AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER by and among AZZ INCORPORATED BIG KETTLE MERGER SUB, INC. and NORTH AMERICAN GALVANIZING & COATINGS, INC.
Exhibit 2.1
HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL | Execution Version |
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
by and
among
AZZ
INCORPORATED
BIG
KETTLE MERGER SUB, INC.
and
NORTH
AMERICAN GALVANIZING & COATINGS, INC.
Dated as
of March 31, 2010
ARTICLE
I
|
THE
OFFER AND THE MERGER
|
2
|
Section
1.1
|
Offer
|
2
|
Section
1.2
|
Company
Actions
|
5
|
Section
1.3
|
Directors
|
6
|
Section
1.4
|
The
Merger
|
7
|
Section
1.5
|
Closing
and Effective Time of the Merger
|
8
|
Section
1.6
|
Merger
Meeting Procedures
|
8
|
Section
1.7
|
Top-Up
Option
|
11
|
ARTICLE
II
|
CONVERSION
OF SECURITIES IN THE MERGER
|
12
|
Section
2.1
|
Conversion
of Securities
|
12
|
Section
2.2
|
Payment
for Securities; Surrender of Certificates
|
13
|
Section
2.3
|
Dissenting
Shares
|
15
|
Section
2.4
|
Treatment
of Options
|
16
|
Section
2.5
|
Treatment
of Warrants
|
16
|
ARTICLE
III
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
|
16
|
Section
3.1
|
Organization
and Qualification
|
17
|
Section
3.2
|
Certificate
of Incorporation and Bylaws
|
17
|
Section
3.3
|
Capitalization
|
17
|
Section
3.4
|
Authority;
Stockholder Approval
|
19
|
Section
3.5
|
No
Conflict
|
20
|
Section
3.6
|
Required
Filings and Consents
|
21
|
Section
3.7
|
Litigation
|
21
|
Section
3.8
|
Compliance;
Permits
|
21
|
Section
3.9
|
SEC
Filings; Financial Statements; Corporate Governance
|
22
|
Section
3.10
|
Disclosure
Controls and Procedures
|
23
|
Section
3.11
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
23
|
Section
3.12
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
23
|
Section
3.13
|
Agreements,
Contracts and Commitments
|
24
|
Section
3.14
|
Employee
Benefit Plans, Options and Employment Agreements
|
24
|
Section
3.15
|
Labor
Matters
|
27
|
Section
3.16
|
Properties;
Encumbrances
|
29
|
Section
3.17
|
Taxes
|
31
|
Section
3.18
|
Environmental
Matters
|
32
|
Section
3.19
|
Intellectual
Property
|
33
|
Section
3.20
|
Insurance
|
34
|
Section
3.21
|
Opinion
of Financial Advisor
|
35
|
Section
3.22
|
Brokers
|
35
|
Section
3.23
|
Takeover
Statutes
|
35
|
ARTICLE
IV
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND PURCHASER
|
35
|
Section
4.1
|
Organization
and Qualification
|
35
|
Section
4.2
|
Authority
|
35
|
Section
4.3
|
No
Conflict
|
36
|
Section
4.4
|
Required
Filings and Consents
|
36
|
Section
4.5
|
Litigation
|
37
|
Section
4.6
|
Ownership
of Company Capital Stock
|
37
|
Section
4.7
|
Ownership
and Operations of Purchaser
|
37
|
Section
4.8
|
Sufficient
Funds
|
37
|
Section
4.9
|
Brokers
|
37
|
Section
4.10
|
Investigation
by Parent and Purchaser
|
37
|
i
ARTICLE
V
|
COVENANTS
|
37
|
Section
5.1
|
Conduct
of Business Pending the Acceptance Time
|
37
|
Section
5.2
|
Cooperation
|
41
|
Section
5.3
|
Access
to Information; Confidentiality
|
43
|
Section
5.4
|
Solicitation
|
44
|
Section
5.5
|
Reasonable
Best Efforts
|
47
|
Section
5.6
|
Certain
Notices
|
48
|
Section
5.7
|
Public
Announcements
|
49
|
Section
5.8
|
Antitrust
Filings
|
49
|
Section
5.9
|
State
Takeover Laws
|
50
|
Section
5.10
|
Parent
Agreement Concerning Purchaser
|
50
|
Section
5.11
|
Section
16 Matters
|
50
|
Section
5.12
|
Rule
14d?10(d) Matters
|
50
|
Section
5.13
|
Company
Certificate
|
50
|
Section
5.14
|
Delisting
|
50
|
Section
5.15
|
Fees
and Expenses
|
50
|
Section
5.16
|
Directors'
and Officers' Indemnification and Insurance
|
50
|
Section
5.17
|
Continuation
of Employee Benefits
|
52
|
Section
5.18
|
Stockholder
Litigation
|
53
|
ARTICLE
VI
|
CONDITIONS
TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER
|
53
|
Section
6.1
|
Conditions
to Obligations of Each Party Under This Agreement
|
53
|
ARTICLE
VII
|
TERMINATION,
AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
|
53
|
Section
7.1
|
Termination
|
53
|
Section
7.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
55
|
Section
7.3
|
Break-Up
Fees
|
56
|
Section
7.4
|
Amendment
|
56
|
Section
7.5
|
Waiver
|
56
|
ARTICLE
VIII
|
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
|
57
|
Section
8.1
|
Non-Survival
of Representations and Warranties
|
57
|
Section
8.2
|
Notices
|
57
|
Section
8.3
|
Certain
Definitions
|
58
|
Section
8.4
|
Headings
|
65
|
Section
8.5
|
Severability
|
65
|
Section
8.6
|
Entire
Agreement
|
65
|
Section
8.7
|
Assignment
|
65
|
Section
8.8
|
Parties
in Interest
|
66
|
Section
8.9
|
Mutual
Drafting; Interpretation
|
66
|
Section
8.10
|
Governing
Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury
|
66
|
Section
8.11
|
Counterparts
|
67
|
Section
8.12
|
Specific
Performance
|
67
|
Section
8.13
|
Company
Disclosure Schedule
|
68
|
Section
8.14
|
No
Other Representations or Warranties
|
68
|
ii
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of March 31, 2010 (this “Agreement”), by and among
AZZ INCORPORATED., a Texas corporation (“Parent”), BIG KETTLE MERGER SUB, INC.,
a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned indirect Subsidiary of Parent
(“Purchaser”), and NORTH AMERICAN GALVANIZING & COATINGS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”). All capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall
have the meanings assigned to such terms in Section 8.3 or as otherwise defined
elsewhere in this Agreement unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise.
R E C I T
A L S
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of each of Parent, Purchaser and the Company have
approved this Agreement and the acquisition of the Company by Parent upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement;
and
WHEREAS,
in furtherance of such acquisition, Purchaser proposes to commence a tender
offer to purchase all of the shares of common stock, par value $0.10 per share,
of the Company (the “Company Common Stock”) that are outstanding (the “Shares”),
at a price per Share of $7.50 (such amount or any higher amount per Share that
may be paid pursuant to the Offer, the “Offer Price”) payable net to the seller
in cash, without interest, subject to any withholding Taxes required by
applicable Law (such offer, as amended from time to time as permitted by this
Agreement, the “Offer”); and
WHEREAS,
following the acceptance for payment of Shares pursuant to the Offer, upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, Purchaser shall
be merged with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the
Surviving Corporation (the “Merger”), in accordance with the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), whereby each issued and outstanding
Share (other than (i) Shares to be cancelled or converted in accordance with
Section 2.1(b) and (ii) Dissenting Shares) shall be converted into the right to
receive the Offer Price; and
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Company Board”) has, upon the terms
and subject to the conditions set forth herein, unanimously (i) determined that
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Offer and the
Merger, are fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders, (ii) approved and declared advisable this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Offer and the Merger, and (iii)
recommended that the Company’s stockholders accept the Offer, tender their
Shares to Purchaser in the Offer and adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger
(the “Company Board Recommendation”); and
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of each of Parent and Purchaser has, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth herein, unanimously approved and declared
advisable this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including
without limitation the Offer and the Merger, and the Parent (in its capacity as
the sole stockholder of Arbor-Xxxxxxx, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Holding
Company”), which is the sole stockholder of Purchaser) has adopted this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Offer and the
Merger; and
WHEREAS,
Parent, Purchaser and the Company desire to make certain representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with the Offer and the Merger
and also to prescribe various conditions to the Offer and the Merger;
and
WHEREAS,
concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and as a
condition to Parent's and Purchaser's willingness to enter into this Agreement,
Parent and Purchaser have entered into a Stockholders’ Agreement, dated as of
the date hereof, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A hereto (the
“Stockholders’ Agreement”), with the stockholders named therein (the
“Stockholders”), pursuant to which each Stockholder has, among other things, (1)
agreed to tender all Shares owned by such Stockholder pursuant to the Offer, (2)
granted to Parent an option to purchase all of the Shares owned by such
Stockholder, and (3) agreed to vote all Shares beneficially owned by such
Stockholder in favor of the Merger and this Agreement and against any
Acquisition Proposal (as defined herein), in each case subject to and on the
conditions set forth therein.
AGREEMENT
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and premises contained in
this Agreement and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement agree
as follows:
ARTICLE
I
THE OFFER
AND THE MERGER
Section
1.1 Offer.
(a) Provided
that this Agreement shall not have been terminated in accordance with Section
7.1, and none of the events or conditions listed in clause (c) of Annex I hereto
(“Annex I”) shall have occurred and be continuing, Purchaser shall, and Parent
shall cause Purchaser to, commence (within the meaning of Rule 14d-2 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”)) the Offer as promptly as reasonably
practicable following the Go-Shop Period Termination Date, but no later than
five (5) Business Days thereafter (or such other date as the parties may
mutually agree in writing).
(b) Subject
to (i) there being validly tendered in the Offer and not properly withdrawn
prior to the Expiration Date that number of Shares that, together with
(x) the number of Shares, if any, then owned of record by Parent or
Purchaser or with respect to which Parent or Purchaser otherwise has, directly
or indirectly, sole voting power, and (y) the number of shares of Company
Common Stock that are issuable upon exercise of Options, that are held in trust
pursuant to the Company's Director Stock Unit Program or that constitute
restricted shares, in each case whose holders have executed the Stockholders’
Agreement, represents at least two-thirds (⅔) of all outstanding Shares
(determined on a Fully Diluted Basis and inclusive of those
2
Shares
tendered pursuant to the Stockholders’ Agreement) entitled to vote (A) in the
election of directors, (B) upon the adoption of this Agreement and approval of
the Merger, and (C) upon an amendment of the Company’s Charter, on the date
Shares are accepted for payment (collectively, the “Minimum Condition”) and (ii)
the satisfaction or waiver by Parent or Purchaser of the other conditions and
requirements set forth in Annex I, Purchaser shall, and Parent shall cause
Purchaser to, accept for payment and pay for all Shares validly tendered and not
properly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer as promptly as practicable after
Purchaser is legally permitted to do so under applicable Law (the date and time
of acceptance for payment, the “Acceptance Time”). Parent shall provide or cause
to be provided to Purchaser on a timely basis funds sufficient to purchase and
pay for any and all Shares that Purchaser becomes obligated to accept for
payment and purchase pursuant to the Offer. The Offer Price payable in respect
of each Share validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer
shall be paid net to the holder of such Share in cash, without interest, subject
to any withholding of Taxes required by applicable Law in accordance with
Section 2.2(e).
(c) The
Offer shall be made by means of an offer to purchase (the “Offer to Purchase”)
that describes the terms and conditions of the Offer in accordance with this
Agreement, including the Minimum Condition and the other conditions and
requirements set forth in Annex I. Parent and Purchaser expressly reserve the
right to increase the Offer Price, waive any condition to the Offer (except the
Minimum Condition) or to make any other changes in the terms and conditions of
the Offer; provided, however, that, unless
previously approved by the Company in writing, Purchaser shall not (i) decrease
the Offer Price payable in the Offer, (ii) change the form of consideration
payable in the Offer, (iii) reduce the maximum number of Shares to be purchased
in the Offer, (iv) amend or waive the Minimum Condition, (v) amend or modify the
other conditions set forth in Annex I in a manner adverse to the holders of
Shares, (vi) extend the Expiration Date other than in accordance with this
Agreement, or (vii) amend any other term of the Offer in a manner adverse to the
holders of Shares.
(d) Subject
to the provisions of this Agreement, unless extended in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement, the Offer shall expire at 5:00 p.m. (Central Daylight
Saving Time) on the date that is twenty (20) Business Days following the
commencement of the Offer (the “Initial Expiration Date”) or, if the Offer has
been extended in accordance with this Agreement, at the time and date to which
the Offer has been so extended (the Initial Expiration Date, or such later time
and date to which the Offer has been extended in accordance with this Agreement,
the “Expiration Date”).
(e) If,
on or prior to any then scheduled Expiration Date, any of the conditions of the
Offer is not satisfied or waived, Purchaser may (without the consent of the
Company) extend the Offer for one or more additional periods of up to twenty
(20) Business Days with such length as Purchaser determines consistent with
applicable Law, provided that each
such extension shall be for not more than ten (10) Business Days if all of the
conditions set forth on Annex I other than the Minimum Condition have been
satisfied or waived at such then scheduled Expiration Date. If, on or prior to
any then scheduled Expiration Date, the Minimum Condition is not satisfied,
Purchaser shall (to the extent requested in writing by the Company) extend the
Offer for up to two periods of not less than ten (10) Business Days each and up
to twenty (20)
3
Business
Days each with such lengths as Purchaser determines consistent with applicable
Law. In addition, Purchaser shall extend the then scheduled Expiration Date for
any period or periods required by applicable Law or applicable rules,
regulations, interpretations or positions of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”) or its staff or NASDAQ.
(f)
If the Minimum Condition has been satisfied
but the number of Shares that have been accepted for payment pursuant to the
Offer (after giving effect to any proper withdrawal of Shares prior to the
Expiration Date but without giving effect to Shares issuable upon the exercise
of the Top-Up Option), together with (x) the number of Shares, if any, then
owned of record by Parent or Purchaser or with respect to which Parent or
Purchaser otherwise has, directly or indirectly, sole voting power, and
(y) the number of shares of Company Common Stock that are issuable upon
exercise of Options, that are held in trust pursuant to the Company's Director
Stock Unit Program or that constitute restricted shares, in each case whose
holders have executed the Stockholders’ Agreement, represents less than eighty
percent (80%) of all outstanding Shares (determined on a Fully Diluted Basis),
Purchaser may, in its sole discretion, provide for a “subsequent offering
period” (and one or more extensions thereof) in accordance with Rule 14d-11
under the Exchange Act. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement
and the Offer, Purchaser shall, and Parent shall cause Purchaser to, immediately
accept for payment, and pay for, all Shares that are validly tendered pursuant
to the Offer during such “subsequent offering period.” The Offer Documents shall
provide for the possibility of a “subsequent offering period” in a manner
consistent with the terms of this Section 1.1(f).
(g) Purchaser
shall not terminate the Offer prior to any scheduled Expiration Date without the
prior written consent of the Company, except if this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Article VII. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Article
VII, Purchaser shall, and Parent shall cause Purchaser to, promptly (and in any
event within twenty-four (24) hours of such termination) terminate the Offer and
shall not acquire Shares pursuant thereto. If the Offer is terminated by
Purchaser, or this Agreement is terminated prior to the purchase of Shares in
the Offer, Purchaser shall promptly return, and shall cause any depositary
acting on behalf of Purchaser to return, in accordance with applicable Law, all
tendered Shares to the registered holders thereof.
(h) As
soon as practicable on the date of the commencement of the Offer, Parent and
Purchaser shall file with the SEC, in compliance with Rule 14d-3 under the
Exchange Act, a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO with respect to the Offer
(together with all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto, the “Schedule
TO”). The Schedule TO shall include, as exhibits: the Offer to Purchase, a form
of letter of transmittal, the notice of guaranteed delivery, a form of summary
advertisement and other ancillary Offer documents and instruments required by
the Exchange Act pursuant to which the Offer shall be made (collectively,
together with any amendments and supplements thereto, the “Offer Documents”).
Parent and Purchaser agree to cause the Offer Documents to be disseminated to
holders of Shares, as and to the extent required by the Exchange Act. Parent and
Purchaser, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, agree to
promptly correct any information provided by such party for use in the Offer
Documents, if and to the extent that such information shall have become false or
misleading in any material respect or as otherwise required by applicable
4
Law, and
Parent and Purchaser agree to cause the Offer Documents, as so corrected, to be
filed with the SEC and disseminated to holders of Shares, in each case as and to
the extent required by the Exchange Act. The Company and its counsel shall be
given a reasonable opportunity to review the Schedule TO and the Offer Documents
before they are filed with the SEC, and Parent and Purchaser shall give due
consideration to the reasonable additions, deletions or changes suggested
thereto by the Company and its counsel. In addition, Parent and Purchaser shall
provide the Company and its counsel with copies of any written comments, and
shall inform them of any oral comments, that Parent, Purchaser or their counsel
may receive from time to time from the SEC or its staff with respect to the
Schedule TO or the Offer Documents promptly after receipt of such comments, and
any written or oral responses thereto. The Company and its counsel shall be
given a reasonable opportunity to review any such written responses and Parent
and Purchaser shall give due consideration to the reasonable additions,
deletions or changes suggested thereto by the Company and its counsel. In the
event that Parent and Purchaser receive any comments from the SEC or its staff
with respect to the Schedule TO or the Offer Documents, they shall use their
respective reasonable best efforts to respond promptly to such
comments.
Section
1.2 Company
Actions.
(a) On
the date the Offer Documents are filed with the SEC or as soon as practicable
thereafter, the Company shall, in compliance with Rule 14d-9 under the Exchange
Act, file with the SEC a Tender Offer Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on
Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the Offer (together with all amendments,
supplements and exhibits thereto, the “Schedule 14D-9”) that shall, subject to
the provisions of Section 5.4(d), contain the Company Board Recommendation. The
Company agrees to cause the Schedule 14D-9 to be disseminated to holders of
Shares, as and to the extent required by the Exchange Act. The Company, on the
one hand, and Parent and Purchaser, on the other hand, agree to promptly correct
any information provided by such party for use in the Schedule 14D-9, if and to
the extent that such information shall have become false or misleading in any
material respect or as otherwise required by applicable Law, and the Company
agrees to cause the Schedule 14D-9, as so corrected, to be filed with the SEC
and disseminated to holders of Shares, in each case as and to the extent
required by the Exchange Act. Parent, Purchaser and their counsel shall be given
a reasonable opportunity to review the Schedule 14D-9 before it is filed with
the SEC, and the Company shall give due consideration to the reasonable
additions, deletions or changes suggested thereto by Parent, Purchaser and their
counsel. In addition, the Company shall provide Parent, Purchaser and their
counsel with copies of any written comments, and shall inform them of any oral
comments, that the Company or its counsel may receive from time to time from the
SEC or its staff with respect to the Schedule 14D-9 promptly after receipt of
such comments, and any written or oral responses thereto. Parent, Purchaser and
their counsel shall be given a reasonable opportunity to review any such written
responses and the Company shall give due consideration to the reasonable
additions, deletions or changes suggested thereto by Parent, Purchaser and their
counsel. In the event that the Company receives any comments from the SEC or its
staff with respect to the Schedule 14D-9, the Company shall use its reasonable
best efforts to respond promptly to such comments.
5
(b) Promptly
after the date hereof (and in any event in sufficient time to permit Purchaser
to commence the Offer in a timely manner) and otherwise from time to time as
requested by Purchaser or its agents, the Company shall furnish or cause to be
furnished to Purchaser mailing labels, security position listings, non-objecting
Beneficial Owner lists and any other listings or computer files containing the
names and addresses of the record or Beneficial Owners of the Shares as of the
most recent practicable date and such other assistance as Purchaser or its
agents may reasonably request in communicating with the record and Beneficial
Owners of Shares, in connection with the preparation and dissemination of the
Schedule TO and the Offer Documents and the solicitation of tenders of Shares in
the Offer.
Section
1.3 Directors.
(a) Promptly
upon the purchase by Purchaser pursuant to the Offer of such number of Shares as
shall satisfy the Minimum Condition, and from time to time thereafter, Purchaser
shall be entitled to designate such number of directors, rounded up to the next
whole number, on the Company Board as shall give Purchaser representation on the
Company Board equal to the product of (i) the total number of directors on the
Company Board (after giving effect to any increase in the number of directors
pursuant to this Section 1.3) and (ii) the percentage that such number of Shares
so purchased (including Shares accepted for payment and the purchased Top-Up
Shares) bears to the total number of Shares outstanding, and the Company shall,
upon request by Purchaser, promptly increase the size of the Company Board or
use its reasonable best efforts to secure the resignations of such number of
directors as is necessary to provide Purchaser with such level of representation
and shall cause Purchaser’s designees to be so elected or appointed; provided, however, that Parent
shall be entitled to designate at least a majority of the directors on the
Company Board (as long as Parent and its Affiliates Beneficially Own a majority
of the Shares of the Company). The Company will use its best efforts to cause
each committee of the Company Board and the Board of Directors of each
Subsidiary of the Company to include persons designated by Purchaser
constituting at least the same percentage of each such committee and the Board
of Directors of each Subsidiary of the Company as Purchaser’s designees are of
the Company Board. The Company’s obligations to appoint designees to the Company
Board shall be subject to Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1
promulgated thereunder. At the request of Purchaser, the Company shall take all
actions required pursuant to Section 14(f) and Rule 14f-1 necessary to effect
any such election or appointment of Purchaser’s designees in accordance with
this Section 1.3(a), including mailing to its stockholders the information
required by Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-l promulgated
thereunder, which, unless Purchaser otherwise elects, shall be so mailed
together with the Schedule 14D-9. Parent and Purchaser shall supply to the
Company all information with respect to themselves and their respective
officers, directors and Affiliates required by such Section 14(f) and Rule
14f-1.
