ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT BY AND AMONG XCEL BRANDS, INC., JR LICENSING, LLC, AND JUDITH RIPKA CREATIONS, INC., JUDITH RIPKA COMPANIES INC. JUDITH RIPKA DESIGNS, LTD. JSB MARKETING CORP. AND JUDITH RIPKA DATED AS OF APRIL 1, 2014
Execution Version
BY AND AMONG
JR LICENSING, LLC,
AND
XXXXXX XXXXX CREATIONS, INC.,
XXXXXX XXXXX COMPANIES INC.
XXXXXX XXXXX DESIGNS, LTD.
JSB MARKETING CORP.
AND
XXXXXX XXXXX
DATED AS OF APRIL 1, 2014
Table of Contents
ARTICLE I | DEFINITIONS AND USAGE | 1 | |
1.1 | Definitions | 1 | |
1.2 | Usage | 11 | |
ARTICLE II | PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS | 12 | |
2.1 | Purchase and Sale of Assets. | 12 | |
2.2 | Excluded Assets. | 12 | |
2.3 | No Liabilities Assumed | 12 | |
2.4 | Retained Media Rights | 13 | |
ARTICLE III | PURCHASE CONSIDERATION; PAYMENT | 13 | |
3.1 | The Closing | 13 | |
3.2 | Purchase Consideration | 13 | |
3.3 | Payment Of Purchase Consideration | 13 | |
3.4 | Earn Out | 14 | |
3.5 | Closing Deliveries | 17 | |
3.6 | Allocation | 19 | |
3.7 | Accounts Receivable and Other Payments | 19 | |
ARTICLE IV | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLERS | 20 | |
4.1 | Organization and Good Standing | 20 | |
4.2 | Enforceability; Authority | 20 | |
4.3 | Consents; Approvals | 20 | |
4.4 | Financial Statements | 21 | |
4.5 | Real Property | 22 | |
4.6 | Title to Assets | 22 | |
4.7 | Seller Accounts Receivable and Seller Accounts Payable | 22 | |
4.8 | Solvency; Insolvency Proceedings | 22 | |
4.9 | Taxes | 23 | |
4.10 | Labor Relations; Compliance | 23 | |
4.11 | Employee Benefits | 24 | |
4.12 | Litigation; Decrees | 25 |
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Table of Contents
(continued)
4.13 | Compliance With Laws; Permits | 25 | |
4.14 | Operations of the Sellers | 25 | |
4.15 | Payment and Collections Practices; Customers and Suppliers | 26 | |
4.16 | Material Contracts | 26 | |
4.17 | Insurance | 27 | |
4.18 | Environmental Matters | 28 | |
4.19 | Intellectual Property | 28 | |
4.20 | Affiliate Transactions | 30 | |
4.21 | Brokers or Finders | 30 | |
4.22 | Suppliers | 30 | |
4.23 | Powers of Attorney | 30 | |
4.24 | Disclaimer of Other Representations and Warranties | 30 | |
ARTICLE V | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BUYERS | 31 | |
5.1 | Existence and Good Standing; Authorization | 31 | |
5.2 | Consents and Approvals; No Violations | 31 | |
5.3 | Exchange Act Reports | 32 | |
5.4 | SEC Filings; Financial Statements | 32 | |
5.5 | Undisclosed Liabilities | 32 | |
5.6 | Compliance with Laws. | 33 | |
5.7 | Litigation | 33 | |
5.8 | Buyer Environmental Matters | 33 | |
5.9 | Taxes | 34 | |
5.10 | Brokers’ or Finders’ Fees. | 34 | |
5.11 | Solvency. | 34 | |
5.12 | Disclaimer of Other Representations and Warranties | 34 | |
ARTICLE VI | POST-CLOSING COVENANTS | 34 | |
6.1 | Cooperation | 34 | |
6.2 | Taxes Related to Purchase of Assets; Tax Cooperation | 34 | |
6.3 | Noncompetition and Nonsolicitation | 35 | |
6.4 | Confidentiality | 36 |
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Table of Contents
(continued)
6.5 | Access to Records | 36 | |
6.6 | Recording of Intellectual Property Assignments | 37 | |
6.7 | Foreign Intellectual Property. | 37 | |
6.8 | Suppliers | 37 | |
6.9 | Non-Disparagement | 37 | |
6.10 | QVC Agreement | 38 | |
6.11 | Distribution of Current Inventory | 38 | |
6.12 | Licenses in Connection with Retained Media Rights | 39 | |
6.13 | Other Deliveries | 39 | |
6.14 | Further Assurances | 39 | |
6.15 | Registration of XCel Shares | 40 | |
6.16 | Life Insurance Policy | 40 | |
ARTICLE VII | INDEMNIFICATIOn; remedies | 41 | |
7.1 | Survival | 41 | |
7.2 | Indemnification by the Sellers | 41 | |
7.3 | Indemnification by Buyers | 42 | |
7.4 | Limitation on Liability | 42 | |
7.5 | Other Indemnification Provisions | 44 | |
7.6 | Procedure for Indemnification | 44 | |
7.7 | Non-Third Party Claims | 45 | |
7.8 | Tax Treatment | 46 | |
ARTICLE VIII | MISCELLANEOUS | 46 | |
8.1 | Press Releases and Public Announcements | 46 | |
8.2 | Notices | 46 | |
8.3 | Entire Agreement; Nonassignability; Parties in Interest | 47 | |
8.4 | Bulk Sales Law | 48 | |
8.5 | Expenses | 48 | |
8.6 | Waiver and Amendment | 48 | |
8.7 | Severability | 48 | |
8.8 | Remedies Cumulative | 48 |
-iii- |
Table of Contents
(continued)
8.9 | Counterparts | 48 | |
8.10 | Governing Law | 49 | |
8.11 | Dispute Resolution | 49 |
-iv- |
Table of Contents
(continued)
Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules
Exhibits: | |
Form of Xxxx of Sale | Exhibit A |
Form of Buyer QVC Agreement | Exhibit B |
Form of Intellectual Property Assignment | Exhibit C |
Form of JR Employment Agreement | Exhibit D |
Form of Lock-Up Agreement | Exhibit E |
Form of Sublease | Exhibit F |
Form of Voting Agreement | Exhibit G |
Form of Wholesale License Agreement | Exhibit H |
Form of Promissory Note | Exhibit I |
Schedules: | |
Fixed Assets | 1.1(a) |
Domain Names and URLs | 1.1(b) |
Accounts Receivable | 3.7 |
Capitalization of Sellers | 4.1 |
Consents and Approvals | 4.3 |
Sellers’ Material Liabilities and Obligations | 4.4(b) |
Leased Real Property | 4.5(a) |
Consents for Leased Real Property | 4.5(b) |
Title to Assets | 4.6 |
Accounts Receivable Exceptions and Liens | 4.7(a) |
Inventory | 4.7(b) |
Tax Liens | 4.9(a) |
Labor Relations; Compliance | 4.10 |
Employee Benefit Plans | 4.11(a) |
Employee Payments in Connection with Transactions | 4.11(d) |
Litigation Proceedings | 4.12(a) |
Decrees | 4.12(b) |
Compliance With Laws | 4.13 |
Operation of Sellers; Material Adverse Effect | 4.14 |
Top 20 Customers and Suppliers | 4.15(i) |
Material Disputes with Customers | 4.15(ii) |
Material Contracts | 4.16(a) |
Defaults or Violation under Material Contracts | 4.16(b) |
License Agreements | 4.16(c) |
Insurance Policies | 4.17 |
Environmental Matters | 4.18 |
-v- |
Table of Contents
(continued)
Intellectual Property | 4.19(a) |
IT Software and Other Licensed Intellectual Property | 4.19(b) |
Seller Intellectual Property Rights | 4.19(c) |
Seller Intellectual Property Infringements | 4.19(d) |
Validity of Intellectual Property Rights | 4.19(e) |
Third Party Intellectual Property Infringements | 4.19(f) |
Intellectual Property Development and Acquisition | 4.19(g) |
Intellectual Property Restrictions | 4.19(h) |
Intellectual Property Rights Jurisdictions | 4.19(j) |
Affiliate Transactions | 4.20 |
Brokers or Finders | 4.21 |
Suppliers | 4.22 |
Powers of Attorney | 4.23 |
Undisclosed Liabilities | 5.5 |
Brokers’ or Finders’ Fees | 5.10 |
-vi- |
This ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of April 1, 2014, by and among XCel Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“XCel”), JR Licensing, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“JRL” and, together with XCel, the “Buyers”), Xxxxxx Xxxxx Creations, Inc., a New York corporation (“JR Creations”), JSB Marketing Corp. (“JSB”), Xxxxxx Xxxxx Companies Inc. (“JR Companies”), Xxxxxx Xxxxx Designs, Ltd. (“JR Designs”) and Xxxxxx Xxxxx, an individual (“JR”, and collectively with JR Creations, JSB, JR Companies and JR Designs, the “Sellers”), and solely for purposes of Sections 6.3 and 6.9, Xxxxxx Xxxx. The Sellers and Buyers are referred to herein each individually as a “Party,” and collectively as the “Parties.”
ARTICLE
I
Definitions and Usage
1.1 Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms and variations thereof have the meanings specified or referred to in this Section 1.1:
“Accounts Receivable” means (a) all trade accounts receivable, licensee royalty accounts receivable, supplier payments receivable, expense reimbursements receivable, and other rights to payment from licensees and customers, (b) all advertising accounts receivable related to advertising or marketing funds, (c) all other accounts or notes receivable and the full benefit of all security for such accounts or notes and (d) any claim, remedy or other right related to any of the foregoing.
“Acquired Assets” means all of the Sellers’ rights, title, and interest in and to all of the following assets of the Sellers (a) all Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Sellers and used in connection with the Business (including but not limited to the JR Brands and the JR Logos), together with the right to create additional Intellectual Property Rights, brands and logos based on the foregoing; (b) the personal name, image, and likeness of Xxxxxx Xxxxx as an individual; (c) the JR Archives; (d) the fixed assets set forth on Schedule 1.1(a); (e) customer lists of Sellers, (f) the domain names and URLs set forth on Schedule 1.1(b), (g) all rights necessary to transfer e-commerce rights to the Buyers related to the JR Brands and (h) all rights to the Acquired Assets, including all goodwill in connection therewith, except as otherwise limited herein; provided, however, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Acquired Assets shall not include any Excluded Assets or the Retained Media Rights.
“Affiliate” of any Person means any Person which, directly or indirectly controls or is controlled by that Person, or is under common control with that Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through ownership of voting securities or by contract or otherwise.
“Agreement” is defined in the preamble.
“Allocation Schedule” is defined in Section 3.6.
