Exhibit 2.1
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (the "Merger Agreement"), dated as of
June 12, 2002, is by and among Vector Investment Holdings, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Parent"), Vector Merger Corp., a New Jersey corporation and
wholly owned subsidiary of the Parent ("Merger Sub"), and Vestcom International,
Inc., a New Jersey corporation (the "Company").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, (i) Parent, Merger Sub, Cornerstone Equity Investors IV, L.P.
("Cornerstone") and certain members of management (collectively, the "Management
Participants") have executed and delivered a contribution agreement (the
"Contribution Agreement") and (ii) immediately prior to the Closing, in
accordance with the Contribution Agreement and subject to the terms thereof,
Parent, Merger Sub, Cornerstone and the Management Participants shall consummate
the transactions contemplated thereby (the "Pre-Merger Contribution");
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, immediately prior to
the Closing, the Management Participants will contribute an aggregate of 883,050
shares (the "Contributed Shares") of the common stock, no par value, of the
Company (the "Shares") to Parent;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, immediately prior to
the Closing, Cornerstone will contribute up to $35,900,000 in equity to Parent
(the "Equity Contribution");
WHEREAS, the Surviving Corporation and/or Parent, as the case may be,
will, contemporaneous with the consummation of the Merger, obtain the debt
financing (the "Debt Financing") described in the Commitment Letters;
WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of the Parent and Merger
Sub have approved and declared advisable a merger (the "Merger") of Merger Sub
with and into the Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
in this Merger Agreement, with the Company surviving the Merger (the "Surviving
Corporation"), and the Board of Directors of the Company has approved the Merger
upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Merger Agreement
and resolved to recommend that the holders of Shares approve the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated by this Merger Agreement (the Merger and such
other transactions, the "Transactions") upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Merger Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of Merger Sub and the Company have
determined that the Merger is fair to and in the best interests of their
respective shareholders (excluding the Management Participants in the case of
the Company's shareholders); and
WHEREAS, the Merger is subject to the approval of the holders of the
Shares and satisfaction of certain other conditions described in this Merger
Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual covenants herein contained, the Parent, Merger Sub and the Company hereby
agree as follows:
1. THE MERGER
1.1 Contribution Agreement. Parent, Merger Sub, Cornerstone and
the Management Participants have executed and delivered the Contribution
Agreement, a copy of which has been delivered to the Company. Pursuant to the
Contribution Agreement, subject to the conditions set forth in this Merger
Agreement, (i) Cornerstone and Parent have agreed to consummate the CEI
Contribution (as such term is defined in the Contribution Agreement) as of
immediately prior to the Closing, (ii) the Management Participants and Parent
have agreed to consummate the Shareholder Contribution (as such term is defined
in the Contribution Agreement) as of immediately prior to the Closing and (iii)
Parent and Merger Sub have agreed to consummate the Parent Contribution (as such
term is defined in the Contribution Agreement) immediately after the
consummation of the CEI Contribution and the Shareholder Contribution.
1.2 Debt Financing. Contemporaneously with the consummation of the
Merger, the Surviving Corporation and/or Parent, as the case may be, will use
reasonable best efforts to obtain the Debt Financing pursuant to the terms of
the Commitment Letters. If any portion of the Debt Financing becomes unavailable
for any reason, Parent will use reasonable best efforts to obtain alternative
financing with aggregate proceeds that are equal to the portion of the Debt
Financing that has become unavailable on substantially comparable or more
favorable terms (from the perspective of Parent) from other sources. During the
period between the date hereof and the Closing, Parent will promptly advise the
Company to the extent that it becomes aware that any of the conditions set forth
in the Commitment Letters cannot be satisfied.
1.3 The Merger. At the Effective Time (as defined in Section 1.5),
in accordance with this Merger Agreement and the New Jersey Business Corporation
Act (the "New Jersey Law"), Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the
Company, the separate existence of Merger Sub (except as may be continued by
operation of law) shall cease, and the Company shall continue as the surviving
corporation. The separate corporate existence of the Company, with all its
rights, privileges, immunities, powers, purposes and franchises, shall continue
unaffected by the Merger except as otherwise provided herein.
1.4 Effect of the Merger. At the Effective Time, the Merger shall
have the effects set forth in Section 14A:10-6 of the New Jersey Law. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Effective
Time, all the property, rights, immunities, privileges, powers and franchises of
the Company and Merger Sub shall vest in the Surviving Corporation, without
further act or deed, and all debts, liabilities, obligations, restrictions and
duties of each of the Company and Merger Sub shall become the debts,
liabilities, obligations, restrictions and duties of the Surviving Corporation.
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1.5 Consummation of the Merger. As soon as is practicable after
the satisfaction or waiver (if permissible) of the conditions set forth in
Article 6, the parties hereto will cause the Merger to be consummated by
properly filing a Certificate of Merger with the Department of the Treasury of
the State of New Jersey, in such form as required by, and executed in accordance
with, the relevant provisions of applicable law. The date and time of the filing
of the Certificate of Merger (or such later date as may be agreed by the parties
hereto and specified in the Certificate of Merger) with the Department of the
Treasury of the State of New Jersey is referred to herein as the "Effective
Time."
1.6 Certificate of Incorporation; By Laws. The Certificate of
Incorporation and By-Laws of Merger Sub, as in effect immediately prior to the
Effective Time, shall be the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of the
Surviving Corporation, and thereafter shall continue to be its Certificate of
Incorporation and By-Laws until amended as provided therein and under New Jersey
Law, except that as of the Effective Time, Article I of such Certificate of
Incorporation shall be amended as follows: "The name of the Corporation is
Vestcom International, Inc."
1.7 Directors and Officers of Surviving Corporation.
(a) The directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective
Time shall be the initial directors of the Surviving Corporation and shall hold
office from the Effective Time until the earlier of their resignation or removal
or until their respective successors are duly elected or appointed and qualify
in the manner provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of the
Surviving Corporation, or as otherwise provided by law and this Merger
Agreement.
(b) The officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective
Time shall be the initial officers of the Surviving Corporation and shall hold
office from the Effective Time until the earlier of their resignation or removal
or until their respective successors are duly elected or appointed and qualify
in the manner provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of the
Surviving Corporation, or as otherwise provided by law and this Merger
Agreement.
1.8 Conversion of Securities. At the Effective Time, by virtue of
the Merger and without any action on the part of Merger Sub, the Company or the
holder of any of the securities of the Company or Merger Sub:
(a) Conversion of Shares. Each Share issued and outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than Shares to be canceled
pursuant to Section 1.8(b) and the Contributed Shares) shall be canceled and
extinguished and be converted into and represent the right to receive from the
Surviving Corporation $6.25 in cash, without interest (the "Merger
Consideration"). All such Shares, by virtue of the Merger and without any action
on the part of the holders of the Shares, shall no longer be outstanding and
shall be canceled and retired and shall cease to exist, and each holder of a
certificate representing any such Shares shall thereafter cease to have any
rights with respect to such Shares, except the right to receive the Merger
Consideration for such Shares upon the surrender of such certificate in
accordance with Section 1.12.
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(b) Cancellation of Treasury Stock. Each Share issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time that is (i) held in the
treasury by the Company or by a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company or (ii)
owned by the Parent (including the Contributed Shares) or any direct or indirect
subsidiary of the Parent (including the Merger Sub) shall be canceled and
retired and no payment shall be made with respect thereto.
(c) Conversion of Securities of Merger Sub. Each share of Common
Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Merger Sub issued and outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into and become one
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock, no par
value, of the Surviving Corporation.
(d) Conversion of Stock Options. Except to the extent that Merger
Sub and the holder of any option otherwise agree, each Stock Option (as defined
in Section 1.13(a)), issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time shall, at the Effective Time, be converted into the right to receive from
the Surviving Corporation the Option Consideration (as defined in Section
1.13(a)) without interest thereon. As of the Effective Time, all such Stock
Options shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and
retired and shall cease to exist, and each holder of any such Stock Option shall
cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive the
cash into which their Stock Options have been converted by the Merger as
provided in this Section 1.8(d) and Section 1.13.
(e) Dissenters' Rights. Pursuant to the New Jersey Law, no
shareholder of the Company will have dissenters' rights with respect to the
Merger.
1.9 Dividend Access Shares. Within one day after this Merger
Agreement is executed, the Company shall cause its majority-owned subsidiary,
504087 NB. Inc. (the "Canadian Subsidiary"), to deliver a notice to the holders
of the Dividend Access Shares, pursuant to Article 7 of Schedule A of the
Canadian Subsidiary's Articles of Incorporation, to the effect that the
Automatic Redemption Date (as defined in such Articles) shall be accelerated to
the time immediately prior to the Effective Time. Promptly thereafter, the
Company shall send a notice to the Canadian Subsidiary and the holders of the
Dividend Access Shares to the effect that the Company will, on the Automatic
Redemption Date, exercise its right to assume the Canadian Subsidiary's
redemption obligations by purchasing the Dividend Access Shares directly. On the
Automatic Redemption Date, the Company shall purchase the Dividend Access Shares
by issuing one Share in exchange for each outstanding Dividend Access Share and
shall purchase the Company's one outstanding share of Class B Preferred Stock by
paying $1.00 to the holder thereof.
1.10 Taking of Necessary Action; Further Action. If, at any time
after the Effective Time, any further action is necessary or desirable to carry
out the purposes of this Merger Agreement and to vest the Surviving Corporation
with full rights, title and possession to all assets, properties, rights,
privileges, immunities and franchises of the Company or its Subsidiaries, the
Company and its officers and directors shall be deemed to have granted to the
Surviving Corporation an irrevocable power of attorney to execute and deliver
all such deeds, assignments or assurances in law and to take all acts necessary,
proper or desirable to vest, perfect or confirm title to and possession of such
rights, properties or assets in the Surviving Corporation and otherwise to carry
out the provisions of this Merger Agreement, and the officers and directors of
the Surviving Corporation are authorized in the name of the Company or otherwise
to take any and all such action.
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1.11 Closing. Immediately prior to the filing of the Certificate of
Merger pursuant to Section 1.5, a closing (the "Closing") shall take place at
the offices of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx at 000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx (or
such other place as the parties hereto may agree), at 9:00 a.m., local time on a
date to be specified by the parties, which shall be no later than the fifth
business day after the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in
Article 6 (the "Closing Date").
1.12 Exchange of Certificates.
(a) Paying Agent. Prior to the Effective Time, Merger Sub shall
designate a bank or trust company to act as paying agent in the Merger (the
"Paying Agent") to receive the funds to which the holders of Shares shall become
entitled pursuant to Section 1.8(a) and to which the holders of Stock Options
shall become entitled pursuant to Section 1.8(d).
(b) At the Closing, Surviving Corporation shall deliver:
(i) to each individual, corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, trust or other entity (each, a "Person") who shall
have surrendered to the Merger Sub at the Closing the certificates
which, immediately prior to the Effective Time, represented shares of
outstanding common stock of Merger Sub, the securities of the Surviving
Corporation into which the shares of common stock of Merger Sub
represented by such certificates have been converted pursuant to the
provisions of this Article 1;
(ii) to the Paying Agent, for the benefit of the holders of
Shares entitled to receive Merger Consideration, the amount of Merger
Consideration which such holders of Shares are entitled to receive
pursuant to the provisions of this Article 1; and
(iii) to the Paying Agent, for the benefit of the holders of
Stock Options entitled to receive Option Consideration, the amount of
Option Consideration which such holders of Stock Options are entitled
to receive pursuant to the provisions of this Article 1.
(c) Exchange Procedure. As soon as reasonably practicable after
the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall mail or caused to be mailed
to each holder of record of any certificate, which as of immediately prior to
the Effective Time represents the right to receive Merger Consideration (all
such certificates, the "Certificates"), (i) a letter of transmittal (which shall
be in the form and substance of the letter approved by the Company (such
approval not to be unreasonably withheld) and shall specify that delivery shall
be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only
upon delivery of the Certificates to the address specified therein) and (ii)
instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the Certificates in exchange
for the applicable Merger Consideration. The Paying Agent shall, pursuant to
irrevocable instructions given by Parent at the Closing, pay the Merger
Consideration and the Option Consideration out of the funds received pursuant to
Section 1.12(b), in accordance with the provisions of this Section 1.12(c) and
Section 1.13. Upon surrender of a Certificate for cancellation to the Paying
Agent, together with such letter of transmittal, duly executed, and such other
documents as may reasonably be required by the Paying Agent, the holder of such
Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor from the Paying
Agent the amount of cash into which the Shares theretofore represented by such
Certificate shall have been converted pursuant to Section 1.8, and the
Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be canceled. In the event of a
transfer of ownership of the Shares that is not registered in the transfer
records of the Company, payment may be made to a person other than the person in
whose name the Certificate so surrendered is registered, if such Certificate
shall be properly endorsed or otherwise be in proper form for transfer and the
person requesting such payment shall pay any transfer or other taxes required by
reason of the payment to a person other than the registered holder of such
Certificate or establish to the satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation that
such tax has been paid or is not applicable. Until surrendered as contemplated
by this Section 1.12, each Certificate shall be deemed at any time after the
Effective Time to represent only the right to receive upon such surrender the
amount of cash, without interest, into which the Shares theretofore represented
by such Certificate shall have been converted pursuant to Section 1.8. No
interest will be paid or will accrue on the cash payable upon the surrender of
any Certificate. In the event any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or
destroyed, upon making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such
Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed, the Surviving Corporation will pay
in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate, the amount of cash
into which the Shares represented by such Certificate have been converted
pursuant to Section 1.8, except that when authorizing such payment, the Board of
Directors of the Surviving Corporation, may, in its discretion and as a
condition precedent to such payment, require the owner of such lost, stolen or
destroyed Certificate to indemnify the Surviving Corporation and the Paying
Agent with respect to such Certificate and, if such Certificate represents more
than 1,000 Shares, to deliver a bond in an amount necessary to cover such
indemnification.
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(d) Withholding. Merger Sub, Surviving Corporation and Paying
Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Merger Consideration
otherwise payable or issuable pursuant to this Merger Agreement to any holder of
Shares such amount as Merger Sub, Surviving Corporation or Paying Agent is
required to deduct and withhold with respect to such payment or issuance under
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), or any provision of
state, local or foreign tax law. To the extent that amounts are so withheld,
such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as
having been paid to the holder of Shares in respect of which such withholding
was made.
(e) No Further Ownership Rights in Shares. All cash paid upon the
surrender of Certificates in accordance with the terms of this Article 1 shall
be deemed to have been paid in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to the
Shares theretofore represented by such Certificates. At the Effective Time, the
stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed, and there shall be no
further registration of transfers on the stock transfer books of the Surviving
Corporation of the Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates are presented to the
Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent for any reason, they shall be canceled
and exchanged as provided in this Article 1.
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(f) No Liability. At any time following the expiration of twelve
months after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall, in its sole
discretion, be entitled to require the Paying Agent to deliver to it any funds
(including any interest received with respect thereto) which had been made
available to the Paying Agent and which have not been disbursed to holders of
Certificates and Stock Options, and thereafter such holders shall be entitled to
look to the Surviving Corporation (subject to any applicable abandoned property,
escheat or similar law) only as general creditors thereof with respect to the
Merger Consideration payable upon due surrender of their Certificates or with
respect to the Option Consideration payable upon cancellation of their Stock
Options, without any interest thereon. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of
Merger Sub, the Company, the Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent shall be
liable to any person in respect of any cash delivered to a public official or
entity pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar law.
1.13 Stock Options; Plans.
(a) Except as set forth in this Section 1.13 and except to the
extent that Merger Sub and the holder of any option otherwise agree, the
Surviving Corporation shall promptly after the Effective Time cause the Paying
Agent to pay to each holder of an outstanding option to purchase Shares (a
"Stock Option") issued pursuant to the Company's 1997 Equity Compensation
Program, as amended (the "Stock Option Plan"), in settlement of each such Stock
Option, whether or not exercisable or vested, an amount in respect thereof equal
to the product of (x) the excess, if any, of the Merger Consideration over the
exercise price of each such Stock Option, and (y) the number of Shares subject
to such Stock Option immediately prior to its settlement (the "Option
Consideration") (such payment to be net of applicable withholding taxes). Upon
receipt of the Option Consideration, the Stock Option shall be canceled. The
surrender of a Stock Option to the Company in exchange for the Option
Consideration shall be deemed a release of all rights the holder had or may have
had in respect of that Stock Option.