(b) Following
the election or appointment of Purchaser’s designees pursuant to Section 1.3(a)
and prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall cause the Company Board to
maintain at least two (2) directors who are members of the Company Board on the
date of this Agreement and who are not officers of the Company and who are
independent directors for purposes of the applicable listing and corporate
governance rules and regulations of NASDAQ (the “Continuing Directors”); provided, however, that if the
number of Continuing Directors is
6
reduced
below two (2) for any reason, the remaining Continuing Director shall
immediately elect or designate one person meeting the foregoing criteria to fill
such vacancy who shall be deemed to be a Continuing Director for purposes of
this Agreement such that, following such election or designation, there shall be
two (2) Continuing Directors or, if no Continuing Directors then remain, the
other directors shall designate two (2) persons meeting the foregoing criteria
to fill such vacancies, and such persons shall be deemed to be Continuing
Directors for purposes of this Agreement. The Company and the Company Board
shall promptly take all action as may be necessary to comply with their
obligations under this Section 1.3(b). So long as there shall be at least one
(1) Continuing Director, (i) any amendment or termination of this Agreement
requiring action by the Company Board, (ii) any extension of time for the
performance of any of the obligations or other acts of Parent or Purchaser under
this Agreement, (iii) any waiver of compliance with any of the agreements or
conditions under this Agreement that are to the benefit of the Company, or (iv)
any exercise of the Company’s rights or remedies under this Agreement shall
require the concurrence of both of the Continuing Directors (or of the sole
Continuing Director if there shall then be only one Continuing
Director).
Section
1.4 The
Merger.
(a) Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and in
accordance with the DGCL, at the Effective Time, Purchaser shall be merged with
and into the Company. As a result of the Merger, the separate corporate
existence of Purchaser shall cease, and the Company shall continue as the
surviving corporation of the Merger (the “Surviving Corporation”). The Merger
shall have the effects set forth in the applicable provisions of the DGCL.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, at the Effective Time, all of
the property, rights, privileges, immunities, powers and franchises of the
Company and Purchaser shall vest in the Surviving Corporation, and all of the
debts, liabilities and duties of the Company and Purchaser shall become the
debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Corporation.
(b) At
the Effective Time, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company,
as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be amended and
restated as of the Effective Time to be in the form of (except with respect to
the name of the Company) the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of
Purchaser and as so amended shall be the certificate of incorporation and bylaws
of Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended as provided therein or by
applicable Law (and subject to Section 5.16).
(c) The
directors of Purchaser immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, from and
after the Effective Time, be the initial directors of the Surviving Corporation,
each to hold office in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and
bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until their respective successors shall have
been duly elected, designated or qualified, or until their earlier death,
resignation or removal in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and
bylaws of the Surviving Corporation. The officers of the Company immediately
prior to the Effective Time, from and after the Effective Time, shall continue
as the officers of the Surviving Corporation, each to hold office in accordance
with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Surviving Corporation
until their respective successors shall have been duly chosen by the directors
of the Surviving Corporation or until their earlier death, resignation or
removal in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the
Surviving Corporation.
7
(d) If
at any time after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall determine,
in its sole discretion, or shall be advised, that any deeds, bills of sale,
instruments of conveyance, assignments, assurances or any other actions or
things are necessary or desirable to vest, perfect or confirm of record or
otherwise in the Surviving Corporation its right, title or interest in, to or
under any of the rights, properties or assets of either of the Company or
Purchaser acquired or to be acquired by the Surviving Corporation as a result
of, or in connection with, the Merger or otherwise to carry out this Agreement,
then the officers and directors of the Surviving Corporation shall be authorized
to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of either the Company or
Purchaser, all such deeds, bills of sale, instruments of conveyance, assignments
and assurances and to take and do, in the name and on behalf of each of such
corporations or otherwise, all such other actions and things as may be necessary
or desirable to vest, perfect or confirm any and all right, title or interest
in, to and under such rights, properties or assets in the Surviving Corporation
or otherwise to carry out this Agreement.
Section
1.5 Closing and Effective Time
of the Merger. The closing of the Merger (the “Closing”) shall take place
at 10:00 a.m., Central Daylight Saving Time, on a date to be specified by the
parties (the “Closing Date”), such date to be no later than the third (3rd)
Business Day after satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions set forth in
Article VI (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied
at the Closing, but subject to the fulfillment or waiver of those conditions at
the Closing), at the offices of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx 0000, Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, unless another time, date or place is
agreed to in writing by the parties hereto. On the Closing Date, or on such
other date as Parent and the Company may agree to in writing, Parent, Purchaser
and the Company shall cause an appropriate certificate of merger or other
appropriate documents (the “Certificate of Merger”) to be executed and filed
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with the
relevant provisions of the DGCL and shall make all other filings or recordings
required under the DGCL with respect to the Merger. The Merger shall become
effective at the time the Certificate of Merger shall have been duly filed with
the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or such other date and time as
is agreed upon by the parties and specified in the Certificate of Merger, such
date and time hereinafter referred to as the “Effective Time.”
Section
1.6 Merger Meeting
Procedures.
(a) If
the Minimum Condition has been satisfied but the number of Shares that have been
accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer (after giving effect to any proper
withdrawal of Shares prior to the Expiration Date but without giving effect to
Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Top-Up Option), together with
(x) the number of Shares, if any, then owned of record by Parent or
Purchaser or with respect to which Parent or Purchaser otherwise has, directly
or indirectly, sole voting power, and (y) the number of shares of Company
Common Stock that are issuable upon exercise of Options, that are held in trust
pursuant to the Company's Director Stock Unit Program or that constitute
restricted shares, in each case whose holders have executed the Stockholders’
Agreement, represents less than eighty percent (80%) of all
8
outstanding
Shares (determined on a Fully Diluted Basis), the Company shall prepare a proxy
statement or information statement for the Special Meeting (together with any
amendments and supplements thereto and any other required proxy materials, the
“Proxy Statement”) relating to the Merger and this Agreement. If elected by
Parent, the Proxy Statement shall be so prepared prior to the Acceptance Time
such that the Proxy Statement shall be in a form ready, if necessary, to file
with the SEC as promptly as practicable following the Acceptance Time. If, after
the Acceptance Time, approval of the stockholders of the Company (other than the
approval of the Purchaser to consummate the Merger in a manner other than as set
forth in the Merger Meeting Procedures) is required under applicable Law to
consummate the Merger, the Company shall file the Proxy Statement with the SEC
as promptly as practicable following the Acceptance Time. Parent and Purchaser
will use their reasonable best efforts to supply information necessary for the
Proxy Statement, if any, as promptly as practicable after the Acceptance Time.
Parent, Purchaser and their counsel shall be given a reasonable opportunity to
review the Proxy Statement before it is filed with the SEC, and the Company
shall give due consideration to the reasonable additions, deletions or changes
suggested thereto by Parent, Purchaser and their counsel. The Company, on the
one hand, and Parent and Purchaser, on the other hand, agree to promptly correct
any information provided by such party for use in the Proxy Statement, if and to
the extent that it shall have become false or misleading in any material respect
or as otherwise required by applicable Law, and the Company agrees to cause the
Proxy Statement, as so corrected, to be filed with the SEC and, if any such
correction is made following the mailing of the Proxy Statement, mailed to
holders of Shares, in each case as and to the extent required by the Exchange
Act. The Company shall provide Parent, Purchaser and their counsel with copies
of any written comments, and shall inform them of any oral comments, that the
Company or its counsel may receive from time to time from the SEC or its staff
with respect to the Proxy Statement promptly after the Company’s receipt of such
comments, and any written or oral responses thereto. Parent, Purchaser and their
counsel shall be given a reasonable opportunity to review any such written
responses and the Company shall give due consideration to the reasonable
additions, deletions or changes suggested thereto by Parent, Purchaser and their
counsel.
(b) If,
after the Acceptance Time, approval of the stockholders of the Company is
required under applicable Law to consummate the Merger (other than the approval
of the Purchaser to consummate the Merger in a manner other than as set forth in
the Merger Meeting Procedures), the Company, acting through the Company Board,
shall, in accordance with and subject to the requirements of applicable Law: (i)
as promptly as practicable after the Acceptance Time, in consultation with
Parent, duly set a record date for, and within five (5) Business Days after
receipt of SEC clearance of the Proxy Statement, call and give notice of a
special meeting of its stockholders (the “Special Meeting”) for the purpose of
considering and taking action upon this Agreement (with the record date to be
set in consultation with Parent for a date after the Acceptance Time); (ii) as
promptly as practicable after the Acceptance Time, file the Proxy Statement with
the SEC, and, within five (5) Business Days after receipt of SEC clearance of
the Proxy Statement, cause the Proxy Statement to be printed and mailed to the
stockholders of the Company; (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to solicit
from its stockholders proxies in favor of the adoption of this Agreement and
approval of the Merger and secure any approval of the stockholders of the
Company that is required by applicable Law to effect the
9
Merger;
and (iv) convene and hold the Special Meeting, provided, that (A)
the Company shall not change the date of, postpone or adjourn the Special
Meeting without Parent’s prior written consent and (B) Parent may cause the
Company to postpone or adjourn the Special Meeting by prior written notice to
the Company.
(c) At
the Special Meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof, Parent shall
vote, or cause to be voted, all of the Shares then owned of record by Parent or
Purchaser or with respect to which Parent or Purchaser otherwise has, directly
or indirectly, sole voting power in favor of the adoption of this Agreement and
approval of the Merger and to deliver or provide, in its capacity as a
stockholder of the Company, any other approvals that are required by applicable
Law to effect the Merger. Section 1.6(a)-(c) are collectively referred to herein
as the “Merger Meeting Procedures”.
(d) If
the Minimum Condition has been satisfied but the number of Shares that have been
accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer (after giving effect to any proper
withdrawal of Shares prior to the Expiration Date but without giving effect to
Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Top-Up Option), together with
(x) the number of Shares, if any, then owned of record by Parent or
Purchaser or with respect to which Parent or Purchaser otherwise has, directly
or indirectly, sole voting power, and (y) the number of shares of Company
Common Stock that are issuable upon exercise of Options, that are held in trust
pursuant to the Company's Director Stock Unit Program or that constitute
restricted shares, in each case whose holders have executed the Stockholders’
Agreement, represents at least eighty percent (80%) but less than ninety percent
(90%) of all outstanding Shares (determined on a Fully Diluted Basis), at
Parent’s option, either (i) the Merger Meeting Procedures will be followed, or
(ii) the Company shall prepare and file with the SEC as promptly as practicable
following the Acceptance Time an information statement for a special meeting of
its stockholders for the purpose of considering and approving an amendment to
the Company Charter to allow for the Merger to be consummated without a meeting
of stockholders of the Company in accordance with Section 253 of the DGCL. Once
such amendment is approved, (1) Purchaser shall exercise the Top-Up Option
(described in Section 1.7 below), (2) a Certificate of Amendment setting forth
such amendment to the Company’s Charter will be filed by the Company with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as soon as possible after the
stockholders’ meeting described in the immediately preceding clause (ii) and (3)
Purchaser and the Company shall effect the short-form Merger pursuant to Section
253 of the DGCL immediately after the filing of such Certificate of Amendment
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
(e) If
the Minimum Condition has been satisfied but the number of Shares that have been
accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer (after giving effect to any proper
withdrawal of Shares prior to the Expiration Date but without giving effect to
Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Top-Up Option), together with
(x) the number of Shares, if any, then owned of record by Parent or
Purchaser or with respect to which Parent or Purchaser otherwise has, directly
or indirectly, sole voting power, and (y) the number of shares of Company
Common Stock that are issuable upon exercise of Options, that are held in trust
pursuant to the Company's Director Stock Unit Program or that constitute
restricted shares, in each case whose holders have executed the Stockholders’
Agreement, represents at least ninety percent (90%) of all
10
outstanding
Shares (determined on a Fully Diluted Basis), Parent will have the same option
and the parties will follow the procedures described in Section 1.6(d) above
except that Purchaser will not exercise the Top-Up Option as otherwise described
in Section 1.6(d).
Section
1.7
Top-Up
Option.
(a) Subject
to the number of Shares that have been accepted for payment pursuant to the
Offer (after giving effect to any proper withdrawal of Shares prior to the
Expiration Date but without giving effect to Shares issuable upon the exercise
of the Top-Up Option), together with (x) the number of Shares, if any, then
owned of record by Parent or Purchaser or with respect to which Parent or
Purchaser otherwise has, directly or indirectly, sole voting power, and
(y) the number of shares of Company Common Stock that are issuable upon
exercise of Options, that are held in trust pursuant to the Company's Director
Stock Unit Program or that constitute restricted shares, in each case whose
holders have executed the Stockholders’ Agreement, representing at least eighty
percent (80%) but less than ninety percent (90%) of all outstanding Shares
(determined on a Fully Diluted Basis), the Company hereby grants to Purchaser an
irrevocable option (the “Top-Up Option”), exercisable once upon the terms and
subject to the other conditions set forth herein, to purchase at the Offer Price
an aggregate number of Shares (the “Top-Up Shares”) equal to the lowest number
of Shares that, when added to the number of Shares owned by Parent, Purchaser
and their Affiliates at the time of such exercise and the number of shares of
Company Common Stock that are issuable upon exercise of Options, that are held
in trust pursuant to the Company's Director Stock Unit Program or that
constitute restricted shares, in each case whose holders have executed the
Stockholders’ Agreement, shall constitute one Share more than ninety percent
(90%) of the Shares (after giving effect to the issuance of the Top-Up Shares)
issued and outstanding, determined on a Fully Diluted Basis (the “Short Form
Threshold”); provided, however, that in no
event shall the Top-Up Option be exercisable for a number of Shares in excess of
the number of authorized but unissued Shares as of immediately prior to the
issuance of the Top-Up Shares; provided, further, that the
Top-Up Option shall terminate upon the earlier of: (x) the fifth (5th) Business
Day after the later of (1) the Expiration Date and (2) the expiration of any
“subsequent offering period” as described in Section 1.1(f) above and (y) the
termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms.
(b) The
obligation of the Company to deliver Top-Up Shares upon the exercise of the
Top-Up Option is subject to the conditions that (i) no provision of any
applicable Law and no judgment, injunction, Order or decree shall prohibit the
exercise of the Top-Up Option or the delivery of the Top-Up Shares in respect of
such exercise, (ii) upon exercise of the Top-Up Option, the number of Shares
owned by Parent, Purchaser and their Affiliates will constitute one (1) Share
more than the Short Form Threshold, and (iii) Purchaser has accepted for payment
all Shares validly tendered in the Offer and not properly withdrawn prior to the
Expiration Date. The parties shall cooperate to ensure that the issuance of the
Top-Up Shares is accomplished consistent with all applicable legal requirements
of all Governmental Entities, including any requirements regarding the
availability of an applicable exemption from registration of the issuance of the
Top-Up Shares under the Securities Act.
11
(c) To
exercise the Top-Up Option, Purchaser shall send to the Company a written notice
(a “Top-Up Exercise Notice”) specifying (i) the number of Shares that shall be
owned by Parent, Purchaser and their Affiliates immediately preceding the
purchase of the Top-Up Shares and (ii) the place, time and date for the closing
of the purchase and sale of the Top-Up Shares (the “Top-Up Closing”). The
Company shall, promptly after receipt of the Top-Up Exercise Notice, deliver a
written notice to Purchaser confirming the number of Top-Up Shares and the
aggregate purchase price therefor (the “Top-Up Notice Receipt”). At the Top-Up
Closing, Purchaser shall pay the Company, in the manner set forth in Section
1.7(d) hereof, the aggregate price required to be paid for the Top-Up Shares, in
an aggregate principal amount equal to that specified in the Top-Up Notice
Receipt, and the Company shall cause to be issued and delivered to Purchaser a
certificate or certificates representing the Top-Up Shares or, at Purchaser’s
request or otherwise if the Company does not then have certificated Shares, the
applicable number of Book-Entry Shares. Such certificates or Book-Entry Shares
may include any legends that are required by applicable Law.
(d) Purchaser
may pay the Company the aggregate price required to be paid for the Top-Up
Shares either (i) entirely in cash or, at Purchaser’s election, by (ii) (x)
paying in cash an amount equal to not less than the aggregate par value of the
Top-Up Shares and (y) executing and delivering to the Company a promissory note
having a principal amount equal to the aggregate price required to be paid for
the purchase of the Top-Up Shares less the amount to be paid in cash pursuant to
the immediately preceding clause (x) (a “Promissory Note”). Any such Promissory
Note shall be full recourse against Parent and Purchaser and (1) shall bear
interest at a market rate of interest per annum, payable in arrears at the end
of one (1) year, (2) shall mature on the first (1st) anniversary of the date of
execution and delivery of such Promissory Note and (3) may be prepaid, in whole
or in part, without premium or penalty.
(e) Parent
and Purchaser acknowledge that the Top-Up Shares shall not be registered under
the Securities Act and shall be issued in reliance upon an exemption for
transactions not involving a public offering. Purchaser agrees that the Top-Up
Option, and the Top-Up Shares to be acquired upon exercise of the Top-Up Option,
if any, are being and shall be acquired by Purchaser for the purpose of
investment and not with a view to, or for resale in connection with, any
distribution thereof (within the meaning of the Securities Act).
ARTICLE
II
CONVERSION
OF SECURITIES IN THE MERGER
Section
2.1 Conversion of
Securities. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without
any action on the part of Parent, Purchaser, the Company or the holders of any
securities of the Company, Parent or Purchaser:
12
(a) Conversion of Company Common
Stock. Each Share issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time, other than Shares to be cancelled or converted in accordance
with Section 2.1(b) and Dissenting Shares, shall be converted into the right to
receive the Offer Price (the “Merger Consideration”), payable net to the holder
in cash, without interest, subject to any withholding of Taxes required by
applicable Law in accordance with Section 2.2(e), upon surrender of the
Certificate formerly representing such Shares (or, in the case of Book-Entry
Shares, surrender of such Book-Entry Shares) in accordance with Section
2.2.
(b) Cancellation or Conversion
of Treasury Stock and Parent-Owned Stock. All Shares that are held in the
treasury of the Company and all Shares owned of record by Parent, Purchaser or
any of their respective wholly-owned Subsidiaries shall be cancelled and shall
cease to exist, with no payment being made with respect thereto. At the
Effective Time, all Shares, if any, held by each Subsidiary of the Company shall
remain outstanding and shall become that number of shares of common stock of the
Surviving Corporation that bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of
outstanding shares of common stock of the Surviving Corporation as the number of
Shares held by such Subsidiary bore to the aggregate number of outstanding
Shares of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time.
(c) Purchaser Common
Stock. Each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
Purchaser issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (the
“Purchaser Common Stock”) shall be converted into and become one newly and
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value
$0.01 per share, of the Surviving Corporation.
Section
2.2 Payment for Securities;
Surrender of Certificates.
(a) Paying Agent. At or
prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall designate a reputable national bank
reasonably acceptable to the Company to act as the paying agent for purposes of
effecting the payment of the Merger Consideration in connection with the Merger
(the “Paying Agent”). At or prior to the Effective Time, Parent or Purchaser
shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, with the Paying Agent funds sufficient
to pay the aggregate Merger Consideration to which holders of
Shares shall be entitled at the Effective Time pursuant to this
Agreement. Such funds shall be invested or otherwise held by the Paying Agent as
directed by Parent, pending payment thereof by the Paying Agent to such holders
of the Shares; provided, however, in the event
that such funds on deposit with the Paying Agent are insufficient to pay the
aggregate Merger Consideration, Parent shall deposit, or cause to be deposited,
with the Paying Agent such additional funds to ensure that the Paying Agent has
funds sufficient to pay the aggregate Merger Consideration. Earnings from such
investments, if any, shall be the sole and exclusive property of Parent, and no
part of any such earnings shall accrue to the benefit of holders of
Shares.
(b) Procedures for
Surrender. As promptly as practicable after the Effective Time, Parent
shall cause the Paying Agent to mail to each holder of record of a certificate
or certificates that represented Shares (the “Certificates”) or non-certificated
Shares represented by
13
book-entry
(“Book-Entry Shares”), in each case, which Shares were converted into the right
to receive the Merger Consideration at the Effective Time pursuant to this
Agreement: (i) a letter of transmittal that 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 Paying Agent, and shall otherwise be in such
form and have such other provisions as Parent or the Paying Agent may reasonably
specify, and (ii) instructions for effecting the surrender of the Certificates
or Book-Entry Shares in exchange for payment of the Merger Consideration. Upon
surrender of Certificates and Book-Entry Shares for cancellation to the Paying
Agent or to such other agent or agents as may be appointed by Parent, and upon
delivery of such a letter of transmittal, duly executed and in proper form, with
respect to such Certificates or Book-Entry Shares, the holder of such
Certificates or Book-Entry Shares shall be entitled to receive the Merger
Consideration for each Share formerly represented by such Certificates and for
each Book-Entry Share. Any Certificates and Book-Entry Shares so surrendered
shall forthwith be cancelled. If payment of the Merger Consideration is to be
made to a Person other than the Person in whose name any surrendered Certificate
is registered, it shall be a condition precedent of such payment that (x) the
Certificate so surrendered shall be properly endorsed or shall be otherwise in
proper form for transfer, and (y) the Person requesting such payment shall have
paid any transfer and other similar Taxes required by reason of the payment of
the Merger Consideration to a Person other than the registered holder of the
Certificate so surrendered and shall have established to the satisfaction of
Parent and the Surviving Corporation that such Taxes either have been paid or
are not required to be paid. Payment of the Merger Consideration with respect to
Book-Entry Shares shall only be made to the Person in whose name such Book-Entry
Shares are registered. Until surrendered as contemplated hereby, each
Certificate or Book-Entry Share, other than any Certificate or Book-Entry Share
representing Shares to be cancelled or converted in accordance with Section
2.1(b) or Dissenting Shares, shall be deemed at any time after the Effective
Time to represent only the right to receive the Merger Consideration in cash as
contemplated by this Agreement, without interest thereon.
(c) Transfer Books; No Further
Ownership Rights in Shares. As of the Effective Time, the stock transfer
books of the Company shall be closed and thereafter there shall be no further
registration of transfers of Shares on the records of the Company. From and
after the Effective Time, the holders of Shares outstanding immediately prior to
the Effective Time shall cease to have any rights with respect to such Shares
except as otherwise provided for herein or by applicable Law. If, after the
Effective Time, Certificates are presented to the Surviving Corporation for any
reason, they shall be cancelled and exchanged as provided in this
Agreement.