“Appearance” shall mean a one hour appearance on QVC’s Direct Response Television Programs (as defined in the Buyer QVC Agreement), with the schedule of such Appearances to be mutually determined by XCel and QVC, subject to JR’s schedule.
“Balance Sheet” is defined in Section 4.4(a).
“Bills of Sale” means one or more Bills of Sale, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, transferring to JRL all tangible assets included in the Acquired Assets.
“Business” means the licensing, promotion via any form of media, and marketing of the JR Brands or the Xxxxxx Xxxxx image and likeness for any commercial use relating to the manufacture, sale and/or distribution of clothing, related accessories and jewelry, home goods (i.e., home furnishings, home décor, tabletop, cookware and kitchen prep items, but not, for the sake of clarity, fine art including sculpture), food products and any and all other goods and services.
“Business Day” means any day other than (a) Saturday or Sunday or (b) any other day on which banks in New York, New York are permitted or required to be closed.
“Buyers” is defined in the preamble.
“Buyer Disclosure Schedule” is defined in the first paragraph of Article V.
“Buyer Indemnified Parties” is defined in Section 7.2.
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“Buyer Material Adverse Effect” means any change, effect, event, occurrence, state of facts or development that is, or would reasonably be expected to be, materially adverse to the Acquired Assets, business, liabilities, results of operations or financial condition of the Buyers taken as a whole or that prevents or materially impedes, or would reasonably be expected to prevent or materially impede, the consummation by any of the Buyers of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that none of the following shall constitute, or shall be considered in determining whether there has occurred, a Buyer Material Adverse Effect: (a) changes that are solely the result of economic or political factors affecting the national, regional or world economy or the Buyers’ industry, acts of war or terrorism or other force majeure events, in each case except where such condition has a disproportionate effect on the Buyers; (b) changes that are solely the result of factors generally affecting the industries or markets in which any of the Buyers operate, in each case except where such condition has a disproportionate effect on the Buyers; (c) changes in Legal Requirements or the interpretation thereof; or (d) any action required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement; (e) the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (f) changes (or proposed changes) in, or the interpretation of, GAAP; or (g) the taking of or omission to take any action, which action or omission is required, permitted or contemplated by this Agreement or consented to by Sellers.
“Buyer QVC Agreement” means the agreement to be entered into by and between QVC on the one hand and JRL, XCel and JR on the other hand, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.
“Cap” is defined in Section 7.4(b).
“Claim” is defined in Section 8.11(a).
“Claim Notice” is defined in Section 7.7.
“Closing” is defined in Section 3.1.
“Closing Date” is defined in Section 3.1.
“COBRA” means Section 4980B of the Code, Sections 601 through 608, inclusive, of ERISA and any applicable similar state laws.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Competes with the Business” means to participate in any business or enterprise (including, without limitation, any division, group or franchise of a larger organization) that engages or proposes (as publicly announced or announced to the Sellers) to engage in the Business. For purposes of this definition, the term “participate in” shall include, without limitation, having any direct or indirect interest in any Person, whether as an owner, stockholder, partner, member, joint venturer, creditor, sole proprietor or otherwise, or rendering any direct or indirect service or assistance to any Person (whether as a director, officer, supervisor, employee, agent, consultant or otherwise).
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“Confidential Information” means confidential data and confidential information, without regard to form (including, but not limited to, technical or nontechnical data, algorithms, formulas, compilations, programs, methods, techniques, drawings, processes, financial data, financial plans, product or service plans or lists of customers or suppliers) which is not (x) known to the competitors of the Business or (y) known or available to the public. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Confidential Information shall not include any data or information that (v) has been voluntarily disclosed to the public by the protected Party, (w) has been independently developed and disclosed to the public by others, (x) otherwise enters the public domain through lawful means, (y) was lawfully and rightfully disclosed to recipient by another Person, or (z) that is required to be disclosed by Legal Requirement or Decree or requested to be disclosed by a Governmental Authority without the availability of applicable protective orders or treatment. Following the Closing, all Seller Information shall be deemed to be Confidential Information of Buyers.
“Contract” means any agreement, contract, license, sublicense, lease, sublease, indenture, mortgage, instrument, guaranty, loan or credit agreement, note, bond, customer order, purchase order, franchise, dealer and distributorship agreement, supply agreement, development agreement, joint venture agreement, promotion agreement, partnership agreement or other arrangement, understanding or commitment, whether written or oral and including any right or obligation under any of the foregoing.
“Core Representations” is defined in Section 7.1.
“Damages” is defined in Section 7.2.
“Decreased Cap” is defined in Section 7.4(b).
“Decree” means any final, non-appealable judgment, decree, ruling, injunction, assessment, attachment, undertaking, award, charge, writ, or any other order of any Government Authority.
“Earn-Out Reconciliation” is defined in Section 3.4(b).
“Earn-Out Shares” is defined in Section 3.4(a).
“Earn-Out Value” is defined in Section 3.4(a).
“Employee Benefit Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA.
“Environmental and Safety Requirements” means all federal, state, local and foreign statutes, regulations, ordinances, codes and other provisions having the force and effect of law, all judicial and administrative orders and determinations, all contractual obligations and all common law concerning public health and safety, worker health and safety, and pollution or protection of the environment, including all those relating to the presence, use, production, generation, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal, distribution, labeling, testing, processing, discharge, release, threatened release, control or cleanup of, or exposure to, any hazardous materials, substances or wastes, chemical substances or mixtures, pesticides, pollutants, contaminants, toxic chemicals, petroleum products or byproducts, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, noise or radiation, as previously, now or hereafter in effect.
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“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to any entity, any trades or business (whether or not incorporated) that are treated as a single employer with such entity under Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Excluded Assets” is defined in Section 2.2.
“Excluded Liabilities” is defined in Section 2.3.
“Financial Statements” is defined in Section 4.4(a).
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles for financial reporting in the United States.
“Government Authority” means any domestic or foreign national, state, multi-state or municipal or other local government, any subdivision, agency, commission or authority thereof, including any quasi-governmental or private body exercising any regulatory or taxing authority thereunder or any judicial authority (or any department, bureau or division thereof).
“Government Authorization” means any approval, consent, license, permit, waiver, or other authorization issued, granted, given or otherwise made available by or under the authority of any Government Authority or pursuant to any Legal Requirement.
“Indemnified Party” is defined in Section 7.3.
“Indemnifying Party” is defined in Sections 7.2 and 7.3.
“Initial Shares” is defined in Section 3.3.
“Insurance Policies” is defined in Section 4.17.
“Intellectual Property Rights” means all of the following in any jurisdiction throughout the world: (i) patents, patent applications and patent disclosures; (ii) trademarks, service marks, proprietary designs and design processes, trade dress, trade names, personal names, images and likenesses, product configuration, corporate names, logos, insignias and slogans (and all translations, adaptations, derivations and combinations of the foregoing) and Internet domain names, Internet websites, and URLs; (iii) copyrights and copyrightable works; (iv) registrations and applications for any of the foregoing; (v) trade secrets and confidential information (including inventions, ideas, formulae, compositions, know-how, manufacturing and production processes and techniques, manufacturing or raw material sources, research and development information, sketches and drawings (including preliminary and technical sketches and drawings), specifications, designs, plans, proposals, technical data, financial, business and marketing plans, and customer and supplier lists and related information); (vi) product designs, configurations, and material and color specifications and combinations, (vii) manufacturing molds, techniques, and processes (viii) all other intellectual property; (ix) any goodwill associated with each of the foregoing;
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“Intellectual Property Assignments” means one or more Intellectual Property Assignment Agreements, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, transferring to JRL all Intellectual Property included in the Acquired Assets.
“Interim Reports” is defined in Section 4.4(a).
“Inventory” means inventories of raw materials and supplies, manufactured and purchased parts, goods in process and finished goods.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“IT Software” is defined in Section 4.19(b).
“JR” is defined in the preamble.
“JR Archives” means, computer-aided designs, designs, drawings, paintings, illustrations, patterns, fabrics, artwork, advertising, press books and other books, prints, video and audio related to the JR Brands, all original sketches or drawings of any kind, and all other such materials that primarily relate to the Business, including, but not limited to, all archives. JR Archives shall include, to the extent such items are in the possession of Sellers on the date hereof or are otherwise created by Sellers on behalf of Buyers, catalogued images (at least four views of each item) of all archived items, all original sketches and drawings and all molds.
“JR Brands” means the brand names “Xxxxxx Xxxxx,” “Xxxxxx Xxxxx Sterling Collection,” and any derivations of such brand names as have been used by the Sellers prior to the date hereof.
“JR Creations” is defined in the preamble.
“JR Future Brands” means any brand created in the future using the Xxxxxx Xxxxx personal name, image and/or likeness for any commercial use which may infringe on Buyers’ rights as contemplated herein.
“JR Employment Agreement” means an employment agreement between XCel and JR in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D.
“JR Logos” means the logos associated with the JR Brands.
“Knowledge” means, with respect to the Sellers, either the actual knowledge of JR and Xxxxxx Xxxx or the knowledge that JR or Xxxxxx Xxxx should have discovered or otherwise become aware of in the ordinary course of carrying out his or her duties in a reasonable and professional matter in connection with the Business. With respect to the Buyers, the actual knowledge, after reasonable due inquiry, of Xxxxxx X’Xxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxx. The terms “know” and “knows” and like terms will have correlative meanings.
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“Leased Real Property” means all leasehold or subleasehold estates and other rights to use or occupy any land, buildings, structures, improvements, fixtures, or other interest in real or immovable property.
“Legal Requirement” means any federal, state, local, municipal, foreign, international, multinational or other administrative order, constitution, law, ordinance, principle of common law, regulation, rule, executive order, administrative order, statute or treaty.
“Liability” means any liability or obligation of whatever kind or nature (whether known or unknown, whether asserted or unasserted, whether absolute or contingent, whether accrued or unaccrued, whether liquidated or unliquidated and whether due or to become due), including any liability for Taxes.
“License Agreement” means any Contract between a Party and any Person pursuant to which such Party has granted such Person the right to design, manufacture, sell or distribute goods under or using the JR Brands and/or any JR Future Brand.
“Liens” means any liens, pledges, claims, encumbrances, hypothecations, mortgages, charges, options, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights, title retention agreements, easements, encroachments, leases, subleases, covenants, security interests and restrictions and encumbrances of any kind or nature whatsoever.
“Lock Up Agreement” means the Lock Up Agreement attached here to as Exhibit E.
“Material Contracts” is defined in Section 4.16(a).
“Mercury” means Mercury Distribution, S.A..
“Multiemployer Plan” is defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.