(b) Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall obtain all
consents or releases from holders of the Stock Options and make any amendments
to the terms of the Stock Option Plan or arrangements that are necessary to give
effect to the transactions contemplated by Section 1.8(d) and this Section 1.13.
(c) Except as may otherwise be agreed by Merger Sub and the
Company, the Stock Option Plan shall terminate as of the Effective Time, and no
holder of Stock Options or any participant in the Stock Option Plan shall have
any rights thereunder, including any rights to acquire any equity securities of
the Company, the Surviving Corporation or any subsidiary thereof, other than to
receive Option Consideration payable pursuant to Section 1.13(a).
(d) Except as may otherwise be agreed by Merger Sub and the
Company, all other plans, programs or arrangements providing for the issuance or
grant of any other interest in respect of the capital stock of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries shall terminate as of the Effective Time, and no
participant in any such plans, programs or arrangements shall have any rights
thereunder to acquire any equity securities of the Company, the Surviving
Corporation or any subsidiary thereof at or after the Effective Time.
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1.14 Adjustment of Merger Consideration and Option Consideration.
In the event that, subsequent to the date of this Merger Agreement but prior to
the Effective Time, the outstanding Shares shall be changed into a different
number of shares and/or into a different class as a result of a stock split,
reverse stock split, stock dividend, subdivision, reclassification, split,
combination, exchange, recapitalization or other similar transaction, the Merger
Consideration and the Option Consideration shall be appropriately adjusted. The
Merger Consideration and the Option Consideration have been calculated based
upon the representations and warranties made by the Company in Section 3.4. The
provisions of this Section 1.14 shall not, in any event, derogate from the
representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.4.
1.15 Rights Agreement. Pursuant to amendments to the Rights
Agreement approved and adopted by the Company's Board of Directors, Parent,
Cornerstone and Merger Sub will not constitute "Acquiring Persons" with respect
to the transactions contemplated hereby.
2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PARENT
The Parent and Merger Sub represent and warrant to the Company as
follows:
2.1 Organization and Qualification. Each of the Parent and Merger
Sub is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under
the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and has the requisite power to
carry on its respective business as now conducted. The Parent is duly qualified
as a foreign corporation to do business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction where the character of its properties owned or leased or the nature
of its activities makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure
to be so qualified would not have a material adverse effect on the Parent and
its subsidiaries taken as a whole.
2.2 Authority Relative to this Merger Agreement. Each of the
Parent and Merger Sub has the requisite power and authority to enter into this
Merger Agreement and to carry out its respective obligations hereunder. The
execution and delivery of this Merger Agreement by the Parent and Merger Sub and
the consummation by the Parent and Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated
hereby have been duly authorized by the respective Boards of Directors of the
Parent and Merger Sub, and no other corporate proceedings on the part of the
Parent or Merger Sub are necessary to authorize this Merger Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby. This Merger Agreement has been duly executed
and delivered by the Parent and Merger Sub and, assuming due and valid
authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Company, constitutes a valid
and binding obligation of each such entity. Subject to compliance with the
applicable provisions of the New Jersey Law, neither the Parent nor Merger Sub
is subject to or obligated under any provision of (i) its respective Certificate
or Articles of Incorporation, or By-Laws, (ii) any contract, agreement,
mortgage, indenture or other document, (iii) any license, franchise or permit or
(iv) any law, regulation, order, judgment or decree, which would be breached or
violated or in respect of which a right of termination or acceleration or any
encumbrance on any of its assets would be created by its execution and
performance of this Merger Agreement, except (as to (ii), (iii) or (iv) above)
where such breach, violation or right would not individually, or in the
aggregate, prevent or materially delay the Parent or Merger Sub from performing
its obligations under this Merger Agreement. The consummation of the Merger by
the Parent and Merger Sub will not require the consent or approval of any party
other than (i) satisfaction of applicable requirements, if any, of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), state "blue
sky" or takeover laws, the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976,
as amended (the "HSR Act") and the Competition Act (Canada), (ii) filing and
recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the New Jersey Law
and (iii) where failure to obtain such consents or approvals would not prevent
or materially delay the Parent or Merger Sub from performing its obligations
under this Merger Agreement.
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2.3 Financing.
(a) Parent and/or Merger Sub has received written commitments from
(i) General Electric Capital Corporation ("GE"), dated June 10, 2002 (the
"Senior Commitment Letter"), pursuant to which GE has committed, subject to the
terms and conditions contained therein, to provide up to $42 million in senior
debt financing for the Transactions and (ii) Cornerstone, dated June 12, 2002
(the "Subordinated Commitment Letter" and, together with the Senior Commitment
Letter, the "Commitment Letters"), pursuant to which Cornerstone has committed,
subject to the terms and conditions contained therein, to provide up to
$10,500,000 in subordinated debt financing for the Transactions. Merger Sub has
delivered true, correct and complete copies of the Commitment Letters and the
Contribution Agreement to the Company. To the knowledge of Parent and Merger
Sub, assuming all of the representations and warranties of the Company set forth
herein are true and assuming that the Company performs all of its obligations
hereunder, the proceeds from the Debt Financing, to the extent funded pursuant
to the Commitment Letters, together with the Equity Contribution, shall provide
sufficient funds to satisfy the condition set forth in Section 6.3(g)
(b) Promptly after the date hereof, Merger Sub and Parent shall
deliver to GE a true and complete copy of the Disclosure Letter attached hereto.
(c) The obligations to fund the commitments under the Commitment
Letters and the Contribution Agreement are not subject to any conditions other
than those set forth in the Commitment Letters and Contribution Agreement.
Parent and Merger Sub have no actual knowledge of any fact or occurrence
existing on the date of this Merger Agreement which in their good faith judgment
would reasonably be expected to (i) make the material assumptions or statements
set forth in the Commitment Letters inaccurate, (ii) cause the Commitment
Letters or the Contribution Agreement to be ineffective or (iii) make any of the
conditions set forth in the Commitment Letters or the Contribution Agreement
incapable of being satisfied. As of the date hereof, the Commitment Letters and
the Contribution Agreement are in full force and effect and have not been
amended in any material respect.
2.4 Information Supplied. The information supplied by Parent
and/or Merger Sub for inclusion in the Proxy Statement will not, on the date
when the Proxy Statement is first mailed to the Company's shareholders, and the
Proxy Statement, as then amended or supplemented, will not, on the date of the
Meeting or on the Closing Date, contain any statement which is false or
misleading with respect to any material fact or omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided, however, that the foregoing representation shall not apply
with respect to the accuracy of information furnished in writing by the Company
specifically for inclusion in the Proxy Statement or which is taken from reports
filed by the Company under the Exchange Act, which accuracy shall be the sole
responsibility of the Company.
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2.5 Legal Proceedings. There are no actions, suits or proceedings
pending or, to the knowledge of the Parent, threatened against Cornerstone, the
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries that are reasonably likely, in the aggregate,
to materially adversely affect the Parent's ability to consummate the Merger and
pay all of the Merger Consideration and the Option Consideration.
3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Each of the following representations and warranties is qualified by
reference to specific sections of the disclosure letter (the "Disclosure
Letter") delivered to the Parent immediately prior to the execution hereof.
Except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Letter, the Company represents
and warrants to the Parent and Merger Sub as follows:
3.1 Organization and Qualification. The Company is a corporation
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
State of New Jersey and has the requisite corporate power and authority to own,
lease and operate the properties and assets it currently owns, leases or
operates and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted. The Company
is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to do business, and is in good
standing, in each jurisdiction where the character of the properties owned,
leased or operated by it or the nature of its activities makes such
qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified would not
reasonably be expected to have a "Material Adverse Effect". As used in this
Merger Agreement, the term "Material Adverse Effect" shall mean any change,
event, occurrence or development that (i) has a material adverse effect on the
business, financial condition, results of operations, properties, assets or
liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries and shall be measured by
reference to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii)
materially impairs or delays the ability of the Company to perform its
obligations under the Merger Agreement or prevents the consummation of the
Transactions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a "Material Adverse Effect shall
not include any change in or effect upon the business, financial condition,
results of operations, properties, assets or liabilities of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole arising out of or attributable to (a) any decrease
in the market price of the Shares (but not any change, event, occurrence or
development underlying such decrease to the extent such change or effect would
otherwise constitute a Material Adverse Effect on the Company), (b) conditions,
events, or circumstances generally affecting the industries in which the Company
and its Subsidiaries operate; (c) any change in any accounting standards or
principles applicable generally to companies in the Company's industry; (d) any
act or acts of terrorism or war that do not have a material adverse effect on
the capital markets in the United States or (e) any factor described in Section
3.1 of the Disclosure Letter.
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3.2 Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws. The Certificate of
Incorporation and By-Laws in the form attached to Section 3.2 of the Disclosure
Letter are the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Company as in
effect on the date of this Merger Agreement. Such Certificate of Incorporation
and By-laws are in full force and effect and have not been modified or amended
in any way since January 1, 2002. The Company is not in violation of any
provision of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws.
3.3 Subsidiaries. Each of the Company's Subsidiaries is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the requisite corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate the properties and assets it currently owns,
leases or operates and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted.
Each such Subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to do business,
and is in good standing, in each jurisdiction where the character of the
properties owned, leased or operated by it, or the nature of its activities
makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified
would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise provided in the
Disclosure Letter with respect to shares of the Canadian Subsidiary not owned by
the Company (the "Dividend Access Shares"), all of the outstanding shares of
capital stock of each of the Company's Subsidiaries are validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company or by a wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Company, free and clear of all Liens, and there are no proxies
outstanding with respect to such shares. Except with respect to the Dividend
Access Shares, there are no outstanding options, warrants, convertible
securities, calls, rights, commitments, preemptive rights or agreements or
instruments or understandings of any character, obligating any Subsidiary of the
Company to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold,
contingently or otherwise, additional shares of the capital stock of such
Subsidiary or any securities or obligations convertible into or exchangeable for
such shares or to grant, extend or enter into any such option, warrant,
convertible security, call, right, commitment, preemptive right or agreement.
Section 3.3 of the Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of the
direct or indirect ownership or equity interests of the Company in its
Subsidiaries and in any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited
liability company or other business association or entity and sets forth the
jurisdiction of incorporation of such subsidiary, its authorized capital stock
and the number of issued and outstanding shares of capital stock.
3.4 Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company
consists of 10,000,000 shares of undesignated stock (the "Undesignated Stock")
and 20,000,000 Shares. As of the date hereof, (i) 9,056,806 Shares (including
the Shares described in clause (iv) below) and one share of Class B Preferred
Stock (representing Undesignated Stock) are outstanding, all of which were
validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of any preemptive rights with
respect thereto, (ii) no Shares are held in the treasury of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, (iii) 1,358,520 Shares are reserved for issuance pursuant
to the Stock Option Plan, a copy of which has heretofore been furnished to the
Parent, and (iv) 112,242 Shares are reserved for redemption of all of the
Dividend Access Shares. As of March 31, 2002, 1,014,650 Stock Options were
outstanding pursuant to the Stock Option Plan; no Stock Options have been
granted by the Company subsequent to March 31, 2002. Section 3.4 of the
Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete listing of all outstanding
Stock Options, setting forth the names of the holders of such Stock Options, the
number of Stock Options so held, the exercise prices and vesting schedules of
such Stock Options and the number of Shares to be received upon exercise of such
Stock Options (the "Common Stock Equivalents") as well as the aggregate number
of Shares and the aggregate exercise price for all of the Common Stock
Equivalents outstanding as of the date hereof. Pursuant to an Amended and
Restated Shareholder Protection Rights Agreement, dated April 19, 2000, between
the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agreement"), the Company has issued to its shareholders rights to
purchase shares of capital stock of the Company. Except as set forth above and
except as set forth in Section 3.4 of the Disclosure Letter, there are not now,
and at the Effective Time there will not be, any shares of capital stock or
other equity securities of the Company issued or outstanding or any options,
warrants, convertible securities, calls, subscriptions or other rights,
agreements, arrangements, commitments, or claims of any character obligating the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, transfer or sell or cause to be
issued, transferred or sold, contingently or otherwise, any shares of capital
stock of the Company or of any Subsidiary or any other securities convertible,
exercisable or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to subscribe for any
such shares of capital stock. Except as set forth in Section 3.4 of the
Disclosure Letter, there are no outstanding contracts of the Company or any
Subsidiary to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any capital stock or other
equity securities of the Company or any Subsidiary. There are no outstanding
stock appreciation rights or similar phantom equity securities with respect to
the capital stock of the Company. Other than the Voting Agreement, there are no
voting trusts or shareholder agreements to which the Company is a party with
respect to the voting of the capital stock of the Company and to the Company's
knowledge, there are no such agreements among its shareholders other than those
listed in Section 3.4 of the Disclosure Letter. Other than the Voting Agreement,
to the Company's knowledge, there are no irrevocable proxies with respect to
shares of capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary.
-11-
3.5 Authority Relative to this Merger Agreement and Voting
Agreement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter
into this Merger Agreement and the Voting Agreement and to perform its
obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution, delivery and performance of
this Merger Agreement and the Voting Agreement by the Company and the
consummation by the Company of the Transactions have been duly and validly
authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") and no other
approvals or corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to
authorize the execution and delivery by the Company of this Merger Agreement and
the Voting Agreement and the consummation by it of the Transactions, except for
any required approval of the Merger by the Company's shareholders as set forth
in Section 5.2 of this Merger Agreement. The Board has (i) duly and validly
approved this Merger Agreement, the Voting Agreement, the Merger and the other
Transactions, and (ii) recommended that the shareholders of the Company approve
and adopt this Merger Agreement and the Transactions. This Merger Agreement and
the Voting Agreement have been duly and validly executed and delivered by the
Company and each such agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of
the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.
Except as set forth in Section 3.5 of the Disclosure Letter, neither the Company
nor any Subsidiary is subject to or obligated under any provision of (i) its
respective Certificate or Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws, (ii) any
contract, agreement, license, lease, mortgage, indenture or other document
(excluding all arrangements which are terminable upon 90 days or less notice
without premium or penalty or arrangements involving not more than $200,000 per
fiscal year in payments expected to be paid or received by the Company or any
Subsidiary), (iii) any franchise or permit, or (iv) any law, regulation, order,
judgment or decree, which would be breached, violated or defaulted (with or
without due notice or lapse of time or both) or in respect of which a right of
termination, amendment, approval, consent or acceleration, or a loss of a
material benefit or any Lien on any of its assets would be created or suffered
by the Company's execution and performance of this Merger Agreement, the Voting
Agreement or the consummation of the Transactions, except (as to clauses (ii),
(iii) or (iv) above) where such breach, violation, right of termination or
acceleration, or encumbrance, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth in
Section 3.5 of the Disclosure Letter, the execution and delivery of this Merger
Agreement and the Voting Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions by
the Company will not require the consent or approval of or registration or
filing with any Federal, state or local government or any court, administrative
or regulatory agency or commission or other governmental authority, body,
commission, tribunal or agency, domestic or foreign, other than (i) approval of
the Company's shareholders, (ii) applicable requirements, if any, of the
Exchange Act, state "blue sky" or takeover laws, the HSR Act and the Competition
Act (Canada), (iii) filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents as
required by the New Jersey Law and (iv) where failure to obtain such consents or
approvals or to make such registration or filing would not reasonably be
expected to have individually or in the aggregate a Material Adverse Effect on
or prevent or materially delay the Company from performing its obligations under
this Merger Agreement. No state takeover statute or similar statute or
regulation applies or purports to apply to the Merger, this Merger Agreement or
any of the Transactions other than the New Jersey Shareholder Protection Act,
N.J.S.A. 14A:10A-1 et seq. (the "Protection Act"). By virtue of resolutions
approved by the Company's Board of Directors, the Merger, this Merger Agreement
and the Transactions will not be subject to the restrictions otherwise
applicable under the Protection Act or the Rights Agreement.