(d) Termination of Fund;
Abandoned Property; No Liability. At any time following the one (1) year
anniversary of the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall be entitled
to require the Paying Agent to deliver to it any funds (including any interest
received with respect thereto or any earnings with respect to the investment
thereof) made available to the Paying Agent and not disbursed to holders of
Shares, and thereafter such holders shall be entitled to look only to the
Surviving Corporation (subject to abandoned property, escheat or other similar
Laws) only as general creditors thereof with respect to the Merger Consideration
payable upon due surrender of their Shares and compliance with the procedures in
Section 2.2(b), without
14
interest
and subject to any withholding of Taxes required by applicable Law in accordance
with Section 2.2(e). If, prior to six (6) years after the Effective Time (or
otherwise immediately prior to such time on which any payment in respect hereof
would escheat to or become the property of any Governmental Entity pursuant to
any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar Laws), any holder of
Shares has not complied with the procedures in Section 2.2(b) to receive payment
of the Merger Consideration to which such holder would otherwise be entitled,
the payment in respect of such Shares shall, to the extent permitted by
applicable Law, become the property of the Surviving Corporation, free and clear
of all claims or interest of any Person previously entitled thereto.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of Parent, the Surviving Corporation or the
Paying Agent shall be liable to any holder of Shares for Merger Consideration
delivered to a public official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property,
escheat or similar Law.
(e) Withholding Rights.
Parent, Purchaser, the Surviving Corporation and the Paying Agent, as the case
may be, shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the relevant Offer Price,
Merger Consideration, Option Cash Payment or Warrant Payment otherwise payable
pursuant to this Agreement to any holder of Shares, Options or Warrants, as
applicable, such amounts that Parent, Purchaser, the Surviving Corporation or
the Paying Agent is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making
of such payment under the Code, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder
or any other provision of applicable Law. To the extent that amounts are so
withheld by Parent, Purchaser, the Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent and
remitted to the relevant Governmental Entity, such amounts shall be treated for
all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of Shares,
Options or Warrants, as applicable, in respect of which such deduction and
withholding was made by Parent, Purchaser, the Surviving Corporation or the
Paying Agent.
(f) Lost, Stolen or Destroyed
Certificates. In the event that any Certificates shall have been lost,
stolen or destroyed, the Paying Agent shall issue in exchange for such lost,
stolen or destroyed Certificates, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact
by the holder thereof, the Merger Consideration payable in respect thereof
pursuant to Section 2.1(a) hereof; provided, however, that Parent
may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the payment of such
Merger Consideration, require the owners of such lost, stolen or destroyed
Certificates to deliver a bond in such sum as it may reasonably direct as
indemnity against any claim that may be made against Parent, Purchaser, the
Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent with respect to the Certificates
alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
Section
2.3 Dissenting Shares.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Shares outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by a holder who is entitled to
demand and has properly demanded appraisal for such Shares in accordance with,
and who complies in all respects with, Section 262 of the DGCL (such Shares, the
“Dissenting Shares”) shall not be converted into the right to receive the Merger
Consideration and shall instead represent the right to receive payment of the
fair value of such Dissenting Shares in accordance with and to the extent
provided by Section 262 of the DGCL. If any such holder of such Shares fails to
perfect or otherwise waives, withdraws or loses his or her right to appraisal
under Section 262 of the DGCL or other applicable Law, then such Shares shall
cease to be
15
considered
Dissenting Shares hereunder, the right of such holder to be paid the fair value
of such Shares shall cease and such Shares shall be deemed to have been
converted, as of the Effective Time, into and shall be exchangeable solely for
the right to receive the Merger Consideration, without interest and subject to
any withholding of Taxes required by applicable Law in accordance with Section
2.2(e). The Company shall give Parent prompt notice of any demands received by
the Company for appraisal of Shares, attempted withdrawals of such demands and
any other instruments served pursuant to the DGCL and received by the Company
relating to rights to be paid the fair value of Dissenting Shares, and Parent
shall have the right to participate in and to control all negotiations and
proceedings with respect to such demands. Prior to the Effective Time, the
Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent, make any
payment with respect to, or settle or compromise or offer to settle or
compromise, any such demands, or approve any withdrawal of any such demands, or
agree to do any of the foregoing.
Section
2.4 Treatment of Options.
The Company shall take all action necessary so that, immediately prior to the
Effective Time, each option to purchase Shares (an “Option”) granted under the
Company’s 2004 Incentive Stock Plan (the “2004 Plan”) or 2009 Incentive Stock
Plan (the “2009 Plan”) that, in each case, is outstanding and unexercised as of
the Effective Time (whether vested or unvested) shall be converted into the
right of the holder to receive at the Effective Time an amount in cash equal to
the product of (i) the total number of Shares subject to such unexercised
portion of such Option and (ii) the excess, if any, of the Merger Consideration
over the exercise price per Share set forth in such Option, less any required
withholding taxes (the “Option Cash Payment”) and as of the Effective Time shall
cease to represent an option to purchase Shares, shall no longer be outstanding
and shall automatically cease to exist, and each holder of an Option shall cease
to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive the Option
Cash Payment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Option Cash
Payment, as calculated pursuant to this Section 2.4, with respect to any Option
would be a negative amount, such Option shall be cancelled as of the Effective
Time without conferring any right to receive the Option Cash
Payment.
Section
2.5 Treatment of
Warrants. At the Acceptance Time, each warrant to purchase Shares that is
issued, unexpired and unexercised immediately prior to the Acceptance Time (the
“Warrants”) shall be converted into the right of the holder thereof to receive,
upon exercise at any time after the Acceptance Time, a payment from Parent or
Purchaser in cash of an amount equal to the product of (i) the total number of
Shares previously subject to such Warrant and (ii) the amount in cash of the
excess, if any, of the Offer Price over the exercise price per Share previously
subject to such Warrant (such amounts payable hereunder being referred to as the
“Warrant Payments”) (less any applicable withholding or other Taxes required by
applicable Law to be withheld in accordance with Section 2.2(e)). From and after
the Acceptance Time, any Warrant shall no longer be exercisable by the former
holder thereof for Shares, but shall only entitle such holder upon exercise
after the Acceptance Time to the payment, if any, of the Warrant
Payment.
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
16
With
respect to any Section of this Article III, except (i) as disclosed in the
forms, reports, schedules, statements and other documents, including any
exhibits and schedules thereto, filed or furnished by the Company with the SEC
on or after January 1, 2008 and prior to the date of this Agreement or
(ii) as set forth in the disclosure schedule delivered by the Company to
the Parent and Purchaser prior to the execution of this Agreement (the “Company
Disclosure Schedule”) (it being understood that any matter disclosed in any
Section of the Company Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to be disclosed in
any other Section of the Company Disclosure Schedule only to the extent that it
is reasonably apparent from such disclosure that such disclosure is applicable
to such other Section), the Company represents and warrants to Parent and
Purchaser as follows:
Section
3.1 Organization and
Qualification. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is an entity duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the
jurisdiction of its organization and has the requisite corporate or other power
and authority necessary to own, lease and operate the properties it purports to
own, lease or operate and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted.
Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed as a
foreign corporation to do business, and is in good standing, in each
jurisdiction where the character or location of the properties owned, leased or
operated by them or the nature of their activities makes such qualification or
licensing necessary, except for such failures to be so duly qualified or
licensed and in good standing that would not reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect. A true, complete and correct list of all of the
Company’s Subsidiaries, together with the jurisdiction of incorporation of each
Subsidiary, the authorized capitalization of each Subsidiary, the owners of each
Subsidiary’s outstanding capital stock or ownership interests and the number and
percentage of shares or other ownership interests owned by each such owner, is
set forth in Section 3.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedule. All of the
Company’s Subsidiaries are owned one hundred percent (100%), either directly or
indirectly, by the Company. Neither the Company nor any of the Company’s
Subsidiaries owns, directly or indirectly, any equity or similar interest in, or
any interest convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any equity or
similar interest in, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
joint venture or other business association or entity, excluding securities in
any publicly traded company held for investment and comprising less than one
percent (1%) of the outstanding stock of such publicly traded
company.
Section
3.2 Certificate of Incorporation
and Bylaws. The Company has heretofore made available to Parent a true,
complete and correct copy of its Certificate of Incorporation, including all
amendments to date (the “Company Charter”), and its Bylaws, as amended to date
(the “Company Bylaws”). The Company Charter, the Company Bylaws and the charter
documents for each of the Company’s Subsidiaries (the “Subsidiaries Governance
Documents”) are in full force and effect. The Company is not in violation of any
of the provisions of the Company Charter or Company Bylaws, and none of the
Company’s Subsidiaries is in violation of its respective Subsidiaries Governance
Documents.
Section
3.3 Capitalization.
17
(a) As
of February 28, 2010, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of
50,000,000 Shares of Company Common Stock, of which 16,754,943 Shares were
issued (including 1,000 Shares held by the Company in its treasury and
16,753,943 Shares that were outstanding, of which 1,307,203 Shares constitute
restricted shares and shares held in the Director Stock Unit Program trust).
There are no other classes of capital stock of the Company authorized or
outstanding. As of February 28, 2010, (i) 2,443,016 Shares of Company Common
Stock were reserved for issuance under the 2004 Plan and the 2009 Plan, (ii)
751,666 Shares were subject to outstanding Options (whether or not under the
2004 Plan or the 2009 Plan), and (iii) 1,095,000 Shares were subject to
outstanding Warrants. All outstanding Shares of the Company Common Stock have
been, and all shares of the Company Common Stock that may be issued upon
exercise or conversion of Options or Warrants, will be when issued in accordance
with the respective terms thereof, duly authorized and validly issued, fully
paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. Except as described above and
except for the Top-Up Option: (1) there are no shares of capital stock of the
Company authorized, issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding; (2) there are
no outstanding options or other rights of any kind that obligate the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries to issue, deliver or dispose of any shares of capital
stock, voting securities or other Equity Interests of the Company or any
securities or obligations convertible into or exchangeable into or exercisable
for any shares of capital stock, voting securities or other Equity Interests of
the Company (collectively, “Company Securities”); (3) there are no restricted
shares, stock appreciation rights, performance units, “phantom” equity or
similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide economic
benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any capital
stock of, or other voting securities of or ownership interests in, the Company,
to which the Company is bound; (4) other than any Shares deliverable to the
Company in payment of the exercise price of Options, there are no outstanding
obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire any Company Securities; (5) there are no other options, calls,
warrants, pre-emptive rights or other similar rights, agreements, arrangements
or commitments of the Company of any character relating to the issued or
unissued capital stock of the Company to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party; and (6) there are no bonds, debentures, notes or other
indebtedness of the Company having the right to vote (or convertible into, or
exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any matters on which
holders of Company Common Stock may vote.
(b) Section
3.3(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and correct list
of all outstanding Options as of February 28, 2010, whether or not granted under
the 2004 Plan or the 2009 Plan, and all outstanding Warrants as of February 28,
2010, including the holder, the date of grant and the exercise or base price and
number of Shares of Company Common Stock subject thereto.
(c) Each
of the outstanding shares of capital stock, voting securities or other Equity
Interests of each Subsidiary of the Company is duly authorized, validly issued,
fully paid, nonassessable and free of any preemptive rights, and all such
securities are owned by the Company or another wholly-owned direct or indirect
Subsidiary of the Company and are owned free and clear of all Liens. There are
no (i) outstanding options or other rights of any kind, that obligate the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue or deliver any shares of capital
stock, voting securities or other Equity Interests of any such Subsidiary or any
securities or obligations
18
convertible
into or exchangeable into or exercisable for any shares of capital stock, voting
securities or other Equity Interests of a Subsidiary of the Company, (ii)
restricted shares, stock appreciation rights, performance units, “phantom”
equity or similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide
economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any
capital stock of, or other voting securities of or ownership interests in, any
Subsidiary of the Company, to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
bound, (iii) outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any securities or obligations
convertible into or exchangeable into or exercisable for any shares of capital
stock, voting securities or other Equity Interests of a Subsidiary of the
Company or to provide funds to make any investment (in the form of a loan,
capital contribution or otherwise) in any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or any
other Person; or (iv) other options, calls, warrants, pre-emptive rights or
other similar rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character
relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of any Subsidiary of the
Company to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party. None of the
Subsidiaries of the Company own any Company Common Stock.
(d) Except
for this Agreement, there are no stockholder agreements, voting trusts or other
agreements or understandings to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
a party relating to the voting of any shares of capital stock of the Company or
granting to any Person the right to elect, or to designate or nominate for
election, a director to the Company Board or any of its Subsidiaries.
Immediately following the consummation of the Merger, and the conversion of
Options and Warrants pursuant to Sections 2.4 and 2.5 above, respectively, there
will not be outstanding any rights, warrants, options or other securities
entitling the holder thereof to purchase, acquire or otherwise receive any
shares of the capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or any
other securities exercisable for or convertible into such shares).
(e) There
are no accrued and unpaid dividends with respect to any outstanding shares of
capital stock of the Company.
Section
3.4 Authority; Stockholder
Approval.
(a) Subject
only to the approval of the stockholders of the Company as described below, the
Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company have been duly and validly
authorized by the Company, and no other corporate proceedings on the part of the
Company are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby, other than, with respect to the Merger, the
Company Stockholder Approval. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company
Board has unanimously determined that this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby are advisable and in the best interests of the stockholders
of the Company and has unanimously recommended that the stockholders of the
Company, to the extent applicable, adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger.
The action taken by the Company Board constitutes approval of the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated hereby by the Company Board under the provisions
of Section 203 of the DGCL and, together with the Company Stockholder
19
Approval,
all approvals thereof required by Article Ten of the Company Charter. This
Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the
Company, and assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Parent and
Purchaser, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such
enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar Laws now or hereafter in effect
relating to creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles
(regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or
at law).
(b) The
affirmative vote of the holders of Shares representing two thirds (⅔) of the
voting power of the outstanding Shares of the Company Common Stock is the only
vote required, if any, of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of
the Company to approve and adopt this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, including the Merger (the “Company Stockholder
Approval”).
Section
3.5 No Conflict. The
execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement does not, the execution
and delivery by the Company of any instrument required hereby to be executed and
delivered at the Closing will not, the consummation by the Company of the Merger
or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement will not, and compliance
by the Company with any provisions of this Agreement will not (with or without
notice or lapse of time, or both): (i) subject to obtaining the Company
Stockholder Approval, conflict with or violate the Company Charter, the Company
Bylaws or any of the Subsidiaries Governance Documents; (ii) conflict with or
violate any Law applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which
any of their respective properties is bound or affected; (iii) result in any
breach of or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time
or both would become a default) or impair the Company’s or any of its
Subsidiaries’ rights or alter their respective obligations or alter the rights
or obligations of any third party under, or give to any third party any rights
of termination, amendment, payment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result
in the creation of a Lien on any of the properties or assets (including
intangible assets) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to any
Material Contract; (iv) result in any breach of or constitute a default (or an
event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) or
impair the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ rights or alter their
respective obligations or alter the rights or obligations of any third party in
or under, or give to any third party any rights of termination, amendment,
payment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the creation of a Lien on
any of the properties or assets (including intangible assets) of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to any Contract, permit, franchise or other
instrument or obligation to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their properties is
bound or affected, or (v) other than rights to acquire Company Common Stock
pursuant to Options or Warrants, give rise to or result in any Person having, or
having the right to exercise, any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal,
rights to acquire or similar rights with respect to any capital stock of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets or
properties, except in the case of clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) for any such
conflicts, breaches, defaults, impairments, alterations, Liens or rights that
have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
20
Section
3.6 Required Filings and
Consents. The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement
does not, the execution and delivery by the Company of any instrument required
hereby to be executed and delivered at the Closing will not, the consummation by
the Company of the Merger or any other transaction contemplated by this
Agreement will not, and compliance by the Company with any provisions of this
Agreement will not (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) require
the Company to obtain any consent, approval, Order, license, authorization,
registration, declaration or permit of, or to file or register with or to
provide notification to, any Governmental Entity, except (i) the applicable
requirements, if any, of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including the
filing of the Schedule 14D-9 and, if required by applicable Law, a Proxy
Statement relating to the adoption by the stockholders of the Company of this
Agreement, (ii) the filing and recordation of the Certificate of Merger or other
documents as required by the DGCL, (iii) compliance with any applicable
requirements of the HSR Act, (iv) such filings as may be required under the
applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of NASDAQ, (v)
such clearances, consents, approvals, Orders, licenses, authorizations,
registrations, declarations, permits, filings and notifications as may be
required under applicable U.S. federal and state or foreign securities Laws, and
(vi) such other consents, approvals, Orders, registrations, declarations,
permits, filings or notifications that, if not obtained or made, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
3.7 Litigation. As of the
date hereof, there is no suit, claim, action, proceeding, hearing,
investigation, mediation, arbitration, stockholder demand letter or any other
judicial or administrative proceeding, in Law or equity pending or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any
Company Subsidiary (including by virtue of indemnification or otherwise) or
their respective assets or properties, or any executive officer or director of
the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries (in their capacities as such),
which would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Company Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary
is subject to any outstanding Order, writ, injunction, decree, arbitration
ruling, regulatory restriction or judgment of a Governmental Entity, other than
such Orders, writs, injunctions, decrees, arbitration rulings, regulatory
restrictions or judgments that have not had and would not reasonably be expected
to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
3.8 Compliance;
Permits.
(a) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries hold all permits, licenses, easements,
variances, exemptions, consents, certificates, authorizations, registrations,
Orders and other approvals from Governmental Entities that are necessary to the
operation of their respective business as currently conducted (collectively, the
“Permits”), except where the failure to hold such Permits has not had and would
not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect. The Permits are in full force and effect, have not been
violated and no suspension, revocation or cancellation thereof has, to the
Knowledge of the Company, been threatened, and there is no action, proceeding or
investigation
21
pending
or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, seeking the suspension,
revocation or cancellation of any Permits, except in each case for such
suspensions, revocations or cancellations that would not reasonably be expected
to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. No
Permit shall cease to be effective as a result of the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement except where such cessation to be
effective would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) To
the Knowledge of the Company, none of the Company, any of the Company’s
Subsidiaries, any of their respective officers or employees, and any supplier,
distributor, licensee or agent or any other Person acting on behalf of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, has (i) made or
received any payments in violation of any Law (including the U.S. Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act), including any contribution, payment, commission, rebate,
promotional allowance or gift of funds or property or any other economic benefit
to or from any employee, official or agent of any Governmental Entity where
either the contribution, payment, commission, rebate, promotional allowance,
gift or other economic benefit, or the purpose thereof, was illegal under any
Law (including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act), or (ii) provided or
received any product or services in violation of any Law (including the U.S.
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act).
Section
3.9 SEC Filings; Financial
Statements; Corporate Governance.
(a) The
Company has timely filed with the SEC all forms, reports, schedules, statements
and other documents, including any exhibits and schedules thereto, required to
be filed by the Company with the SEC since January 1, 2008 (collectively, the
“Requisite SEC Reports”). The Requisite SEC Reports, including all forms,
reports and documents filed by the Company with the SEC after the date hereof
and prior to the Acceptance Time, (i) were and, in the case of Requisite SEC
Reports filed after the date hereof, will be, prepared in all material respects
in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act, as the case may be, and (ii) did not at the time they were filed
(or if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date of this Agreement,
then on the date of such filing) and, in the case of such forms, reports and
documents filed by the Company with the SEC after the date of this Agreement,
will not as of the time they are filed, contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated in such
Requisite SEC Reports or necessary in order to make the statements in such
Requisite SEC Reports, in light of the circumstances under which they were or
will be made, not misleading. None of the Subsidiaries of the Company is
required to file any forms, schedules, statements, reports or other documents
with the SEC.
(b) Each
of the consolidated financial statements (including, in each case, any related
notes and schedules) contained in the Requisite SEC Reports, including any
Requisite SEC Reports filed between the date of this Agreement and the
Acceptance Time, complied or will comply, as of its respective date, in all
material respects with all applicable accounting requirements and the published
rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, was or will be prepared
in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the
periods
22
involved
(except as may be specifically indicated otherwise in the notes thereto), and
fairly presented in all material respects or will fairly present in all material
respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated
Subsidiaries as of the respective dates thereof and the consolidated results of
the operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries
for the periods indicated, except as otherwise explained therein and except that
any unaudited interim financial statements are subject to normal year-end
adjustments that have not been made and are not expected to be material in
amount, individually or in the aggregate. The audited balance sheet of the
Company contained in the Recent SEC Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2009 is referred to herein as the “Balance Sheet”.
(c) The
chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the Company have made all
certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of
2002 and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC and the
statements contained in any such certifications are complete and correct, and
the Company is otherwise in compliance in all material respects with all
applicable effective provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the
applicable listing standards and corporate governance rules of
NASDAQ.
Section
3.10 Disclosure Controls and
Procedures. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has in place
“disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and
15d-15(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act) reasonably designed and maintained
to ensure that all information (both financial and non-financial) required to be
disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits to the SEC
under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within
the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC and that such
information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as
appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to allow
the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the Company to make
the certifications required under the Exchange Act with respect to such
reports.
Section
3.11 Absence of Certain Changes
or Events. From December 31, 2009 through the date of this Agreement, the
Company and each of its Subsidiaries has conducted its business in all material
respects only in the Ordinary Course of the Company’s Business, and (i) there
have not been any facts, circumstances, events, changes, effects or occurrences
that have had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect and (ii) the Company and its
Subsidiaries have not taken any action from December 31, 2009 through the date
of this Agreement that if taken after the date hereof would constitute a
violation of Section 5.1(b) of this Agreement.
Section
3.12 No Undisclosed
Liabilities. Except as reflected in the Balance Sheet, neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liabilities (absolute, accrued,
contingent or otherwise) that are required by GAAP to be set forth on a
consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries or
in the notes thereto, other than (i) any liabilities and obligations incurred
since the date of the Balance Sheet in the Ordinary Course of the Company’s
Business, (ii) any liabilities or obligations incurred in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (iii) liabilities that have not
had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
23
Section
3.13 Agreements, Contracts and
Commitments.
(a) All
of the Contracts that are required as of the date of this Agreement to be
described in the Requisite SEC Reports (or to be filed as exhibits thereto) (the
“SEC Required Contracts”) are so described or filed and are in full force and
effect. Section 3.13(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a complete
and accurate list of all Material Contracts in effect as of the date hereof.