“Net Royalty Income” means booked royalties under License Agreements related to the Acquired Assets and entered into by a Buyer on or after the Closing Date, including, but not limited to the Wholesale License Agreement, less advertising royalties, design fees, commissions paid to third parties, payments under royalty sharing or participation agreements, and international withholding or other transfer taxes, in each case to the extent related to such booked revenue, calculated in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that, (i) Net Royalty Income shall not include (A) any revenues resulting from direct-response television sales or (B) any amounts booked by Buyer but paid or payable to a Seller pursuant to any License Agreement, and (ii) in the event of the termination of a License Agreement, the calculation of Net Royalty Income shall not include any revenue accelerated as a result of termination for which termination the Buyers have not received the related payment.
“Note Shares” means those XCel Shares issuable upon conversion of the Promissory Notes.
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“Ordinary Course of Business” means the ordinary course of business consistent with past custom and practice.
“Organizational Documents” means with respect to any entity, the certificate of incorporation, bylaws, certificate of formation, operating agreement or other governing documents of such entity.
“Party” or “Parties” have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Permitted Lien” means (i) any Lien for Taxes not yet due or delinquent or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or that may thereafter be paid without penalty, and (ii) any carrier’s, warehousemen’s, mechanic’s, materialmen’s or repairmen’s Lien incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business and not yet delinquent and that does not result from the violation or breach of, or default under, any Legal Requirement or Contract.
“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, business trust, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, firm, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity or a Government Authority.
“Proceeding” means any action, claim, cause of action, arbitration, audit, hearing, investigation, litigation or suit (whether civil, criminal, administrative, judicial or investigative, whether formal or informal, whether public or private, whether at law or in equity) commenced, brought, conducted or heard by or before, or otherwise involving, and whether before any Government Authority or arbitrator.
“Promissory Notes” is defined in Section 3.3(i)(2).
“Purchase Consideration” is defined in Section 3.2.
“QVC” means QVC, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Related Agreements” means, collectively, the Wholesale License Agreement, the Promissory Notes, the Intellectual Property Assignments, the Voting Agreement, the Lock Up Agreement, the Bills of Sale, the Buyer QVC Agreement and the Sublease.
“Representative” means, with respect to a particular Person, any director, officer, manager, employee, agent, consultant, advisor, accountant, financial advisor, legal counsel or other representative of that Person.
“Restricted Period” is defined in Section 6.3(a).
“Retained Media Rights” is defined in Section 2.4.
“Royalty Target Period” means each one year period commencing on October 1 during the period beginning on October 1, 2015 and ending on October 1, 2018.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Sellers” is defined in the preamble.
“Seller Benefit Plan” is defined in Section 4.11(a).
“Seller Disclosure Schedule” is defined in the first paragraph of Article IV.
“Seller Indemnified Parties” is defined in Section 7.3.
“Seller Information” means any data and information relating to the Acquired Assets or the Business, including all information related to customers, suppliers, conditions or operations of the Business or any other activities, in each case which is confidential in nature and not generally known to the public.
“Seller Intellectual Property Rights” means all Intellectual Property Rights included in the Acquired Assets.
“Seller Material Adverse Effect” means any change, effect, event, occurrence, state of facts or development that is, or would reasonably be expected to be, materially adverse to the Business, results of operations, liabilities, or financial condition of the Sellers taken as a whole or that prevents or materially impedes, or would reasonably be expected to prevent or materially impede, the consummation by the Sellers of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that none of the following shall be deemed in itself, or in any combination, to constitute, or shall be considered in determining whether there has occurred, a Seller Material Adverse Effect: (a) any circumstances, changes, effects or conditions that are solely the result of economic or political factors affecting the national, regional or world economy or the Sellers’ industry, acts of war or terrorism or other force majeure events, in each case except where such condition has a disproportionate effect on the Sellers; (b) changes that are solely the result of factors generally affecting the industries or markets in which the Sellers operate, in each case except where such condition has a disproportionate effect on the Sellers; (c) changes in Legal Requirements or the interpretation thereof; (d) any action required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement; (e) the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (f) changes (or proposed changes) in, or the interpretation of, GAAP; (g) the taking of or omission to take any action, which action or omission is required, permitted or contemplated by this Agreement or consented to by Buyers; or (h) any failure to meet any projections, forecasts or estimates of revenue, earnings, cash flow or cash position.
“Seller QVC Agreement” means the agreement dated March 24, 1999 by and between QVC, Xxxxx Products, Inc., and JSB Marketing Corp.
“Sellers’ Representative” means JR.
“Straddle Period” is defined in Section 6.2(b).
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“Sublease” means that certain sublease entered into between XCel as lessor and JR or her affiliate as lessee for space at XCel’s principal offices, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit F.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person of which securities or other interests having the power to elect a majority of that corporation’s or other Person’s board of directors or similar governing body, or otherwise having the power to direct the business and policies of that other Person (other than securities or other interests having such power only upon the happening of a contingency that has not occurred), are held by such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries.
“Survival Date” is defined in Section 7.1.
“Tax” means (i) any tax (including, without limitation, any income tax, franchise tax, margin tax, branch profits tax, capital gains tax, alternative or add-on minimum tax, estimated tax, value-added tax, sales tax, use tax, property tax, transfer tax, payroll tax, social security tax or withholding tax, escheat or abandoned property liability), and any related fine, penalty, interest or addition to tax with respect thereto, imposed, assessed or collected by or under the authority of any Government Authority or payable pursuant to any tax-sharing agreement relating to the sharing or payment of any such tax and (ii) any transferee, successor or other liability in respect of the taxes of another Person (whether by contract or otherwise).
“Tax Return” means any return (including any information return), report, statement, schedule, notice, form or other document or information filed with or submitted to, or required to be filed with or submitted to, any Government Authority in connection with the determination, assessment, collection or payment of any Tax.
“Third Party” means a Person that is not a party to this Agreement.
“Third Party Claim” is defined in Section 7.6(b).
“Trading Day” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.
“Transfer Taxes” is defined in Section 6.2(a).
“Voting Agreement” means the Voting Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit G.
“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the XCel Shares are then listed or quoted on a nationally recognized securities exchange, “VWAP” shall mean the daily volume weighted average price of the XCel Shares for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on such securities exchange as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. New York City time to 4:02 p.m. New York City time); (b) if both (x) the XCel Shares are not listed or quoted on a nationally recognized securities exchange but are listed or quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, and (y) the volume of XCel Shares traded on the OTC Bulletin Board exceeded 200,000 XCel Shares on such date, “VWAP” shall mean either (i) the volume weighted average price of the XCel Shares for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTC Bulletin Board or (ii) if prices for the XCel Shares are then reported in the “Pink Sheets,” the “Grey Sheets” or other similar designation published by OTC Markets Group Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the XCel Shares so reported; or (c) in all other cases, “VWAP” shall mean the fair market value of the XCel Shares as agreed in good faith by XCel and JR or, if such agreement cannot be reached through good faith negotiations, a value determined by a recognized valuation firm reasonably acceptable to both XCel and JR, with the costs of such valuation firm to be shared equally between XCel and JR.
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“WARN Act” means the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.
“Wholesale License Agreement” means the agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit H to be entered into by and between the Sellers or a successor thereto and JRL.
“XCel” is defined in the preamble.
“XCel Reports” is defined in Section 5.3.
“XCel Shares” means the shares of common stock of XCel.
“Year End Financials” is defined in Section 4.4(a).
1.2 Usage.
(a) Interpretation. In this Agreement, unless a clear contrary intention appears: (i) the singular number includes the plural number and vice versa; (ii) reference to any Person includes such Person’s successors and assigns but, if applicable, only if such successors and assigns are not prohibited by this Agreement, and reference to a Person in a particular capacity excludes such Person in any other capacity or individually; (iii) reference to any gender includes each other gender; (iv) reference to any agreement, document or instrument means such agreement, document or instrument as amended or modified and in effect from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof; (v) reference to any Legal Requirement means such Legal Requirement as amended, modified, codified, replaced or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect from time to time, including rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and reference to any section or other provision of any Legal Requirement means that provision of such Legal Requirement from time to time in effect and constituting the substantive amendment, modification, codification, replacement or reenactment of such section or other provision; (vi) “hereunder,” “hereof,” “hereto,” and words of similar import shall be deemed references to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other provision hereof; (vii) “including” (and with correlative meaning “include”) means including without limiting the generality of any description preceding such term; (viii) “or” is used in the inclusive sense of “and/or”; (ix) with respect to the determination of any period of time, “from” means “from and including” and “to” means “to but excluding”; and (x) references to documents, instruments or agreements shall be deemed to refer as well to all addenda, exhibits, schedules or amendments thereto.
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(b) Legal Representation of the Parties. This Agreement was negotiated by the Parties with the benefit of legal representation, and any rule of construction or interpretation otherwise requiring this Agreement to be construed or interpreted against any Party shall not apply to any construction or interpretation hereof.
ARTICLE
II
Purchase and Sale of Assets
2.1 Purchase and Sale of Assets. On the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, as of the Closing, the Sellers hereby sell, assign, convey, transfer and deliver to JRL, and JRL hereby purchases and takes assignment and delivery from the Sellers, all of Sellers’ right, title and interest in and to the Acquired Assets, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens.
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ARTICLE
III
Purchase Consideration; Payment
3.3 Payment Of Purchase Consideration.
(a) At Closing, the Buyers shall pay a portion of the Purchase Consideration as follows:
(1) Buyers shall pay to the Sellers, Eleven Million, Nine Hundred Seventy Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Fixxx Xxx xxx 00/000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xollars ($11,974,752.91) in cash, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts previously designated by Sellers’ Representative;
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(2) Buyers shall deliver to JR two promissory notes, each in the form attached hereto as Exhibit I, each in the principal amount of Three Million United States Dollars ($3,000,000) (the “Promissory Notes”); and
(3) XCel shall issue and deliver to JR Five Hundred Seventy One Thousand, Four Hundred Twenty-Nine (571,429) XCel Shares (the “Initial Shares”), free and clear of all Liens, options, warrants, calls, proxies, rights, commitments, restrictions or agreements of any kind, other than those created or existing pursuant to applicable securities laws or pursuant to this Agreement or any Related Agreement.
(b) On or before October 1, 2014, Buyers shall, subject to Section 3.3(d), pay a portion of the Purchase Consideration equal to One Million United States Dollars ($1,000,000) (the “Initial Holdback Amount”) in cash, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts previously designated by Sellers’ Representative.
(c) On or before April 1, 2015, Buyers shall, subject to Section 3.3(d), pay a portion of the Purchase Consideration equal to One Million One Hundred Ninety Thousand Two Hundred and Forty Seven and 09/000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xollars ($1,190,247.09) (the “Second Holdback Amount” and, together with the Initial Holdback Amount, the “Holdback Amount”) in cash, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts previously designated by Sellers’ Representative.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 3.3(b) and (c) to the contrary, if JRL’s senior lender does not approve all or any portion of the payment of the Holdback Amount in cash, XCel shall issue and deliver to JR on the date on which the applicable Holdback Amount is required to be paid to JR XCel Shares (the “Holdback Shares”), the number of XCel Shares to be determined based on such Holdback Amount divided by the VWAP for the last twenty (20) Business Days prior to the date on which such Holdback Amount is required to be paid to JR by the Buyers.