-12-
3.6 Commission Filings and Financial Statements. (a) Since
January 1, 1999, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC"), and has heretofore made available to Parent, true and
complete copies of all forms, reports, schedules, statements, and other
documents required to be filed by it (including all exhibits, financial
statements and proxy statements) under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and the SEC's rules and regulations
thereunder (the forms, reports, schedules, statements and other documents so
filed by the Company, the "SEC Documents"). Except with respect to statements or
omissions in any SEC Document which have been superseded or amended by
statements made in any SEC Document filed thereafter but prior to the date
hereof, (i) as of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the
Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder
and applicable to such SEC Documents, and (ii) none of the SEC Documents
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
Company will deliver to the Parent as soon as they become available true and
complete copies of any forms, reports, schedules, statements and other documents
filed by the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act subsequent to
the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time. None of the Subsidiaries are
required to file any forms, reports or other documents with the SEC.
-13-
(b) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and its
Subsidiaries included in the SEC Documents filed with the SEC since January 1,
2001 comply as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting
requirements and published rules of the SEC with respect thereto, have been
prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting
principles ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved
(except as may be indicated in the notes thereto and except, in the case of
unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X of the SEC)
and fairly present the consolidated financial position of the Company and its
consolidated Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and the consolidated results
of their operations, changes in shareholders' equity (to the extent applicable)
and statements of cash flow for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of
the unaudited consolidated interim financial statements, to normal year-end
adjustments and any other adjustments described therein, none of which (with
respect to periods after December 31, 2001) would individually or in the
aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth in Section 3.6 of
the Disclosure Letter, the consolidated unaudited financial statements of the
Company and its Subsidiaries as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2002
(the "Unaudited First Quarter Financial Statements") previously provided to the
Parent have been prepared in accordance with GAAP using the same accounting
principles and policies and in a manner consistent with the consolidated
financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the year ended
December 31, 2001 (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto and except as
permitted by Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X of the SEC), and fairly present the
consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries
as of March 31, 2002 and the consolidated results of operations and cash flows
of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the three months ended
March 31, 2002, subject to normal year-end adjustments and any other adjustments
described therein, none of which would individually or in the aggregate have a
Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on Section 3.6(b) of the Disclosure
Letter, the consolidated unaudited financial statements of the Company as of and
for the month and four months ended April 30, 2002 previously provided to Parent
(i) fairly present the consolidated financial position of the Company and its
consolidated Subsidiaries as of April 30, 2002 and the consolidated results of
operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the month and
the four months ended April 30, 2002 and (ii) have been prepared in accordance
with the monthly management account procedures of the Company or its
Subsidiaries, as applicable, on a basis consistent with the policies and
practices used in preparing the audited consolidated financial statements
included in the SEC Documents, except for such policies and practices used in
preparing such audited financial statements that reasonably would not be
regarded as appropriate or usual for internal management purposes.
3.7 Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since December 31, 2001,
except as set forth in Section 3.7 of the Disclosure Letter or as contemplated
by this Merger Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has:
(a) suffered any Material Adverse Effect or any event, change,
occurrence or development, known as of the date hereof, reasonably likely to
cause or have a Material Adverse Effect;
-14-
(b) conducted its business and operations other than in the
ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices;
(c) declared, set aside or paid any dividend on, or other
distribution (whether in cash, stock or property, or any combination thereof) in
respect of, any of the Company's or any of its Subsidiary's capital stock, or
purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired or agreed to purchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire, any of the Company's capital stock or any other securities of
the Company or its Subsidiaries or any options, warrants, calls or rights to
acquire any such shares or other securities;
(d) undergone a material change in accounting methods, principles
or practices except as may be required by GAAP or reflected in any of the
financial statements included in the SEC Documents or except any change after
the date hereof in accounting standards or principles applicable generally to
companies in the Company's industry;
(e) authorized for issuance, sold, delivered, granted or issued
any options, warrants, calls, subscriptions or other rights for, or otherwise
agreed or committed to issue, sell, deliver or grant any shares of any class of
capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exchangeable
or exercisable for shares of any class of capital stock of the Company or its
Subsidiaries, other than pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of the
Common Stock Equivalents (including the Stock Options) listed on Section 3.4 of
the Disclosure Letter;
(f) except in the ordinary course of business and consistent with
past practice, (i) created or incurred any indebtedness for borrowed money, (ii)
assumed, guaranteed, endorsed or otherwise as an accommodation become
responsible for the obligations of any other individual, firm or corporation,
(iii) made any loans or advances to any other individual, firm or corporation,
or (iv) mortgaged, pledged or subjected to any Lien, any asset having a book or
market value in excess of $50,000;
(g) granted any increase in the base compensation of, or made any
other material change in the employment terms for, any of its directors,
officers and employees, except for increases or changes based upon changed
responsibilities or duties and increases or changes made in the ordinary course
of business consistent with past practice;
(h) adopted, modified or terminated any bonus, profit-sharing,
incentive, severance or other plan or contract for the benefit of any of its
directors, officers and employees other than changes which do not increase the
aggregate cost of such plan or contract and an amended bonus program provided to
all employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries on January 1, 2002;
(i) except for the provision of services or sales in the ordinary
course of business and consistent with past practice, sold, leased, licensed,
transferred or otherwise disposed of any of its assets or property having a book
or market value in excess of $50,000;
-15-
(j) entered into any new line of business, or incurred or
committed to incur any capital expenditures, obligations or liabilities in
connection therewith in excess of $50,000 in the aggregate;
(k) acquired or agreed to acquire by merging or consolidating
with, or agreed to acquire by purchasing a substantial portion of the assets of,
or in any other manner, any business of any other Person;
(l) made any cancellation or waiver of (i) any right material
to the operation of the business of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or (ii) any
debts or claims against any affiliate of the Company;
(m) made any disposition of, or failed to keep in effect any
material right in, to or for the use of any material patent, trademark, service
xxxx, trade name, copyright or trade secret of the Company or its Subsidiaries;
(n) entered into any agreement, arrangement or transaction with
any affiliate of the Company; or
(o) agreed to do any of the things described in the preceding
clauses (a) through (n).
3.8 Litigation and Liabilities. (a) Except as disclosed in
Section 3.8 of the Disclosure Letter, there are no claims, actions, suits,
investigations or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of its
properties or assets that, if adversely determined, would be reasonably likely
to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, or
to materially adversely affect the Company's ability to consummate the Merger,
or that would be required to be disclosed in an Annual Report on Form 10-K of
the Company. As of the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries or any of its properties or assets is subject to any judgment,
award, decree, injunction, rule, determination or order of any federal, state,
municipal or other governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency or
instrumentality, domestic or foreign, that would reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have any
liabilities or obligations (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) other than such liabilities or obligations (i)
disclosed in Section 3.8 of the Disclosure Letter, (ii) that have been
specifically disclosed or provided for in the most recent audited consolidated
balance sheet of the Company filed with the SEC or that arise in the ordinary
course of business (consistent with past practice) out of (x) the performance of
agreements to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject or (y)
benefit plans referenced in the Disclosure Letter, (iii) that have been incurred
in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since the date
of the most recent audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company filed with
the SEC (none of which results from, arises out of, or relates to any breach of
contract, tort, infringement or violation of law) or (iv) that would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
-16-
3.9 Employee Benefits.
(a) True and complete copies of all documents pursuant to which
each of the Benefit Plans is maintained, funded and administered have been
provided to the Parent and a list of such Benefit Plans is set forth in Section
3.9(a) of the Disclosure Letter. For purposes of this Merger Agreement, the term
"Benefit Plan" means any plan, contract or arrangement (regardless of whether
funded or unfunded, or foreign or domestic) which is sponsored by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, or to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate makes
contributions or which covers any employee of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate
in his or her capacity as an employee or to which the Company or any ERISA
Affiliate has any obligation or liability and which is (i) an "Employee Benefit
Plan" within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"); (ii) a stock option plan or any
other plan of deferred compensation; or (iii) any other material employee
benefit plan, program, or arrangement of any kind. For purposes of this Section
3.9, the term "ERISA Affiliate" means any entity that, together with the
Company, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
(b) All Benefit Plans are valid and binding and in full force and
effect and there are no material defaults thereunder. Except as set forth in
Section 3.9(b) of the Disclosure Letter, each Benefit Plan complies currently,
and has complied in the past, in all material respects in form and operation,
with the terms of such Benefit Plan and with all applicable provisions of ERISA,
the Code, and other applicable law. Except as set forth in Section 3.9(b) of the
Disclosure Letter, the Company does not sponsor any "employee pension benefit
plan" within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA ("Pension Plan") which is
intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code. Each Pension Plan
that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, or the
prototype for such Pension Plan, has been the subject of a determination letter
from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that such Pension Plan, or such
prototype, is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has
occurred since the date of such determination letter that is likely to adversely
affect the qualification of such Pension Plan or such prototype. All such
Pension Plans have been or will be amended for the requirements of the tax
legislation commonly known as "GUST" and will be submitted to the Internal
Revenue Service for a favorable determination letter within the remedial
amendment period prescribed by GUST. There is no pending or, to the knowledge of
the Company, threatened litigation relating to the Benefit Plans. To the
knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has
engaged in, or failed to engage in, a transaction with respect to any Benefit
Plan that could subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to a tax or
penalty imposed under either the Code or ERISA.
(c) No Benefit Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (including any
"multiemployer plan" as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA) has been sponsored or
contributed to by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate since the Company's
inception or, with respect to each of the Company's Subsidiaries, since the date
of the Company's acquisition of each such Subsidiary. To the knowledge of the
Company, none of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate has any liability or
potential liability under Title IV of ERISA.
-17-
(d) All contributions required to be made, and claims and premiums
to be paid, under the terms of any Benefit Plan have been timely made or paid or
reserves therefor on the balance sheet of the Company have been established,
which reserves are adequate in all respects.
(e) Except as set forth in Section 3.9(e) of the Disclosure
Letter, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has any obligation to
provide or other liability in connection with any life, health, or other welfare
or welfare-type benefits for current or future retired or terminated directors,
officers or employees (or any spouse or other dependent thereof) of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, except for health continuation coverage required by
Section 4980B of the Code and Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA ("COBRA")
or as otherwise required by applicable law in respect of the termination of
employment of employees in Canada. The Company and its ERISA Affiliates have
complied in all material respects with the requirements of COBRA.
(f) Each Benefit Plan governed by the laws of any jurisdiction
outside of the United States (each, a "Foreign Plan") has been maintained,
funded and administered in material compliance with applicable laws and the
requirements of such Foreign Plan's governing documents, and no Foreign Plan
which is a funded plan has any unfunded or underfunded liabilities.
3.10 Taxes. (a) For the purposes of this Section 3.10, the term
"tax" shall include all taxes, charges, withholdings, fees, levies, penalties,
additions, interest or other assessments imposed by any United States federal,
state or local authority or any other taxing authority on the Company or any of
its respective Tax Affiliates (as defined below) as to their respective income,
profit, franchise, gross receipts, payroll, sales, employment, worker's
compensation, use, property, withholding, excise, occupancy, environmental and
other taxes, duties or assessments of any nature whatsoever.
(b) Except as set forth in Section 3.10 of the Disclosure Letter,
since January 1, 1998, the Company has filed or caused to be filed timely
(taking into account all available extensions) all material federal, state,
local and foreign tax returns required to be filed by each of it and any member
of its consolidated, combined, unitary or similar group (each such member, a
"Tax Affiliate"). Such returns, reports and other information are accurate and
complete in all material respects. The Company has paid or caused to be paid or
has made adequate provision or set up an adequate accrual or reserve for the
payment of, all taxes shown to be due in respect of the periods for which
returns are due, and has established (or will establish at least quarterly) an
adequate accrual or reserve for the payment of all taxes payable in respect of
the period subsequent to the last of said periods required to be so accrued or
reserved. Neither the Company nor any of its Tax Affiliates has any material
liability for taxes in excess of the amount so paid or accruals or reserves so
established. Except as set forth in Section 3.10 of the Disclosure Letter,
neither the Company nor any of its Tax Affiliates is delinquent in the payment
of any tax in excess of the amount reserved or provided therefor, and, subject
to completion of pending or scheduled audits, no deficiencies for any tax in
excess of the amount reserved or provided therefor have, to the knowledge of the
senior management of the Company, been threatened, claimed, proposed or
assessed. Except as set forth in Section 3.10 of the Disclosure Letter, no
waiver or extension of time to assess any taxes has been given or requested and
remains in effect on the date hereof.
-18-
(c) The Company has delivered or made available to Parent complete
and correct copies of all income and franchise tax returns filed by, and all tax
examination reports and statements of deficiencies assessed against or agreed to
by, the Company and its Subsidiaries since January 1, 1997.
(d) Except as set forth in Section 3.10 of the Disclosure Letter,
none of the Company and its Subsidiaries has made any payments, is obligated to
make any payments or is a party to any agreement that under certain
circumstances could require it to make any payments that are not deductible
under Section 280G of the Code. The Company and its Subsidiaries have withheld
and paid over all taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection
with amounts paid or owing to any employee, former employee, independent
contractor, shareholder, creditor, affiliate, customer, supplier or other third
party. There are no accounting method changes, or proposed or threatened
accounting method changes, of the Company or any Subsidiary that could give rise
to an adjustment under Section 481 of the Code for periods after the Closing
Date.
(e) Except as set forth in Section 3.10 of the Disclosure Letter,
none of the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) is a party to any joint venture,
partnership or other arrangement that is treated as a partnership under United
States federal income tax law or the tax law of any jurisdiction in which the
Company or such Subsidiary is subject to tax; or (ii) has any liability for
taxes of any person other than itself (other than the consolidated group of
which the Company is the common parent) (A) under Section 1.1502-6 of the
Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code (or any similar provision of
state, local or foreign law), (B) as a transferee or successor, (C) by contract
or (D) otherwise.
(f) During the time that the Company has owned its foreign
Subsidiaries, none of the Company's foreign Subsidiaries (i) was engaged in the
conduct of a trade or business within the United States, within the meaning of
Section 864(b) or Section 882(a) of the Code, or treated as or considered to be
so engaged under Section 882(d) or Section 897 of the Code or otherwise; (ii)
participated in or cooperated with an international boycott within the meaning
of Section 999 of the Code; or (iii) maintained an office or other fixed place
of business in the United States within the meaning of Section 1.864-7 of the
Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code.
3.11 Information Supplied. Any proxy statement and any other
documents to be filed with the SEC or any governmental authority in connection
with the Transactions mailed by the Company to the holders of Shares after the
date hereof and all amendments and supplements thereto will comply as to form in
all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and
the rules and regulations thereunder and will not, at the time of (a) the first
mailing thereof or (b) the meeting called pursuant to Section 5.2 contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except
that no representation is made by the Company with respect to information
supplied by the Parent or Merger Sub expressly for inclusion in such proxy
statement.
-19-
3.12 Licenses and Permits; Governmental Notices.
(a) The Company and its Subsidiaries have obtained all material
licenses and permits necessary to conduct their respective businesses and to own
and operate their respective assets and such licenses and permits are valid and
in full force and effect. No defaults or violations exist or have been recorded
since January 1, 2001, and no notice of cancellation or termination has been
delivered since January 1, 2001, in respect of any material license or permit of
the Company and its Subsidiaries. No proceeding is pending or, to the knowledge
of the Company, threatened, that is reasonably likely to result in the
revocation, limitation or non-renewal of any material license or permit. Each of
the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has filed when due all documents
required to be filed with any governmental authority in connection with such
permits and licenses (other than such failures to make timely filings as have
not materially adversely affected continuing effect of such permits and
licenses), and at the time of the filing thereof, all such filings were accurate
and complete in all material respects.