True and complete copies of all Material Contracts in effect as of the date
hereof have been delivered or made available to Parent. “Material Contracts”
shall mean (A) all SEC Required Contracts; (B) any other Contract to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of
their assets are bound (other than Contracts related to (w) Owned Real Property
covered in Section 3.16, (x) Leased Real Property covered in Section 3.16 and
(y) Intellectual Property rights covered in Section 3.19), and which either (i)
has a remaining term of more than one year from the date hereof and cannot be
unilaterally terminated by the Company at any time, without material penalty,
within thirty (30) days of providing notice of termination and (I) involves the
payment or receipt of money in excess of $175,000 in any year or
(II) contains covenants materially limiting the freedom of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries to sell any products or services of or to any other
Person, engage in any line of business, compete with any Person or operate at
any location, or (ii) the termination of which or default under which would
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect; (C) all
Material Real Property Leases; and (D) all IP Contracts.
(b) (i)
There is no material breach or material violation of or default by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries under any of the Material Contracts, except such
breaches, violations and defaults as have been waived and that have not had and
would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Company Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) no event has occurred with respect to
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that, with notice or lapse of time or
both, would constitute a material breach, violation or default, or give rise to
a right of termination, modification, cancellation, foreclosure, imposition of a
Lien, prepayment or acceleration under any of the Material Contracts, except
where such event would not have or reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
3.14 Employee Benefit Plans,
Options and Employment Agreements.
(a) Section
3.14(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete list of
each employment (including any offer letters), bonus, deferred compensation,
incentive compensation, stock purchase, stock option, stock appreciation right
or other stock-based incentive, severance, change-in-control, or termination
pay, hospitalization or other medical, disability, life or other insurance,
supplemental unemployment benefits, profit-sharing, pension, or retirement plan,
program, agreement or arrangement and each other employee benefit plan, program,
agreement or arrangement, that is, or has been, sponsored, maintained or
contributed to or required to be contributed to during the current year or
preceding six (6) years
24
by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or by any trade or business, whether or not
incorporated (an “ERISA Affiliate”), that together with the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries would be deemed a “single employer” within the meaning of
Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA, for the benefit of any current or former employee
or director of the Company, or any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate
(the “Plans”). None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries nor any ERISA
Affiliate has any formal plan or commitment, whether legally binding or not, to
(i) create any additional employee benefit plan, program or arrangement, (ii)
enter into any contract or agreement to provide compensation or benefits to any
individual or (iii) modify or change any existing Plan that would affect any
current or former employee or director of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries
or any ERISA Affiliate, except for amendments to tax-qualified plans to maintain
the tax-qualified status thereof.
(b) With
respect to each of the Plans, the Company has heretofore made available to the
Parent true and complete copies of each of the following documents, as
applicable:
(i) a
copy of the Plan documents (including all amendments thereto) for each written
Plan or a written description of any Plan that is not otherwise in
writing;
(ii) a
copy of the annual report or Internal Revenue Service Form 5500 Series, if
required under ERISA, with respect to each Plan for the last three Plan years
ending prior to the date of this Agreement for which such a report was
filed;
(iii) a
copy of the most recent Summary Plan Description (“SPD”), together with all
Summaries of Material Modification issued with respect to such SPD, if required
under ERISA, with respect to each Plan, and all other material employee
communications relating to each Plan;
(iv) if
the Plan is funded through a trust or any other funding vehicle, a copy of the
trust or other funding agreement (including all amendments thereto) and the
latest financial statements thereof, if any;
(v) all
contracts relating to the Plans with respect to which the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability, including insurance
contracts, investment management agreements, subscription and participation
agreements and record keeping agreements; and
(vi) the
most recent determination letter received from the IRS with respect to each Plan
that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code.
(c) At
no time has the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate ever,
maintained, established, sponsored, participated in or contributed to any Plan
that is subject to Title IV of ERISA.
(d) At
no time has the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate ever
contributed to or been requested to contribute to any “multiemployer pension
plan,” as such term is defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.
25
(e) None
of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, any ERISA Affiliate, any of the Plans,
any trust created thereunder, nor to the Knowledge of the Company, any trustee
or administrator thereof has engaged in a transaction or has taken or failed to
take any action in connection with which the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or
any ERISA Affiliate could be subject to any material liability for either a
civil penalty assessed pursuant to Section 409 or 502(i) of ERISA or a tax
imposed pursuant to Section 4975(a) or (b), 4976 or 4980B of the
Code.
(f) No
Lien has been imposed under Section 430(k) of the Code or Section 303(k) of
ERISA on the assets of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA
Affiliate, and no event or circumstance has occurred that is reasonably likely
to result in the imposition of any such lien on any such assets on account of
any Plan.
(g) Each
of the Plans has been operated and administered in all material respects in
accordance with applicable Laws, including but not limited to ERISA and the
Code. Each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the
Code or Section 401(k) of the Code has timely received a favorable determination
letter from the IRS covering all of the provisions applicable to the Plan for
which determination letters are currently available that the Plan is so
qualified and each trust established in connection with any Plan that is
intended to be exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a) of the
Code has received a determination letter from the IRS (or may rely on the
advisor or Tax opinion letter issued to the prototype or volume submitter plan
sponsor for the Plan) that it is so exempt, and no fact or event has occurred
since the date of such determination letter or letters from the IRS to adversely
affect the qualified status of any such Plan or the exempt status of any such
trust.
(h) The
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not, either
alone or in combination with any other event, (i) entitle any current or former
employee, officer or director of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any
ERISA Affiliate to severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other similar
termination payment, or (ii) accelerate the time of payment or vesting, or
increase the amount of or otherwise enhance any benefit due any such employee,
officer or director. No amounts payable under any of the Plans or any other
contract, agreement or arrangement with respect to which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries may have any liability could fail to be deductible for federal
income tax purposes by virtue of Section 280G of the Code.
(i) No
Plan provides benefits, including without limitation death or medical benefits
(whether or not insured), with respect to current or former employees of the
Company, its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate after retirement or other
termination of service (other than (i) coverage mandated by applicable laws,
(ii) death benefits or retirement benefits under any “employee pension plan,” as
that term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, (iii) deferred compensation
benefits accrued as liabilities on the books of the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries or an ERISA Affiliate, (iv) continued exercisability of stock
options in accordance with their terms, or (v) benefits, the full direct cost of
which is borne by the current or former employee (or beneficiary
thereof)).
26
(j) There
are no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened or anticipated
claims by or on behalf of any Plan, by any employee or beneficiary under any
such Plan or otherwise involving any such Plan (other than routine claims for
benefits).
(k) Neither
the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate has, in any material
respect, violated any of the health care continuation requirements of the
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”),
the COBRA provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
(“ARRA”) or the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act of 1996, as
amended, or any similar provision of state Law applicable to their
employees.
(l) Each
Plan that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan”(as defined in Section
409A(d)(1) of the Code) (i) since January 1, 2005 has been operated in good
faith compliance with Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder
and (ii) since January 1, 2009 has been in documentary compliance with
Section 409A of the Code.
Section
3.15 Labor
Matters.
(a) The
Company and its Subsidiaries are neither party to, nor bound by, any labor
agreement, collective bargaining agreement, work rules or practices, or any
other labor-related agreements or arrangements with any labor union, labor
organization or works council; there are no labor agreements, collective
bargaining agreements, work rules or practices, or any other labor-related
agreements or arrangements that pertain to any of the employees of the Company
or its Subsidiaries; and no employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
are represented by any labor organization with respect to their employment with
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(b) No
labor union, labor organization, works council, or group of employees of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries has made a pending demand for recognition or
certification, and there are no representation or certification proceedings or
petitions seeking a representation proceeding presently pending or threatened in
writing to be brought or filed with the National Labor Relations Board or any
other labor relations tribunal or authority. To the Knowledge of the Company,
there are no labor union organizing activities with respect to any employees of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(c) From
January 1, 2005 to the date of this Agreement, there has been no actual or, to
the Knowledge of the Company, threatened material arbitrations, material
grievances, labor disputes, strikes, lockouts, slow downs or work stoppages
against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(d) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have good labor relations with their respective
employees and labor unions, as applicable. The Company, its Subsidiaries, and
their respective employees, agents or representatives have not committed any
material unfair labor practice as defined in the National Labor Relations
Act.
27
(e) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have not failed to comply with all applicable Laws
respecting employment and employment practices, including all Laws respecting
terms and conditions of employment, health and safety, wages and hours, child
labor, immigration, employment discrimination, disability rights or benefits,
equal opportunity, plant closures and layoffs, affirmative action, workers’
compensation, labor relations, employee leave issues and unemployment insurance,
other than any failures to comply that have not had and would not have or
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
(f) The
Company is not and has not been: (i) a “contractor” or “subcontractor” (as
defined by Executive Order 11246), (ii) required to comply with Executive Order
11246 or (iii) required to maintain an affirmative action plan.
(g) The
Company and its Subsidiaries are not delinquent in payments to any employees or
former employees for any services or amounts required to be reimbursed or
otherwise paid except to the extent that any delinquency is subject to a good
faith dispute
(h) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received (i) notice of any unfair
labor practice charge or complaint pending or threatened before the National
Labor Relations Board or any other Governmental Entity against them, (ii) notice
of any complaints, grievances or arbitrations arising out of any collective
bargaining agreement or any other complaints, grievances or arbitration
procedures against them, (iii) notice of any charge or complaint with respect to
or relating to them pending before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
or Department of Fair Employment and Housing or any other Governmental Entity
responsible for the prevention of unlawful employment practices, (iv) notice of
the intent of any Governmental Entity responsible for the enforcement of labor,
employment, wages and hours of work, child labor, immigration, or occupational
safety and health laws to conduct an investigation with respect to or relating
to them or notice that such investigation is in progress, or (v) notice of any
complaint, lawsuit or other proceeding pending or threatened in any forum by or
on behalf of any present or former employee of such entities, any applicant for
employment or classes of the foregoing alleging breach of any express or implied
contract of employment, any applicable Law governing employment or the
termination thereof or other discriminatory, wrongful or tortious conduct in
connection with the employment relationship.
(i) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries is, and has been, in material compliance
with all notice and other requirements under the WARN Act and any comparable
foreign, state or local Law relating to plant closings and layoffs.
(j) To
the Knowledge of the Company, no employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is in any respect in violation of any term of any employment
agreement, nondisclosure agreement, common law nondisclosure obligation,
fiduciary duty, noncompetition agreement, restrictive covenant or other
obligation to a former employer of any such employee relating (i) to the right
of any such employee to be employed by the Company or such Subsidiary of the
Company or (ii) to the knowledge or use of trade secrets or proprietary
information.
28
(k) To
the Knowledge of the Company, no current employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries who is in senior management or is an executive other than the
President and Chief Executive Officer intends to terminate his or her
employment.
Section
3.16 Properties;
Encumbrances.
(a) Section
3.16(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list
of all real property and interest in real property owned in fee by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Owned Real Property”). The
Company or a Company Subsidiary, as the case may be, holds good and valid fee
title to the Owned Real Property, free and clear of all Liens, except for (i)
Liens reflected on the Balance Sheet, (ii) Liens for current Taxes not yet due
and payable or the amount or validity of which is being contested in good faith
by appropriate proceedings, (iii) statutory Liens in favor of builders,
mechanics, warehousemen, repairmen, workmen, materialmen and contractors that
are not yet due and payable or are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings, (iv) such Liens as an accurate survey would show, recorded
easements, covenants and other restrictions and zoning and building law
requirements, and (v) other Liens that do not materially detract from the value
or materially impair the use of the property or assets subject
thereto. The Company and Company Subsidiaries do not lease, license
or otherwise grant any Person any interest in any of the Owned Real
Property.
(b) Section
3.16(b)(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete
list of all real property leased, subleased, licensed, or otherwise occupied by
the Company or any Company Subsidiary (collectively, the “Leased Real Property”)
and the location of such properties, and indicating on such Schedule whether
such property is leased or subleased. Section 3.16(a)(ii) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true, complete and correct list of all real
property leased or subleased that is (x) material to the operation of the
business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (y) required
to be disclosed pursuant to Item 102 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act
(the “Material Leased Real Property”). The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries have a valid leasehold interest in all of the Leased Real Property
that it purports to lease or sublease. All of the Leased Real
Property is free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) Liens reflected on the
Balance Sheet, (ii) Liens for current Taxes not yet due and payable or the
amount or validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings, (iii) statutory Liens in favor of builders, mechanics,
warehousemen, repairmen, workmen, materialmen and contractors that are not yet
due and payable or are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings,
(iv) such Liens as an accurate survey would show, recorded easements, covenants
and other restrictions and zoning and building law requirements, and
(v) other Liens that do not materially detract from the value or materially
impair the use of the property or assets subject thereto. The Company
and Company Subsidiaries do not sublease, license or otherwise grant any Person
any interest in any of the Leased Real Property or Owned Real
Property.
29
(c) The
Owned Real Property and the Leased Real Property are referred to collectively
herein as the “Real Property.” To the Knowledge of the Company, each parcel of
Real Property is in material compliance with all existing Laws applicable to
such Real Property. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has received
written notice of any proceedings in eminent domain, condemnation or other
similar proceedings that are pending and, to the knowledge of the Company, there
are no such proceedings threatened, affecting any portion of the Real
Property.
(d) True
and complete copies (including all amendments, supplements or modifications
thereto) of all Leased Real Property leases or other occupancy agreements to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party that either (i) relate
to Material Leased Real Property, (ii) have a remaining term of more than one
year from the date hereof, or (iii) involve rental payments or the receipt of
rent in excess of $175,000 in any year (collectively, the “Material Real
Property Leases”), have been made available to Parent and Purchaser. Except as
have not had and would not be reasonable expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, as of the date of this
Agreement, (1) all Material Real Property Leases are in full force and effect
and valid and binding against the Company or its Subsidiaries, as applicable,
and, to the Knowledge of the Company, the other parties thereto, in each case in
accordance with their respective terms (except as such enforceability may be
subject to laws of general application relating to bankruptcy, insolvency and
the relief of debtors and rules of law governing specific performance,
injunctive relief or other equitable remedies); (2) there is no existing
material breach or violation of or default by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries under any of the Material Real Property Leases; (3) no event has
occurred with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that, with
notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a material breach, violation
or default of any of the Material Real Property Leases; (4) to the Knowledge of
the Company, there are no material breaches, defaults or violations of any
obligations of the landlord under any Material Real Property Lease; (5) to the
Knowledge of the Company, no Person other than the Company and its applicable
Subsidiaries has any right (whether by lease, sublease or otherwise) to use or
occupy all or any portion of the Leased Real Property; (6) neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has subleased, transferred, or assigned the Leased
Real Property or any of the leases or subleases of the Leased Real Property; and
(7) neither of the Company nor the Subsidiaries has received notice from any
Person alleging any breach of any covenants or restrictions with respect to the
Leased Real Property.
(e) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have good and valid title to, or valid and
enforceable rights to use under existing material franchises, easements or
licenses, or valid and enforceable leasehold interests in, all of their material
tangible personal properties and assets necessary to carry on their businesses
as such businesses are now being conducted, free and clear of all Liens, except
for (i) Liens reflected on the Balance Sheet, (ii) Liens for current Taxes not
yet due and payable or the amount or validity of which is being contested in
good faith by appropriate proceedings, (iii) statutory Liens in favor of
builders, mechanics, warehousemen, repairmen, workmen, materialmen and
contractors that are not yet due and payable or are being contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings, and (iv) other Liens that do not materially
detract from the value or materially impair the use of the property or assets
subject thereto.
30
Section
3.17 Taxes. Except as have not had
and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate,
a Company Material Adverse Effect:
(a) (i)
the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have duly filed (taking into account
any valid extension of time within which to file) with the appropriate taxing
authorities all material Tax Returns required to be filed by them and all such
Tax Returns were true, complete and correct in all material respects, (ii) all
material Taxes required to be paid by the Company and each of its Subsidiaries
have been timely paid, except for Taxes the amount or validity of which is being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (iii) there are no material
Tax Liens on any assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than
Liens relating to Taxes not yet due and payable, (iv) neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries has granted any outstanding waiver of any statute of
limitations with respect to, or any outstanding extension of a period for the
assessment of, any Tax (other than pursuant to extensions of time to file Tax
Returns obtained in the Ordinary Course of the Company's Business), (v) the
accruals and reserves for Taxes (exclusive of any accruals for “deferred taxes”
or similar items that reflect timing differences between tax and financial
accounting principles) reflected in the Balance Sheet are adequate to cover all
Taxes accruable through the date thereof (including interest and penalties, if
any, thereon and Taxes being contested) in accordance with GAAP applied on a
consistent basis with the Balance Sheet, and (vi) all liabilities for Taxes
attributable to the period commencing on the date following the date of the
Balance Sheet were incurred in the Ordinary Course of the Company’s Business and
are consistent in type and amount with Taxes attributable to similar prior
periods.
(b) (i)
the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have timely withheld all material
amounts of federal and state Taxes required to be withheld, (ii) neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice of any Tax
deficiency outstanding, proposed or assessed against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, except for deficiencies that have been satisfied by payment,
settled or withdrawn, (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
received any written notice of any audit examination, deficiency, refund
litigation, proposed adjustment or matter in controversy with respect to any Tax
Return of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for such audit
examination, deficiency, refund litigation, proposed adjustment or matter that
is no longer pending, (iv) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a
party to or bound by any tax indemnity, tax sharing or tax allocation agreements
with any entity other than the Company or any Subsidiary and other than
agreements for customary Tax indemnifications contained in credit or other
commercial agreements the primary purpose of which does not relate to Taxes, (v)
except for the group of which the Company and its Subsidiaries are now currently
members, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has ever been a member
of an affiliated group of corporations within the meaning of Section 1504 of the
Code, and (vi) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is liable for the
Taxes of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, or
any of its or their predecessors) under Treasury Regulation 1.1502-6 (or any
similar provision of state, local or foreign Law) as a transferee or
successor.
(c) To
the extent requested by Parent, the Company made available to Parent complete
and correct copies of all income Tax Returns, examination reports and statements
of deficiencies assessed against or agreed to by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries with respect to all taxable years for which the statutes of
limitation have not expired.
31
(d) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has constituted either a “distributing
corporation” or a “controlled corporation” (within the meaning of Section
355(a)(1)(A) of the Code) in a distribution of stock qualifying for tax-free
treatment under Section 355 of the Code (A) in the two (2) years prior to the
date of this Agreement or (B) in a distribution that could otherwise constitute
part of a “plan” or “series of related transactions”(within the meaning of
Section 355(e) of the Code) in connection with the Merger.
(e) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to, or has any commitment to
become a party to, any “reportable transaction” as described in Treasury
Regulation 1.6011-4(b)(2).
(f) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a United States real property
holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code at any
time during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the
Code, and Parent is not required to withhold tax on the purchase of the Company
by reason of Section 1445 of the Code.
(g) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has agreed, or is required, to make any
material adjustments pursuant to Section 481(a) of the Code or any similar
provision of state, local or foreign law by reason of a change in accounting
method initiated by it or any other relevant party, and the IRS has not proposed
any such adjustment or change in accounting method in writing nor, to the
Knowledge of the Company, otherwise proposed any material adjustment or change
in accounting method, nor does the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have any
application pending with any Governmental Entity requesting permission for any
changes in accounting methods that relate to the business or assets of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(h) No
closing agreement pursuant to Section 7121 of the Code (or any predecessor
provision) or any similar provision of any state, local or foreign Tax law has
been entered into by or with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
Section
3.18 Environmental
Matters.
(a) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company is in compliance
with all Environmental Laws, which compliance includes, but is not limited to,
the possession by the Company of all Permits and other governmental
authorizations required under all Environmental Laws and compliance with the
terms and conditions thereof. The Company has not received any written
communication, whether from a governmental authority, citizens group, employee
or otherwise, that alleges that the Company is not in such compliance, and,
except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, there are no
circumstances that may prevent or
32
interfere
with such compliance in the future. All material Permits and other governmental
authorizations currently held by the Company pursuant to all Environmental Laws
are identified in Section 3.18(a) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule.
(b) There
is no Environmental Claim pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
threatened against the Company or against any Person or entity whose liability
for any Environmental Claim the Company has retained or assumed either
contractually or by operation of Law.
(c) To
the Knowledge of the Company, there are no past or present actions, activities,
circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including, without limitation,
the release, emission, discharge, presence or disposal of any Material of
Environmental Concern, that could form the basis of any Environmental Claim
against the Company or against any person or entity whose liability for any
Environmental Claim the Company has retained or assumed either contractually or
by operation of law.
(d) The
Company has made available to Parent summaries of all assessments, reports,
data, results of investigations or audits and other information, in each case as
requested by Parent, that are in the possession of the Company regarding
environmental matters pertaining to or the environmental condition of the
business of the Company, or the compliance (or noncompliance) by the Company
with any Environmental Laws, to the extent that such documents would reflect the
existence or possible existence of some condition, act or omission that has or
would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
(e) The
Company is not required by any Environmental Law or by virtue of the
transactions contemplated hereby, or as a condition to the effectiveness of any
transactions contemplated hereby, (i) to perform a site assessment for Materials
of Environmental Concern, (ii) to remove or remediate Materials of Environmental
Concern, (iii) to give notice to or receive approval from any governmental
authority, or (iv) to record or deliver to any person or entity any disclosure
document or statement pertaining to environmental matters.
Section
3.19 Intellectual
Property.
(a) Section
3.19(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and accurate
list of all material Intellectual Property (i) owned by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries and (ii) used in the conduct of the business as currently
conducted or contemplated to be conducted, in each case, that is the subject of
a registration or an application for registration and lists, in each case, the
owner, the jurisdiction and the application of or registration number thereof
(collectively, “Registered Intellectual Property”). The Company or one of its
Subsidiaries is the record owner of all Registered Intellectual Property free
and clear of all Liens. All Registered Intellectual Property is subsisting,
valid, enforceable and in full force and effect, and has not been cancelled,
expired or abandoned.
(b) Except
as have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) all Trademarks listed in
33
Section
3.19(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule have been continuously used in the
form appearing in, and in connection with the goods and services listed in,
their respective registration certificates and (ii) there has been no prior use
of the Trademarks listed in Section 3.19(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule
by any third party that would confer upon such third party superior rights in
such Trademarks.