(a) Following the Closing and as additional consideration for the sale and purchase of the Acquired Assets as contemplated by the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Sellers shall be entitled to receive from the Buyers (subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 3.4) at XCel’s sole discretion, either cash or additional XCel Shares (the “Earn-Out Shares”) in either case with a value (the “Earn-Out Value”) of up to Five Million United States Dollars ($5,000,000). The Earn-Out Value shall be calculated for each Royalty Target Period as the amount, if any, of (A) Net Royalty Income for such Royalty Target Period in excess of One Million United States Dollars ($1,000,000.00), less (B) the sum of all Earn-Out Value paid for any prior Royalty Target Periods, if any. The maximum Earn-Out Value that may be paid for all Royalty Target Periods is Five Million United States Dollars ($5,000,000).
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(c) Seller’s Representative and her representatives shall have sixty (60) days following receipt of each Earnout Statement (the sixtieth (60th) day following Seller’s Representative’s receipt of an Earnout Statement, the “Earnout Review Deadline”) to review the same. If Seller’s Representative disagrees with any Earnout Statement, Seller’s Representative shall notify XCel in writing of such disagreement on or prior to the applicable Earnout Review Deadline, which notice shall describe the nature of any such disagreement in reasonable detail, identify the specific items involved and, to the extent practicable, the dollar amount of each such disagreement and provide reasonable supporting documentation for each such disagreement (each such notice, an “Earnout Disagreement Notice”). During Seller’s Representative’s review of such Earnout Statement, XCel shall provide Seller’s Representative and her representatives with reasonable access during normal business hours to any books, work papers, schedules or records (including the books, work papers, schedules and records of any accountants, independent auditors or other agents of Buyers or their Affiliates) used in the preparation of the Earnout Statement, to the personnel who prepared or assisted in the preparation of the Earnout Statement and to other employees of or advisors to Buyers or their Affiliates to the extent access is reasonably required for Seller’s Representative and her representatives to assess the accuracy and acceptability of the Earnout Statement. If Seller’s Representative fails to deliver an Earnout Disagreement Notice on or prior to the applicable Earnout Review Deadline, Seller’s Representative shall have waived her right to contest, and shall be deemed to have agreed to, such Earnout Statement and the Net Royalty Income, Earn-Out Value and number of Earn-Out Shares as shown thereon.
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(i) If Seller’s Representative delivers to XCel an Earnout Disagreement Notice with respect to an Earnout Statement on or prior to the applicable Earnout Review Deadline, XCel and Seller’s Representative shall, within thirty (30) days following the date of such notice (each such period, an “Earnout Resolution Period”), negotiate in good faith to resolve their differences and any written resolution by them as to any disputed item or amount shall be final and binding for all purposes under this Agreement. If, at the conclusion of such Earnout Resolution Period, XCel and Seller’s Representative are unable to resolve all disagreements identified by Seller’s Representative, then such disagreements shall be submitted within five (5) Business Days after the expiration of the Earnout Resolution Period for final and binding resolution to an independent accounting firm of nationally or regionally recognized standing that is acceptable to XCel and Seller’s Representative and that has not rendered services to any of XCel or Sellers or any of their respective Affiliates, within twelve (12) months prior to the date hereof or prior to the date of its proposed retention under this Agreement (such accounting firm, the “Accounting Arbitrator”).
(ii) The Accounting Arbitrator shall only consider those items and amounts set forth in the applicable Earnout Statement as to which XCel and Seller’s Representative have disagreed and must resolve the matter in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and shall deliver to XCel and Seller’s Representative, as promptly as practicable and in any event within sixty (60) days after its appointment, a written report setting forth the resolution of any such disagreement determined in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. XCel and Seller’s Representative agree to execute, if requested by the Accounting Arbitrator, a reasonable engagement letter. XCel and Seller’s Representative will cooperate with the Accounting Arbitrator during its engagement.
(iii) The Accounting Arbitrator shall make its determination based solely on presentations and supporting material provided by the parties and not pursuant to any independent review. XCel and Seller’s Representative shall provide copies to one another of all written submissions to the Accounting Arbitrator and shall be permitted to attend (and shall receive reasonable advance written notice of) any meeting with or presentations to the Accounting Arbitrator. XCel and Seller’s Representative shall each use reasonable commercial efforts to make its presentations as promptly as practicable following submission to the Accounting Arbitrator of the disputed items (but in no event later than fifteen (15) days after engagement of the Accounting Arbitrator), and XCel and Seller’s Representative shall each be entitled, as part of its presentation, to respond to the presentation of the other party and any questions and requests of the Accounting Arbitrator. In deciding any matter or item in dispute, the Accounting Arbitrator shall be bound by the provisions of this Section 2.6. No party shall disclose to the Accounting Arbitrator, and the Accounting Arbitrator shall not consider for any purpose, any settlement discussions or settlement offer made by any party, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the parties.
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(iv) The determination of the Accounting Arbitrator shall be final and binding upon XCel and Seller’s Representative, absent manifest error by the Accounting Arbitrator. The determination of the Accounting Arbitrator shall not be deemed an award subject to review under the Federal Arbitration Act or any other similar statute. Judgment may be entered upon the determination of the Accounting Arbitrator in any court having jurisdiction over the party against which such determination is to be enforced. The fees and expenses of the Accounting Arbitrator shall be borne by the Seller’s Representative, on the one hand, and XCel, on the other hand, based upon the percentage that the amount not awarded to the Seller’s Representative or XCel bears to the amount actually contested by the Sellers’ Representative or XCel.
(v) For each Royalty Target Period, the date on which the Net Royalty Income and Earn-Out Value is finally determined in accordance with this Section 3.4(d) is hereinafter referred to as the “Earnout Determination Date.” Within ten (10) Business Days following the Earnout Determination Date with respect to any Royalty Target Period, if the Earn-Out Value as finally determined is greater than the Earn-Out Value set forth in the applicable Earn-Out Statement, XCel shall (A) pay to JR on behalf of Sellers, in cash, an amount equal to such excess Earn-Out Value, or (B) issue to JR on behalf of Sellers, free and clear of all Liens, options, warrants, calls, proxies, rights, commitments, restrictions or agreements of any kind, other than those created or existing pursuant to applicable securities laws or pursuant to this Agreement or any Related Agreement, a number of Earn-Out Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) such Excess Earn-Out Value by (y) the VWAP for the twenty (20) Business Days prior to the Earnout Determination Date.
(e) During each Royalty Target Period, (i) Buyers shall owe a duty of good faith and fair dealing to Sellers with respect to the conduct of the business, operations and affairs related to the Acquired Assets in relation to Sellers’ entitlement to and opportunity to be paid Earnout Consideration; (ii) neither Buyer shall take any action with respect to the business, operations or affairs related to the Acquired Assets with the intent or purpose of reducing Net Royalty Income in any Royalty Target Period; and (iii) Buyers shall maintain complete and accurate books and records sufficient to support, accurately compute and document Net Royalty Income for each Royalty Target Period in accordance with GAAP and this Agreement and in a manner consistent with sound business practices.
(f) In addition, in the event Buyers divest all or substantially all of the Acquired Assets during the Royalty Target Period, Buyers shall ensure that the acquirer agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Section 3.4 and to pay all amounts due to Sellers pursuant to this Section 3.4 in cash.
(a) At Closing, the Buyers shall take the following actions:
(i) Each of the Buyers shall execute and deliver to Sellers each of the Related Agreements to which it is party.
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(ii) XCel shall execute and deliver to Sellers the JR Employment Agreement.
(iii) JRL shall procure and have in place a binding commitment from an insurance provider for (A) key man insurance on the life of JR, for an amount equal to Twelve Million United States Dollars ($12,000,000) and (B) disability insurance for JR, with JR as beneficiary, for an amount equal to Four Million United States Dollars ($4,000,000).
(iv) The Buyers shall deliver to Sellers certified copies of the resolutions of each Buyer authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Related Agreements (as applicable) and the consummation of the transactions provided for herein and therein.
(v) The Buyers shall deliver the Purchase Consideration to JR, JR Creations, JR Companies, JR Designs and JSB, as specified in Section 3.3, provided, however that the certificates representing the Initial Shares shall be delivered on JR’s behalf directly to QVC.
(b) At Closing, the Sellers shall take the following actions:
(i) Each of the Sellers shall execute and deliver to the Buyers each of the Related Agreements to which it is party.
(ii) JR shall execute and deliver to the Buyers the JR Employment Agreement.
(iii) Sellers shall deliver to Buyers evidence of the termination of the Seller QVC Agreement.
(iv) Sellers shall deliver to Buyers payoff letters, in form and substance satisfactory to Buyers, from Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, Inc., which provide that upon receipt of the funds specified therein all Liens held by such Person on the Acquired Assets shall be automatically released.
(v) Sellers shall deliver to Buyer evidence that all Liens on the Acquired Assets held by HSBC Bank USA, National Association, have been released.
(vi) Sellers shall deliver to Buyers a release, in form and substance satisfactory to Buyers, from each of Pranda Jewelry PCL and Thai Jewelry Manufacturer Co., Ltd., releasing Sellers and their Affiliates from all Liabilities in consideration for and contingent upon the assignment by JR of a Promissory Note to such Person.
(vii) Sellers shall deliver to Buyers certified copies of the resolutions of the Sellers, other than JR, authorizing the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement and the Related Agreements (as applicable) by the Sellers and the consummation of the transactions provided for herein and therein.
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(viii) Sellers shall deliver to Buyers a receipt for the Purchase Consideration.
(ix) Each Seller shall deliver to Buyers a non-foreign affidavit dated as of the Closing Date, sworn under penalty of perjury and in the form required under treasury regulations issued pursuant to Code §1445 stating that no Seller is a foreign person as defined in Code §1445.
(x) Sellers shall deliver to Buyers all files, documents, or instruments in the possession of Sellers or their Affiliates necessary to the preservation and maintenance of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights.
3.7 Accounts Receivable and Other Payments.
(a) The Sellers shall promptly forward to the Buyers any and all proceeds relating to the Acquired Assets, including any payments required to be paid to JRL pursuant to the Buyer QVC Agreement, that are received by the Sellers following the Closing Date to the extent such proceeds relate to a period beginning after the Closing Date and do not relate to Sellers’ activities under the Wholesale License.