(b) Since December 31, 2000, except as set forth in Section 3.12
of the Disclosure Letter, the Company has not received any written notice
regarding, and has not been made a party to, any proceeding which would,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect brought by any governmental authority alleging that (a) the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is, or may be, in violation of any law,
governmental regulation or order, (b) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
must change any of its business practices to remain in compliance with any law,
governmental regulation or order, (c) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has
failed to obtain any license or permit required for the conduct of its business,
or (d) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is in default under or violation
of any license or permit.
3.13 Compliance with Laws. Except as set forth in Section 3.13 of
the Disclosure Letter, the Company and its Subsidiaries have complied in a
timely manner and in all material respects with all laws and governmental
regulations and orders relating to any of the property owned, leased or used by
them, or applicable to their business, including, but not limited to, the labor,
equal employment opportunity, occupational safety and health, environmental
waste disposal and antitrust laws.
3.14 Insurance. As of the date hereof, the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries are covered under insurance policies and programs (as set forth in
Section 3.14 of the Disclosure Letter) which provide coverage to the Company and
its Subsidiaries by insurers, reasonably believed by the Company to be of
recognized financial responsibility and solvency, against such losses and risks
and in such amounts as are customarily carried by reasonably prudent persons
conducting businesses or owning or leasing assets similar to those conducted,
owned or leased by the Company and its Subsidiaries. All material policies of
insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and
directors of which the Company has copies have previously been made available
for inspection by the Parent and are in full force and effect. The Company and
its Subsidiaries are not in breach or default (including with respect to the
payment of premiums or the giving of notices) of any such insurance policies.
Except as otherwise set forth in Section 3.14 of the Disclosure Letter, as of
the date hereof, there are no material claims by the Company or any Subsidiary
under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying
liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause other than a
customary reservation of rights clause. All necessary notifications of material
claims have been made to insurance carriers other than those where the failure
to so notify is not reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
-20-
3.15 Contracts. (a) Section 3.15 of the Disclosure Letter is a list
of all contracts, agreements, commitments and other documents to which the
Company or any Subsidiary is a party as of the date hereof or by which the
Company, any Subsidiary, or any of their assets is in any way affected or bound
as of the date hereof, and that relate to (i) leases with respect to any
personal property of the Company or its Subsidiaries which provide for the
receipt or expenditure by the Company or its Subsidiaries, after the date of
this Merger Agreement, of more than $250,000; (ii) sales contracts which
provided for the receipt or expenditure by the Company or its Subsidiaries of
more than $750,000 during calendar year 2001; (iii) contracts or commitments for
future capital expenditures or acquisitions in excess of $100,000 for one
project or set of related projects (other than capital expenditures described in
the capital budget referred to in Section 3.15 of the Disclosure Letter, a copy
of which budget has been furnished to Parent); (iv) guarantees of third party
obligations in excess of $100,000 (other than guarantees included in the Leases
and guarantees of the performance of contractual obligations of the Company's
Subsidiaries); (v) agreements (including non-competition agreements) which
restrict the kinds of businesses in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may
engage or the geographical area in which any of them may conduct their business;
(vi) indentures, mortgages, loan agreements or other agreements relating to the
borrowing of money by the Company, the granting of Liens by the Company or lines
of credit by the Company, in each case, involving an amount in excess of
$100,000; (vii) brokerage or finders agreements (other than those relating to
the Leases); (viii) employment agreements (excluding employment arrangements
with at will employees), consulting agreements, severance agreements or
management agreements involving an annual salary, an annual fee or a severance
payment in an amount in excess of $125,000; or (ix) licenses of intellectual
property granted by or to the Company or its Subsidiaries (except for licenses
granted by the Company or its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of its
business and shrinkwrap or clickwrap agreements or agreements relating to
"off-the-shelf" software that is generally available to the public) (all items
required to be disclosed in Section 3.15 of the Disclosure Letter being
hereinafter referred to as "Material Contracts"). To the knowledge of the
Company, all Material Contracts are legally valid and binding and in full force
and effect, and each of the Company and its Subsidiaries have duly performed its
obligations thereunder in all material respects. There are no material breaches
or defaults by the Company or any Subsidiary under such Material Contracts and
to the Company's knowledge, no material breach or default by any party thereto
has occurred. The Company has previously made available for inspection by the
Parent a true and correct copy of all written Material Contracts.
(b) The Company has previously provided the Parent with true and
correct copies of, and Section 3.15(b) of the Disclosure Letter identifies, any
agreement with any officer, director or other key employee of the Company or any
Subsidiary (A) the benefits of which are contingent, or the terms of which are
materially altered, upon the occurrence of a transaction involving the Company
or any Subsidiary of the nature of any of the transactions contemplated by this
Merger Agreement, (B) providing any compensation guarantee of more than $100,000
per year or (C) providing severance benefits or other benefits after the
termination of employment of such executive officer or key employee.
-21-
3.16 Title to Properties. Except as set forth in the Disclosure
Letter, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good title to, or a valid
leasehold interest in, all real, personal and intangible property and assets
reflected in the consolidated balance sheet of the Company dated March 31, 2002
previously delivered to Parent (except as disposed of since such date in the
ordinary course of business) or owned or used by them, free and clear of all
mortgages, security interests, liens, pledges, charges, encumbrances,
restrictions and other burdens ("Liens") other than (a) Liens under the
Equipment Facility and Revolving Credit Agreement between the Company and Fleet
National Bank (formerly Summit Bank), dated as of August 13, 1997, as amended
(the "Credit Agreement"), (b) purchase money Liens, (c) such other Liens which
in the aggregate do not and will not materially impair the value of such assets
or properties and (d) the interests of landlords and lessors in property and
assets leased by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
3.17 Labor Matters. There are no collective bargaining or other
labor union agreements to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or,
since January 1, 2001, has been a party or by which any of them is or, since
January 1, 2001, was bound and no collective bargaining agreement is being
negotiated by the Company. To the knowledge of the Company, since January 1,
2001, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has encountered any labor
union organizing activity, or had any actual or threatened employee strikes,
work stoppages, slowdowns or lockouts. To the knowledge of the Company, as of
the date hereof, no key employee or group of employees of the Company or any
Subsidiary has any plans to terminate employment with the Company or its
Subsidiaries. Section 3.15 of the Disclosure Letter sets forth all agreements,
arrangements or policies pursuant to which employees of the Company or its
Subsidiaries would be entitled to severance or termination payments in excess of
$125,000 in the event that such employees are terminated by the Company or its
Subsidiaries, except such payment obligations as arise under Canadian law with
respect to the termination of the employment of employees. Except as set forth
on Section 3.17 of the Disclosure Letter, there are no actions, suits, claims,
labor disputes, grievances or arbitration proceeding pending, or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary
relating to any labor, safety or discrimination matters involving any employee
of the Company or any Subsidiary, including charges of unfair labor practices or
discrimination complaints, that would reasonably be expected to, individually or
in the aggregate, result in a material liability to the Company. Since January
1, 1998, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any
unfair labor practices within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act
that would reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result
in a material liability to the Company.
3.18 Environmental Matters. Except as set forth in Section 3.18 of
the Disclosure Letter, the Company and its Subsidiaries have complied in all
material respects with all federal, state or local statutes, ordinances, orders,
judgments, rulings or regulations relating to protection of the environment or
natural resources or to environmental regulation or control (collectively,
"Environmental Laws"). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is, to the
Company's knowledge, the subject of any federal, state, local or foreign
investigation, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received
any written notice or claim, or entered into any negotiations or agreements with
any person, relating to any material liability or material remedial action under
any applicable Environmental Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective officers, employees, representatives
or agents, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any other person, has utilized,
treated, stored, processed, released, manufactured, discharged, spilled or
otherwise disposed of any odor, pollutant, contaminant or other substance
defined as hazardous or toxic by any Environmental Law, or any waste or
by-product thereof, at any real property or any other facility owned or leased
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in violation of any applicable
statutes, regulations, ordinances or directives of any governmental authority or
court, which violations may reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
-22-
3.19 Rights Agreement. Neither the execution and delivery of this
Merger Agreement nor the consummation of the Transactions will trigger the
exercisability of any right under the Rights Agreement or otherwise affect any
rights or obligations under the Rights Agreement. Pursuant to the terms of the
Rights Agreement, the Rights Agreement will expire immediately prior to the
Effective Time and, thereafter, no Person shall have any rights, liabilities or
obligations under the Rights Agreement.
3.20 Intellectual Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries own
and possess all right, title and interest to or possess valid and enforceable
licenses as set forth on Section 3.15 of the Disclosure Letter to use all
Intellectual Property (as defined in this Section 3.20) used by such entity in,
and material to, its business as currently conducted or necessary to conduct its
business ("Company IP"), free and clear of all Liens, and have taken all
commercially reasonable measures consistent with industry standards to maintain
and protect the Company IP, including appropriately accruing or paying all valid
and undisputed maintenance fees, renewals or expenses related to the Company IP.
Section 3.20 of the Disclosure Letter contains an accurate and complete list of
all of the following included in the Company IP: (i) patents, registrations and
applications; (ii) material unregistered trademarks, service marks, logos and
slogans, and trade names and corporate names; (iii) material unregistered
copyrights; (iv) computer software (other than shrinkwrap or clickwrap
agreements or agreements relating to "off-the-shelf" software that is generally
available to the public); and (v) Internet domain names. Except as set forth in
Section 3.20 of the Disclosure Letter, to the knowledge of the Company, (i)
neither the use of the Company IP nor the conduct of the businesses of the
Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with each such entity's past
practice, misappropriates, infringes upon or conflicts with any Intellectual
Property of any third party, and (ii) no claim has been made by any third party
or is currently outstanding contesting the validity, enforceability, use or
ownership of the Company IP. No loss or expiration of the Company IP is, to the
Company's knowledge, threatened or pending (except for computer software and
patents expiring at the end of their statutory terms and not due to any failure
of the Company to pay maintenance or license fees). To the Company's knowledge,
neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has, since January 1, 2000, received any
notices of the foregoing from any third party, including any demand letters or
offers to license Intellectual Property. To the knowledge of the Company, no
third party has misappropriated, infringed upon or conflicted with any Company
IP. No order, decree, judgment, temporary restraining order or preliminary or
permanent injunction has been rendered by any governmental entity against the
Company or any Subsidiary relating to the Company IP. For purposes of this
Agreement, the term "Intellectual Property" means all intellectual property
rights in any jurisdiction in the United States or Canada, including all (i)(a)
patents, inventions, discoveries, processes, technology, know-how and related
improvements; (b) copyrights and works of authorship in any media, including
computer programs, databases, data and related items, and Internet site content;
(c) trademarks, service marks, trade names, brand names, corporate names,
Internet domain names and URLs, logos and trade dress; (d) trade secrets and
proprietary or confidential and data information; and (e) computer software
(including source codes and object codes, but excluding software subject to
shrinkwrap or clickwrap agreements or agreements relating to "off-the-shelf"
software that is generally available to the public), (ii) registrations,
applications, recordings, and licenses or other agreements related thereto;
(iii) rights to obtain renewals, extensions, continuations,
continuations-in-part, reissues, divisions or other legal protections; and (iv)
all copies and tangible embodiments of the foregoing.
-23-
3.21 Brokers. No broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to
any brokerage, finder's or other fee or commission in connection with the Merger
and the other Transactions based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the
Company, other than arrangements with CIBC World Markets Corp. A true and
complete copy of the engagement letter between the Company and CIBC World
Markets Corp. has previously been delivered to the Parent and there have been no
amendments or revisions to such engagement letter.
3.22 Real Property.
(a) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary owns any real property.
(b) Section 3.22 of the Disclosure Letter sets forth a list of all
leases, subleases and other occupancy agreements to which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is bound, including all amendments, extensions and other
modifications thereto (the "Leases") (including the date and name of the parties
to such Lease document, and the commencement date, expiration date and fixed
annual rent payable under each such Lease), for real property (the "Leased Real
Property"). The Company has delivered to Parent a true and complete copy of each
such Lease, and in the case of any oral Lease, a written summary of the material
terms of such Lease. Except as set forth in Section 3.22 of the Disclosure
Letter, with respect to each of the Leases: (a) such Lease is legal, valid,
binding, enforceable and in full force and effect; (b) no consent, waiver,
approval or authorization is required from the landlord under any Lease as a
result of the execution of this Merger Agreement or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby; (c) since January 1, 2001 or the commencement
date of such Lease, whichever is more recent, the Company's or Subsidiaries'
possession and quiet enjoyment of the Leased Real Property under such Lease has
not been disturbed in any material respect; (d) neither the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries (nor, to the Company's knowledge, any other party) is in
material breach or default under such Lease, and no event has occurred or
circumstance exists which, with the delivery of notice, the passage of time or
both, would constitute such a material breach or default, or permit the
termination, modification or acceleration of a material amount of rent under
such Lease; (e) no security deposit or portion thereof deposited with respect to
such Lease by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been applied in respect
of a breach or default under such Lease which has not been restored in full; (f)
the other party to such Lease is not an affiliate of, or otherwise has any
economic interest in, the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company; (g) the
Company and its Subsidiaries have not subleased, licensed or otherwise granted
any person or entity unaffiliated with the Company or its Subsidiaries the right
to use or occupy such Leased Real Property or any portion thereof, and (h) the
Company and its Subsidiaries have not collaterally assigned or granted any other
security interest in such Lease or any interest therein.
-24-
3.23 Shareholder Vote Required. The affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the Shares present (by proxy or otherwise) and voted at the
Meeting, assuming a quorum is present (by proxy or otherwise) at the Meeting, is
the only vote of the holders of any class or series of securities of the Company
necessary to approve and adopt the Merger, this Merger Agreement and the
Transactions.
3.24 Opinion of Financial Advisor. The Board has received the
opinion, dated as of the date of this Agreement, of CIBC World Markets Corp.,
the Company's financial advisor (the "Financial Advisor"), to the effect that
the Merger Consideration is fair, from a financial point of view, to the holders
of the Shares (other than the Management Participants and their respective
affiliates) (the "Opinion"), a complete and correct written copy of which will
be delivered to Parent for informational purposes after receipt thereof by the
Company. The Company has received the approval of the Financial Advisor to
permit the inclusion of a copy of its written Opinion in its entirety in the
Proxy Statement, subject to the Financial Advisor's review of the Proxy
Statement and right to approve any reference to the Financial Advisor or the
Opinion in the Proxy Statement.
3.25 Change of Control Provisions. Except with respect to the
acceleration of vesting of Stock Options under the Stock Option Plan, the
benefits payable pursuant to the change in control agreements described in
Section 3.25 of the Disclosure Letter and the other benefits described in
Section 3.25 of the Disclosure Letter, none of the Company's (or any
Subsidiary's) employee benefit plans, programs, agreements or arrangements
contain any provision that would become operative as the result of a change of
control of the Company or that will become operative as a result of the
consummation of the Merger or the Transactions.
3.26 Condition of Assets. All machinery, equipment and other
tangible assets currently being used by the Company or its Subsidiaries which
are owned or leased by the Company or its Subsidiaries are in good operating
condition, maintenance and repair, ordinary wear and tear excepted, are usable
in the ordinary course of business and are reasonably adequate and suitable for
the uses to which they are being put, except where any other condition of any
machinery, equipment or other tangible asset would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
3.27 Notes and Accounts Receivable. Subject to the reserve for bad
debts included in the consolidated balance sheet of the Company dated March 31,
2002, as adjusted for the passage of time through the Closing Date in accordance
with the past practice of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (a) all notes and
accounts receivable of the Company and its Subsidiaries are reflected properly
on its books and records and (b) to the Company's knowledge, as of the date
hereof, such notes and accounts receivable are not subject to material setoffs,
counterclaims or risks of non-collectibility.