(c) Except
as have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, there are no pending or, to
the Knowledge of the Company, threatened claims by any Person challenging the
ownership, use, validity, enforceability or registerability of any Intellectual
Property owned by, licensed to or used by the Company or any Subsidiary, and
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has made any claim against any
Person alleging violation or infringement of any Intellectual Property owned by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(d) Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, to the Knowledge of the
Company, (i) the conduct of the Company’s and any Subsidiary’s business as
currently conducted does not violate or infringe upon any Intellectual Property
rights owned or controlled by any third party; and (ii) no third party is
violating or infringing any Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries.
(e) Section
3.19(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and accurate
list of all licenses, sublicenses and other agreements (i) granting the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries rights in or to any material Intellectual Property
owned by a third party (other than licenses for readily available commercial
Software having an acquisition price of less than $5,000), or (ii) restricting
the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ rights to use any material
Intellectual Property, including license agreements, consent to use agreements
and covenants not to xxx (collectively, the “IP Contracts”). The IP Contracts
are valid and binding obligations of the Company or its Subsidiaries, as
applicable, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, the other parties thereto, in
each case enforceable in accordance with their respective terms (except as such
enforceability may be subject to laws of general application relating to
bankruptcy, insolvency and the relief of debtors and rules of law governing
specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies). Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have licensed or sublicensed its rights
in any material Intellectual Property other than pursuant to the IP Contracts.
No material royalties, honoraria or other fees are payable by the Company or any
Subsidiary to any third parties for the use of or right to use any Intellectual
Property except pursuant to the IP Contracts.
Section
3.20 Insurance. All
material current fire and casualty, general liability, business interruption,
directors’ and officers’ liability, product liability, sprinkler and water
damage insurance policies and other forms of insurance maintained by the Company
(collectively, the “Insurance Policies”) have been made available to Parent.
Except as have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect,
(i) each such policy is in full force and effect and all premiums due
thereon have been paid in full and (ii) none of such policies shall terminate or
lapse (or be otherwise adversely affected) by reason of the execution and
delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.
34
Section
3.21 Opinion of Financial
Advisor. The Financial Advisor has delivered to the Company Board an
opinion to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion and subject to the
limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth therein, the consideration
to be received by the holders of Shares of Company Common Stock in the Offer and
Merger is fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders.
Section
3.22 Brokers. No broker,
finder or investment banker (other than Xxxxxxxx, Inc. (the “Financial Advisor”)
whose respective brokerage, finder’s or other fees and expenses shall be paid in
full by the Company) is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or
commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries. The Company has furnished to Parent a complete and
correct copy of all agreements between the Company and the Financial Advisor
pursuant to which any firm would be entitled to any such payment.
Section
3.23 Takeover Statutes. As
of the date hereof, no further action is required by the Company Board or the
stockholders of the Company to render inapplicable to this Agreement, the Offer,
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby the restrictions on
“control share acquisition,” “fair price,” “business combination” or other
anti-takeover Law, subject to the requirements set forth in Article Ten of the
Company’s Certificate of Incorporation. The Company does not have a poison pill
or rights agreement in place.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND PURCHASER
Parent
and Purchaser hereby represent and warrant to the Company as
follows:
Section
4.1 Organization and
Qualification. Each of Parent and Purchaser is an entity duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its
organization.
Section
4.2 Authority. Each of
Parent and Purchaser has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute
and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby, including the Offer and the Merger. Parent as sole stockholder of
Purchaser has approved this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement by each of Parent and Purchaser, as applicable, and the consummation
by each of Parent and Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby,
including the Offer and the Merger, have been duly and validly authorized by
Parent and Purchaser, and no other corporate proceedings on the part of Parent
or Purchaser are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby. Neither the approval or adoption of this
Agreement nor the consummation of the Offer, the Merger or the other
transactions contemplated hereby requires any approval of the stockholders of
Parent. This Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and
35
delivered
by Parent and Purchaser, and assuming due authorization, execution and delivery
by the Company, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of Parent and
Purchaser, enforceable against Parent and Purchaser in accordance with its
terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar Laws now or
hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and by general
equitable principles (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law).
Section
4.3 No Conflict. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent or Purchaser do not, the
acceptance for payment or acquisition of Shares pursuant to the Offer will not,
the consummation by Parent or Purchaser of the Merger or any other transaction
contemplated by this Agreement will not, and compliance by Parent or Purchaser
with any of the provisions of this Agreement will not (with or without notice or
lapse of time, or both): (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the
certificate of incorporation or bylaws of Parent or Purchaser; (ii) conflict
with or violate any Law applicable to Parent or Purchaser or any of their
respective Subsidiaries or by which any of their respective properties is bound
or affected, or (iii) except as would not reasonably be expected to have a
Parent Material Adverse Effect, result in any breach of or constitute a default
(or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default)
or impair Parent’s or Purchaser’s or any of their respective Subsidiaries’
rights or alter the rights or obligations of any third party under, or give to
any third party any rights of termination, amendment, payment, acceleration or
cancellation of, or result in the creation of a Lien on any of the properties or
assets (including intangible assets) of Parent, Purchaser or any of their
respective Subsidiaries pursuant to any Contract, permit, franchise or other
instrument or obligation to which Parent, Purchaser or any of their respective
Subsidiaries is a party or by which Parent, Purchaser or any of their respective
Subsidiaries or their properties is bound or affected.
Section
4.4 Required Filings and
Consents. None of the execution, delivery or performance of this
Agreement by Parent and Purchaser, the acceptance for payment or acquisition of
Shares pursuant to the Offer, the consummation by Parent and Purchaser of the
Merger or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement, or compliance by
Parent or Purchaser with any of the provisions of this Agreement will require
(with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) Parent or Purchaser to obtain
any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or to file or register with
or to provide notification to, any Governmental Entity, other than (i) the
applicable requirements, if any, of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act,
including the filing of the Offer Documents and such reports under Sections 13
and 16 of the Exchange Act as may be required in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) the filing and recordation of the
Certificate of Merger or other documents as required by the DGCL, (iii)
compliance with any applicable requirements of the HSR Act, (iv) such filings as
may be required under the applicable listing and corporate governance rules and
regulations of NASDAQ, (v) such clearances, consents, approvals, Orders,
licenses, authorizations, registrations, declarations, permits, filings and
notifications as may be required under applicable U.S. federal and state or
foreign securities Laws, and (vi) such other consents, approvals, Orders,
registrations, declarations, permits, filings or notifications that, if not
obtained or made, would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material
Adverse Effect.
36
Section
4.5 Litigation. There is
no suit, claim, action or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of Parent,
threatened against or affecting Parent or Purchaser, that would reasonably be
expected to prevent or materially delay consummation of the Offer, the Merger or
the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section
4.6 Ownership of Company Capital
Stock. Neither Parent nor Purchaser is, nor at any time during the last
three (3) years has been, an “interested stockholder” of the Company as defined
in Section 203 of the DGCL (other than as contemplated by this
Agreement).
Section
4.7 Ownership and Operations of
Purchaser. Purchaser is a direct, wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Holding
Company and an indirect, wholly-owned Subsidiary of Parent that has been formed
solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions contemplated hereby and
prior to the Effective Time will have engaged in no other business activities
and will have incurred no liabilities or obligations other than as contemplated
herein.
Section
4.8 Sufficient Funds.
Parent and Purchaser have or will have cash and cash equivalents, and committed
or available lines of credit, sufficient to (i) consummate the Offer, (ii) pay
the aggregate Merger Consideration, (iii) pay any and all fees and expenses
incurred by Parent or Purchaser in connection with the Offer and the Merger and
(iv) consummate the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
Section
4.9 Brokers. No broker,
finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee
or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
based upon arrangements made by and on behalf of Parent or
Purchaser.
Section
4.10 Investigation by Parent and
Purchaser. Each of Parent and Purchaser has conducted its own independent
review and analysis of the businesses, assets, condition, operations and
prospects of the Company and the Company’s Subsidiaries. No review, analysis or
investigation by Parent, Purchaser or the Parent Representatives shall affect
the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this
Agreement.
ARTICLE
V
COVENANTS
Section
5.1 Conduct of Business Pending
the Acceptance Time.
(a) The
Company covenants and agrees that, during the period from the date hereof until
the earlier of the Acceptance Time and the date, if any, on which this Agreement
is terminated pursuant to Section 7.1, except as expressly contemplated by this
Agreement, as set forth in Section 5.1(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or
as required by Law, or unless Parent shall otherwise consent in writing (which
consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), the business
of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be conducted in
37
all
material respects in the Ordinary Course of the Company’s Business, and in
compliance in all material respects with applicable Law and the Company shall
use its commercially reasonable efforts to preserve intact its business
organization and to preserve its present relationships with customers,
suppliers, employees, licensees, licensors, partners and other Persons with
which it or any of its Subsidiaries has significant business
relations.
(b) Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, between the date of this Agreement and
the earlier of the Acceptance Time and the date, if any, on which this Agreement
is terminated pursuant to Section 7.1, except as otherwise expressly
contemplated by this Agreement, as set forth in Section 5.1(b) to the Company
Disclosure Schedule or as required by Law, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries shall without the prior written consent of Parent (which consent
will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed):
(i) amend
or otherwise change the Company Charter or Company Bylaws or any similar
governing instruments, except for the amendment of the Company Charter described
in Sections 1.6(d) and 1.6(e) above;
(ii) issue,
sell, transfer, pledge, redeem, accelerate rights under, dispose of or encumber,
or authorize the issuance, sale, transfer, pledge, redemption, acceleration of
rights under, disposition or encumbrance of, any shares of capital stock of any
class, or any options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights of any
kind to acquire or receive any shares of capital stock, or any other ownership
interest (including any phantom interest) in the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, except for (x) the issuance of Shares of Company Common Stock
reserved for issuance on the date hereof pursuant to the exercise of Options or
Warrants outstanding on the date of this Agreement, (y) the delivery of
Shares to the Company in payment of the exercise price of Options and
(z) the acceleration of vesting of Options as contemplated by the 2004 Plan
and the 2009 Plan;
(iii) sell,
pledge, mortgage, dispose, lease, or encumber any assets, tangible or
intangible, of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or suffer to exist any
Lien thereupon other than (A) sales of assets not to exceed $175,000 in the
aggregate, (B) sales of products in the Ordinary Course of the Company’s
Business, (C) pursuant to existing Contracts or (d) dispositions of
obsolete or worn out equipment in the Ordinary Course of the Company's
Business.
(iv) with
respect to Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
and with respect to any rights to Intellectual Property granted under any IP
Contract, (A) transfer, assign or license to any Person any rights to
Intellectual Property, (B) abandon, permit to lapse or otherwise dispose of any
Intellectual Property, (C) grant any Lien on any Intellectual Property, or (D)
make any material change in any Intellectual Property that reasonably could be
expected to materially impair such Intellectual Property or the Company’s or its
Subsidiaries’ rights with respect thereto;
(v) (A)
declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in
cash, stock or property or any combination thereof) in respect of any of
38
its
capital stock, except that a direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiary of the
Company may declare and pay a dividend to its parent, (B) split, combine or
reclassify any of its capital stock or issue or authorize or propose the
issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in substitution
for shares of its capital stock, or (C) purchase, repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, or permit any Subsidiary to purchase,
repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, any of its securities or any securities
of its Subsidiaries, or any option, warrant or right, to acquire any such
securities, or propose to do any of the foregoing, except the delivery of Shares
to the Company in payment of the exercise price of Options;
(vi) (A)
(1) acquire (by merger, consolidation or acquisition of stock or assets or
otherwise) any corporation, partnership or other business organization or
division thereof or any equity interest therein, in each case, with a value in
excess of $175,000 in the aggregate, (2) enter into any new line of business,
other than development, testing or marketing of new products in the Ordinary
Course of the Company’s Business, (3) make any capital contribution or
investment in any joint venture, except as required pursuant to terms of a
Material Contract in effect as of the date of this Agreement, or (4) create any
Subsidiaries; (B) incur any indebtedness for or issue any debt securities or
assume, guarantee or endorse or otherwise as an accommodation become responsible
for (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) the material obligations of
any Person (other than a wholly-owned Subsidiary), except in the Ordinary Course
of the Company’s Business; (C) enter into, renew, fail to renew, amend or
terminate any material lease relating to Real Property (including any existing
Material Real Property Leases); (D) adopt or implement any new stockholder
rights plan; (E) authorize any capital expenditures or purchase of fixed assets
that are in excess of $175,000 in the aggregate, for the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except as previously budgeted and set forth in
Section 5.1(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, and taking into consideration
all future plans regarding the Company’s property, plant and equipment; or (F)
enter into or amend any Contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement to effect
any of the matters prohibited by this Section 5.1(b)(vi);
(vii) (A)
other than pursuant to existing Contracts, agreements or arrangements or in the
Ordinary Course of the Company's Business, increase the compensation payable or
to become payable to its current or former directors, officers or employees, (B)
hire or promote any person as or to (as the case may be) an executive officer or
appoint any director of the Company, other than the appointment of Continuing
Directors pursuant to Section 1.3(b) above, (C) hire or promote any employee as
or to (as the case may be) a position as an executive officer except to fill a
vacancy in the Ordinary Course of the Company’s Business, (D) make or forgive
any loan or advance to employees or directors (other than loans or advances of
reasonable relocation and travel expenses in the Ordinary Course of the
Company’s Business), (E) except as may be required by Law or existing Contracts,
agreements or arrangements, grant any severance or termination pay to, or
modify, amend, terminate or adopt, or promise to modify, amend, terminate or
adopt, any Plan, or any Contract, agreement or arrangement that would be a Plan,
(F) establish, adopt, enter into or amend any collective bargaining agreement,
compensation plan, program or other plan, agreement, trust, fund, policy or
arrangement for the benefit of any current or former directors, officers or
employees of the Company, or any of its Subsidiaries, except as may be required
by Law or existing Contracts, agreements or
39
arrangements
or as may be necessary to maintain proper qualification under the Code or other
Law, (G) other than in the Ordinary Course of the Company's Business, pay any
discretionary bonuses to any officer of the Company, (H) other than pursuant to
existing Contracts, agreements or arrangements or in the Ordinary Course of the
Company's Business, make any awards of equity in the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any rights to receive equity in the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, (I) amend any existing stock option or other equity-based
compensation or enter into any agreement under which any stock option or other
equity-based compensation would be required to be issued, except as permitted by
Section 2.4, (J) except as set forth in writing by Parent for the express
purpose of communications with employees of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, make any representation or commitment to, or enter into any formal
or informal understanding with any employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries with respect to compensation, benefits, or terms of employment to
be provided by Parent, Purchaser, or any of their Subsidiaries at or subsequent
to the Closing, or (K) materially change any actuarial assumption or other
assumption used to calculate funding obligations with respect to any pension or
retirement plan, or change the manner in which contributions to any such plan
are made or the basis on which such contributions are determined, except, in
each case, as may be required by Law;
(viii) take
any action to materially change accounting policies or procedures (including
procedures with respect to revenue recognition, payments of accounts payable and
collection of accounts receivable), or change any material assumption
underlying, or method of calculating, any bad debt contingency or other reserve,
except in each case as required to conform to GAAP or applicable
Law;
(ix) (A) make,
change or revoke any material Tax election or, except as required by applicable
Law, change any material method of Tax accounting, (B) enter into any settlement
or compromise of any material Tax liability, (C) file any amended Tax Return
with respect to any material Tax, (D) change any annual Tax accounting period,
(E) enter into any closing agreement relating to any material Tax, (F) claim or
surrender any right to claim a material Tax refund or (G) become a party to a
transaction that constitutes a “reportable transaction” for purposes of Section
6011 of the Code and applicable Treasury regulations thereunder (or a similar
provision of state Law);
(x) fail
to pay material accounts payable and other material obligations in the Ordinary
Course of the Company’s Business other than those disputed in good
faith;
(xi) materially
accelerate the collection of accounts receivable, modify the payment terms of
any accounts receivable other than in the Ordinary Course of the Company’s
Business, or sell, securitize, factor or otherwise transfer any accounts
receivable;
(xii) adopt
a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation,
restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries (other than the Merger or as expressly provided in this
Agreement);
40
(xiii) (A)
at any time within the 90-day period before the Acceptance Time, without
complying fully with the notice and other requirements of the WARN Act or any
comparable foreign, state or local Law, effectuate (1) a “plant closing”(as
defined in the WARN Act or any comparable state or local law) affecting any
single site of employment or one or more facilities or operating units within
any single site of employment of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (2)
a “mass layoff”(as defined in the WARN Act or any comparable state or local law)
at any single site of employment or one or more facilities or operating units
within any single site of employment of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
or (B) otherwise terminate or lay off employees in such numbers as to give rise
to material liability under any applicable laws respecting the payment of
severance pay, separation pay, termination pay, pay in lieu of notice of
termination, redundancy pay, or the payment of any other compensation, premium,
or penalty upon termination of employment, reduction of hours, or temporary or
permanent layoffs;
(xiv) (A)
authorize, enter into, renew, extend, terminate or amend, or waive, release or
assign any material rights or claims with respect to any Material Contract or
Contract that would constitute a Material Contract if in effect on the date of
this Agreement, in each case other than in the Ordinary Course of the Company’s
Business, or (B) engage in any transaction or series of transactions with any
Affiliate that would constitute a related party transaction under the rules and
regulations of the SEC or the Company’s policy governing such transactions,
except for the same types of transactions with Affiliates that are disclosed in
the Requisite SEC Reports;
(xv) agree
to or otherwise settle, compromise or otherwise resolve in whole or in part any
litigation, actions, suits, actual, potential or threatened claims,
investigations or proceedings, whether pending on the date hereof or hereafter
made or brought, which settlement or compromise would, individually or in the
aggregate, result in amounts payable to or by the Company or its Subsidiaries in
excess of $175,000 in the aggregate;
(xvi) take
any action that would reasonably be expected to result in any of the conditions
to the Offer set forth in Annex I not being satisfied;
(xvii) make
any material change to timing or size of orders of product shipped to customers,
trade, or distributors other than in the Ordinary Course of the Company’s
Business; or
(xviii) authorize
or make any commitment to do any of the foregoing.
Section
5.2 Cooperation.
(a) The
Company and Parent shall coordinate and cooperate in connection with (i)
preparing the Offer Documents, the Schedule 14D-9 and the Proxy Statement, (ii)
determining whether any action by or in respect of, or filing with, any
Governmental Entity is required, or any actions (including with respect to any
financing) are required to be taken, or consents, approvals or waivers are
required to be obtained from parties to any Material Contracts, in connection
with the Offer, the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, (iii) timely taking any such actions, seeking any such consents,
approvals or waivers or making any such filings or furnishing information
required in connection therewith,
41
with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or with the Offer Documents, the
Schedule 14D-9 or the Proxy Statement, and (iv) the defense or settlement of any
litigation relating to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(b) The
Company agrees that, between the date of this Agreement and the earlier of the
Acceptance Time and the date, if any, on which this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section 7.1, the Company shall cause:
(i) the
information supplied by the Company expressly for inclusion or incorporation by
reference in the Offer Documents (and any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto), when filed with the SEC, when distributed or disseminated to the
Company’s stockholders, and at the Expiration Date, not to 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 made therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading;
(ii) the
Schedule 14D-9 to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the
requirements and provisions of Rule 14d-9 of the Exchange Act and any other
applicable federal securities laws and not, when filed with the SEC, when
distributed or disseminated to the Company’s stockholders, and at the Expiration
Date, to 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 made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading (except that the obligations of the Company pursuant to
this Section 5.2(b)(ii) shall not apply with respect to statements made in the
Schedule 14D-9 based on information furnished by Parent or Purchaser in writing
expressly for inclusion therein); and
(iii) any
information that the Company has provided to Purchaser or Parent that
constitutes material non-public information pursuant to federal securities laws
as of the time immediately preceding the commencement of the Offer to be made
public immediately prior to the commencement of the Offer, to the extent that
such information is not otherwise disclosed in the Offering Documents, if the
commencement of, and purchase of Shares under, the Offer could constitute a
breach of federal securities laws (including Rules 10b-5 or 14e-3 of the
Exchange Act) if such information were not made public at or prior to the
commencement of the Offer. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Company hereby agrees that Parent may disclose any such material
non-public information in the Offering Documents to the extent that such
disclosure is necessary to prevent the commencement of, and purchase of Shares
under, the Offer from constituting a breach of federal securities laws
(including Rules 10b-5 or 14e-3 of the Exchange Act).
(c) Parent
and Purchaser agree that, between the date of this Agreement and the earlier of
the Effective Time and the date, if any, on which this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section 7.1, Parent and Purchaser shall cause:
42
(i) the
information supplied by Parent or Purchaser in writing expressly for inclusion
or incorporation by reference in the Proxy Statement (and any amendment thereof
or supplement thereto), at the date mailed to the Company’s stockholders and at
the time of the meeting of the Company’s stockholders to be held in connection
with the Merger, not to 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 made therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they are made, not misleading; and
(ii) the
Offer Documents (and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto) to be
appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements and
provisions of the Exchange Act and any other applicable federal securities laws,
and not, when filed with the SEC, when distributed or disseminated to the
Company’s stockholders, and at the Expiration Date, to contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading (except that the
obligations of Parent and Purchaser pursuant to this Section 5.2(c)(ii) shall
not apply with respect to statements made in the Offer Documents based on
information furnished by the Company in writing expressly for inclusion
therein).
Section
5.3 Access to Information;
Confidentiality.