(b) The Buyers shall promptly forward to the Sellers any and all proceeds relating to the Excluded Assets, including any payments required to be paid to the Sellers pursuant to the Seller QVC Agreement, that are received by the Buyers following the Closing Date to the extent such proceeds relate to a period ending on or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) To the extent that either the Sellers or the Buyers receives payment in respect of Accounts Receivable from any Person, such Accounts Receivable shall be allocated based upon the oldest Accounts Receivable first regardless of whether a particular Account Receivable is identified for payment. Schedule 3.7 sets forth a complete and accurate statement of the Seller Accounts Receivable due and owing the Sellers as of the Closing Date.
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(d) Each Party shall provide the other Parties with reasonable access to its books and records in accordance with Section 6.5 for the purpose of verifying any funds required to be paid pursuant to this Section 3.7.
ARTICLE
IV
Representations and Warranties of the Sellers
The Sellers hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant to each of the Buyers that the statements contained in this Article IV are true and correct as of the date of this Agreement, except as set forth in the disclosure schedule attached hereto (the “Seller Disclosure Schedule”), which Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth the Sellers’ disclosures identified by the Sellers.
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(a) violate or conflict with the provisions of the Organizational Documents of any Seller;
(b) violate any Legal Requirement or Decree to which any Seller is subject or by which any of its material properties or assets are bound;
(c) require any permit, consent or approval of, or the giving of any notice to, or filing with any Government Authority; or
(d) result in a violation or breach of, conflict with, constitute (with or without due notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation, payment or acceleration) under, or result in the creation of any Lien (other than a Permitted Lien) upon any of the Acquired Assets under any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any Contract or any other instrument or obligation to which any Seller is a party, or by which it or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound; excluding from the foregoing clauses (b), (c) and (d) permits, consents, approvals, notices and filings the absence of which, and violations, breaches, defaults and Liens the existence of which, have not had, and would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have, a Seller Material Adverse Effect.
(a) The Sellers have delivered to the Buyers (i) certain audited financial statements with respect to the Business as of December 31, 2011 and 2012 (the “Year End Financials”), (ii) an unaudited balance sheet of the Business as of November 30, 2013 and the related unaudited statements of operations and cash flows for the eleven (11) months ended November 30, 2013 (the “Interim Reports”), and (iii) unaudited projected balance sheets of the Business as of December 31, 2013, January 31, 2014 and February 28, 2014 (the “Balance Sheets”) (the Balance Sheet, the Interim Reports and the Year End Financials, the “Financial Statements”). The Financial Statements are broken out by division and present fairly in all material respects the financial condition of the Business as of such date and the results of operations of the Business for such period, except that the Financial Statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP and, in the case of the Balance Sheets and the Interim Reports, are subject to normal year-end adjustments.
(b) Except as disclosed on Schedule 4.4(b), there are no material liabilities or obligations of Sellers in connection with the Business (whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise and whether due or to become due), except for those liabilities and obligations (i) reserved for, accrued or disclosed on the Balance Sheets or which are of a nature not otherwise required by GAAP to be reserved against or reflected therein, (ii) those liabilities and obligations accrued after the date thereof in the Ordinary Course of Business, none of which arise out of a breach of any Contract, tort, infringement, claim, lawsuit or breach of warranty, (iii) which result from the obligations of the Sellers under or related to this Agreement or (iv) which are ongoing obligations of any Seller under any Contract.
(c) JSB Marketing Corp. has no Liabilities or creditors.
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(a) All material Tax Returns required to be filed by or on behalf of each Seller with respect to the Acquired Assets have been timely filed and all Taxes shown as due thereon have been timely paid. No Seller is a beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax Return with respect to income Taxes. Each Seller has withheld and paid all Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder, or other Third Party, and all Forms W-2 and 1099 required with respect thereto have been properly completed and timely filed, except where the failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Seller Material Adverse Effect. The Sellers have paid all sales Tax amounts owed or owing. There are no Liens (other than Permitted Liens) on any of the assets of any Seller that arose in connection with the failure (or alleged failure) to pay any Tax.
(b) There is no material dispute or claim concerning any Tax liability of any Seller either (A) claimed or raised by any authority in writing or (B) as to which any of the officers or managers of any Seller has knowledge based upon personal contact with any agent of such authority.
(c) No Seller has waived any statute of limitations in respect of Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency.
(d) No Seller, with respect to the Acquired Assets, has any liability for the Taxes of any other Person as a transferee or successor, by contract, or otherwise (but excluding contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business and the primary subject of which is not Taxes).
(e) The aggregate unpaid Taxes of each Seller with respect to the Acquired Assets (i) did not, as of December 31, 2013, exceed the reserve for Tax liability (rather than any reserve for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth on the face of the Balance Sheets and (ii) will not exceed that reserve as adjusted for operations and transactions through the Closing Date in accordance with the past custom and practice of the Sellers in filing their Tax Returns.
4.10 Labor Relations; Compliance.
(a) Each Seller has complied in all material respects with all applicable laws relating to the employment of labor. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.10, there are no Proceedings pending or, to the Sellers’ Knowledge, threatened against any Seller with respect to or by any employee or former employee of the Business and, to the Sellers’ Knowledge, there are no Proceedings pending or threatened against any employees or former employee of the Business with respect to such employee’s actions in connection with the Business. No Seller has engaged in any unfair labor practices.
(b) No Seller is a party to any collective bargaining agreement or relationship with any labor organization, and, to the Sellers’ Knowledge, there are no organizational efforts presently made or threatened by or on behalf of any labor union with respect to the employees of the Business. Within the last three (3) years, no Seller has experienced any union organization attempts, strikes, work stoppages, slowdowns, grievances, claims of unfair labor practices or other collective bargaining disputes, and none are underway or, to the Sellers’ Knowledge, threatened.
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(c) With respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, any notice required under any law or collective bargaining agreement has been or prior to Closing will be given, and all bargaining obligations with any employee representative have been or prior to Closing will be satisfied. No Seller has implemented any layoff of employees that could implicate the WARN Act, or any similar state or local law, regulation or ordinance, and no such action will be implemented without advance notification to the Buyers.
(d) To the Sellers’ Knowledge no executive or manager of any Seller (i) has any present intention to terminate his or her employment, or (ii) is a party to any confidentiality, non-competition, proprietary rights or other such agreement between such employee and any Person besides a Seller that would be material to the performance of such employee’s employment duties, or the ability of the Seller to conduct the Business following the Closing.
(a) Schedule 4.11(a) lists each Employee Benefit Plan, and each other employment, severance, incentive, retention, consulting, change-in-control, fringe benefit, deferred compensation, or other compensatory plan, policy, agreement or arrangement which is maintained, contributed to or to which there is an obligation to contribute for the benefit of any current or former employee, director or other personnel of any Seller and/or any ERISA Affiliate of any Seller or with respect to which any Seller or any ERISA Affiliate of a Seller has or may have a direct or indirect liability (each a “Seller Benefit Plan”).
(b) Each Seller Benefit Plan has been maintained and administered in all material respects in accordance with its terms and the provisions of applicable Legal Requirements, including ERISA and the Code.
(c) Neither any Seller nor any ERISA Affiliate thereof contributes to, ever has contributed to, or ever has been required to contribute to any Multiemployer Plan or employee pension plan subject to Title IV of ERISA or Code Section 412 or has any liability, or indirect liability, including any liability on account of a “partial withdrawal” or complete withdrawal (as defined in ERISA Sections 4205 and 4203 respectively), under any Multiemployer Plan or under Title IV of ERISA.
(d) Except as set forth in Schedule 4.11(d), the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not (1) entitle any current or former employee, director or officer of any Seller to severance pay or any other payment or benefit, or (2) accelerate the time of payment or vesting, or increase the amount of compensation due any such employee, director or officer.
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(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.12(a), there is no material Proceeding pending or, to the Sellers’ Knowledge, threatened, against any Seller relating to any of the Acquired Assets or Business.
(b) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.12(b), (i) there is no Decree to which any Seller or any of the Acquired Assets is subject, and (ii) each Seller is in compliance with each Decree to which it or its properties or assets are subject.
4.13 Compliance With Laws; Permits.
(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.13, each Seller is in full compliance with each Legal Requirement that is applicable to it or to the conduct or operation of the Business or the ownership of the Acquired Assets. No Seller has received any written notice or to the Knowledge of the Sellers, oral notice, from any Government Authority or any other Person regarding any actual, alleged, possible or potential violation of, or failure to comply with, any material Legal Requirement applicable to the Business.
(b) The Sellers possesses all Government Authorizations necessary for the ownership of their properties and the conduct of the Business as currently conducted, except for such exceptions as, individually or in the aggregate, have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Seller Material Adverse Effect. Further, (i) to the Sellers’ Knowledge, all such Government Authorizations are in full force and effect and (ii) no Seller has received any written notice of any event, inquiry, investigation or proceeding threatening the validity of such Government Authorizations.
(a) sold, leased, transferred, or assigned any asset that would otherwise be included in the Acquired Assets;
(b) entered into any Material Contract outside the Ordinary Course of Business which would have a material adverse effect on the Acquired Assets.
(c) accelerated, terminated, made material modifications to, or cancelled any Material Contract related to the Acquired Assets in any material respect;
(d) transferred, assigned, or granted any license or sublicense of any rights under or with respect to any Intellectual Property Right that would otherwise be included in the Acquired Assets, other than in the Ordinary Course of Business;
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(e) engaged in any sales or promotional discount or other similar activities with customers (including, without limitation, materially altering credit terms) other than any such activities undertaken in accordance with the terms of its current License Agreements;
(f) permitted to exist any Lien on any of the Acquired Assets, other than a Permitted Lien;
(g) incurred any indebtedness for borrowed money or incurred or become subject to any material liability, except current liabilities incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business and liabilities under Contracts (other than liabilities for breach) entered into in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(h) suffered any extraordinary losses or waived any rights of material value related to the Acquired Assets, whether or not in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(i) become liable for any Damages in connection with, or become obligated to rescind or otherwise materially modify, any License Agreement; or
(j) committed to do any of the foregoing actions.
(i) any agreement (or group of related agreements) for the lease of personal property to or from a Person providing for lease payment in excess of $15,000 per annum, which is not terminable by the Sellers on less than ninety (90) days notice;
(ii) any agreement (or group of related agreements) for the purchase or sale of raw materials, commodities, supplies, products, or other personal property, or for the furnishing or receipt of services, the performance of which will extend over a period of more than one year, or involve consideration in excess of $15,000;
(iii) any License Agreement currently in effect;
(iv) any agreement imposing continuing confidentiality obligations on any Seller;
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(v) all executory contracts for capital expenditures with remaining obligations in excess of $15,000 in any year, which is not terminable by the Sellers on less than 90 days notice;
(vi) all contracts containing covenants that in any way purport to limit the freedom of Sellers to engage in any line of business or to compete with any Person or in any geographical area;
(vii) all severance, change of control or similar agreements or contracts with any employees;
(viii) any agreements relating to the Seller Intellectual Property Rights;
(ix) any purchasing or pricing agreements;
(x) any design agreements; and
(xi) any other agreement the performance of which involves consideration in excess of $15,000.