-25-
3.28 Inventory. Subject to the reserve for inventory write-downs
included in the consolidated balance sheet of the Company dated March 31, 2002,
as adjusted for the passage of time through the date hereof in accordance with
the past practice of the Company and its Subsidiaries, to the Company's
knowledge, as of the date hereof, the inventory of the Company (consisting of
raw materials and supplies, goods in progress and finished goods) is, in all
material respects, fit for the purposes for which it was procured.
3.29 Customers and Suppliers. To the knowledge of the Company and
except as otherwise provided on Section 3.29 of the Disclosure Letter, no
Material Customer has, during the period from January 1, 2001 though the date
hereof, notified the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that it does not intend
to employ the services of, or purchase the products offered by, the Company or
its Subsidiaries in the future. To the knowledge of the Company and except as
otherwise provided on Section 3.29 of the Disclosure Letter, no material
supplier of the Company or its Subsidiaries has, during the period from January
1, 2002 though the date hereof, notified the Company or its Subsidiaries that it
would not supply materials, products or services to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, other than notifications which did not materially adversely affect
the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. For purposes of this Section
3.29, the term "Material Customer" shall mean a customer of the Company and/or
its Subsidiaries which was responsible for more than $250,000 of the Company's
consolidated revenues during either calendar year 2000 or calendar year 2001.
3.30 Transactions with Affiliates. Except for (i) agreements or
arrangements relating to employment (which, to the extent disclosure is required
pursuant to this Merger Agreement, are disclosed in the Disclosure Letter), (ii)
agreements or arrangements relating to indemnification provided for in the
certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or its Subsidiaries or
under applicable law or (iii) matters set forth on Section 3.30 of the
Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to
any agreement or arrangement with any of its directors, officers or key
employees, and no director, officer or key employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries owns any material asset, property, or intangible right that is used
in the Company's or any of its Subsidiaries' businesses.
3.31 Disclosure. To the Company's knowledge, the factual
information (taken as a whole) heretofore or contemporaneously furnished by or
on behalf of the Company in writing to the Parent or their Representatives for
purposes of or in connection with this Merger Agreement or the Transactions has
been true and accurate in all material respects on the date as of which such
information is dated and not incomplete by omitting to state any material fact
necessary to make such information not misleading at such time in light of the
circumstances under which such information was provided.
3.32 No Other Representations or Warranties. Except for the
representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, the Company does not
make any express or implied representation or warranty on behalf of the Company
or any of its affiliates.
-26-
4. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER
4.1 Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger. The
Company covenants and agrees that, prior to the Effective Time, unless the
Parent shall otherwise agree in writing or as otherwise expressly contemplated
by this Merger Agreement or disclosed in Section 4.1 of the Disclosure Letter:
(a) the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be
conducted only in, and the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not take any
action except in, the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
practice;
(b) except as contemplated herein with respect to the Dividend
Access Shares and the one share of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding, the
Company shall not (i) sell or pledge or agree to sell or pledge any stock owned
by it in any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) amend its Certificate of Incorporation or
By-Laws; or (iii) split, combine, subdivide or reclassify any shares of its
outstanding capital stock or declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other
distribution payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise, or redeem or
otherwise acquire any shares of its capital stock or shares of the capital stock
of any of its Subsidiaries;
(c) except as contemplated herein with respect to the Dividend
Access Shares, the Company shall not, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries
not to (i) authorize for issuance, issue, pledge, encumber or sell any
additional shares of, or rights of any kind to acquire any shares of, its
capital stock of any class (whether through the issuance or granting of options,
warrants, convertible securities, commitments, subscriptions, rights to purchase
or otherwise), except for unissued Shares reserved for issuance upon the
exercise of Stock Options issued and outstanding prior to the date hereof and
listed on Section 3.4 of the Disclosure Letter in accordance with their existing
terms, as such Stock Options may be accelerated pursuant to their existing
terms; (ii) acquire, dispose of, transfer, lease, license, mortgage, pledge or
encumber any fixed or other assets other than in the ordinary course of business
and consistent with past practices; (iii) incur, assume or prepay any
indebtedness, Lien or any other liabilities (actual or contingent) other than in
the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices, provided
that the Company may borrow money for general working capital purposes in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice under the Credit
Agreement; (iv) assume, endorse (other than in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practices), guarantee or otherwise become liable or
responsible (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of
any other person (other than a Subsidiary); (v) make any loans, advances or
capital contributions to, or investments in, any other person, other than to its
Subsidiaries, or otherwise enter into any Material Contract other than in the
ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices (it being
understood and agreed that the Company may renew its directors' and officers'
liability insurance policy when required; provided, however, the Company shall
consult with the Parent prior to renewing such insurance policy (such renewed
policy, the "Renewed Policy") to explore possibilities of reducing any losses or
expenses (including additional premiums) that may be incurred by the Company as
a result of the early termination of the Renewed Policy subsequent to the
consummation of the Merger); (vi) make any loans to employees, other than
advances in the ordinary course of business; (vii) fail to maintain adequate
insurance consistent with past practices for their businesses and properties;
(viii) make capital expenditures in excess of $2,000,000 in any calendar month
or $6,000,000 in the aggregate after the date hereof; (ix) commence any
voluntary petition, proceeding or action under any bankruptcy, insolvency or
other similar law; (x) take any action that, if taken after December 31, 2001
but prior to the date hereof, would be required to be disclosed in Section 3.7
of the Disclosure Letter (other than events outside the Company's control that
would require disclosure in response to Section 3.7(a) or that are permitted
pursuant to any other provision of this Section 4.1(c)); (xi) make or change any
election, change an annual accounting period, adopt or change any accounting
method, file any amended tax return, settle any tax claim or assessment relating
to the Company or its Subsidiaries (other than in connection with the pending
tax audits listed on Section 3.10 of the Disclosure Letter, provided that the
aggregate amount of any such settlements does not exceed $100,000), surrender
any right to claim a refund of taxes, consent to any extension or waiver of the
limitation period applicable to any tax claim or assessment relating to the
Company or its Subsidiaries, fail to timely file any tax return, take a position
on a tax return not in keeping with prior practice or take any other similar
action, or omit to take any action relating to the filing of any tax return or
the payment of any tax, if such election, adoption, change, amendment,
agreement, settlement, surrender, consent or other action or omission could have
the effect of increasing the present or future tax liability or decreasing any
present or future tax asset of the Company or its Subsidiaries; (xii) adopt a
plan of complete or partial liquidation or engage in a consolidation, merger,
restructuring or recapitalization other than in connection with the Transactions
or as permitted by Section 5.4; or (xiii) authorize or enter into any contract,
agreement, commitment or arrangement with respect to any of the foregoing;
-27-
(d) the Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, use
reasonable best efforts to (i) preserve intact the business organization of the
Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) keep available the services of its and their
present officers, employees and consultants, (iii) preserve the goodwill and the
current relationships of the Company and its Subsidiaries with customers,
distributors, suppliers, licensees, licensors, contractors and other persons
with which the Company or its Subsidiaries has significant business relations,
(iv) maintain all assets in good repair and condition (except for ordinary wear
and tear) other than those disposed of in the ordinary course of business, (v)
maintain all insurance necessary to the conduct of the Company's business as
currently conducted, (vi) maintain its books of account and records in the
usual, regular and ordinary manner and (vii) maintain and protect all of the
material Company IP in a manner consistent with past practice;
(e) the Company shall not and shall cause its Subsidiaries not to
(i) enter into any new agreements (other than in its ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice) or amend or modify any existing agreements (other
than in its ordinary course of business consistent with past practice) with any
of their respective officers, directors or employees or with any "disqualified
individuals" (as defined in Section 280G(c) of the Code), (ii) grant any
increases in the compensation of their respective directors, officers and
employees or any "disqualified individuals" other than deferred increases not in
excess of 5% of the applicable individual's compensation, increases (to Persons
who do not received such deferred increases) in the ordinary course of business
and consistent with past practice to persons who are not directors or corporate
officers of or "disqualified individuals" with respect to the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries and increases made pursuant to employment agreements existing
on the date hereof which are either disclosed in Section 3.15 of the Disclosure
Letter or not required to be disclosed therein, (iii) enter into, adopt, amend
or terminate, or grant any new benefit not presently provided for under, any
employee benefit plan or arrangement, except as required by law; provided,
however, it is understood that the Company is permitted to pay bonuses to the
extent described in Section 3.15 of the Disclosure Letter; or (iv) except as
contemplated by any agreement referenced as a severance agreement in Section
3.15 of the Disclosure Letter or not required to be disclosed in Section 3.15 of
the Disclosure Letter, take any action with respect to the grant of any
severance or termination pay;
-28-
(f) the Company shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to,
acquire or agree to acquire by merging or consolidating with, or by purchasing a
substantial portion of the assets of, or by any other manner, any business or
any corporation, partnership, association or other business organization or
division thereof or otherwise acquire or agree to acquire any assets (other than
in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice); and
(g) the Company shall use reasonable best efforts to take all
actions reasonably necessary so that the conditions to the Parent's or Merger
Sub's obligations to consummate the Merger and the Transactions are satisfied on
a timely basis, except as contemplated by this Merger Agreement.
5. ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
5.1 Proxy Statement. As promptly as practicable after the date
hereof, the Company shall prepare and (subject to the Parent's approval (which
shall not be unreasonably withheld), review and comment thereon) file with the
SEC under the Exchange Act, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to have
cleared by the SEC, a proxy statement (including, without limitation, a Rule
13e-3 Transaction Statement on Schedule 13E-3 (the "Schedule 13E-3") if required
under the Exchange Act) (the "Proxy Statement"), with respect to the meeting of
the Company's shareholders referred to in Section 5.2. The Company shall use its
reasonable best efforts to (i) file a preliminary copy of the Proxy Statement
with the SEC within 45 days of the date hereof, (ii) respond to any comments of
the SEC (after providing Merger Sub with a reasonable opportunity to review and
comment thereon) and (iii) cause the Proxy Statement to be mailed to the
Company's shareholders as promptly as practicable after responding to all such
comments to the satisfaction of the SEC's staff. The Company shall notify Merger
Sub promptly of the receipt of any comments from the SEC and of any request by
the SEC for amendments or supplements to the Proxy Statement or for additional
information and shall supply Merger Sub with copies of all correspondence
between the Company or any of its representatives, on the one hand, and the SEC,
on the other hand, with respect to the Proxy Statement or the Transactions. The
Company will cause the Proxy Statement to comply in all material respects with
the applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder applicable to the Proxy Statement and the solicitation of proxies for
the Meeting (including any requirement to amend or supplement the Proxy
Statement) and each party shall furnish to the other such information relating
to it and its affiliates and the Transactions and such further and supplemental
information as may be reasonably requested by the other party. If at any time
prior to the Meeting there shall occur any event that should be set forth in an
amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement, the Company shall promptly
prepare and mail to its shareholders such an amendment or supplement; provided,
that no such amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement will be made by the
Company without providing the Merger Sub the reasonable opportunity to review
and comment thereon and without the approval of Merger Sub, which approval shall
not be unreasonably withheld. The Company and its counsel shall request that the
SEC and its staff permit Merger Sub and its counsel to participate in all
face-to-face meetings with the SEC and its staff relating to the Proxy
Statement, this Agreement or the Transactions. The Proxy Statement shall contain
the recommendation of the Board in favor of the Merger and for approval and
adoption of this Merger Agreement. Subject to the Financial Advisor's review of
the Proxy Statement and right to approve any reference to the Financial Advisor
or its Opinion in the Proxy Statement, the Company shall include a copy of the
written Opinion in the Proxy Statement.
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5.2 Meeting of the Shareholders of the Company.
(a) As promptly as practicable after the date hereof, the Company
shall take all action necessary in accordance with New Jersey Law and its
Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws to convene a meeting of its
shareholders (the "Meeting") promptly to consider and vote upon the approval of
the Merger, the Transactions and the adoption of this Merger Agreement unless
the Board shall have properly exercised its rights set forth in Section 5.4(b).
The Board will recommend that the shareholders of the Company vote to adopt and
approve the Merger and the Transactions and adopt this Merger Agreement and the
Board shall not withdraw or modify such recommendation, and the Company shall
use its best efforts to solicit from shareholders of the Company proxies in
favor of such adoption and approval and shall take all other action necessary or
advisable to secure the vote and consent of such shareholders required by New
Jersey Law unless, in any such case, the Board shall have properly exercised its
rights set forth in Section 5.4(b). At any such meeting, the Parent shall vote,
or cause to be voted, all of the Shares then owned by the Parent or any
subsidiary of the Parent in favor of the Merger.
5.3 [Intentionally Omitted].
5.4 No Solicitation.
(a) Except as set forth in this Section 5.4(a), the Company shall
not and the Company shall cause its Subsidiaries not to, and will not permit any
of its Representatives to, directly or indirectly, solicit, initiate, encourage
or knowingly facilitate (including by way of furnishing or disclosing non-public
information), or participate in discussions or negotiations with, or otherwise
communicate with or provide any non-public information to any corporation,
partnership, company, Person or "group" (as defined under Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder) (other than the Parent,
Merger Sub, or an affiliate, associate, representative or agent of the Parent or
Merger Sub) concerning, any merger, consolidation, exchange offer, leveraged
buyout, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization, sale of or
tender offer for shares of capital stock, sale of assets, plan of liquidation or
similar transaction involving the Company or its Subsidiaries (an "Acquisition
Transaction") or enter into or consummate any agreement, arrangement or
understanding requiring it to agree to approve or recommend an Acquisition
Transaction or to abandon (or fail to consummate) the Merger or this Merger
Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior to the Meeting, the Company may,
directly or indirectly, furnish information and access, in each case in response
to an unsolicited, bona-fide written proposal for an Acquisition Transaction
that did not otherwise result from a breach of this Section 5.4, and subject to
compliance with Section 5.4(c), to any Person or "group" (as defined under
Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder),
pursuant to appropriate confidentiality agreements (on terms no less favorable
to the Company than the terms contained in the Confidentiality Agreement dated
May 30, 2001 between Cornerstone and the Company) (the "Competing Party
Confidentiality Agreement"), and may participate in discussions and negotiate
with such Person or "group" concerning any proposal or offer from any Person
relating to any such Acquisition Transaction, if the Board determines (by
requisite approval in accordance with the Company's by-laws) in its good faith
judgment after consultation with the Company's counsel that (i) failing to take
such action is reasonably likely to constitute a breach of the fiduciary duties
of the Board under applicable law, (ii) such proposal is not subject to (A) any
financing contingency more significant than the financing contingencies to which
the Merger is subject upon execution of this Merger Agreement or (B) any other
material contingency to which such Person has not demonstrated its ability to
overcome, (iii) such proposal is reasonably likely to be consummated and (iv)
such proposal is more favorable to the shareholders of the Company (other than
the Management Participants) from a financial point of view than the
Transactions (such proposal to be referred to as a "Competing Transaction"). In
addition, in the event of such determination by the Board, the Company shall
direct its officers and other appropriate personnel to cooperate with and be
reasonably available to consult with any such Person or "group", subject to the
execution of the Competing Party Confidentiality Agreement.
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(b) Neither the Company, its Subsidiaries, the Board nor any
committee thereof shall (i) withdraw or modify, or propose to withdraw or
modify, in a manner adverse to the Parent or Merger Sub, the approval, adoption
or recommendation by the Board or any such committee of this Merger Agreement,
the Merger or the other Transactions, (ii) approve or recommend, or propose to
approve or recommend, any Acquisition Transaction, (iii) enter into, approve or
recommend, or propose to approve or recommend, or execute, any letter of intent,
agreement in principle, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, option
agreement or other agreement relating to any Acquisition Transaction or agree or
propose to agree to do any of the foregoing, or (iv) submit any Acquisition
Transaction at the Meeting or any other shareholders meeting for purposes of
voting upon approval and adoption of the Acquisition Transaction; provided,
however, that prior to the Meeting, the Company may, to the extent required by
the fiduciary obligations of the Board, as determined in good faith by the Board
(by requisite approval in accordance with the Company's by-laws) after
consultation with the Company's counsel, and after compliance with the following
sentence, terminate this Merger Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(d) (provided
that concurrently with such termination the Company enters into a definitive
agreement containing the terms of the Competing Transaction). If the Company
shall exercise its right to terminate this Merger Agreement pursuant to this
Section 5.4(b), the Company shall deliver to Cornerstone (i) a payment by check
or wire transfer of same day funds in the amount of the Termination Fee as
provided in Section 5.7(b) and (ii) written acknowledgment from the Company and
from the other Person to the Competing Transaction that the Company and such
other Person have irrevocably waived any right to contest such payment.