(a) From
the date of this Agreement to the earlier of the Effective Time and the date, if
any, on which this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.1, the Company
shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary of the Company and each of their
respective directors, officers, employees, agents or advisors (including
attorneys, accountants, consultants, bankers and financial advisors)
(collectively, “Company Representatives”) (i) to provide to Parent and Purchaser
and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or advisors
(including attorneys, accountants, consultants, bankers and financial advisors)
(collectively, the “Parent Representatives”) reasonable access, at reasonable
times and upon prior written notice, to the officers, employees, agents,
properties, offices and other facilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries and
to the books and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) to furnish
promptly such financial, operating and other data concerning the Company and its
Subsidiaries as Parent or the Parent Representatives may reasonably request in
writing, and (iii) to provide to Parent and Purchaser such reasonable access to
stock transfer records and other information related to the ownership of capital
stock of the Company, including access to the Company’s transfer agent, as
Parent may reasonably request in writing. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(i) any such access, investigation or consultation shall be conducted in
such a manner as not to interfere unreasonably with the business or operations
of the Company or its Subsidiaries; (ii) such access will not require the
Company to permit any access, or to permit disclosure of any information, that
in its reasonable judgment would result in the disclosure of any trade secrets,
(iii) Parent, Purchaser and the Parent Representatives will not speak to
any of the personnel of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries without the prior
written consent of the Company, and any such communications permitted by the
Company will be made in the presence of a representative of the Company,
(iv) such access will be scheduled at such times and places as shall be
determined by the Company, and (v) Parent, Purchaser and the Parent
Representatives
43
shall not
have any such access for purposes of conducting any environmental assessments,
sampling or testing. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries shall be required
to provide access to or to disclose information where such access or disclosure
would contravene any Law. No investigation conducted pursuant to this Section
5.3(a) shall affect or be deemed to qualify, modify or limit any representation
or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement.
(b) With
respect to the information disclosed pursuant to Section 5.3(a), Parent shall
comply with, and shall cause the Parent Representatives to comply with, all of
its obligations under the Nondisclosure Agreement, the confidentiality
provisions of which shall survive and be binding upon the Company and Parent
until the Effective Time, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
therein.
Section
5.4 Solicitation.
(a) Notwithstanding
any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, during the period beginning on
the date of this Agreement and continuing until 11:59 p.m., Central Daylight
Saving Time, on the date that is thirty (30) days after the date of this
Agreement (the “Go-Shop Period Termination Date”), the Company and the Company
Representatives shall have the right, under the direction of the Company Board
or any committee thereof, to directly or indirectly: (i) initiate, solicit or
encourage the submission of Acquisition Proposals from one or more Persons,
including by way of contacting third parties or public disclosure, and providing
access to non-public information pursuant to the prior execution of a Qualifying
Confidentiality Agreement with any such Person; provided, that the
Company shall promptly provide to Parent any non-public information concerning
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is provided to any such Person or
its representatives that was not previously provided to Parent; and (ii)
participate in discussions or negotiations regarding, and take any other action
to facilitate any inquiries or the making of any proposal that constitutes, or
could reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal.
(b) Subject
to Sections 5.4(c) and 5.4(d), from the Go-Shop Period Termination Date until
the earlier of the Acceptance Time or the date this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section 7.1, the Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries
and the Company Representatives not to, directly or indirectly: (i) initiate,
solicit or knowingly take any action to facilitate or encourage (including by
way of providing information) the submission of any inquiries, proposals or
offers or any other efforts or attempts that constitute, or may reasonably be
expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal, or engage in any discussions or
negotiations with respect thereto, (ii) approve or recommend, or publicly
propose to approve or recommend, an Acquisition Proposal, (iii) withdraw (or
change, amend, modify or qualify in a manner adverse to Parent or Purchaser), or
propose publicly to withdraw (or change, amend, modify or qualify, in a manner
adverse to Parent or Purchaser), or otherwise make any statement or proposal
inconsistent with, the Company Board Recommendation (any action or failure to
act set forth in the foregoing clauses (ii) or (iii), a “Change of Board
Recommendation”), or (iv) enter into any merger agreement, letter of intent,
agreement in principle, share purchase agreement, asset purchase agreement,
share exchange agreement, option agreement or other similar Contract relating to
an Acquisition Proposal or enter into any Contract or agreement in
44
principle
that is intended or would reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition
Proposal or that would reasonably be expected to cause the Company to abandon,
terminate or breach its obligations hereunder or fail to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby. Subject to Section 5.4(c), on the Go-Shop
Period Termination Date, the Company shall immediately cease and cause to be
terminated any activities that would otherwise be a violation of this Section
5.4(b) conducted theretofore by the Company or the Company Representatives with
respect to any Acquisition Proposal. Subject to Section 5.4(c), with respect to
parties with whom discussions or negotiations have been terminated on or prior
to the Go-Shop Period Termination Date, the Company shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to require such parties to promptly return or destroy in
accordance with the terms of the applicable Qualifying Confidentiality Agreement
any non-public information previously furnished by the Company. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Section 5.4(b), following the Go-Shop Period
Termination Date, the Company and the Company Representatives may continue
discussions and negotiations with, and provide information to, any Person, group
of related Persons or group that (1) includes any Person with whom the Company
is having ongoing discussions or negotiations prior to the Go-Shop Period
Termination Date regarding a possible Acquisition Proposal and (2) has been
identified in writing to Parent (any such Person or group, a “Go-Shop Party”) if
the Board of Directors determines in good faith (after consultation with its
financial advisors and outside counsel) that such Person has made or could
reasonably be expected to make an Acquisition Proposal that after further
discussions or negotiations could reasonably result in a Superior
Proposal.
(c) Notwithstanding
Section 5.4(b), if at any time following the Go-Shop Period Termination Date and
prior to obtaining the Company Stockholder Approval, (i) the Company receives a
bona fide written Acquisition Proposal, which is not solicited, facilitated or
encouraged willfully or in bad faith in breach of Section 5.4(b) above, from any
other third party that is not a Go-Shop Party, and (ii) the Company Board
determines in good faith (after consultation with its financial advisors and
outside counsel) that (A) such Acquisition Proposal constitutes, or could
reasonably be expected to lead to, a Superior Proposal, and (B) the failure to
take the actions referred to in clause (x) or (y) of this sentence could
reasonably be expected to be a breach of its fiduciary obligations to the
stockholders of the Company under applicable Law, the Company may take the
following actions: (x) furnish non-public information to the Person making such
Acquisition Proposal, provided, that (1)
prior to so furnishing such information, the Company shall have received from
such Person a Qualifying Confidentiality Agreement and (2) all such information
shall previously have been provided to Parent and Purchaser or is provided to
Parent and Purchaser prior to or substantially contemporaneously with the time
it is provided to the Person making such Acquisition Proposal or such Person’s
representatives and (y) engage or participate in any discussions or negotiations
with such Person with respect to the Acquisition Proposal. At any
time following the date of this Agreement, the Company shall, as promptly as
reasonably practicable (and in any event within forty-eight (48) hours), advise
Parent orally and in writing of the receipt from any Person of (1) any proposal
that constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition
Proposal and the material terms of such proposal and (2) any request for
non-public information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in
connection with a potential Acquisition Proposal, or for access to the
properties, books or records of the Company by any Person that informs the
Company that is it
45
considering
making, or has made, an Acquisition Proposal, in each case, including the
identity of the Person(s) making such proposal, inquiry or request, and, if
applicable, providing copies of any documents or correspondence evidencing such
proposal or inquiry. The Company shall thereafter keep Parent reasonably
informed on a reasonably current basis of the status and any material
developments, discussions and negotiations concerning such Acquisition Proposal,
and the material terms and conditions thereof, including by providing a copy of
all material documentation or correspondence relating thereto that is exchanged
between the Person making such Acquisition Proposal (or its representatives) and
the Company (or the Company Representatives). Without limiting the foregoing,
the Company will promptly (within two (2) Business Days) notify Parent orally
and in writing if it determines to begin providing information to, or to engage
in negotiations with, any Person other than a Go-Shop Party concerning an
Acquisition Proposal.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in Section 5.4(b), if the Company receives an
Acquisition Proposal that the Company Board concludes in good faith, after
consultation with outside counsel and financial advisors, constitutes, or could
reasonably be expected to lead to, a Superior Proposal, after giving effect to
all of the adjustments to the terms of this Agreement that are offered by Parent
(including pursuant to clause (2) below), the Company Board may at any time
prior to the Acceptance Time, (i) effect a Change of Board Recommendation with
respect to such Superior Proposal and/or (ii) terminate this Agreement to enter
into a definitive agreement with respect to such Superior Proposal; provided, however, that the
Company shall not terminate this Agreement pursuant to the immediately foregoing
clause (ii) unless, concurrently with or prior to such termination, the Company
pays the Breakup Fee and otherwise complies with the provisions of Section
7.1(e) and Section 7.3; and provided, further that the
Company Board may not effect a change of Company Board Recommendation or
terminate this Agreement pursuant to the foregoing clause (ii) unless (A) the
Company shall not have breached willfully or in bad faith this Section 5.4 with
respect to such Superior Proposal, (B) the Company Board shall have taken into
account any changes to the terms of this Agreement proposed by Parent in
response to a Notice of Adverse Recommendation, and (C):
(1) the
Company shall have provided written notice to Parent (“Notice of Adverse
Recommendation”) at least five (5) days in advance (the “Notice Period”) of its
intention, absent any amendment to terms and conditions of this Agreement as
described in the immediately following clause (2), to take such actions
described in the immediately foregoing clauses (i) or (ii) with respect to such
Superior Proposal, which notice shall specify the material terms and conditions
of such Superior Proposal (including the identity of the party making such
Superior Proposal), shall specifically identify the terms of such Superior
Proposal that causes such Acquisition Proposal to constitute a Superior
Proposal, and shall have contemporaneously provided a copy of the relevant
proposed transaction agreements with the party making such Superior Proposal and
other material documents, including the proposed definitive agreement with
respect to such Superior Proposal (it being understood and agreed that any
amendment to the financial terms or any other material term of such Superior
Proposal shall require a new Notice of Adverse Recommendation and a new notice
period, which shall be five (5) days in advance of the Company Board’s intention
to take action pursuant to this Section 5.4(d)); and
46
(2) prior
to effecting such Change of Board Recommendation or terminating this Agreement
to enter into a definitive agreement with respect to such Superior Proposal, the
Company shall, and shall cause the Company Representatives to, during the Notice
Period, (x) provide Parent and Purchaser during the Notice Period with an
opportunity to amend the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement in a
manner such that such Acquisition Proposal would cease to constitute a Superior
Proposal as a result thereof, in which event the Company shall, and shall cause
its outside counsel and financial advisors to, negotiate with Parent in good
faith (to the extent Parent desires to negotiate) to make such amendments to the
terms and conditions of this Agreement as would enable Parent and Purchaser to
proceed with the transactions contemplated hereby, as so amended, and (y) permit
Parent to make a presentation to the Company Board regarding this Agreement and
any adjustments with respect thereto (to the extent Parent desires to make such
presentation).
(e) The
Company agrees that any willful and material violations of the restrictions set
forth in Sections 5.4(b) or 5.4(c) by any Company Representative shall be deemed
to be a breach of Sections 5.4(b) or 5.4(c), as the case may be, by the
Company.
(f) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Company shall not release any third party from, or waive any
provisions of, any confidentiality or “standstill” or similar agreement in favor
of the Company.
(g) Nothing
contained in this Section 5.4 shall prohibit the Company Board from disclosing
to the stockholders of the Company a position contemplated by Rule 14e-2(a) and
Rule 14d-9 promulgated under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that any
disclosure of a position contemplated by Rule 14e-2(a) or Rule 14d-9 promulgated
under the Exchange Act other than a “stop, look and listen” or similar
communication of the type contemplated by Rule 14d-9(f) under the Exchange Act,
an express rejection of any applicable Acquisition Proposal or an express
reaffirmation of its recommendation to its stockholders in favor of the Offer
shall be deemed to be a Change of Board Recommendation.
(h) None
of the Company, the Company Board or any committee of the Company Board shall
enter into any binding agreement with any Person to limit or not to give prior
notice to Parent or Purchaser of its intention to effect a Change of Board
Recommendation or to terminate this Agreement in light of a Superior
Proposal.
Section
5.5 Reasonable Best
Efforts.
(a) Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of the parties hereto agrees
to use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all
appropriate action, and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper
or advisable under applicable Laws and regulations to consummate and make
effective, in the most expeditious manner practicable, the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, Parent,
Purchaser and the Company shall cooperate with one another (A) in promptly
determining whether any filings are required to be or should be made or
consents, approvals, Permits or authorizations are required to be or should be
obtained under any Law or whether any consents,
47
approvals
or waivers are required to be or should be obtained from other parties to
Contracts or instruments material to the Company’s business in connection with
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (B) in
promptly making any such filings, furnishing information required in connection
therewith and seeking to obtain timely any consents, Permits, authorizations,
approvals or waivers required to be made or that the Parent determines should be
made.
(b) Without
limiting the generality of anything contained in this Section 5.5, each party
hereto shall: (i) give the other parties prompt notice of the making or
commencement of any request, inquiry, investigation, action or legal proceeding
by or before any Governmental Entity with respect to the Offer, the Merger or
any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) keep the
other parties informed as to the status of any such request, inquiry,
investigation, action or legal proceeding and (iii) promptly inform the other
parties of any communication to or from any Governmental Entity regarding the
Offer or the Merger. Each party hereto will consult and cooperate with the other
parties and will consider in good faith the views of the other parties in
connection with any filing, analysis, appearance, presentation, memorandum,
brief, argument, opinion or proposal made or submitted to any Governmental
Entity in connection with the Offer, the Merger or any of the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, except as may be prohibited by any
Governmental Entity or by any Law, in connection with any such request, inquiry,
investigation, action or legal proceeding, each party hereto will permit
authorized representatives of the other parties to be present at each meeting or
conference relating to such request, inquiry, investigation, action or legal
proceeding (but giving the other party reasonable prior notice of such meeting)
and to have access to and be consulted in connection with any document, opinion
or proposal made or submitted to any Governmental Entity in connection with such
request, inquiry, investigation, action or legal proceeding. The parties shall
use their respective reasonable best efforts to resolve any objections that may
be asserted by any Governmental Entity with respect to the transactions
contemplated hereby. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each
party shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Closing to occur as
promptly as practicable. The Company and Parent will cooperate and use their
respective reasonable best efforts to obtain as promptly as practicable all
consents, approvals and waivers required by third persons so that all Company
Permits and Contracts of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries will remain in
full force and effect after the Effective Time.
Section
5.6 Certain Notices. From
and after the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Acceptance Time
and the date, if any, on which this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section
7.1, each party hereto shall promptly notify the other party hereto of (a) the
occurrence, or failure to occur, of any event that would be likely to cause any
condition to the obligations of any party to effect the Offer, the Merger or any
other transaction contemplated by this Agreement not to be satisfied or (b) any
representation or warranty made by the Company or Parent, as the case may be,
that has become untrue or inaccurate or the failure of the Company or Parent, as
the case may be, to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition or agreement
required to be complied with or satisfied by it pursuant to this Agreement that,
in each case, would reasonably be expected to result in any condition to the
obligations of any party to effect the Offer, the Merger or any other
transaction contemplated by this Agreement not to be
48
satisfied;
provided, however, that the
delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 5.6 shall not alone cure any
breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this
Agreement or otherwise limit or affect the remedies available hereunder to the
party receiving such notice.
Section
5.7 Public Announcements.
Each of the Company, Parent and Purchaser agrees that no public release or
announcement concerning the transactions contemplated hereby shall be issued by
any party without the prior written consent of the Company and Parent (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), except as
such release or announcement may be required by applicable Law or the rules or
regulations of any applicable Governmental Entity or securities exchange to
which the relevant party is subject, in which case the party required to make
the release or announcement shall use its reasonable best efforts to allow each
other party reasonable time to comment on such release or announcement in
advance of such issuance, it being understood that the final form and content of
any such release or announcement, to the extent required, shall be at the final
discretion of the disclosing party. The Company, Parent and Purchaser agree that
the press releases announcing the execution and delivery of this Agreement shall
not be issued prior to the approval of each of the Company and
Parent.
Section
5.8 Antitrust Filings.
Each of Parent and Purchaser (and their respective Affiliates, if applicable),
on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, shall file with the Federal
Trade Commission (the “FTC”) and the Antitrust Division of the Department of
Justice (the “DOJ”) a Notification and Report Form relating to this Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby as required by the HSR Act within ten
(10) Business Days following the execution and delivery of this Agreement. Each
of Parent, Purchaser and the Company shall (i) cooperate and coordinate with the
other in the making of such filings, (ii) supply the other with any information
that may be required in order to make such filings, (iii) supply any additional
information that reasonably may be required or requested by the FTC, the DOJ or
the Governmental Entities of any other applicable jurisdiction in which any such
filing is made under any other Laws, if any, and (iv) take all action reasonably
necessary to cause the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting
periods under the HSR Act and any other Laws applicable to the Merger as soon as
practicable, and to obtain any required consents under any other Laws applicable
to the Merger as soon as reasonably practicable. Each of Parent and Purchaser
(and their respective Affiliates, if applicable), on the one hand, and the
Company, on the other hand, shall promptly inform the other of any communication
from any Governmental Entity regarding any of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement in connection with such filings. If any party hereto or Affiliate
thereof shall receive a request for additional information or documentary
material from any Governmental Entity with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the HSR Act or any other Laws
applicable to the Merger with respect to which any such filings have been made,
then such party shall make (or cause to be made), as soon as reasonably
practicable and after consultation with the other party, an appropriate response
in compliance with such request. The covenants set forth in this Section 5.8
shall be construed so as not to limit the generality of the covenants set forth
in Section 5.5 above.
49
Section
5.9 State Takeover Laws.
The Company Board shall take all action reasonably necessary to render any
“control share acquisition,” “fair price,” “business combination” or other
anti-takeover Law that becomes or is deemed to be applicable to the Company,
Parent or Purchaser, the Offer, the Merger or the Top-Up Option, including the
acquisition of Shares pursuant thereto or any other transaction contemplated by
this Agreement, inapplicable to the foregoing. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be deemed to prohibit the Company from complying with its obligations under
Section 220 of the DGCL.
Section
5.10 Parent Agreement Concerning
Purchaser. Parent agrees to cause Purchaser and the Surviving Corporation
to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement.
Section
5.11 Section 16 Matters.
Prior to the Effective Time, the Company Board, or an appropriate committee of
non-employee directors thereof, shall adopt a resolution consistent with the
interpretive guidance of the SEC so that the disposition by any officer or
director of the Company who is a covered Person of the Company for purposes of
Section 16 of the Exchange Act (“Section 16”) of Shares, Options or Warrants
pursuant to the Merger shall be an exempt transaction for purposes of Section
16.
Section
5.12
Rule 14d−10(d)
Matters. Prior to the Acceptance Time, the Company (acting through the
compensation committee of the Company Board) shall take all such steps as may be
required to cause each agreement, arrangement or understanding entered into by
the Company or its Subsidiaries on or after the date hereof and before the
Acceptance Time with any of its officers, directors or employees pursuant to
which consideration is paid to such officer, director or employee to be approved
as an “employment compensation, severance or other employee benefit arrangement”
within the meaning of Rule 14d−10(d)(1) under the Exchange Act and to satisfy
the requirements of the non-exclusive safe harbor set forth in Rule 14d−10(d)
under the Exchange Act.
Section
5.13 Company Certificate.
At Parent’s request, the Company shall deliver a properly executed statement, in
a form reasonably acceptable to Parent, conforming to the requirements of
Treasury Regulation Section 1.1445-2(c)(3).
Section
5.14 Delisting. Parent
shall cause the Company’s securities to be de-listed from NASDAQ and
de-registered under the Exchange Act as soon as practicable following the
Effective Time.
Section
5.15 Fees and Expenses.
Except as otherwise specified in this Agreement, each party hereto will bear its
own costs and expenses (including financial advisory, accounting and legal fees
and expenses) incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby (including the Offer and the Merger).
Section
5.16 Directors' and Officers'
Indemnification and Insurance.
(a) For
a period of six (6) years from and after the Effective Time, Parent shall, and
shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, to the fullest extent permissible
under
50
applicable
provisions of the DGCL, indemnify, defend and hold harmless all past and present
directors, officers and employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries and all
fiduciaries under any of the Plans (the “Indemnified Persons”) to the same
extent such persons are indemnified as of the date of this Agreement by the
Company or its Subsidiaries pursuant to applicable Law, the Company Charter, the
Company Bylaws, the Subsidiaries Governance Documents and the indemnification
agreements, if any, in existence on the date of this Agreement and set forth in
Schedule 5.16(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule (collectively, the
“Indemnification Agreements”) for acts or omissions in their capacity as
directors, officers or employees of the Company or any Subsidiary or as
fiduciaries under any of the Plans occurring at or prior to the Effective Time.
Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, advance expenses
(including legal fees and expenses) incurred in the defense of any claim,
action, suit, proceeding or investigation with respect to the matters subject to
indemnification pursuant to this Section 5.16(a) in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the Company Charter, the Company Bylaws, the
Subsidiaries Governance Documents and the Indemnification Agreements; provided,
however, that the Indemnified Person to whom expenses are advanced undertakes to
repay such advanced expenses to the Surviving Corporation if it is ultimately
determined that such Indemnified Person is not entitled to such reimbursement
obligation pursuant to this Section 5.16(a).
(b) For
six (6) years from and after the Effective Time, Parent shall, and shall cause
the Surviving Corporation to, maintain for the benefit of the Indemnified
Persons, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Effective Time, who are
covered by the directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy maintained by
the Company (the “Insured Persons”), an insurance and indemnification policy
that provides coverage for actions or omissions of such Indemnified Persons
prior to the Effective Time in their capacities as such (the “D&O
Insurance”) that is substantially equivalent to and in any event not less
favorable in the aggregate than the Company’s existing insurance policy (true
and complete copies of which have been previously provided to Parent)
(“Equivalent Coverage”) with the Company’s current provider of such insurance
or, if substantially equivalent insurance coverage is unavailable from such
provider, the best available coverage from a carrier with the same or better
credit rating (a “Comparable Carrier”); provided, however, that, in satisfying
its obligation under this Section 5.16(b), Parent and the Surviving Corporation
shall not be required to pay an annual premium for the D&O Insurance in
excess of two hundred fifty percent (250%) (the “Maximum Amount”) of the last
annual premium paid by the Company with respect to such existing policy prior to
the date of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may,
after prior consultation with Parent, purchase six (6) year “tail” prepaid
policies prior to the Effective Time for the benefit of the Insured Persons,
which policies are obtained from a Comparable Carrier and provide such Insured
Persons with Equivalent Coverage; provided, that the amount paid by the Company
with respect to such prepaid policies shall not be in excess of the Maximum
Amount of the per annum premium rate paid by the Company as of the date hereof
for its existing insurance policy. If such prepaid policies have been obtained
prior to the Effective Time, the provisions of this Section 5.16(b) shall be
deemed to have been satisfied and Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving
Corporation to, maintain such policies in full force and effect and continue to
honor the obligations thereunder.