(b) All Material Contracts are in full force and effect against the applicable Seller and true, correct and complete copies of all Material Contracts, including any amendments, waivers, supplements or other modifications thereto, have been made available to the Buyers. Except as disclosed in Schedule 4.16(b), to the Sellers’ Knowledge, no Seller is in violation or breach of or in default under any Material Contract. No Proceeding or event or condition has occurred or exists or, to the Sellers’ Knowledge, is alleged by any Person to have occurred or exist which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default by any of the parties thereto of their respective obligations under a Material Contract (or would give rise to any right of termination or cancellation). To the Sellers’ Knowledge, no party to a Material Contract is in breach of a Material Contract, or has expressed in writing, orally, or through any other means of communication, plans to breach, terminate, re-negotiate, or fail to renew a Material Contract. The Closing of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement will not trigger any payments under a Material Contract outside of the Ordinary Course of Business, and will not cause the Sellers to be in breach of any Material Contract.
(c) Schedule 4.16(c) lists each License Agreement submitted by Sellers or their Affiliates to a Person for execution since January 1, 2014 but not yet executed and delivered to the Sellers by such Person
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(a) Schedule 4.19(a) attached hereto sets forth a complete and correct list of (i) all registered trademarks or service marks owned by any Seller; (ii) all pending applications for registration of any trademarks or service marks owned by any Seller; (iii) all trade names, common law trademarks and unregistered marks owned and used by any Seller; (iv) all internet domain names and URLs registered or applied for by any Seller; (v) all factories where manufacturing molds and models are located and whether such models and molds are owned by such factories or any Seller, and (vi) all registered copyrights owned by any Seller.
(b) Schedule 4.19(b) attached hereto sets forth a complete and correct list of: (i) all computer software licenses or similar agreements or arrangements to which any Seller or any of their Affiliates is party relating to information technology used in the Seller’s operation of its Business, other than license agreements for commercially available or over-the-counter “shrink wrap” software packages (“IT Software”); (ii) all other licenses or similar agreements or arrangements , in effect as of the date hereof, in which a Seller or its Affiliates are a licensee of Intellectual Property Rights that are related to or used in connection with, and in both cases material to, the Business, other than license agreements for commercially available or over-the-counter “shrink wrap” software packages; (iii) all licenses or similar agreements or arrangements in which a Seller or its Affiliates are a licensor of Intellectual Property Rights that are related to or used in connection with the Business; and (iv) all other agreements or similar arrangements to which any Seller or any of their Affiliates is party, in effect as of the date hereof, relating to the use of any of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights, including settlement agreements, consent-to-use or standstill agreements and stand-alone indemnification agreements.
(c) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.19(c), (i) the Sellers own and possess all right, title and interest in and to the Intellectual Property Rights set forth in Schedule 4.19(a), and have a valid license under the agreements set forth in Schedule 4.19(b), or otherwise own and possess all right, title and interest in and to all other Intellectual Property Rights necessary for the operation of the Business as currently conducted, free and clear of all Liens, other than Permitted Liens, and (ii) no Seller has licensed any of the Intellectual Property Rights included in the Acquired Assets to any Third Party on an exclusive basis. Each of JSB and JR Companies does not, and has never had, any ownership interest in any of the Intellectual Property Rights included in the Acquired Assets. No Person other than JR has any ownership interest in the trademark “Xxxxxx Xxxxx” in any jurisdiction.
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(d) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.19(d), (i) to the Sellers’ Knowledge, no Seller has infringed, diluted, misappropriated or otherwise conflicted with, and the operation of the Business as currently conducted does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise conflict with, any Intellectual Property Rights of any Person; (ii) no Seller has Knowledge of any facts which indicate a likelihood of any of the foregoing; (iii) no Seller has received any written notices regarding any of the foregoing (including any demands that a Seller is required to license any Intellectual Property Rights from any Person or any requests for indemnification from customers) and (iv) no Seller has requested nor received any written opinions of counsel related to the foregoing.
(e) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.19(e), (i) to the Sellers’ Knowledge, no loss or expiration of any of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights is threatened, pending or reasonably foreseeable, except for those rights expiring at the end of their current registration terms without renewal by a Seller (and not as a result of any act or omission by a Seller, including a failure by a Seller to pay any required maintenance or renewal fees); (ii) to the Sellers’ Knowledge, all of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights are valid and enforceable; (iii) no written claim by any Third Party contesting the validity, enforceability, use or ownership of any of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights has been made against any Seller, is currently outstanding against any Seller or to the Knowledge of any Seller is threatened against any Seller; (iv) to the Knowledge of Sellers, no Seller has disclosed or allowed to be disclosed any of its trade secrets or confidential information to any Third Party other than pursuant to a written confidentiality agreement; and (v) each Seller has entered into written confidentiality agreements with all of their employees and independent contractors acknowledging the confidentiality of any trade secrets or other confidential information included in the Seller Intellectual Property Rights.
(f) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.19(f), to the Sellers’ Knowledge, no Person has infringed, diluted or misappropriated any of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights and no Seller knows of any facts that indicate a likelihood of any of the same.
(g) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.19(g), to the Sellers’ Knowledge all Seller Intellectual Property Rights were: (i) developed by employees of the Sellers working within the scope of their employment; (ii) developed by officers, directors, agents, consultants, contractors, subcontractors or others who have executed appropriate instruments of assignment in favor of the Sellers as assignee that have conveyed to the Sellers ownership of all of such Person’s rights in the Intellectual Property Rights relating to such developments; or (iii) acquired in connection with acquisitions in which the Sellers obtained, in their reasonable good faith judgment representations, warranties and indemnities from the transferring party relating to the title to such Intellectual Property Rights.
(h) Except as set forth in Schedule 4.19(h), none of the Sellers is party to any proceeding or outstanding decree, order, judgment, agreement or stipulation which restricts in any manner the use, transfer or licensing of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights, or which may affect the validity, use or enforceability of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights.
(i) The Sellers have collected, used, imported, exported and protected all personally identifiable information, and other information relating to individuals protected by law, in accordance with the privacy policies of the Sellers and in accordance with applicable law, including by entering into agreements, where applicable, governing the flow of such information across national borders.
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(j) To the Knowledge of Sellers, each item of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights is valid, enforceable and subsisting in the United States and the jurisdictions set forth on Schedule 4.19(j). At the Closing, the Sellers will deliver to the Buyers all files, documents, or instruments necessary to the preservation and maintenance of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights.
(k) No Seller owns, nor has pending, any patent applications or patents.
(l) The Sellers are in material compliance with all terms and conditions of the Seller QVC Agreement and, to the Sellers’ Knowledge, there is no breach of the Seller QVC Agreement.
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ARTICLE
V
Representations and Warranties of the Buyers
The Buyers hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Sellers that the statements contained in this Article V are true and correct as of the date of this Agreement, except in each case as set forth in the disclosure schedule attached hereto (the “Buyer Disclosure Schedule”).
5.1 Existence and Good Standing; Authorization.
(a) Each Buyer is an entity duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its formation. Each Buyer has all requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate its assets and properties and to carry on the Business as currently conducted. Each Buyer is duly qualified and, to the extent applicable, is in good standing, in each jurisdiction in which the character or location of the property owned, leased or operated by each Buyer or the nature of the business conducted by each Buyer makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Buyer Material Adverse Effect. Each Buyer has all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and each other Related Agreement to which such Buyer is a party, to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the sale and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution, delivery and performance by each Buyer of this Agreement and each other Related Agreement to which it is a party, and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, have been duly authorized and approved, and no other action on the part of any Buyer is necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by any Buyer of this Agreement or any other Related Agreement to which a Buyer is a party or the consummation thereby of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each Buyer and constitutes, and, with respect to each other Related Agreement, upon its execution and delivery by each Buyer party thereto, will constitute, assuming the due execution of this Agreement and such other Related Agreement by the Sellers and/or the other parties thereto, a valid and binding obligation of that Buyer enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, receivership and similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and general equitable principles. XCel owns all of the equity interests of JRL.
(d) All of the XCel Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement, including the shares to be issued at the Closing, Holdback Shares, if any, the Earn-Out Shares and the Note Shares, have been, or will have been at the time of issuance, duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and, will be, when issued in accordance with this Agreement and/or the Promissory Notes, as applicable, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will be issued in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws.
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(a) violate or conflict with any provisions of the Organizational Documents of any Buyer;
(b) violate any Legal Requirement or Decree to which any Buyer is subject or by which any of their respective material properties or assets are bound;
(c) require any permit, consent or approval of, or the giving of any notice to, or filing with any Government Authority on or prior to the Closing Date; and
(d) result in a material violation or breach of, conflict with, constitute (with or without due notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation, payment or acceleration) under, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the material properties or assets of any Buyer under any of the material terms, conditions or provisions of any Material Contract or any other instrument or obligation to which any Buyer is a party, or by which it or any of their respective material properties or assets may be bound; excluding from the foregoing clauses (b), (c) and (d) permits, consents, approvals, notices and filings the absence of which, and violations, breaches, defaults and Liens the existence of which, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to prevent such Buyer from performing its obligations under this Agreement or constitute a Buyer Material Adverse Effect.
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(a) Each of the Buyers is in full compliance with each Legal Requirement that is applicable to it or to the conduct or operation of its business or the ownership of its assets, except for such non-compliance, individually or in the aggregate, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Buyer Material Adverse Effect. None of the Buyers has received any written notice or other communication (whether oral or written) from any Government Authority or any other Person regarding any actual, alleged, possible or potential violation of, or failure to comply with, any material Legal Requirement.
(b) Each Buyer possesses all Government Authorizations necessary for the ownership of its properties and the conduct of its business as currently conducted, except for such exceptions as, individually or in the aggregate, have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Buyer Material Adverse Effect. Further, (i) to the Buyers’ Knowledge, all such Government Authorizations are in full force and effect and (ii) no Buyer has received any written notice of any event, inquiry, investigation or proceeding threatening the validity of such Government Authorizations.
(a) There is no Proceeding pending or, to the Buyers’ Knowledge, threatened, against any of the Buyers.
(b) There is no Decree to which any of the Buyers is subject, and each of the Buyers is in compliance with each Decree to which it or its properties or assets are subject.