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(c) The Company promptly (and in any event within 12 hours of the
relevant event) shall notify Merger Sub orally and in writing of any proposal or
inquiry for a possible Acquisition Transaction or any inquiry with respect to or
that could reasonably be expected to lead to any Acquisition Transaction
(including any request for non-public information) and such notice shall include
the identity of the person making any such Acquisition Transaction, inquiry or
request, and, in each case, the material terms and conditions thereof, including
any amendment or other modification to the terms and conditions. The Company
shall keep Merger Sub fully apprised of the status of any proposal relating to
an Acquisition Transaction on a current basis.
(d) The Company shall not cancel, terminate, amend, modify or
waive any of the terms of any confidentiality or standstill agreement executed
with respect to the Company by any other party prior to the date of this Merger
Agreement. Upon the execution of this Merger Agreement, the Company shall
immediately cease any existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any
parties conducted heretofore with respect to any Acquisition Transaction.
(e) Without limiting the foregoing, it is understood that any
violation of the restrictions set forth in this Section 5.4 by any
Representative or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall be
deemed to be a breach of this Section 5.4 by the Company.
5.5 Intentionally omitted.
5.6 Additional Agreements; Consents; Filings. (a) Subject to the
terms and conditions herein provided, each of the parties hereto agrees to use
all reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all action and to do,
or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable to consummate and
make effective as promptly as practicable the Merger and all other Transactions,
including (i) filing the Certificate of Merger referred to in Section 1.5, (ii)
using reasonable best efforts to remove any legal impediment to the consummation
or effectiveness of such transactions and (iii) obtaining all necessary waivers,
consents, permits, licenses, authorizations and approvals and effecting all
registrations, notices and filings that are (A) necessary, or in the reasonable
opinion of the Company, the Parent or Merger Sub, desirable in connection with
the authorization, execution and delivery of this Merger Agreement and the
consummation of the Transactions or (B) required to prevent a Material Adverse
Effect from occurring prior to the Effective Time or a Surviving Corporation
Material Adverse Effect from occurring after the Effective Time, including, but
not limited to, filings under the Exchange Act, any other applicable federal or
state securities laws, New Jersey Law, the HSR Act and the Competition Act
(Canada), if applicable, and submissions of information requested by
governmental authorities, and, upon the instruction of the Parent, sending
notices to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx XxXxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
under their respective employment or letter agreements with the Company;
provided, that Parent, Merger Sub and the Company shall cooperate with each
other (i) in connection with the making of all such filings, including (to the
extent permitted by law) providing copies of all such documents to the
non-filing party and its advisors prior to filing and (ii) in using their
respective reasonable best efforts to obtain expeditiously all regulatory
approvals necessary, if any, to carry out the Transactions. In the event that
the Parent, Merger Sub or the Company shall fail to obtain any third party
consent described in the immediately preceding sentence, it shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts, and shall take any such actions reasonably
requested by the other party, to minimize any adverse effect upon the Parent,
Merger Sub or the Company (and its Subsidiaries), and their respective
businesses resulting, or which could reasonably be expected to result after the
Effective Time, from the failure to obtain such consent.
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(b) From the date of this Merger Agreement until the Effective
Time, each party shall promptly notify the other party in writing of any pending
or, to the knowledge of the first party, threatened action, claim, proceeding or
investigation by any governmental authority or any other person (i) challenging
or seeking damages in connection with the Merger or the conversion of Shares
into cash pursuant to the Merger or (ii) seeking to restrain or prohibit the
consummation of the Transactions or otherwise limit the right of the Surviving
Corporation to own or operate all or any portion of the businesses or assets of
the Company or its Subsidiaries, which in either case would have a Material
Adverse Effect prior to the Effective Time, or a Surviving Corporation Material
Adverse Effect after the Effective Time. The term "Surviving Corporation
Material Adverse Effect" means, when used in connection with the Surviving
Corporation, any change, effect, event, occurrence, condition or development
that is materially adverse to the business, assets, liabilities, properties,
results of operations or financial condition of the Surviving Corporation and
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(c) The Company, the Parent and Merger Sub shall (to the extent
permitted by law) furnish to each other all information required for any
application or other filing to be made pursuant to the rules and regulations of
any applicable law (including all information required to be included in the
Proxy Statement) in connection with the Transactions.
(d) If any state takeover statute or similar statute or regulation
becomes applicable to the Merger, this Merger Agreement or any of the other
Transactions, the Company, the Parent and Merger Sub will use their reasonable
best efforts to take all action necessary to assure that the Merger and the
other Transactions may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms
contemplated by this Merger Agreement and otherwise to minimize the effect of
such statute or regulation on the Merger and the other Transactions.
5.7 Expenses.
(a) Except as provided in this Section 5.7, all fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the Merger, this Merger Agreement and the
Transactions shall be paid by the party incurring such fees or expenses, whether
or not the Merger is consummated; provided, however, that (i) the Company shall
bear all expenses related to printing, filing and mailing the Proxy Statement
and all SEC and other regulatory filing fees incurred in connection with the
Proxy Statement and (ii) Merger Sub and the Company shall bear equally one-half
of the filing fee in connection with any filing under the HSR Act or the
Competition Act (Canada) which is related to the Merger.
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(b) (i) In the event that this Merger Agreement is terminated by
(x) the Company pursuant to Section 7.1(d) or (y) Parent or Merger Sub pursuant
to Section 7.1(e), on the date of such termination, the Company shall pay
Cornerstone by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account
specified by Cornerstone a payment in an amount equal to the sum (such sum, the
"Termination Fee") of (x) the Liquidated Amount and (y) the Reimbursable Costs.
(ii) In the event that (A) this Merger Agreement is terminated
by Merger Sub, Parent or the Company pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(iii) and (B) a
proposed transaction (other than the Transactions) which would constitute either
an Acquisition Transaction or an Alternative Transaction is publicly announced
or publicly disclosed prior to the Meeting, then, on the date of such
termination, the Company shall pay Cornerstone by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to an account specified by Cornerstone a payment in an amount
equal to the Reimbursable Costs. In the event that (C) this Merger Agreement is
terminated by Merger Sub, Parent or the Company pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(iii),
(D) a proposed transaction (other than the Transactions) which would constitute
either an Acquisition Transaction or an Alternative Transaction is publicly
announced or publicly disclosed prior to the Meeting, and (E) within one year
after such termination, the Company shall have entered into an
agreement-in-principle or agreement for, or consummated, an Alternative
Transaction, then on the date of the consummation of such Alternative
Transaction, the Company shall also pay the Liquidated Amount to Cornerstone by
wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account specified by
Cornerstone.
(iii) In the event that this Merger Agreement is terminated by
Merger Sub or Parent pursuant to Sections 7.1(c)(i) or 7.1(c)(iii), then, on the
date of such termination, the Company shall pay Cornerstone by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to an account specified by Cornerstone a payment in
an amount equal to the Reimbursable Costs.
(iv) For purposes of this Merger Agreement, the term
"Alternative Transaction" shall mean any transaction or series of related
transactions other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
involving: (A) any acquisition or purchase from the Company by any Person or
"group" (as defined under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder) of more than a 20% interest in the total outstanding
voting securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any tender offer
or exchange offer that if consummated would result in any Person or "group" (as
defined under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder) beneficially owning more than 20% of the total outstanding voting
securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (B) any merger,
consolidation, leveraged buyout, business combination, reorganization,
recapitalization or similar transaction involving the Company or its
Subsidiaries pursuant to which the shareholders of the Company or its
Subsidiaries immediately preceding such transaction hold, directly or
indirectly, less than 85% of the equity interests in the surviving or resulting
entity of such transaction; (C) any sale, lease, exchange, transfer, license,
acquisition or disposition of more than 30% of the assets of the Company; or (D)
any liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
(v) For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Liquidated
Amount" shall mean $3,000,000 and the term "Reimbursable Costs" shall mean the
lesser of (x) $700,000 and (y) the sum of (i) all costs, fees and expenses of
counsel, accountants, financial advisors and other experts and advisors as well
as fees and expenses incident to the negotiation, preparation and execution of
this Merger Agreement and the attempted financing and consummation of the
Transactions (including, without limitation, commitment fees and the legal fees
and expenses of the providers of the Commitment Letters), the related
documentation and the shareholders' meetings and consents and (ii) other
out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with this Merger Agreement and the
attempted financing and consummation of the Transactions, in each case, of
Merger Sub, the Parent and Cornerstone. The Reimbursable Costs shall be
estimated by Parent in good faith prior to the date of any payment of
Reimbursable Costs hereunder, subject to an adjustment payment between the
parties upon the parties' definitive determination of such Reimbursable Costs.
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(c) Notwithstanding any other provision herein to the contrary, it
is understood and agreed that the remedies provided in Sections 5.7(b)(i) and
5.7(b)(ii) shall be the exclusive remedies of Merger Sub and Parent for any act
or omission resulting in the termination of this Merger Agreement pursuant to
Sections 7.1(b)(iii), 7.1(d) or 7.1(e). Notwithstanding any other provision
herein to the contrary, it is understood and agreed that the remedies provided
in Section 5.7(b)(iii) are not the exclusive remedies of, or liquidated damages
for, Merger Sub or Parent for any act or omission resulting in the termination
of this Merger Agreement pursuant to Sections 7.1(c)(i) or 7.1(c)(iii) and that
Merger Sub and Parent reserve all rights to pursue any other remedies against
the Company (at law or in equity) available to it if this Merger Agreement is
terminated pursuant to Sections 7.1(c)(i) or 7.1(c)(iii).
5.8 Indemnification, Exculpation and Insurance.
(a) The Parent and Merger Sub agree that, except as may be limited
by applicable law, all rights to indemnification and exculpation from
liabilities for acts or omissions occurring at or prior to the Effective Time
existing as of the date hereof in favor of the current or former directors or
officers of the Company and its Subsidiaries (each, an "Indemnified Person") as
provided in their respective certificates of incorporation and by-laws (or
similar organizational documents) and as provided under applicable state law
shall survive the Merger, shall be retained by such persons after the Merger,
and shall continue in full force and effect after the Merger is consummated in
accordance with their terms, and the obligation to provide such rights shall be
assumed by the Surviving Corporation in the Merger at the Effective Time,
without further action.
(b) In the event that the Surviving Corporation or any of its
successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other person and
is not the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation
or merger or (ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially all its properties
and assets to any person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be
made so that the successors and assigns of the Surviving Corporation assume the
obligations set forth in this Section 5.8.
(c) For six years after the Effective Time, the Surviving
Corporation shall maintain (and Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to
maintain) in effect the Company's current directors' and officers' liability
insurance covering each person currently covered by the Company's directors' and
officers' liability insurance policy in their capacities as directors and
officers for acts or omissions occurring prior to the Effective Time on terms
with respect to such coverage and amounts no less favorable in any material
respect to such directors and officers than those of such policy as in effect on
the date of this Merger Agreement; provided that the Parent may substitute
therefor policies of a reputable insurance company the material terms of which,
including coverage and amount, are no less favorable in any material respect to
such directors and officers than the insurance coverage otherwise required under
this Section 5.8(c). The Company and the Surviving Corporation shall use their
respective best efforts to negotiate a one time premium for such coverage,
provided that the Company and the Surviving Corporation shall not be obligated
to spend more than $700,000 for such one time premium. If the Company's existing
carrier or a reputable insurance company is willing to provide such coverage in
exchange for a one time premium but such one time premium exceeds $700,000, the
directors of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than the
Management Participants)(the "Non-Management Directors") shall be permitted to
elect as a group either (i) to allow the Company or the Surviving Corporation to
obtain as much comparable insurance as possible for a one time premium equal to
$700,000 or (ii) to seek coverage on a one-time premium basis from another
carrier, in which event the Company (or, if the Company fails to do so, the
Surviving Corporation) shall pay the cost of such alternate coverage up to an
amount equal to $700,000. If neither the Company's carrier nor any reputable
insurance company known to Parent is willing to provide such coverage in
exchange for a one time premium, (i) the Surviving Corporation shall pay annual
premiums for the coverage described in the first sentence of this Section
5.8(c), provided that the Surviving Corporation shall not be obligated to pay
annual premiums for such coverage from any source other than the escrow account
provided for in this Section 5.8(c), (ii) the Parent shall cause the Surviving
Corporation to deposit $700,000 in an interest-bearing escrow account mutually
satisfactory to Parent and a majority of the Non-Management Directors, such
deposit to occur promptly after the Effective Time, and (iii) any taxes on the
income earned in such account shall be paid from such account.
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(d) In the event that any action, suit, proceeding or
investigation is commenced relating to matters for which indemnification is
provided hereunder or to the Transactions, whether such commencement is before
or after the Effective Time, the parties hereto agree to cooperate and use their
respective reasonable efforts to vigorously defend against and respond thereto
and Parent shall be entitled to participate in the defense of such action, suit,
proceeding or investigation at its expense. Notwithstanding anything contained
in this Section 5.8(d), neither the Merger Sub nor the Surviving Corporation
shall have any obligation hereunder to any Indemnified Person if the
indemnification of such Indemnified Person in the manner contemplated hereby is
prohibited by applicable law.
(e) The provisions of this Section 5.8 are intended to be for the
benefit of, and will be enforceable by, each Indemnified Person, his or her
heirs and his or her representatives.
5.9 Notification of Certain Matters. The Company shall give prompt
notice to the Parent, and the Parent shall give prompt notice to the Company, of
(i) the occurrence, or failure to occur, of any event, which occurrence or
failure would be likely to cause any representation or warranty contained in
this Merger Agreement to be untrue or inaccurate in any material respect at any
time from the date hereof to the Effective Time, (ii) any failure of the Company
(or its Subsidiaries) or the Parent, as the case may be, or any officer,
director, employee or agent thereof, to comply with or satisfy any covenant,
condition or agreement to be complied with or satisfied by it hereunder, (iii)
the receipt of any notice or other communication from any Person alleging that
the consent of such Person is or may be required in connection with the
Transactions or (iv) the receipt of any notice or other communication from any
governmental authority in connection with the Transactions; provided, however,
that no such notification will alter, otherwise affect, or cure any breach of
any such representations, warranties, covenants, conditions or agreement.
-36-
5.10 Confidentiality; Access to Information.
(a) Parent, Merger Sub and the Company shall each, and shall each
use its reasonable best efforts to cause its Representatives to, keep
confidential and not disclose to any other person (other than such
Representatives) or use for its own benefit or the benefit of any other person
confidential proprietary information in its or their possession regarding the
Company on the one hand, or Parent, Merger Sub or Cornerstone on the other. The
obligations of the parties hereto under this Section 5.10(a) shall not apply to
information which (i) is or becomes generally available to the public without
breach of this Section 5.10(a); or (ii) is required to be disclosed by law or a
governmental authority; provided, however, that, in any such case involving a
legally required disclosure, the Person subject to such requirement shall notify
the other party as promptly as reasonably practicable prior to disclosure to
allow the other party to take appropriate measures to preserve the
confidentiality of such information. The provisions of this Section 5.10(a)
(other than the provisions of this sentence) shall terminate as of the Effective
Time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 5.10(a) shall
prevent the Company from complying with its obligations contained in Section
5.16.
