this Agreement shall
terminate on the later of the fifth anniversary of the date of this
Agreement and the first date on which Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its Affiliates
Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing less than its
Ownership Threshold; provided, however, that in the case of a termination
pursuant to this Section 6.2, the obligations of the parties pursuant to Article
III hereof shall not terminate until the first date on which Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and
its Affiliates Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing less than
five percent of the Total Voting Power of the BlackRock Capital
Stock issued and outstanding at such time. Nothing in this
Section 6.2 shall be deemed to release any party from any liability for any
willful and material breach of this Agreement occurring prior to the termination
hereof or to impair the right
29
of
any party to compel specific performance by any other party of its obligations
under this Agreement.
Section
6.3 Ownership
Information.
(a) For
purposes of this Agreement, all determinations of the amount of outstanding
BlackRock Capital Stock shall be based on information set forth in the most
recent quarterly or annual report, and any current report subsequent thereto,
filed by BlackRock with the Commission, unless BlackRock shall have updated such
information by delivery of written notice to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx.
(b) If
at any time or from time to time BlackRock becomes aware of any event that has
caused, or which could reasonably be expected to cause, Beneficial Ownership by
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and its Affiliates of BlackRock Capital Stock to increase
above its Ownership Cap, BlackRock shall promptly (but in no event more than
five Business Days thereafter) notify Xxxxxxx Xxxxx thereof.
Section
6.4 Savings
Clause. No provision of this Agreement shall be construed to
require any party or its Controlled Affiliates to take any action that would
violate any applicable law (whether statutory or common), rule or
regulation.
Section
6.5 Amendment and
Waiver. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement
may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of each
of the parties hereto. Except as otherwise provided herein, no
modification, amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, and no
giving of any consent provided for hereunder, shall be effective unless such
modification, amendment, waiver or consent is approved by a majority of the
Independent Directors. The failure of any party to enforce any of the provisions
of this Agreement shall in no way be construed as a waiver of such provisions
and shall not affect the right of such party thereafter to enforce each and
every provision of this Agreement in accordance with its terms.
Section
6.6 Severability. If any
provision of this Agreement shall be declared by any court of competent
jurisdiction to be illegal, void or unenforceable, all other provisions of this
Agreement shall not be affected and shall remain in full force and
effect.
Section
6.7 Entire Agreement.
Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, this Agreement, together
with the several agreements and other documents and instruments referred to
herein or therein or annexed hereto, embody the complete agreement and
understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof
and supersede and preempt any prior understandings, agreements or
representations by or among the parties, written or oral, that may have related
to the subject matter hereof in any way. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, to the extent that any of the terms hereof are inconsistent with the
rights or obligations of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx under any other agreement with
BlackRock, the terms of this Agreement shall govern.
30
Section
6.8 Successors and
Assigns. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights or
obligations of any party under this Agreement shall be assigned, in whole or in
part (except by operation of law pursuant to a merger or similar business
combination transaction), by any party without the prior written consent of the
other parties (approved, in the case of BlackRock, by a majority of
the Independent Directors), provided, that Xxxxxxx Xxxxx may
assign its rights and obligations hereunder (in whole or in part) to an
Affiliate that agrees in writing with BlackRock to be bound by this Agreement as
fully as if it were an initial signatory hereto, and any such transferee may
thereafter make corresponding assignments in accordance with this proviso;
provided, further, that BlackRock may assign all
or a portion of its rights under Sections 3.3 and 5.1(b)(ii) in connection with
any particular transaction subject thereto so long as BlackRock remains,
obligated in respect of any purchase obligations arising
thereunder. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall bind and
inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their
respective successors and permitted assigns.
Section
6.9 Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts each of which shall be
an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement.
Section
6.10 Remedies.
(a) Each
party hereto acknowledges that monetary damages would not be an adequate remedy
in the event that each and every one of the covenants or agreements in this
Agreement are not performed in accordance with their terms, and it is therefore
agreed that, in addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it
may have, the non-breaching party will have the right to an injunction,
temporary restraining order or other equitable relief in any court of competent
jurisdiction enjoining any such breach and enforcing specifically each and every
one of the terms and provisions hereof. Each party hereto agrees not to
oppose the granting of such relief in the event a court determines that such a
breach has occurred, and to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of
any bond in connection with such remedy.
(b) All
rights, powers and remedies provided under this Agreement or otherwise available
in respect hereof at law or in equity shall be cumulative and not alternative,
and the exercise or beginning of the exercise of any thereof by any party shall
not preclude the simultaneous or later exercise of any other such right, power
or remedy by such party.
Section
6.11
Notices. All
notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given if delivered personally, telecopied (upon telephonic confirmation
of receipt), on the first Business Day following the date of dispatch if
delivered by a recognized next day courier service, or on the third Business Day
following the date of mailing if delivered by registered or certified mail,
return receipt requested, postage prepaid. All notices hereunder shall be
delivered as set forth below, or pursuant to such other instructions as may be
designated in writing by the party to receive such notice.
If
to BlackRock:
c/o
BlackRock, Inc.
31
00
Xxxx 00xx
Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxxx
X. Xxxx
with
a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP
Xxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx, Esq.
If
to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx:
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx & Co., Inc.
Four
World Financial Center
000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile:
000-000-0000
Attention:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Esq.
with
a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxxxx
& Xxxxxxxx LLP
000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile: 212-558-3588
Attention: Xxxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx, Esq.
Xxxx X. X'Xxxxx, Esq.
Section
6.12
Governing Law; Consent to
Jurisdiction.
(a) This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the
State of Delaware without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law.
Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consents to
submit to the exclusive jurisdiction in the Court of Chancery of the State
of Delaware or any court of the United States located in the State of Delaware,
for any action, proceeding or investigation in any court or before any
governmental authority ("Litigation") arising out of or relating to this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Each of the parties hereto
hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to assert, by way
of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any such Litigation, the
defense of sovereign immunity, any claim that it is not personally subject to
the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts for any reason other than the failure
to serve process in accordance with this Section 6.12, that it or its property
is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal
process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment
prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of
judgment or otherwise), and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
that the Litigation in any such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, that
the
32
venue
of such Litigation is improper, or that this Agreement, or the subject matter
hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts and further irrevocably waives,
to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the benefit of any defense
that would hinder, xxxxxx or delay the levy, execution or collection of any
amount to which the party is entitled pursuant to the final judgment of any
court having jurisdiction. Each of the parties irrevocably and unconditionally
waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all rights to
trial by jury in connection with any Litigation arising out of or relating to
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
(b) Each
of the parties expressly acknowledges that the foregoing waiver is intended to
be irrevocable under the laws of the State of Delaware and of the United States
of America; provided that consent
by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and BlackRock to jurisdiction and service contained
in this Section 6.12 is solely for the purpose referred to in this Section 6.12
and shall not be deemed to be a general submission to said courts or in the
State of Delaware other than for such purpose.
Section
6.13
Interpretation.
The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for
reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement. Whenever the words "include", "includes" or
"including" are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by
the words "without limitation".
33
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Stockholder Agreement as
of the date first written above.
BLACKROCK,
INC.
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By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx | ||
Name:
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx
|
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Title: Chief
Executive Officer
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XXXXXXX
XXXXX & CO., INC.
|
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By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | ||
Name:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
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Title:
President
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