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ARTICLE
VI
Post-Closing Covenants
6.2 Taxes Related to Purchase of Assets; Tax Cooperation.
(a) The Buyers, on the one hand, and the Sellers, on the other hand, shall each be responsible for one-half of any and all stamp, transfer, documentary, sales and use, registration and other similar taxes and fees (including any penalties and interest) incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (collectively, the “Transfer Taxes”) regardless of the Person liable for such Transfer Taxes under applicable Legal Requirements. Except to the extent required to be filed by the Sellers, the Buyers shall properly file on a timely basis all necessary Tax Returns and other documentation with respect to all Transfer Taxes, provided that the Buyers shall provide copies of all such Transfer Tax Returns to the Sellers at least twenty (20) days prior to the due date thereof for Sellers’ review and approval. The non-filing Party shall promptly reimburse the filing Party for 50% of the amount of such Transfer Tax within ten (10) Business Days of receipt by the non-filing Party of evidence of the timely filing and payment thereof. The provisions of this Section 6.2 and no other provision, shall govern the economic burden of Transfer Taxes. Each of Buyers and Sellers shall (and shall cause their respective Affiliates to) timely sign and deliver such certificates or forms as may be necessary or appropriate to establish an exemption from (or otherwise reduce), or file Tax Returns or reports with respect to, Transfer Taxes.
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(b) All Taxes and assessments on the Acquired Assets for any taxable period commencing on or prior to the Closing Date and ending after the Closing Date (a “Straddle Period”) shall be prorated between the Buyers and the Sellers as of the close of business on the Closing Date based on the best information then available, with (a) the Sellers liable for such Taxes attributable to any portion of a Straddle Period ending on or prior to the Closing Date and (b) the Buyers being liable for such Taxes attributable to any portion of a Straddle Period beginning after the Closing Date. Information available after the Closing Date that alters the amount of Taxes due with respect to the Straddle Period will be taken into account and any change in the amount of such Taxes shall be prorated between the Buyers the Sellers as set forth in the next sentence. All pro-rations of Straddle Period Taxes on the Acquired Assets shall be allocated so that items relating to the portion of a Straddle Period ending on or prior to the Closing Date shall be allocated to the Sellers based upon the number of days in the Straddle Period on or prior to the Closing Date and items related to the portion of a Straddle Period beginning after the Closing Date shall be allocated to the Buyers based upon the number of days in the Straddle Period after the Closing Date. The amount of all such prorations that must be paid in order to convey the Acquired Assets to the Buyers free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens have been calculated and shall be paid on the Closing Date; all other prorations shall be calculated and paid as soon as practicable thereafter.
(c) The Sellers and the Buyers shall (and shall cause their respective Affiliates to) cooperate fully with each other and make available or cause to be made available to each other for consultation, inspection and copying (at such other Party’s expense) in a timely fashion such personnel, Tax data, relevant Tax Returns or portions thereof and filings, files, books, records, documents, financial, technical and operating data, computer records and other information as may be reasonably requested, including, without limitation, (a) for the preparation by such other Party of any Tax Returns with respect to the Acquired Assets or (b) in connection with any Tax audit or proceeding including one Party (or an Affiliate thereof) to the extent such Tax audit or proceeding relates to or arises from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Any information so delivered shall be subject to the provisions of Section 6.4.
6.3 Noncompetition and Nonsolicitation.
(a) For a period of three (3) years from the date of this Agreement (the “Restricted Period”), each of the Sellers (including JR) will not, directly or indirectly, on its own behalf, as an agent of, on behalf of or in conjunction with, or as a member, partner or shareholder of, any other Person:
(i) engage in any business that Competes with the Business; or
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(ii) induce any employee, licensee, independent contractor, manufacturer, supplier or licensee of the Buyers or their Affiliates with respect to the Acquired Assets or the Business, to terminate his or her employment or relationship, as applicable, with the Buyers or their Affiliates, other than as a result of general solicitations for employment that are not specifically targeted at employees of the Business.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Sellers (including JR) shall be permitted to (i) enter into the Wholesale License Agreement and perform the obligations and conduct the business as contemplated thereby; (ii) dispose of Inventory in accordance with Section 6.11; and (iii) exercise the Retained Media Rights in accordance with Section 2.4. In addition, nothing herein will prohibit Sellers (including JR) from mere passive ownership of not more than ten percent (10%) of the outstanding stock of any class of a publicly held corporation whose stock is traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market. As used herein, the phrase “mere passive ownership” shall include voting or otherwise granting any consents or approvals required to be obtained from such Person as an owner of stock or other ownership interests in any entity pursuant to the charter or other organizational documents of such entity, but shall not include, without limitation, any involvement in the day-to-day operations of such Person.
(c) Xxxxxx Xxxx agrees that he shall not (whether on his own behalf, as an agent of, on behalf of or in conjunction with, any other Person) enter into any agreement or arrangement to sell or distribute any jewelry through QVC or any Affiliate thereof without first offering to XCel the opportunity to participate in such agreement or arrangement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Xxxxxx Xxxx shall not enter into any agreement or arrangement to sell or distribute any jewelry through QVC or any Affiliate thereof if as a result of such agreement or arrangement, QVC or such Affiliate would reasonably be expected to materially reduce the number of hours allotted by QVC to programming for the Business under the Buyer QVC Agreement.
(d) The Buyers are entitled (without limitation of any other remedy) to specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to any breach or threatened breach of the covenants in this Section 6.3. If any court of competent jurisdiction at any time deems the time periods for the foregoing covenants too lengthy or the scope of the covenants too broad, the restrictive time periods will be deemed to be the longest period permissible by law, and the scope will be deemed to comprise the broadest scope permissible by law under the circumstances. It is the intent of the Parties to protect and preserve the Business and the Acquired Assets and therefore the Parties agree and direct that the time period and scope of the foregoing covenants will be the maximum permissible duration (not to exceed three years) and size.
(a) For a period of three (3) years following the Closing Date, each Party will permit the other Parties and their Affiliates and Representatives reasonable access on not less than five (5) Business Days’ prior written notice, during normal business hours, at the sole cost and expense of the requesting Party and in a manner that will not unreasonably interfere with the normal operations of the providing Party, to make copies of the books and records of such Party and its applicable Affiliates relating to the Acquired Assets or the Business and in such providing Party’s or its Affiliates’ possession or control. In addition, the providing Party will make available to the requesting Party or its Affiliate or Representative, on reasonable advance notice, but in any event not less than five (5) Business Days, and to the extent still employed by the providing Party or its Affiliates, personnel who are familiar with any such matter requested, provided such access does not interfere with the normal operations of the providing Party.
(b) The Sellers shall use commercially reasonable efforts to assist the Buyers in the preparation of any financial statements required by the SEC in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, if any, at the Buyers’ cost and expense. Without limitation of Section 6.5(a), Sellers shall provide the Buyers with full access during normal business hours, and in a manner so as not to interfere with the normal business operations of the Sellers and on reasonable advance notice, but in any event not less than five (5) Business Days, to all relevant books, records, work papers, information and employees (to the extent still employed by the Sellers) and auditors of the Sellers and their Affiliates, solely to the extent necessary in connection with the preparation of any such financial statements.
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(c) Any information delivered pursuant to this Section 6.5 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 6.4.
(a) Neither Xxxxxx Xxxx nor any Seller shall, and each Seller shall cause its Affiliates not to, make any false or disparaging statements, in public or private, which is reasonably likely to materially impair the reputation, goodwill or commercial interest of the Buyers.
(b) No Buyer shall, and each Buyer shall cause its Affiliates not to, make any false or disparaging statements, in public or private, which is reasonably likely to materially impair the reputation, goodwill or commercial interest of the Sellers or any of their members or Affiliates, including, without limitation, JR.
(c) Buyers shall, and shall cause their Affiliates and licensees to, use the JR Brands, the JR Future Brands, and any related logos including the JR Logos, and the rest of the Seller Intellectual Property Rights, and otherwise conduct the Business, in a manner that would not reasonably be considered: (i) to be immoral, deceptive, scandalous or obscene; (ii) to disparage or falsely suggest a connection with institutions, beliefs, national symbols or persons (living or dead), other than JR, or to bring them into contempt or disrepute; or (iii) to injure, tarnish, damage or otherwise negatively affect the reputation and goodwill associated with JR.
(d) Each Party shall be entitled (without limitation of any other remedy) to seek specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to any breach or threatened breach of the covenants in this Section 7.11.
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(a) JR shall comply in all material respects with the provisions set forth in the Buyer QVC Agreement, including making at least eighty percent (80%) of any Appearances required to be made by JR under the Buyer QVC Agreement that occur between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. New York time (the “Prime Hours”) during the first two (2) years the Buyer QVC Agreement is in effect. The Buyers shall not make any amendment or modification of the terms of the Buyer QVC Agreement, or enter into any new Contract with QVC, which changes the obligations of JR under the Buyer QVC Agreement without the consent of JR. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event JR’s employment with XCel is terminated for any reason other than “Cause” (as defined in the JR Employment Agreement), JR shall have no further obligations under this Section 6.10 and shall not be responsible for any revenues lost as a result of such failure by JR to comply with the Buyer QVC Agreement.
(b) Xcel shall promptly pay to JR an amount equal to the amount of the Advance Payment (as defined in the Buyer QVC Agreement) refunded to QVC under the Buyer QVC Agreement, if any, except to the extent that such payment is due to, a result of or caused by a failure by JR to comply with her obligations under the Buyer QVC Agreement, this Agreement or any employment agreement JR may have with XCel from time to time. XCel shall pay all premiums on the Life Insurance Policy until the Life Insurance Policy is re-assigned to JR or her designee pursuant to Section 6.16.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, any obligations of XCel pursuant to this Section 6.10 may be paid in XCel Shares or cash at XCel’s option, with the number of XCel Shares to be issued to be determined based on the total amount of XCel obligations divided by the VWAP for the last twenty (20) Business Days prior to the date on which such obligations become payable, and to be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and issued in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws.
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ARTICLE
VII
Indemnification; Remedies
(a) the breach of any representation or warranty of the Sellers contained in this Agreement or in any Related Agreement;
(b) the material breach of, default under or nonfulfillment of, any covenant, obligation or agreement of the Sellers under this Agreement, which is not cured within thirty (30) days from the Sellers’ receipt of notice thereof;
(c) any willful and material breach by JR of her obligations under the JR Employment Agreement during the Initial Term (as defined in the JR Employment Agreement);
(d) any Liabilities related to the sale or distribution of Inventory pursuant to Section 6.11;
(e) the Excluded Assets;
(f) the Excluded Liabilities; and
(g) the willful failure of JR to comply in any material respect with the Buyer QVC Agreement during the twenty-four (24) month period following the Closing, including the willful failure by JR to make at least eighty percent (80%) of the Appearances required to be made by JR under the Buyer QVC Agreement during the Prime Hours, except to the extent any such failure follows the date on which JR’s employment with XCel is terminated for any reason other than “Cause” (as defined in the JR Employment Agreement). Solely for purposes of this Section 7.2(g), “Damages” shall include any revenues lost as a direct result of such failure by JR to comply with the Buyer QVC Agreement.