(b) From the date hereof to the Effective Date, the Company shall
(and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to) (i) provide Parent, Merger Sub and
their Representatives full access to all information and documents which Parent
and Merger Sub may reasonably request regarding the business, properties,
assets, contracts, liabilities, employees and other aspects of the Company or
its Subsidiaries, and furnish promptly any such information to Parent and Merger
Sub, and (ii) provide reasonable access at reasonable times upon reasonable
prior notice to the officers, employees, agents, properties, offices and other
facilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries and to the books and records
thereof. For purposes of this Merger Agreement, the term "Representatives" shall
mean, with respect to any party, such party's lenders, other financing sources,
investment bankers, officers, directors, employees, accountants, consultants,
legal counsel, agents and other representatives.
(c) No investigation by Parent, Merger Sub or the Company, whether
prior to the execution of this Agreement or pursuant to this Section 5.10, shall
affect any representation or warranty in this Agreement of any party hereto or
any condition to the obligations of the parties hereto.
(d) Parent and its Representatives shall have the right to conduct
any environmental and engineering inspections at any of the Company's properties
(to the extent permitted under any applicable lease), which inspections shall be
at Parent's expense; provided, that all of Parent's and its Representatives'
activities pursuant to this Section 5.10(d) shall be conducted in a manner that
does not unreasonably interfere with the ongoing operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries.
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(e) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the
Company acknowledges that Parent may cause an offering memorandum or other
documents to be prepared and used in connection with the financing of the
Transactions and the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its
and its Subsidiaries' officers, employees, consultants, agents, accountants and
attorneys to cooperate with Parent and its Representatives in connection with
the consummation of the financing of the Transactions. Such offering memorandum
and other documents shall either (i) not contain any material non-public
information regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries or (ii) be furnished to
third-parties under circumstances that will assure that such memorandum and
documents are maintained in confidence.
5.11 Employee Benefits. The Parent and the Company agree that all
employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective
Time shall be employed by the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries
immediately after the Effective Time, it being understood that, except for
employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries with employment agreements
restricting the Surviving Corporation's ability to terminate their employment
and in such cases, only to the extent so restricted, the Parent shall not have
any obligation to continue employing such employees for any length of time
thereafter. The Parent and the Company agree that, after the Effective Time, all
employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall continue to be entitled to
and shall receive benefits that are no less favorable in the aggregate than the
benefits currently provided to the employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries
under the Company's existing benefit plans identified in Section 3.9 of the
Disclosure Letter (other than any equity or equity-linked compensation plan or
program or any keyman life insurance contract) through six months from the
Effective Time so long as the continued provision of such benefit plans to such
employees does not cause any benefit plan of the Surviving Corporation to be in
violation of any law or regulation governing such plans. From and after six
months from the Effective Time, the then employees of the Surviving Corporation
and its Subsidiaries shall be entitled to and shall receive such benefits as the
then constituted management of the Surviving Corporation deems necessary and
appropriate. With respect to any such benefit arrangements ("Ultimate Plans"),
the Parent shall grant all employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries, who
become participants in the Ultimate Plans after the Effective Time, credit for
all service with the Company and its Subsidiaries, or their respective
predecessors (or any other party for which service has been recognized by the
Company or its Subsidiaries), prior to the Effective Time for all purposes
(other than for benefit accrual purposes under a defined benefit pension plan)
for which such service was recognized by the Company or its Subsidiaries prior
to the Effective Time. To the extent that the Benefit Plans or Ultimate Plans
provide medical or dental welfare benefits after the Effective Time, the Parent
shall cause all pre-existing condition exclusions and actively-at-work
requirements, to the extent such requirements would have been met at the Company
and its Subsidiaries, to be waived and the Parent shall provide that any
expenses incurred on or before the Effective Time shall be taken into account
under the Ultimate Plans for purposes of satisfying the applicable deductible,
coinsurance and maximum out-of-pocket provisions. Subject to the rules governing
eligibility, vesting and all other terms of any 401(k) plan or other qualified
retirement plan or ERISA pension plan maintained by the Parent and its
subsidiaries (the "Retirement Plans"), the employees of the Company and its
Subsidiaries shall be eligible to participate in and receive benefits under the
Retirement Plans on terms similar to the benefits provided to similarly situated
employees of the Parent and its subsidiaries, with credit granted for purposes
of eligibility and vesting for prior service with the Company and its
Subsidiaries.
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5.12 Antitrust Laws. As promptly as practicable, the Company, the
Parent and Merger Sub shall make all filings and submissions under the HSR Act
and the Competition Act (Canada) as may be reasonably required to be made in
connection with this Merger Agreement and the Transactions, which filings shall
comply as to form with all requirements applicable thereto and all of the
information reported therein shall be true, correct and complete in all material
respects. Subject to all applicable confidentiality requirements and all
applicable laws, (i) the Company will furnish to the Parent and Merger Sub, and
the Parent and Merger Sub will furnish to the Company, such information and
assistance as shall be reasonably required in connection with the preparation of
any such filings or submissions and (ii) the Company will provide the Parent and
Merger Sub, and the Parent and Merger Sub will provide the Company, with copies
of all correspondence, filings or communications (or memoranda setting forth the
substance thereof) between such party or any of its Representatives, on the one
hand, and any governmental agency or authority or members of their respective
staffs, on the other hand, with respect to this Merger Agreement and the
Transactions; provided, however, that neither the Parent and Merger Sub on the
one hand, nor the Company on the other shall be required to provide the other
party with copies of confidential documents or information included in its
filings and submissions under the HSR Act or Competition Act (Canada), and
provided further that a party hereto may request entry into a joint defense
agreement as a condition to providing any such materials and that, upon receipt
of that request, the parties shall work in good faith to enter into a joint
defense agreement to create and preserve attorney-client privilege in a form and
substance mutually acceptable to the parties. Each of the parties shall promptly
comply with all requests, if any, for additional information or documentation in
connection with any such filings under the HSR Act and Competition Act (Canada).
5.13 Public Announcements. The Parent and Merger Sub, on the one
hand, and the Company, on the other hand, agree that they will consult with the
other party prior to issuing any press release (and give such party a reasonable
opportunity to comment thereon), or otherwise making any public statement or
responding to any press inquiry with respect to this Merger Agreement or the
Transactions, except as may be required by applicable law, court process or by
obligations pursuant to any listing agreement with any national securities
exchange or national securities quotation system to which the Company is a party
and, in such case, the announcing party shall use reasonable best efforts to
consult with all the parties hereto prior to such release or statement being
issued and use reasonable best efforts to agree on the making of and content of
any filings with any national securities exchange or national securities
quotation system with respect to the Transactions. The parties shall agree on
the text of a joint press release by which Merger Sub and the Company will
announce the execution of this Merger Agreement. Notwithstanding anything
contained herein to the contrary, the Company will not use the name of
Cornerstone or any of its affiliates without Parent's prior written consent.
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5.14 Employment Arrangements. Except as otherwise agreed to by
Parent and the applicable employee, the Parent shall cause the Surviving
Corporation to (a) assume and perform each of the employment agreements
described in Section 5.14A of the Disclosure Letter, including, without
limitation, the "Change in Control" and severance provisions thereof and (b)
assume and perform each of the "Change in Control" agreements and obligations
described in Section 5.14B of the Disclosure Letter.
5.15 Dividend Access Shares and Company Class B Convertible
Preferred Stock. As soon as practicable following the date of this Merger
Agreement, the Company shall, and shall cause the Canadian Subsidiary to, take
such actions, including without limitation the giving of all required notices
under the Articles of Incorporation of the Canadian Subsidiary and the Purchase
Agreement, dated as of March 10, 1997, by and among the Company, the Canadian
Subsidiary, and the holders of the Dividend Access Shares of the Canadian
Subsidiary, as are required to provide that immediately prior to the Effective
Time each holder of the Dividend Access Shares of the Canadian Subsidiary shall,
upon the surrender thereof, ultimately receive, for each Dividend Access Share,
the Merger Consideration, less any tax required to be deducted or withheld
therefrom by the Company or the Canadian Subsidiary, and that the single share
of the Company's Class B Preferred Stock shall be redeemed by the Company. The
date of the written notice required to be sent under the Articles of
Incorporation of the Canadian Subsidiary to inform the holders of the Dividend
Access Shares that the "Automatic Redemption Date" (as defined therein) will be
accelerated to immediately prior to the Effective Time is referred to herein as
the "Canadian Notice Date".
5.16 Assistance with Financing. In order to assist with the
financing of the Transactions, at or prior to Closing, the Company shall, and
shall cause its Subsidiaries to, cooperate and take all reasonable actions as
are necessary to consummate the financing of the Transactions, including,
without limitation:
(a) At Parent's request, with respect to each of the Leased
Premises within the United States, the Company shall use its reasonable best
efforts to deliver to the Parent a nondisturbance agreement, a consent and
waiver and/or an estoppel letter executed by the landlord, lessor and/or
licensor of such Leased Premise, in each case, in form and substance reasonably
acceptable to the Parent;
(b) At Parent's request, the Company shall furnish such financial
statements as may be reasonably requested by Parent in connection with the
financing of the Transactions;
(c) At Parent's request, the Company shall take or cause to be
taken any other reasonable actions necessary to consummate the financing of the
Transactions; and
(d) At Parent's request, the Company shall make senior officers
of the Company and its Subsidiaries available for participation in meetings, due
diligence sessions and road shows.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to take any
action under this Section 5.16 that would be inconsistent with its obligations
under the federal securities laws.
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5.17 Exchange Act and NASDAQ Filings; Delisting.
(a) Unless an exemption shall be expressly applicable to the
Company, or unless Parent agrees otherwise in writing, the Company will file
with the SEC and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD")
all reports required to be filed by it pursuant to the rules and regulations of
the SEC and NASD (including, without limitation, all required financial
statements). Such reports and other information shall comply in all material
respects with all of the requirements of the SEC and NASD rules and regulations,
and when filed, will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading.
(b) Each of the parties shall cooperate with each other in taking,
or causing to be taken, all actions necessary to delist all of the Company's
securities from the NASDAQ Stock Exchange and to terminate registration under
the Exchange Act; provided, that such delisting and termination shall not be
effective until after the Effective Time.
5.19 Representations. Each of the Company, the Parent and the
Merger Sub (a) will use reasonable best efforts to take all action necessary to
render true and correct as of the Closing its respective representations and
warranties contained in this Merger Agreement, (b) will use reasonable best
efforts to refrain from taking any action that would render any such
representation or warranty untrue or incorrect as of such time and (c) will
perform or cause to be satisfied each agreement or covenant required to be
performed by it hereunder.
5.20 Voting Agreement. The Company shall comply with all of its
obligations under the Voting Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and
among the Company, Merger Sub and the Management Participants (the "Voting
Agreement").
6. CONDITIONS
6.1 Conditions to Obligation of Each Party to Effect the Merger.
The obligation of each party to effect the Merger is subject to the satisfaction
(or waiver by the party for whose benefit such condition exists, to the extent
permitted by law, on or prior to the Closing Date) of the following conditions:
(a) this Merger Agreement, the Merger and the Transactions shall
have been approved and adopted by the requisite vote of the shareholders of the
Company in accordance with the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and New
Jersey Law;
(b) (i) the waiting period (and any extension thereof) applicable
to the consummation of the Merger under the HSR Act shall have expired or been
terminated and (ii) if the Competition Act (Canada) is applicable to the
Transactions, then (x) the Commissioner of Competition (the "Commissioner")
appointed under the Competition Act (Canada) shall have issued an Advance Ruling
Certificate under Section 102 of the Competition Act (Canada) in respect of the
Shares, (y) the Commissioner shall have advised Parent that the Commissioner
does not intend to apply to the Competition Tribunal for an order under Section
92 of the Competition Act (Canada) in respect of the Shares or (z) the
applicable waiting period under Section 123 of the Competition Act (Canada)
shall have expired without the Commissioner's having notified Parent that the
Commissioner intends to apply to the Competition Tribunal for an order under
Section 92 of the Competition Act (Canada) in respect of the Shares;
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(c) no order, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, stay,
decree, judgment or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, issued,
promulgated or enforced by any governmental authority or a court of competent
jurisdiction which has the effect of making the Merger illegal or otherwise
prohibiting consummation of the Merger or of limiting or restricting in any
material respect the Surviving Corporation's or Merger Sub's conduct or
operation of the business of the Company after the Effective Time;
(d) thirty (30) days shall have elapsed since the Canadian Notice
Date; and
(e) the Company shall have (x) received from the New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection either (i) a letter of non-applicability
with respect to the Merger, (ii) a no further action letter, (iii) a negative
declaration or (iv) approval of a Remedial Action Workplan, (y) entered into a
remediation agreement with such Department or (z) otherwise satisfied the
requirements of the New Jersey Industrial Site Recovery Act ("ISRA") such that
the Company, the Parent and the Merger Sub may consummate the Merger without
violating ISRA.
6.2 Additional Conditions to Obligation of the Company. The
obligation of the Company to effect the Merger is also subject to the conditions
(which may be waived, in whole or in part, to the extent permitted by applicable
law) that (a) each of the Parent and Merger Sub shall in all material respects
have performed each obligation and agreement and complied with each covenant to
be performed and complied with by it hereunder at or prior to the Effective Time
and (b) Parent's representations and warranties in this Merger Agreement, when
made and (with the exception of representations and warranties made as of a
particular date) as of the Closing Date, shall be true and complete in all
material respects. Parent shall have delivered to the Company a certificate of
an officer of Parent, dated as of the Closing Date, as to compliance with the
conditions set forth in this Section 6.2.
6.3 Additional Conditions to Obligations of the Parent and Merger
Sub. The obligations of the Parent and Merger Sub to effect the Merger are also
subject to the conditions (which may be waived, in whole or in part, to the
extent permitted by applicable law) that:
(a) There shall be no statute, rule, regulation, judgment,
injunction or order enacted, entered, issued or deemed applicable to the Merger
(i) making the purchase of, or payment for, some or all of the Shares pursuant
to the Merger Agreement illegal, or resulting in a material delay in the ability
of the Parent to accept for payment or pay for some or all of the Shares, or to
consummate the Merger or seeking to obtain from the Company, the Parent or
Merger Sub any damages that would have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company
and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) imposing, or seeking to impose
material limitations on the ability of the Parent effectively to acquire or hold
or to exercise full rights of ownership of the Shares acquired by it, (iii)
which would require the Parent or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the
Parent to dispose of or hold separate any of the Shares or any material portion
of the assets or business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole,
or (iv) prohibit or materially limit the ability of the Parent or any direct or
indirect subsidiary of the Parent to own, control or operate any material
portion of the businesses, operations or assets of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole; or (v) otherwise constituting a Material Adverse
Effect;
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(b) There shall be no pending governmental or regulatory action or
proceeding by or before any court, government or governmental or regulatory
authority, domestic or foreign, and no pending action or proceeding by any other
person, domestic or foreign, which would, in any such case, reasonably be
expected to result in any of the consequences referred to in clauses (i) through
(v) of paragraph (a) above;
(c) The Company shall in all material respects have performed each
obligation and agreement and complied with each covenant to be performed and
complied with by it hereunder at or prior to the Effective Time;
(d) The representations and warranties of the Company set forth in
this Merger Agreement (other than those representations and warranties that
address matters as of particular dates) shall be true and correct in all
material respects as of the Closing Date and any representation and warranty of
the Company set forth in this Agreement that addresses matters as of a
particular date shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the
date referred to therein; provided, that, to the extent that any such
representations and warranties are qualified by terms such as "material",
"materially" or "Material Adverse Effect" (it being understood that any such
representation and warranty so qualified shall be referred to herein as a
"Materiality Qualified Representation and Warranty" and any representation and
warranty that is not a Materiality Qualified Representation and Warranty shall
be referred to herein as an "Unqualified Representation and Warranty"), such
Materiality Qualified Representations and Warranties shall be true and correct
in all respects as of the Closing Date (or if a Materiality Qualified
Representation and Warranty addresses matters as of a particular date, such
Materiality Qualified Representation and Warranty shall be true and correct in
all respects as of the date referred to therein);
(e) The Company shall have delivered to Parent a certificate of an
executive officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, as to compliance
with the conditions set forth in Sections 6.3(c) and 6.3(d);
(f) Since the date of this Merger Agreement, no change, event or
effect has occurred which has, or would reasonably be expected to have, a
Material Adverse Effect;
(g) Parent shall have obtained the cash proceeds from the
financing transactions (the "Cash Proceeds") sufficient to consummate the Merger
(including the payment of the Merger Consideration, the Option Consideration and
the repayment of indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company or its
Subsidiaries that is required to be repaid as a result of the Transactions), to
pay all fees and expenses of the Transaction and to provide ongoing working
capital to the Surviving Corporation, all on terms and conditions consistent
with the Senior Debt Commitment Letter and reasonably satisfactory to Parent;
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(h) All Stock Options shall have been extinguished and, as of
immediately prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall have no liability or
obligation with respect to any such Stock Option, except as provided in Sections
1.8(d) and 1.13;
(i) The Dividend Access Shares and the Series B Preferred Share
shall have been redeemed immediately prior to the Effective Time and the Company
shall have no liability or obligation thereunder;
(j) Arrangements reasonably satisfactory to Parent shall have been
made such that concurrent with the Effective Time, a portion of the Cash
Proceeds shall be utilized to (i) pay in full all outstanding indebtedness for
borrowed money of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) effect the termination
of any letters of credit of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (iii) cause the
release of all Liens on the capital stock of the Company's Subsidiaries and all
Liens on the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries securing indebtedness
for borrowed money and (iv) pay all indebtedness for borrowed money guaranteed
by the Company or its Subsidiaries to the extent that such guarantees are not
released as of the Effective Time; and
(k) The Company shall have obtained the consents, authorizations,
approvals and waivers from third parties, in form reasonably acceptable to the
Parent, which are listed in Section 6.3(k) of the Disclosure Letter.
7. TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
7.1 Termination. This Merger Agreement may be terminated at any
time prior to the Effective Time, whether prior to or after approval of the
Merger by the shareholders of the Company:
(a) by mutual written consent of the Boards of Directors (or any
committee thereof) of the Parent and the Company;
(b) by either the Parent or the Company if:
(i) the waiting period applicable to the consummation of the
Merger under the HSR Act shall not have expired or been terminated prior to the
one hundred and twentieth (120th) day after the parties shall have initially
filed their applications under the HSR Act, provided that the right to terminate
this Merger Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.1(b)(i) shall not be available
to any party whose failure to perform any of its obligations under this Merger
Agreement resulted in the failure of such condition;
(ii) any court, arbitration tribunal, administrative agency or
commission, or public or regulatory or governmental entity shall have issued an
order, decree, judgment, injunction or ruling or taken any other action
permanently enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting the Merger and such
order, decree, judgment, injunction or ruling or other action shall have become
final and nonappealable; provided, that the party seeking to terminate this
Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.1(b)(ii) shall have used all reasonable
efforts to remove such order, judgment, injunction, decree, ruling or other
action;
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(iii) the Meeting shall have been held and the holders of
outstanding Shares shall have failed to approve and adopt this Merger Agreement
and the Merger upon a vote taken at such meeting (including any adjournment or
postponement thereof); provided, that the right to terminate this Merger
Agreement under this Section 7.1(b)(iii) shall not be available to the Company
if its breach of this Merger Agreement has been the cause of or resulted in the
failure to obtain such shareholder approval; or
(iv) the Merger shall not have been consummated by the Outside
Date; provided, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section
7.1(b)(iv) shall not be available to any party whose failure to fulfill any
obligation under this Agreement has been the cause of or resulted in the failure
of the Closing to occur prior to the Outside Date; for purposes of this
Agreement, the term "Outside Date" shall mean the later of (x) 180 days after
the date hereof and (y) 45 days after the Proxy Statement shall have first been
mailed to the Company's shareholders, provided, however, that in no event shall
the Outside Date be later than 240 days after the date hereof;
(c) by the Parent and Merger Sub if:
(i) there shall have been an intentional breach or failure to
perform or comply with any of the material covenants, agreements or obligations
of the Company hereunder (other than those contained in Section 5.4);
(ii) there shall have been any breach or failure to perform or
comply with any of the material covenants, agreements or obligations of the
Company hereunder (other than those contained in Section 5.4) and such breach or
failure does not provide a basis for termination under Section 7.1(c)(i);
provided, however, that, if such breach or failure is curable by the Company
through the exercise of its reasonable best efforts and the Company continues to
exercise such reasonable best efforts, Parent and Merger Sub may not terminate
this Agreement under this Section 7.1(c)(ii) for a period of 10 business days
from the date on which Merger Sub or Parent delivers to the Company written
notice setting forth in reasonable detail the circumstances giving rise to such
breach;
(iii) there has been an intentional act or omission which
causes any Materiality Qualified Representation and Warranty of the Company
(other than a representation or warranty made as of a particular date) to be
untrue in any respect as of any date subsequent to the date hereof or causes any
Unqualified Representation and Warranty of the Company (other than a
representation or warranty made as of a particular date) to be untrue in any
material respect as of any date subsequent to the date hereof; or
(iv) there has been a breach of any representation or warranty
of the Company hereunder such that the condition set forth in Section 6.3(d)
would not be satisfied and such breach does not provide a basis for termination
under Section 7.1(c)(ii); provided, however, that, if (x) such breach is curable
by the Company through the exercise of its reasonable best efforts and (y) the
Company continues to exercise such reasonable best efforts, Parent and Merger
Sub shall not have the right to terminate this Merger Agreement under this
Section 7.1(c)(iii) for a period of 10 business days from the date on which
Merger Sub or Parent delivers to the Company written notice setting forth in
reasonable detail the circumstances giving rise to such breach;
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(d) by the Company prior to the Meeting in accordance with Section
5.4; provided, that in order for the termination of this Agreement pursuant to
this Section 7.1(d) to be deemed effective, the Company shall have complied with
all of the material provisions of Section 5.4, including the notice provisions
contained therein and the payment of the Termination Fee in accordance with
Section 5.7(b);
(e) by the Parent or Merger Sub, if (i) the Company
unintentionally breaches or fails to perform or comply with any of its
covenants, agreements or obligations set forth in Section 5.4 and such breach or
failure is material or (ii) the Company intentionally breaches or fails to
perform or comply with any of its covenants, agreements or obligations set forth
in Section 5.4; or
(f) by the Company if (i) the commitments reflected in the
Commitment Letters are withdrawn or if the conditions to the receipt of the Debt
Financing are changed in a manner such that one or more conditions are
materially less likely to be satisfied and (ii) Parent and/or Merger Sub does
not obtain substitute financing commitments on substantially the same terms as
are reflected in the Commitment Letters or on more favorable terms (from the
perspective of Parent) on or before the earlier of the forty-fifth (45th) day
after the event described in clause (i) of this Section 7.1(f) occurs or the
Outside Date.
7.2 Effect of Termination. In the event of termination of this
Merger Agreement as provided in Section 7.1, written notice shall be given by
the terminating party to the other parties hereto and this Merger Agreement
shall forthwith become void and there shall be no liability on the part of the
Parent, Merger Sub or the Company, except that (i) the provisions of this
Section 7.2, Section 5.7, and Section 5.10(a) hereof shall survive any such
termination, and (ii) nothing herein will relieve any party from liability for
fraud and nothing herein, other than the exclusive remedy provision of Section
5.7(c), will relieve any party from liability for any willful breach of any
representation or warranty or any breach prior to such termination of any
covenant or agreement contained herein; provided, however, that nothing herein,
other than the exclusive remedy provision of Section 5.7(c), shall relieve any
party from liability for, or be deemed to waive any rights of specific
performance of this Merger Agreement available to a party by reason of, any
intentional breach by the other party or parties of this Merger Agreement.
7.3 Amendment. This Merger Agreement may not be amended, modified
or supplemented except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of each of
the parties; provided, however, that after the approval of this Merger Agreement
by the shareholders of the Company, no such amendment, modification or
supplement shall be made which requires the approval of such shareholders under
New Jersey Law without obtaining such approval.
7.4 Waiver. At any time prior to the Effective Time, any party
hereto may (a) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or
other acts of any other party hereto or (b) waive compliance with any of the
agreements of any other party or with any conditions to its own obligations. Any
agreement on the part of a party hereto to any such extension or waiver shall be
valid if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on behalf of such party by
a duly authorized officer.
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8. GENERAL PROVISIONS
8.1 Survival of Representation, Warranties and Agreements. No
representations or warranties contained herein shall survive beyond the
Effective Time. This Section 8.1 shall not limit any covenant or agreement of
the parties which by its terms contemplates performance after the Effective
Time. The provisions of any confidentiality agreement among the Company.
Cornerstone and Parent shall apply to all information and material delivered
hereunder.
8.2 Notices. All notices or other communications required or
permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally, by
facsimile, by overnight courier or sent by certified or registered mail, postage
prepaid, and shall be deemed given when so delivered personally, or when so
received by facsimile or courier, or if mailed, three calendar days after the
date of mailing, as follows (or at such other address for a party as shall be
specified by like notice):
(a) if to the Parent or Merger Sub:
c/o Cornerstone Equity Investors, LLC
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx X'Xxxxx and Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
With copies to:
Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx
Citicorp Center
000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Esq.
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
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(b) if to the Company:
Vestcom International, Inc.
0 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
With copies to:
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx PC
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx c/o Lenox Capital Group, LLC Xxx Xxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000 Telephone:
000-000-0000 Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
8.3 Interpretation. When a reference is made in this Merger
Agreement to subsidiaries of the Parent or the Company, the word "subsidiaries"
or "Subsidiaries" means any corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
joint venture or other entity fifty percent (50% or more of whose outstanding
voting securities or equity interests are directly or indirectly owned by the
Parent or the Company, as the case may be. The headings contained in this Merger
Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the
meaning or interpretation of this Merger Agreement.
8.4 No Third Party Beneficiaries. Except for the current officers
and directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries (who are third-party
beneficiaries of the provisions set forth in Section 5.8 hereof), there are no
third party beneficiaries of this Merger Agreement and nothing in this Merger
Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any person
other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted
assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities.
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8.5 Miscellaneous. This Merger Agreement and the Voting Agreement
(including the documents and instruments referred to herein and therein) (i)
constitute the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior agreements and
undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties, or any of them, with
respect to the subject matter hereof, except that the confidentiality agreement
previously executed by Cornerstone shall continue in full force and effect; (ii)
except as otherwise set forth in Section 8.4, are not intended to confer upon
any other person any rights or remedies hereunder; (iii) shall not be assigned
by operation of law or otherwise, provided that the Parent or Merger Sub may
assign its rights and obligations hereunder to (a) a direct or indirect
subsidiary of the Parent or (b) as collateral security to any Person providing
financing to Parent or the Surviving Corporation, but no such assignment shall
relieve the Parent or Merger Sub, as the case may be, of its obligations
hereunder; and (iv) shall be governed in all respects, including validity,
interpretation and effect, by the internal laws of the State of New Jersey
without giving effect to the principles of conflict or choice of laws thereof.
This Merger Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts which together
shall constitute a single agreement.
8.6 Specific Performance. The parties hereto agree that
irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this
Merger Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that
the parties shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms hereof,
without the posting of any bond or other security in respect thereof, in
addition to any other remedy at law or equity.
8.7 Knowledge or Awareness. Statements made to the knowledge of
the Company, and statements made regarding the awareness of the Company, shall
refer to the knowledge and awareness, after reasonable investigation, of the
following individuals: Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx.
8.8 No Jury Trial. EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY
CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS MERGER AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND
THEREFORE EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY
RIGHT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT TO ANY LITIGATION
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS MERGER AGREEMENT OR
THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH PARTY CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT
(I) NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED,
EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF
LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER, (II) EACH SUCH PARTY
UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER, (III) EACH SUCH
PARTY MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY, AND (IV) EACH SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED
TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE WAIVERS AND
CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 8.8.
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8.9 Board of Directors. It is understood that those members of the
Board of Directors of the Company who are Management Participants (the
"Management Participant Directors") have recused themselves from participation
in any determination made by the Board with respect to the Merger and this
Merger Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to actions by
the Board shall include actions taken by the Board as to which such
Shareholder-Directors have recused themselves from participation.
8.10 Defined Terms. The following terms are defined in the
following sections of this Agreement:
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Acquisition Transaction 5.4(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Alternative Transaction 5.7(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Automatic Redemption Date 5.15
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Benefit Plans 3.9(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Board 3.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Canadian Notice Date 5.15
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Canadian Subsidiary 1.9
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Cash Proceeds 6.3(g)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Certificates 1.12(c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Change in Control 5.14
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Closing 1.11
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Closing Date 1.11
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
COBRA 3.9(e)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Code 1.12(d)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Common Stock Equivalents 3.4
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Company Lead-in
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Company IP 3.20
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Competing Party Confidentiality Agreement 5.4(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Competing Transaction 5.4(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Commissioner 6.1(b)(ii)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Commitment Letters 2.3(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Contributed Shares Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Contribution Agreement Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Cornerstone Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Credit Agreement 3.16
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Debt Financing Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
disqualified individuals 4.1(e)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Disclosure Letter Opening Paragraph of Article 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Dividend Access Shares 3.3
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Effective Time 1.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
employee pension benefit plan 3.9(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Employee Benefit Plan 3.9(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Environmental Laws 3.18
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Equity Contribution Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
ERISA 3.9(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
-50-
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
ERISA Affiliate 3.9(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Exchange Act 2.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Financial Advisor 3.24
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Financing Letter 1.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Foreign Plan 3.9(f)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
GAAP 3.6(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
GE 2.3(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
"group" 5.4
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
GUST 3.9(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
HSR Act 2.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Indemnified Person 5.8(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Intellectual Property 3.20
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
ISRA 6.1(e)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Leased Real Property 3.22(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Leases 3.22(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Liens 3.16
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Liquidated Amount 5.7(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Management Participants Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Management Participant Directors 8.9
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Material Adverse Effect 3.1
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Material Contracts 3.15(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Material Customer 3.29
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Materiality Qualified Representation and Warranty 6.3(d)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Meeting 5.2(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Merger Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Merger Agreement Lead-in
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Merger Consideration 1.8(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Merger Sub Lead-in
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
multiemployer plan 3.9(c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
NASD 5.17(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
New Jersey Law 1.3
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Non-Management Directors 5.8(c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Opinion 3.24
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Option Consideration 1.13(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Outside Date 7.1(b)(iv)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Parent Lead-in
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Paying Agent 1.12(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Pension Plan 3.9(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Person 1.12(b)(i)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Pre-Merger Contribution Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Protection Act 3.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Proxy Statement 5.1(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Reimbursable Costs 5.7(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Representatives 5.10(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
-51-
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Retirement Plans 5.11
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Rights Agreement 3.4
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Schedule 13E-3 5.1(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
SEC 3.6(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
SEC Documents 3.6(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Securities Act 3.6(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Senior Commitment Letter 2.3(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Senior Debt Financing Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Senior Lender 2.3
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Shares Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Stock Option 1.13(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Stock Option Plan 1.13(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Subordinated Commitment Letter 2.3(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Subsidiary or subsidiary 8.3
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Surviving Corporation Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Surviving Corporation Material Adverse Effect 5.6(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
tax 3.10(a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Tax Affiliate 3.10(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Termination Fee 5.7(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Transactions Recital
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Ultimate Plans 5.11
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Unaudited First Quarter Financial Statements 3.6(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Undesignated Stock 3.4
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Unqualified Representation and Warranty 6.3(d)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
Voting Agreement 5.20
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
(SIGNATURES ON NEXT PAGE)
-52-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parent, Merger Sub and the Company have caused
this Merger Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their
respective duly authorized officers.
VECTOR INVESTMENT HOLDINGS INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------------------
Title: Secretary
VECTOR MERGER CORP.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------------------
Title: Secretary
VESTCOM INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
---------------------------------
Title: President and Chief
Executive Officer
-53-