51
(c) If
Parent or any of its successors or assigns (i) shall consolidate with or merge
into any other corporation or entity and shall not be the continuing or
surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger or (ii) shall
transfer all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person,
then, and in each such case, proper provisions shall be made so that the
successors and assigns of Parent shall assume all of the obligations set forth
in this Section 5.16.
(d) The
rights of any Indemnified Parties under this Section 5.16 shall be in addition
to any rights such Indemnified Parties may have under the certificate of
incorporation or bylaws of the Surviving Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries,
or under any applicable Contracts or Laws, and Parent shall, and shall cause the
Surviving Corporation to, honor and perform under all Indemnification Agreements
entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Indemnified Parties
to whom this Section 5.16 applies shall be third party beneficiaries of this
Section 5.16, and this Section 5.16 shall be enforceable by such Indemnified
Parties and their respective successors, heirs and legal representatives and
shall be binding on all successors and assigns of Parent and the Surviving
Corporation.
Section
5.17 Continuation of Employee
Benefits. At the Effective Date, Purchaser shall permit all employees of
the Company (the “New Purchaser Employees”) to participate in Purchaser’s 401(k)
plan pursuant to the terms thereof and, in connection therewith, shall credit
each New Purchaser Employee with the number of days such New Purchaser Employee
was employed by the Company for purposes of any length of service requirements
under such 401(k) plan. To the extent allowable under Purchaser’s
policies and procedures, Purchaser shall provide each New Purchaser Employee
with credit for years of service prior to the Closing with the Company for (i)
the purposes of eligibility and vesting (but not for benefit accrual) under
Purchaser’s health, short-term disability, long-term disability and vacation
programs and policies and (ii) any and all pre-existing condition limitations
and eligibility waiting periods under group health plans of Purchaser, and shall
cause to be credited to any deductible or out-of-pocket expenses (which are
applicable in the plan year of Purchaser in which the Closing Date falls) under
any health plans of Purchaser any deductibles or out-of-pocket expenses incurred
by New Purchaser Employee and their beneficiaries and dependents under health
plans of the Company during the plan year of the Company in which the Closing
Date falls. Nothing herein expressed or implied shall confer upon any New
Purchaser Employee or other employee or former employee of the Company or legal
representatives thereof, any rights or remedies, including without limitation
any right to employment or continued employment for any specified period, of any
nature or kind whatsoever, or any right to specific terms or conditions of
employment (including rate of pay, fringe benefits or position), under or by
reason of this Agreement. The employment of any New Purchaser
Employee or all New Purchaser Employees may be terminated by Purchaser for any
reason or for no reason at any time after the Closing Date (subject to the
payment of any vested benefits accrued under any employee benefit plan of the
Company prior to the Closing and to the payment of any severance benefit (to the
extent that such benefit is under a Contract or a written plan or policy in
effect on the date of this Agreement or is specifically agreed to by the Parent
or the Surviving Corporation on the one hand and a New Purchaser Employee on the
other hand) payable with respect to such termination). Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing or of Section 8.8 below, this
52
Section
5.17 shall be enforceable solely by the Company, acting on its own behalf, and
no other Person (including, without limitation, any New Purchaser Employee) is
an intended third party beneficiary of this Section 5.17.
Section
5.18 Stockholder
Litigation. The Company shall give Parent the opportunity to participate
in the defense or settlement of any stockholder litigation against the Company
and/or its directors or officers relating to the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, and no such settlement shall be agreed to without Parent’s prior
written consent.
ARTICLE
VI
CONDITIONS
TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER
Section
6.1 Conditions to Obligations of
Each Party Under This Agreement. The respective obligations of each party
to consummate the Merger shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver at or
prior to the Effective Time of each of the following conditions:
(a) This
Agreement shall have been adopted and the Merger approved by the requisite vote
of the stockholders of the Company, if and to the extent required by applicable
Law; provided that Parent and Purchaser shall, and shall cause any of their
Affiliates to, vote all Shares held by them in favor of the adoption of this
Agreement;
(b) The
consummation of the Merger shall not then be restrained, enjoined or prohibited
by any Order, judgment, decree, injunction or ruling (whether temporary,
preliminary or permanent) of a court of competent jurisdiction or any other
Governmental Entity and there shall not be in effect any statute, rule or
regulation enacted, promulgated or deemed applicable to the Merger by any
Governmental Entity that prevents the consummation of the Merger;
and
(c) All
statutory waiting periods (and any extension thereof) applicable to the Merger
under the HSR Act shall have been terminated or shall have expired.
(d) Purchaser
shall have accepted for payment and paid for, or caused to be accepted for
payment and paid for, all Shares validly tendered in the Offer and not properly
withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date; provided that this condition shall be
deemed to have been satisfied with respect to Parent and Purchaser if the
Purchaser fails to accept for payment or pay for Shares pursuant to the Offer in
violation of the terms of the Offer.
ARTICLE
VII
TERMINATION,
AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
Section
7.1 Termination. This
Agreement may be terminated, and the Merger contemplated hereby may be abandoned
as follows:
(a) By
mutual written consent of Parent and the Company, at any time prior to the
Effective Time, whether before or after approval of the Merger by the
stockholders of the Company;
53
(b) By
either the Company or Parent, if the Purchaser has not accepted for payment
Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer on or prior to June 30, 2010 (the
“Termination Date”); provided, however, that the
right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.1(b) shall not be
available to any party whose breach of this Agreement has been the cause of, or
resulted in, such failure to accept for payment the Shares on or prior to such
date;
(c) By
either the Company or Parent, prior to the Acceptance Time, if any Governmental
Entity having jurisdiction over the Company, Parent or Purchaser shall have
issued an Order, decree or ruling or taken any other action, in each case
permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the consummation of
the Offer or the Merger substantially as contemplated by this Agreement and such
Order, decree, ruling or other action shall have become final and
non-appealable; provided, however, the party
seeking to terminate this Agreement under this Section 7.1(c) shall have used
reasonable best efforts to cause any such Order, decree, ruling or action to be
vacated or lifted or to ameliorate the effects thereof;
(d) By
Parent, at any time prior to the Acceptance Time, if (i) a Change of Board
Recommendation shall have occurred, (ii) the Company or the Company Board shall
(A) have approved, adopted or recommended any Acquisition Proposal or (B)
approved or recommended, or entered into or allowed the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to enter into, a merger agreement, letter of intent, agreement in
principle, share purchase agreement, asset purchase agreement, share exchange
agreement, option agreement or other similar Contract (other than a Qualifying
Confidentiality Agreement) relating to an Acquisition Proposal, (iii) after the
Go-Shop Period Termination Date, the Company Board fails publicly to reaffirm
its recommendation of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby
(x) within ten (10) Business Days of receipt of a written request by Parent to
provide such reaffirmation following an Acquisition Proposal (provided only one
such reaffirmation request per Acquisition Proposal and one additional
reaffirmation request per each amendment thereof and supplement thereto may be
made by Parent) or (y) if the Termination Date is less than ten (10) Business
Days (but more than five (5) Business Days) from the receipt of such a request
by Parent following an Acquisition Proposal, by the close of business on the
Business Day immediately preceding the Termination Date, (iv) the Company shall
have breached Section 5.4 in any material respect, or (v) the Company or the
Company Board (or any committee thereof) shall authorize or publicly propose to
do any of actions specified in clauses (i) or (ii) of this Section
7.1(d);
(e) By
the Company, at any time prior to the Acceptance Time, if the Company Board
determines to accept a Superior Proposal, but only if the Company shall have
complied in all respects with its obligations under Section 5.4 with respect to
such Superior Proposal; provided, however, that the
Company shall pay the Breakup Fee to Parent substantially concurrently with such
termination;
(f) By
the Company, if Parent or Purchaser fails to commence (within the meaning of
Rule 14d-2 under the Exchange Act) the Offer in accordance with Section 1.1(a)
54
hereof;
provided, however, that the
right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.1(f) shall not be
available to the Company if (i) a Company Material Adverse Effect shall have
occurred, (ii) the failure of Parent or Purchaser to commence the Offer in
accordance with Section 1.1(a) is a result of the breach of any representation
or warranty, covenant or other agreement of the Company contained in this
Agreement, or (iii) the commencement of the Offer in accordance with Section
1.1(a) has been restrained, enjoined or prohibited by any Order, judgment,
decree, injunction or ruling (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) of a
court of competent jurisdiction or any other Governmental Entity;
(g) By
Parent, at any time prior to the Acceptance Time, if: (i) there exists a breach
of or inaccuracy in any representation or warranty of the Company contained in
this Agreement or breach of any covenant of the Company contained in this
Agreement, in any case, such that any condition to the Offer contained in
paragraph (c)(iii) or (c)(iv) of Annex I is not or would not be satisfied, (ii)
Parent shall have delivered to the Company written notice of such inaccuracy or
breach and (iii) either such inaccuracy or breach is not capable of cure or at
least twenty (20) Business Days shall have elapsed since the date of delivery of
such written notice to the Company and such inaccuracy or breach shall not have
been cured; provided, however, that Parent
shall not be permitted to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section
7.1(g) if (A) any material covenant of Parent or Purchaser contained in this
Agreement shall have been breached in any material respect, and such breach
shall not have been cured, or (B) there exists a material breach of or
inaccuracy in any representation or warranty of Parent or Purchaser contained in
this Agreement that has not been cured; or
(h) By
the Company, at any time prior to the Acceptance Time, if: (i) there exists a
breach of or inaccuracy in any representation or warranty of Parent or Purchaser
contained in this Agreement or breach of any covenant of Parent or Purchaser
contained in this Agreement that shall have had or is reasonably likely to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the
Company shall have delivered to Parent written notice of such inaccuracy or
breach, and (iii) either such inaccuracy or breach is not capable of cure or at
least twenty (20) Business Days shall have elapsed since the date of delivery of
such written notice to Parent and such inaccuracy or breach shall not have been
cured; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be permitted to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 7.1(h) if (A) any material covenant of the Company contained in this
Agreement shall have been breached in any material respect, and such breach
shall not have been cured, or (B) there exists a material breach of or
inaccuracy in any representation or warranty of the Company contained in this
Agreement that has not been cured.
Section
7.2 Effect of
Termination. In the event of the termination of this Agreement pursuant
to Section 7.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and there shall be no
liability or obligation on the part of any party hereto, except with respect to
this Section 7.2, Section 7.3 and Article VIII, which shall survive such
termination; provided, however, that nothing
herein shall relieve any party from liability for any willful breach hereof;
provided, further, that the
provisions of the Nondisclosure Agreement shall survive any such termination
pursuant to the terms therein.
55
Section
7.3 Break-Up
Fees.
(a) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.1(d) or
Section 7.1(e), then the Company shall pay to Parent substantially concurrently
with such termination, in the case of a termination by the Company, or within
two (2) Business Days thereafter in the case of a termination by Parent, the
Break-Up Fee.
(b) In
the event that (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.1(g) by
reason of a willful or bad faith breach by the Company of any representation,
warranty or covenant of the Company contained in this Agreement (other than a
breach of Section 5.4) that the Company shall have failed to cure in accordance
with the notice and cure provisions of Section 7.1(g), (ii) prior to such
termination an Acquisition Proposal shall have been publicly disclosed or
otherwise communicated to the Company or the Company Board and not withdrawn,
and (iii) within twelve (12) months after such termination, the Company
consummates a transaction contemplated by any Acquisition Proposal, then the
Company shall pay to Parent the Breakup Fee, on the date no later than two (2)
Business Days after the consummation of a transaction that constitutes an
Acquisition Proposal. For purposes of the immediately preceding sentence, the
term “Acquisition Proposal” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 8.3 except that the references to “twenty percent (20%)” therein shall
be deemed to be references to “a majority.”
(c) For
purposes of this Section 7.3, “Break-Up Fee” means $3 million (inclusive of
Parent and Purchaser’s expenses), in cash, except in the event that this
Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.1(e) in order to enter into a
definitive agreement with a Go-Shop Party with respect to a Superior Proposal,
in which case the Break-Up Fee shall mean $2 million (inclusive of Parent and
Purchaser’s expenses) in cash.
(d) Each
of the Company, Parent and Purchaser acknowledges that (i) the agreements
contained in Section 7.3(a) and Section 7.3(b) are an integral part of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) without these agreements,
Parent, Purchaser and the Company would not enter into this Agreement and (iii)
the Breakup Fee is not a penalty, but rather is liquidated damages in a
reasonable amount that shall compensate Parent and Purchaser in the
circumstances in which such Breakup Fee is payable.
Section
7.4 Amendment. Subject to
Section 1.3(b), this Agreement may be amended by the Company, Parent and
Purchaser at any time prior to the Effective Time; provided, however, that, after
approval of the Merger by the Company’s stockholders, no amendment may be made
that, by Law or in accordance with the rules of any relevant stock exchange,
requires further approval by such stockholders without the further approval of
such stockholders. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in
writing signed by the parties hereto.
Section
7.5 Waiver. Subject to
Section 1.3(b), at any time prior to the Effective Time, Parent and Purchaser,
on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, may (i) extend the time for
the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other, (ii) waive
any breach or inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the other
contained herein or in any
56
document
delivered pursuant hereto and (iii) waive compliance by the other with any of
the agreements or conditions contained herein or in Annex I hereto; provided, however, that, after
approval of the Merger by the Company’s stockholders, no extension or waiver may
be made that, by Law or in accordance with the rules of any relevant stock
exchange, requires further approval by such stockholders without the further
approval of such stockholders. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid only
if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or parties to be
bound thereby, but such extension or waiver or failure to insist on strict
compliance with an obligation, covenant, agreement or condition shall not
operate as a waiver of, or estoppel with respect to, any subsequent or other
failure.
ARTICLE
VIII
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
Section
8.1 Non-Survival of
Representations and Warranties. All representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements in this Agreement shall terminate at the Effective
Time; provided, that the covenants and agreements contained herein, which by
their terms provide for performance or enforcement after the Effective Time,
shall survive the Effective Time.
Section
8.2 Notices. All notices,
requests, claims, demands, approvals and other communications hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon
receipt) by delivery in Person, by national prepaid overnight courier (providing
written proof of delivery), by facsimile or by registered or certified mail
(postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the
following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified
by like notice):
If to Parent or Purchaser, addressed to
it at:
AZZ incorporated
One Museum Place
0000 Xxxx 0xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
000
Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Executive
Officer
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
and with a copy (which copy shall not
constitute notice) to:
Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx
LLP
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
0000
Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: F. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Esq.
S. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx V, Esq.
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
57
If to the Company, addressed to it
at:
North American Galvanizing &
Coatings, Inc.
0000 X. Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
0000
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Executive
Officer
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
with a copy (which copy shall not
constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP
00 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx,
Esq.
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
Section
8.3 Certain Definitions.
For purposes of this Agreement, the term:
“Acquisition
Proposal” means any offer or proposal, or filing of any regulatory application
or notice (whether in draft or final form), or public disclosure of an intention
to do any of the foregoing, by any Person other than Parent, Purchaser or any of
their respective Subsidiaries concerning any (a) merger, consolidation, other
business combination or similar transaction involving the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, (b) sale, lease, license or other disposition, directly or
indirectly, whether by merger, consolidation, business combination, share
exchange, joint venture or otherwise, of assets of the Company (including Equity
Interests of any of its Subsidiaries) or any Subsidiary of the Company
representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the consolidated assets, revenues
or net income of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (c) issuance or sale or other
disposition (including by way of merger, consolidation, business combination,
share exchange, joint venture or similar transaction) of Equity Interests
representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the voting power of the Company,
(d) transaction or series of transactions in which any Person would acquire
Beneficial Ownership or the right to acquire Beneficial Ownership, or any group
(as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) has been formed that
Beneficially Owns or has the right to acquire Beneficial Ownership, of Equity
Interests representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the voting power of the
Company or (e) any combination of the foregoing.
“Affiliate”
means a Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries,
Controls, is Controlled by, or is under Common Control with, the first-mentioned
Person.
“Beneficial
Ownership” (and related terms such as “Beneficially Own,” “Beneficially Owned”
or “Beneficial Owner”) has the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act; provided that such definition shall not apply to Section
5.9(a).
“Business
Day” has the meaning set forth in Rule 14d-1(g)(3) of the Exchange
Act.
58
“Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Company
Material Adverse Effect” means any change, event, development, circumstance,
occurrence or effect that, individually or in the aggregate, is materially
adverse to the business, financial condition, assets, liabilities or results of
operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except for any
such change, event, development, circumstance, occurrence or effect resulting
from or arising out of or in connection with (a) the public announcement or
pendency of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (b) the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any actions taken pursuant to or
in accordance with this Agreement, (c) changes in, or events or conditions
affecting, any industry or market in which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries operates, except to the extent such changes, events or conditions
adversely affect the Company or its Subsidiaries in a disproportionate manner
relative to other similarly situated, comparable companies, (d) changes in,
or events or conditions affecting, the United States or global economy or
capital or financial markets generally, except to the extent such changes
adversely affect the Company or its Subsidiaries in a disproportionate manner
relative to other similarly situated, comparable companies, (e) changes in
applicable Law or the interpretations thereof by any Governmental Entity,
(f) changes in GAAP, (f) changes in general political conditions,
including any acts of war or terrorist activities, (g) any action or
omission of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries taken upon the written
request of, or with the prior written consent of, Parent or Purchaser,
(h) any failure by the Company to meet any internal or published industry
analyst projections or forecasts or estimates of revenue or earnings for any
period, or (i) any change in the price or trading volume of the Company
Common Stock on Nasdaq.
“Contract”
means, with respect to any Person, any legally binding agreement, contract,
lease (whether for real or personal property), license, note, bond, mortgage,
indenture, guarantee, deed of trust, loan, evidence of indebtedness, letter of
credit, settlement agreement, franchise agreement, undertaking, employment
agreement, or instrument to which such Person or its Subsidiaries is a party or
to which any of the assets of such Person or its Subsidiaries are subject,
whether oral or written.
“Control”
(including the terms “Controlled” by and under “Common Control” with) means the
possession, directly or indirectly or as trustee or executor, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether
through the ownership of stock or as trustee or executor, by Contract or credit
arrangement or otherwise.
“Environmental
Claim” means any claim, action, cause of action, suit, proceeding,
investigation, order, demand or notice (written or oral) by any Person or entity
alleging actual or potential liability pursuant to any Environmental Law
(including, without limitation, actual or potential liability for investigatory
costs, cleanup costs, governmental response costs, natural resources damages,
property damages, personal injuries, attorneys’ fees or penalties) arising out
of, based on, resulting from or relating to (i) the presence, or release into
the environment, of, or exposure to, any Materials of Environmental Concern at
any location, whether or not owned or operated by the Company, now or in the
past, or (ii) circumstances forming the basis of any violation, or alleged
violation, of any Environmental Law, in each case as would not, individually or
in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
59
“Environmental
Laws” means all federal, state, local and foreign Laws, regulations, ordinances,
and requirements of governmental authorities relating to pollution or protection
of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air,
surface water, ground water, land surface or subsurface strata, and natural
resources), including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to (i)
emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of, or exposure to,
Materials of Environmental Concern, (ii) the manufacture, processing,
distribution, use, treatment, generation, storage, containment (whether above
ground or underground), disposal, transport or handling of Materials of
Environmental Concern, (iii) recordkeeping, notification, disclosure and
reporting requirements regarding Materials of Environmental Concern, (iv)
endangered or threatened species of fish, wildlife, and plants, (v) the
management or use of natural resources, or (vi) the preservation of the
environment or mitigation of adverse effects on or to human health or the
environment.
“Equity
Interest” means any share, capital stock, partnership, limited liability
company, membership, member or similar interest in any Person, and any option,
warrant, right or security (including debt securities) convertible, exchangeable
or exercisable therein to or therefor.
“Fully
Diluted Basis” means, as of any date, (i) the number of Shares outstanding, plus
(ii) the number of shares of Company Common Stock the Company is then required
to issue pursuant to options, rights to acquire or other obligations outstanding
at such date, including under any employee stock option or other benefit plans,
warrants, options, or other securities convertible or exchangeable into or
exercisable for Shares, or otherwise (assuming all options and other rights to
acquire or obligations to issue such Shares are fully vested and exercisable and
all Shares issuable at any time have been issued), including pursuant to the
2004 Plan or the 2009 Plan; provided that Fully Diluted Basis shall not include
the number of shares of Company Common Stock that are issuable upon exercise of
unexercised Warrants.
“GAAP”
means generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United
States.
“Governmental
Entity” means any national, supranational, federal, state, county, municipal,
local or foreign government, or any political subdivision, court, body, agency
or regulatory authority thereof, any supranational organization and any Person
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory, Taxing or
administrative functions of or pertaining to any of the foregoing.
“HSR Act”
means the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and
the rules and regulations thereunder.
“Intellectual
Property” means all intellectual property or proprietary rights of any kind in
any jurisdiction, including without limitation all (i) copyrights, (ii) patents
and industrial designs (including all divisions, continuations,
continuations-in-part, or patents issued thereon or reissues thereof), (iii)
computer programs, software, databases, compilations and data, and all
60
documentation
related to any of the foregoing (collectively “Software”), (iv) trademarks,
service marks, trade names, trade dress, domain names, designs, logos, emblems,
signs or insignia, slogans, other similar designations of source or origin and
general intangibles of like nature, together with the goodwill of the business
symbolized by any of the foregoing (collectively, “Trademarks”), (v) technology,
trade secrets, recipes and other confidential information, know-how, proprietary
processes, formulae, algorithms, models, and methodologies (collectively, “Trade
Secrets”); and (vi) all registrations and applications relating to any of the
foregoing.
“IRS”
means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“Knowledge
of the Company” or “the Company’s Knowledge” means the actual knowledge of
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx or Xxxx X. Xxxxxx.
“Law”
means any federal, state, local, national or supranational or foreign law,
statute, code, rule, regulation or material ordinance.
“Lien”
means any security interests, liens, claims, pledges, agreements, limitations in
voting rights, charges or other encumbrances of any nature
whatsoever.