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(a) the breach of any representation or warranty of the Buyers contained under this Agreement or any Related Agreement;
(b) the material breach of, default under of nonfulfillment of any covenant, obligation or agreement by the Buyers under this Agreement, which is not cured within thirty (30) days of Buyers’ receipt of notice thereof;
(c) the ownership of the Acquired Assets, and the operation of the Business by Buyers following the Closing; and
(d) any breach by XCel of the covenants set forth in Section 6.10(b).
(a) Neither the Sellers nor the Buyers shall have any liability for Damages under, respectively, Section 7.2 or Section 7.3, and no Seller Indemnified Party or Buyer Indemnified Party shall have the right to seek indemnification under, respectively, Section 7.2 or Section 7.3 until the aggregate amount of the Damages incurred by such Indemnified Party exceeds $50,000, and then, subject to the limitations on recovery and recourse set forth in this Article VII, only to the extent all Damages incurred by the Buyer Indemnified Parties or the Seller Indemnified Parties, as applicable exceed, in the aggregate, $110,000. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the limitations in this Section 7.4(a) shall not apply to (i) any breach of a Core Representation, (ii) in the case of fraud or (iii) in connection with any failure by the Buyers to make any payment of the Purchase Consideration or the Earn-Out Shares (including any payment on the Promissory Notes) when due.
(b) The aggregate liability of the Sellers on the one hand, and the Buyers on the other, for all Damages under Sections 7.2(a) and (g) and, to the extent it applies to Section 6.10, Section 7.2(b) (in cases where Sellers are the Indemnifying Party) or Section 7.3(a) (where Buyers are the Indemnifying Party), as applicable, shall not exceed $7,500,000 (the “Cap”); provided, however, that neither the Cap nor the Decreased Cap shall apply to (i) any breach of a Core Representation, (ii) any breach of a covenant by the Parties other than the covenants set forth in Section 6.10, in the case of fraud, or in connection with any failure by the Buyers to make any payment of the Purchase Consideration or the Earn-Out Shares when due.
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(c) The amount of any Damages payable under this Article VII by the Indemnifying Party shall be net of any (i) amounts actually recovered by the Indemnified Party under applicable insurance policies or from any other Person alleged to be responsible therefor, and (ii) Tax Benefits actually realized by the Indemnified Party arising from the incurrence or payment of any such Losses. For purposes hereof, "Tax Benefit" shall mean any refund of Taxes paid or reduction in the amount of Taxes which otherwise would have been paid, in each case, computed at the highest marginal tax rates applicable to any individual resident in New York City, New York. If the Indemnified Party receives any amounts under applicable insurance policies, or from any other Person alleged to be responsible for any Losses, subsequent to an indemnification payment by the Indemnifying Party, then such Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for any payment made or expense incurred by such Indemnifying Party in connection with providing such indemnification payment up to the amount received by the Indemnified Party, net of any direct, out-of-pocket expenses, including attorneys’ fees, reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in collecting such amount. The Indemnified Party shall seek full recovery and use commercially reasonable efforts to collect any amounts available under such insurance coverage or from such other Person alleged to have responsibility therefor prior to making any claim for indemnification under this Article VII, to the same extent such Indemnified Party would if such Damages were not subject to indemnification hereunder.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable under this Article VII for any Damages relating to any matter to the extent that the Indemnified Party shall have otherwise been compensated for such matter pursuant to, or the Damages were taken into account under, any other provision of this Agreement, so as to avoid duplication or “double counting” of the same Damages.
(e) The Indemnified Parties shall take, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to take, all commercially reasonable steps to mitigate and otherwise minimize their Losses to the maximum extent reasonably possible upon and after becoming aware of any event which would reasonably be expected to give rise to any Losses.
(f) If the Indemnified Party receives any payment from an Indemnifying Party in respect of any Losses and the Indemnified Party could have recovered all or a part of such Losses from a third party based on the underlying claim asserted against the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnified Party shall assign such of its rights to proceed against such third party as are necessary to permit the Indemnifying Party to recover from such third party the amount of such indemnification payment.
(g) Except for (i) liability resulting from fraud and (ii) to the extent set forth in Section 7.2(g), no Party shall be liable under this Agreement for any consequential, special, indirect, incidental, or punitive damages (including any damages for lost profits, lost opportunity, or loss of business expectations) of any kind or nature, regardless of the form of action through which such damages are sought.
(h) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, any Damages with respect to indemnification pursuant to Section 7.3(d) may be paid in XCel Shares or cash at XCel’s option, with the number of XCel Shares to be issued to be determined based on the total Damages payable divided by the VWAP for the last twenty (20) Business Days prior to the date on which such Damages become payable, and to be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and issued in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws.
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7.5 Other Indemnification Provisions.
(a) To the extent that any representations and warranties of the Sellers or the Buyers, as applicable, have been breached, thereby entitling the non-breaching Party to indemnification pursuant to Section 7.2 or Section 7.3 hereof, it is expressly agreed and acknowledged by the Parties that, solely for purposes of calculation of Damages in connection with any right to indemnification, the representations and warranties of the Sellers or Buyers, as applicable, that have been breached shall be deemed not qualified by any references therein to materiality generally, Knowledge or to whether or not any breach or inaccuracy results in a Seller Material Adverse Effect or Buyer Material Adverse Effect.
(b) An Indemnified Party’s right to indemnification pursuant to this Article VII shall, except for equitable relief and specific performance of covenants that survive Closing, be the sole and exclusive remedy available to such Indemnified Party with respect to any matter arising under or in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, other than for claims of fraud.
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(c) After notice from the Indemnifying Party to the Indemnified Party of its election to assume the defense of the Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall not, as long as the Indemnifying Party diligently conducts such defense, be liable to the Indemnified Party for any legal or other expense subsequently incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof, other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that if counsel defending such Third Party Claim shall advise the Parties of a potential conflict of interest arising from the existence of one or more legal defenses available to the Indemnified Party which are different from or additional to those available to the Indemnifying Party or its Affiliates, then the Indemnified Party may retain separate counsel to defend it and in that event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the Indemnifying Party if applicable under this Article VII. Subject to the proviso to the foregoing sentence, if the Indemnifying Party assumes such defense, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to participate in the defense thereof and to employ counsel, at its own expense, separate from the counsel employed by the Indemnifying Party. The Indemnifying Parties shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel employed by the Indemnified Party for any period during which the Indemnifying Party has not assumed the defense thereof if the Indemnifying Party is ultimately are found to be liable to indemnify the Indemnified Party. If the Indemnifying Party chooses to defend or prosecute any Third Party Claim, all of the Parties hereto shall, and shall cause their Affiliates and Representatives to, cooperate in the defense or prosecution thereof.
(d) If an Indemnifying Party assumes the defense of a Third Party Claim, then, without the Indemnified Party’s written consent, the Indemnifying Party shall not settle, compromise or discharge such Third Party Claim or consent to the entry of any judgment which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the delivery by the claimant or other plaintiff to the Indemnified Party of a written release from all liability in respect of such Third Party Claim, or which settlement or judgment includes injunctive or other relief, other than the obligation to pay monetary damages where such damages have been satisfied in full by the Indemnifying Party or its respective Affiliates. Whether or not the Indemnifying Party shall have assumed the defense of a Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party shall not admit any liability with respect to, or settle, compromise or discharge, such Third Party Claim without the Indemnifying Party’s prior written consent.
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(a) first by decreasing the then remaining balance of the Promissory Notes pursuant to the terms of the Promissory Notes;
(b) then by deducting the amount of the Damages from any Earn-Out Value earned but not yet received by the Sellers; and
(c) if the Promissory Note and Earn-Out Value earned but not yet received by Sellers are insufficient to satisfy such indemnification claim, such Buyer Indemnified Party, the Sellers shall fund the remaining indemnification amount owed to such Buyer Indemnified Party.
ARTICLE
VIII
Miscellaneous
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If to the Sellers:
Xxxxxx Xxxxx Companies
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxx, CEO
Email: Xxxxxx.Xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx LLP
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 212-223-4134
Email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
If to the Buyers:
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx
Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X’Xxxxx, CEO
Facsimile:
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Blank Rome, LLP
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
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8.10 Governing Law. The interpretation and construction of this Agreement, and all matters relating hereto, shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York, including Sections 5-1401 and 5-1402 of the New York General Obligations Law.
(b) In the event that a Claim cannot be resolved through the process described in Section 8.11(a), each of the Parties hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the federal courts located in the State of New York and courts of competent appellate jurisdiction therefrom (or if jurisdiction is not available therein, in the courts of the State of New York located in New York City, New York) solely in respect of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and hereby waives and agrees not to assert as a defense in any action, suit or proceeding, that it is not subject thereto or that such action, suit or proceeding may not be brought or is not maintainable in said courts or that the venue thereof may not be appropriate or that this Agreement may not be enforced in or by such courts. Each of the Parties irrevocably agrees that all claims with respect to such action or proceeding shall be heard and determined in such a Federal or New York state court. Each of the Parties hereby consents to and grants any such court jurisdiction over the person of such Parties and over the subject matter of such dispute and agrees that mailing of process or other papers in connection with any such action or proceeding in the manner provided in Section 8.2 or in such other manner as may be permitted by Legal Requirement shall be valid and sufficient service thereof.
(c) In the event of any litigation between the parties hereto, the one of them who is the prevailing party shall be entitled to receive from the other reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses reasonably incurred by the prevailing party in connection with such litigation regardless of whether such litigation is prosecuted to judgment. As used herein, “prevailing party” shall mean in the case of a claimant, one who is successful in obtaining a material amount of the relief sought by a judgment as to which all appeals have been exhausted, and in the case of a defendant or respondent, one who is successful in obtaining denial by a judgment as to which all appeals have been exhausted of a majority amount of the relief sought by the claimant.
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(d) EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREIN OR THE ACTIONS OF THE PARTIES IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE AND ENFORCEMENT OF THIS AGREEMENT.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK; SIGNATURE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have each executed and delivered this Asset Purchase Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
XCEL BRANDS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx X’Xxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxx X’Xxxxx | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
JR LICENSING, LLC | ||
By: XCel Brands, Inc., its Managing Member | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxx | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
XXXXXX XXXXX CREATIONS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxx | |
Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer | |
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx | ||
Xxxxxx Xxxxx | ||
Solely for purposes of Sections 6.3 and 6.9: | ||
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxx | ||
Xxxxxx Xxxx |
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JSB MARKETING CORP. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxx | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
XXXXXX XXXXX COMPANIES INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxx | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
XXXXXX XXXXX DESIGNS, LTD. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxx | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
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