“Materials
of Environmental Concern” means chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes,
toxic or hazardous substances, materials or wastes, petroleum and petroleum
products, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials or products, polychlorinated
biphenyls, lead or lead-based paints or materials, radon, fungus, mold,
mycotoxins, and other substances that may have an adverse effect on human health
or the environment.
“NASDAQ”
means the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.
“Nondisclosure
Agreement” means the mutual confidentiality agreement, dated July 22, 2008, as
amended, between the Company and Parent.
“Order”
means any order, judgment or injunction.
“Ordinary
Course of the Company’s Business” means the ordinary course of the Company’s
business consistent with the Company’s past practice.
“Parent
Material Adverse Effect” means any fact, change, event, development,
circumstance, condition, occurrence or effect that, individually or in the
aggregate, prevents or materially delays, or would reasonably be
expected to prevent or materially delay, consummation of the Offer or the Merger
or performance by Parent or Purchaser of any of their obligations under this
Agreement.
“Person”
means an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership,
association, trust, unincorporated organization, other entity or group (as
defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act); provided that such definition
shall not apply to Section 5.9(a).
61
“Qualifying
Confidentiality Agreement” means a customary confidentiality agreement no less
favorable in the aggregate to the Company than those contained in the
Nondisclosure Agreement and, for the avoidance of doubt, containing a
“standstill” provision no less favorable to the Company as, and remaining in
effect for a period of time at least as long as the period of time set forth in,
Section 10 of the Nondisclosure Agreement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Qualifying Confidentiality Agreement shall contain any provision
that restricts the Company from providing Parent with the notices or information
required to be provided pursuant to Section 5.4 above.
“Securities
Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
“Subsidiary”
of any Person, including without limitation the Company, means any corporation,
partnership, joint venture or other legal entity of which such Person, as the
case may be (either alone or through or together with any other Subsidiary),
owns, directly or indirectly, a majority of the stock or other Equity Interests
the holders of which are generally entitled to vote for the election of the
Board of Directors or other governing body of such corporation, partnership,
joint venture or other legal entity, or any Person that would otherwise be
deemed a “subsidiary” under Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the Exchange
Act.
“Superior
Proposal” means a written Acquisition Proposal (except the references therein to
“twenty percent (20%)” shall be replaced by “a majority”) made by a third party
that was not solicited, facilitated or encouraged willfully or in bad faith in
breach of Section 5.4(b) and that, in the good faith judgment of the Company
Board (after consultation with its financial advisors and outside counsel),
taking into account the various legal, financial and regulatory aspects of the
proposal, including the financing terms thereof, any antitrust or competition
law approvals or non-objections, and the Person making such proposal, (a) if
accepted, is reasonably likely to be consummated, (b) is not subject to any
financing condition, and (c) if consummated would result in a transaction that
is more favorable to the Company’s stockholders, from a financial point of view,
than the Offer and the Merger (after giving effect to all adjustments to the
terms thereof that may be offered by Parent (including pursuant to Section
5.4(d)(C)(2)).
“Tax
Return” means any report, return (including without limitation information
return), claim for refund, election, estimated Tax filing or declaration or
similar document or statement supplied or required to be supplied to any
Governmental Entity with respect to Taxes, including without limitation any
schedule or attachment thereto, and including without limitation any amendments
thereof.
“Taxes”
means any and all (i) federal, state, local and foreign taxes, charges, fees,
levies, imposts, duties and other assessments, including without limitation any
income, alternative minimum or add-on tax, estimated, gross income, gross
receipts, sales, use, transfer, transactions, intangibles, ad valorem,
value-added, escheat, franchise, registration, title, license, capital, paid-up
capital, profits, withholding, employee withholding, payroll, worker’s
compensation, unemployment insurance, social security, employment, excise,
severance, stamp, occupation, premium, recording, real property, personal
property, federal highway use, commercial rent,
62
environmental
(including without limitation taxes under Section 59A of the Code) or windfall
profit tax, custom, duty or other tax, fee or other like assessment or charge of
any kind in the nature of a tax, together with any interest, penalties, related
liabilities, fines or additions to tax that may become payable in respect
thereof and (ii) liability for amounts described in clause (a) under Treasury
Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of federal, state, local
or foreign Law), as a result of transferee liability, as a result of being a
member of an affiliated, combined, consolidated or unitary group, by Contract,
by Law or otherwise.
“WARN
Act” means the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and related
regulations.
Terms
Defined Elsewhere. The following terms are defined elsewhere in this Agreement,
as indicated below:
2004
Plan
|
Section
2.4
|
2009
Plan
|
Section
2.4
|
Acceptance
Time
|
Section
1.1(b)
|
Agreement
|
Preamble
|
Annex
I
|
Section
1.1(a)
|
ARRA
|
Section
3.14(k)
|
Balance
Sheet
|
Section
3.9(b)
|
Book-Entry
Shares
|
Section
2.2(b)
|
Breakup
Fee
|
Section
7.3(b)
|
Certificate
of Merger
|
Section
1.5
|
Certificates
|
Section
2.2(b)
|
Change
of Board Recommendation
|
Section
5.4(b)
|
Closing
|
Section
1.5
|
Closing
Date
|
Section
1.5
|
COBRA
|
Section
3.14(k)
|
Company
|
Preamble
|
Company
Board
|
Recitals
|
Company
Board Recommendation
|
Recitals
|
Company
Bylaws
|
Section
3.2
|
Company
Charter
|
Section
3.2
|
Company
Common Stock
|
Recitals
|
Company
Disclosure Schedule
|
Preamble
to Article III
|
Company
Representatives
|
Section
5.3(a)
|
Company
Securities
|
Section
3.3(a)
|
Company
Stockholder Approval
|
Section
3.4(b)
|
Comparable
Carrier
|
Section
5.16
|
Continuing
Directors
|
Section
1.3(b)
|
DGCL
|
Recitals
|
Dissenting
Shares
|
Section
2.3
|
DOJ
|
Section
5.8
|
D&O
Insurance
|
Section
5.16
|
63
Effective
Time
|
Section
1.5
|
Equivalent
Coverage
|
Section
5.16
|
ERISA
Affiliate
|
Section
3.14(a)
|
Exchange
Act
|
Section
1.1(a)
|
Expiration
Date
|
Section
1.1(d)
|
Financial
Advisor
|
Section
3.22
|
FTC
|
Section
5.8
|
Go-Shop
Party
|
Section
5.4(b)
|
Go-Shop
Period Termination Date
|
Section
5.4(a)
|
Holding
Company
|
Recitals
|
Indemnification
Agreements
|
Section
5.16
|
Indemnified
Parties
|
Section
5.16
|
Initial
Expiration Date
|
Section
1.1(d)
|
Insurance
Policies
|
Section
3.20
|
Insured
Persons
|
Section
5.16
|
IP
Contracts
|
Section
3.19(e)
|
Leased
Real Property
|
Section
3.16(b)
|
Material
Contracts
|
Section
3.13(a)
|
Material
Leased Real Property
|
Section
3.16(b)
|
Material
Real Property Leases
|
Section
3.16(d)
|
Maximum
Amount
|
Section
5.16
|
Merger
|
Recitals
|
Merger
Consideration
|
Section
2.1(a)
|
Minimum
Condition
|
Section
1.1(b)
|
New
Purchaser Employees
|
Section
5.17
|
Notice
of Adverse Recommendation
|
Section
5.4(d)(B)(1)
|
Notice
Period
|
Section
5.4(d)(B)(1)
|
Offer
|
Recitals
|
Offer
Documents
|
Section
1.1(h)
|
Offer
Price
|
Recitals
|
Offer
to Purchase
|
Section
1.1(c)
|
Option
|
Section
2.4
|
Option
Cash Payment
|
Section
2.4
|
Owned
Real Property
|
Section
3.16(a)
|
Parent
|
Preamble
|
Parent
Representatives
|
Section
5.3(a)
|
Paying
Agent
|
Section
2.2(a)
|
Permits
|
Section
3.8(a)
|
Plans
|
Section
3.14(a)
|
Promissory
Note
|
Section
1.7(d)
|
Proxy
Statement
|
Section
1.6(a)
|
Purchaser
|
Preamble
|
Purchaser
Common Stock
|
Section
2.1(c)
|
Real
Property
|
Section
3.16(c)
|
Registered
Intellectual Property
|
Section
3.19(a)
|
64
Requisite
SEC Reports
|
Section
3.9(a)
|
Schedule
14D-9
|
Section
1.2(a)
|
Schedule
TO
|
Section
1.1(h)
|
SEC
|
Section
1.1(e)
|
SEC
Required Contracts
|
Section
3.13(a)
|
Section
16
|
Section
5.11
|
Shares
|
Recitals
|
Short
Form Threshold
|
Section
1.7(a)
|
SPD
|
Section
3.14(b)(iii)
|
Special
Meeting
|
Section
1.6(b)
|
Stockholders
|
Recitals
|
Stockholders’
Agreement
|
Recitals
|
Subsidiaries’
Governance Documents
|
Section
3.2
|
Surviving
Corporation
|
Section
1.4(a)
|
Termination
Date
|
Section
7.1(b)
|
Top-Up
Closing
|
Section
1.7(c)
|
Top-Up
Exercise Notice
|
Section
1.7(c)
|
Top-Up
Notice Receipt
|
Section
1.7(c)
|
Top-Up
Option
|
Section
1.7(a)
|
Top-Up
Shares
|
Section
1.7(a)
|
Warrants
|
Section
2.5
|
Warrant
Payments
|
Section
2.5
|
Section
8.4 Headings. The
headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall
not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
Section
8.5 Severability. If any
term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of
being enforced by any rule of Law or Order or public policy, all other
conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full
force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions
contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any
party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in
good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the
parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that
transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent
possible.
Section
8.6 Entire Agreement.
This Agreement (together with the Exhibits, Company Disclosure Schedules and the
other documents delivered pursuant hereto) and the Nondisclosure Agreement
constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede all prior
agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties, or any of
them, with respect to the subject matter hereof and, except as otherwise
expressly provided herein, are not intended to confer upon any other Person any
rights or remedies hereunder.
Section
8.7 Assignment. The
Agreement shall not be assigned by any party by operation of Law or otherwise
without the prior written consent of the other parties, provided
65
that
Parent or Purchaser may assign any of their respective rights and obligations to
any direct or indirect Subsidiary of Parent without the consent of any other
party, but no such assignment shall relieve Parent or Purchaser, as the case may
be, of its obligations hereunder.
Section
8.8 Parties in Interest.
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each
party hereto and their respective successors and assigns, and nothing in this
Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other
Person any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason
of this Agreement, except as provided in Section 5.16.
Section
8.9 Mutual Drafting;
Interpretation. Each party hereto has participated in the drafting of
this Agreement, which each party acknowledges is the result of extensive
negotiations between the parties. If an ambiguity or question of intent or
interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly
by the parties, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or
disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any provision. For purposes
of this Agreement, whenever the context requires: the singular number shall
include the plural, and vice versa; the masculine gender shall include the
feminine gender; and the feminine gender shall include the masculine gender.
Except as otherwise indicated, all references in this Agreement to “Sections,”
“Exhibits,” “Annexes” and “Schedules” are intended to refer to Sections of this
Agreement and Exhibits, Annexes and Schedules to this Agreement. All references
in this Agreement to “$” are intended to refer to U.S. dollars. Unless otherwise
specifically provided for herein, the term “or” shall not be deemed to be
exclusive. For purposes of this Agreement, the use of the term “including” shall
be deemed to mean “including, without limitation.”
Section
8.10 Governing Law; Consent to
Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury.
(a) This
Agreement and all matters arising hereunder or in connection herewith shall be
governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws of the State of
Delaware, without regard to laws that may be applicable under conflicts of laws
principles (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that
would cause the application of the Laws of any jurisdiction other than the State
of Delaware.
(b) Each
of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself
and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court of
Chancery (and if jurisdiction in the Delaware Court of Chancery shall be
unavailable, the Federal court of the United States of America sitting in the
State of Delaware), and any appellate court thereof, in any action or proceeding
arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the agreements delivered in
connection herewith or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or for
recognition or enforcement of any judgment relating thereto, and each of the
parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agrees not to commence any
such action or proceeding except in the Delaware Court of Chancery (and if
jurisdiction in the Delaware Court of Chancery shall be unavailable, the Federal
court of the United States of America sitting in the State of Delaware), (ii)
agrees that any claim in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard
and determined in the Delaware Court of Chancery (and if jurisdiction in the
Delaware Court of
66
Chancery
shall be unavailable, the Federal court of the United States of America sitting
in the State of Delaware), and any appellate court thereof, (iii) waives, to the
fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that it may
now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in
the Delaware Court of Chancery (and if jurisdiction in the Delaware Court of
Chancery shall be unavailable, the Federal court of the United States of America
sitting in the State of Delaware), and (iv) waives, to the fullest extent
permitted by Law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of
such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court of Chancery (and if jurisdiction
in the Delaware Court of Chancery shall be unavailable, the Federal court of the
United States of America sitting in the State of Delaware), and any appellate
court thereof. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any
such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other
jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by Law.
Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the
manner provided for notices in Section 8.2. Nothing in this Agreement shall
affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other
manner permitted by Law.
(c) EACH
PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY THAT MAY ARISE UNDER THIS
AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE
IT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A
TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF
OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY OF THE AGREEMENTS DELIVERED IN CONNECTION
HEREWITH OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. 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 EITHER OF SUCH WAIVERS, (II) IT
UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH WAIVERS, (III) IT MAKES
SUCH WAIVERS VOLUNTARILY, AND (IV) IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS
AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS
SECTION 8.10(c).
Section
8.11 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different
parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be
deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one
and the same agreement.
Section
8.12 Specific Performance.
The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that
any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with
their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that,
prior to any valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 7.1,
(i) each party shall be entitled at its election to an injunction or injunctions
to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and
provisions hereof in any court of the United States or any state having
jurisdiction, this being in addition to any other remedy to which they
67
are
entitled at Law or in equity, (ii) the parties waive any requirement for the
securing or posting of any bond, guarantee or other undertaking in connection
with the obtaining of any specific performance or injunctive relief and (iii)
the parties shall waive, in any action for specific performance, the defense of
adequacy of a remedy at Law. Either party’s pursuit of specific performance at
any time shall not be deemed an election of remedies or waiver of the right to
pursue any other right or remedy to which such party may be entitled, including
the right to pursue remedies for liabilities or damages incurred or suffered by
such party in the case of a breach of this Agreement involving fraud or willful
or intentional misconduct.
Section
8.13 Company Disclosure
Schedule. Company Schedules. All Sections of the Company
Disclosure Schedule attached hereto are hereby incorporated in and made a part
of this Agreement as if set forth in full herein. The mere inclusion
of information in any Section of the Company Disclosure Schedule hereto as an
exception to a representation, warranty or covenant shall not (a) be deemed
an admission by any party (i) that such information represents a material
exception or a material fact, event or circumstance, (ii) that such
information has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material
Adverse Effect or (iii) that such information is not in the Ordinary Course
of the Company's Business or (b) constitute, or be deemed to be, an
admission to any third party concerning such information. The
specification of any dollar amount in any representation, warranty or covenant
and the inclusion of any specific item in any Section of the Company Disclosure
Schedule shall not vary the definition of "Company Material Adverse Effect" or
imply that such amount or higher or lower amounts are or are not
material. Matters reflected on any Section of the Company Disclosure
Schedule to this Agreement are not necessarily limited to matters required by
this Agreement to be reflected on such Section of the Company Disclosure
Schedule. Such additional matters are set forth for informational
purposes only and do not necessarily include other matters of a similar
nature. Capitalized terms used in any Section of the Company
Disclosure Schedule to this Agreement but not otherwise defined therein will
have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in this
Agreement.
Section
8.14 No Other Representations or
Warranties. Parent and Purchaser acknowledge that, except as expressly
set forth in Article III, there are no representations or warranties of any
kind, expressed or implied, with respect to the Company or any of its Affiliates
(including its Subsidiaries), the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
the Shares, the assets or liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any
other matter. It is expressly understood and agreed that Parent and
Purchaser accept the condition of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries
"AS IS", "WHERE IS" AND, SUBJECT ONLY TO THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
CONTAINED IN ARTICLE III, WITH ALL FAULTS AND WITHOUT ANY OTHER REPRESENTATION
OR WARRANTY OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ORAL OR WRITTEN, AND
IN PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
[Remainder
of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows.]
68
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, Parent, Purchaser and the Company have caused this Agreement to
be executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers
thereunto duly authorized.
AZZ
INCORPORATED
By: /s/ Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
Title: President
and Chief Executive Officer
BIG
KETTLE MERGER SUB, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
Title: President
and Chief Executive Officer
NORTH
AMERICAN GALVANIZING & COATINGS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
Title: President
and Chief Executive Officer
Signature Page to Agreement and Plan
of Merger
ANNEX
I
CONDITIONS
TO THE OFFER
The
capitalized terms used in this Annex I and not defined herein shall have the
meanings set forth in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March
31, 2010 (this “Agreement”), by
and among TIN, INC., a Texas corporation (“Parent”), TIN MERGER SUB, INC., a
Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Parent (“Purchaser”), and
COPPER, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).
Notwithstanding
any other provisions of the Offer, Purchaser shall not be required to, and
Parent shall not be required to cause Purchaser to, accept for payment, purchase
or, subject to any applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, including Rule
14e-1(c) promulgated under the Exchange Act, pay for any validly tendered Shares
and may delay the acceptance for payment of, purchase or, subject to the
restrictions referred to above, the payment for, any validly tendered Shares,
if:
(a) the
Minimum Condition shall not have been satisfied at the Expiration
Date;
(b) the
applicable waiting period under the HSR Act in respect of the transactions
contemplated by the Agreement has not expired or been terminated at or prior to
the Expiration Date;
(c) any
of the following conditions exist or has occurred, and is continuing at the
Expiration Date:
(i) there
shall be pending or threatened in writing any suit, action or proceeding by any
Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction against Parent, Purchaser, the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the Offer or the Merger,
(A) challenging the acquisition by Parent or Purchaser of any Shares pursuant to
the Offer or seeking to make illegal, restrain or prohibit the making or
consummation of the Offer or the Merger, (B) seeking to prohibit or impose
material limitations on the ability of Parent or Purchaser, or otherwise to
render Parent or Purchaser unable, to accept for payment, pay for or purchase
any or all of the Shares pursuant to the Offer or the Merger, or seeking to
require divestiture of any or all of the Shares to be purchased pursuant to the
Offer or in the Merger, (C) seeking to prohibit or impose any material
limitations on the ownership or operation by Parent, the Company or any of their
respective Subsidiaries, of all or any material portion of the businesses or
assets of Parent, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries as a
result of or in connection with the Offer, the Merger or the other material
transactions contemplated by the Agreement, or otherwise seeking to compel
Parent, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries to divest, dispose
of, license or hold separate any material portion of the businesses or assets of
Parent, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries as a result of or in
connection with the Offer, the Merger or the other material transactions
contemplated by the Agreement, or (D) seeking to prohibit or impose material
limitations on the ability of Parent or Purchaser effectively to acquire, hold
or exercise full rights of ownership of the Shares to be purchased pursuant to
the Offer or the Merger, including the right to vote the Shares purchased by it
on all matters properly presented to the stockholders of the
Company;
(ii) there
shall be any statute, rule, regulation, judgment, Order or injunction enacted,
entered, enforced, promulgated or that is deemed applicable pursuant to an
authoritative interpretation by or on behalf of a Governmental Entity to the
Offer, the Merger or any other material transaction contemplated by the
Agreement, that (x) has had or would reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, any of the
consequences referred to in clauses (A) through (D) of paragraph (i) above, or
(y) has the effect of making the Offer, the Merger or any other material
transaction contemplated by the Agreement illegal or that has the effect of
prohibiting or otherwise preventing the consummation of the Offer, the Merger or
any other material transaction contemplated by the Agreement;
(iii) one
or more of the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in
Article III of the Agreement shall not be true and correct (without giving
effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Company Material Adverse
Effect” or similar terms) as if such representations and warranties were made at
the time of such determination (except to the extent such representations and
warranties relate to an earlier date, in which case only as of such earlier
date), except for failures to be so true and correct as do not and would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect;
(iv) Company
shall have breached or failed, in any material respect, to perform or to comply
with any agreement or covenant required to be performed or complied with by it
under the Agreement and such breach or failure shall not have been cured within
twenty (20) Business Days following receipt by the Company of written notice of
such breach or failure from Parent; or
(v) since
the date of this Agreement, a Company Material Adverse Effect shall have
occurred; or
(d) the
Agreement shall have been terminated in accordance with its terms.
The
foregoing conditions are for the sole benefit of Parent and Purchaser and may be
asserted by Parent or Purchaser regardless of the circumstances giving rise to
any such conditions and may be waived by Parent or Purchaser in whole or in part
at any time and from time to time in their sole discretion (except the Minimum
Condition may not be waived), in each case, subject to the terms of the
Agreement. The failure by Parent or Purchaser at any time to exercise any of the
foregoing rights shall not be deemed a waiver of any such right and each such
right shall be deemed an ongoing right that may be asserted at any time and from
time to time.
Exhibit
A
STOCKHOLDERS
AGREEMENT
This
STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of March 31, 2010, is made
and entered into by and among Big Kettle Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Purchaser”), AZZ incorporated, a Texas corporation (the
“Parent”), and each party listed under the heading “STOCKHOLDERS” on the
signature page hereof (each a “Stockholder” and collectively, the
“Stockholders”);
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS,
as of the date hereof, each Stockholder owns beneficially the number of shares
of common stock, par value $0.10 per share (the “Company Common Stock”), of
North American Galvanizing & Coatings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), set forth opposite the Stockholder’s name on Exhibit A hereto
(together with any other shares of Company Common Stock that the Stockholder
acquires, whether by means of purchase, dividend, distribution, or otherwise,
prior to the termination of this Agreement, the “Shares”; provided that
Restricted Shares (as defined below) shall not constitute “Shares” until the
restrictions thereon lapse in accordance with their terms, Director Stock Units
(as defined below) shall not constitute “Shares” and neither Restricted Shares
nor Director Stock Units shall be set forth on Exhibit A); the
total number of restricted shares of Company Common Stock set forth on Exhibit B hereto
(together with any other restricted shares of Company Common Stock that the
Stockholder acquires prior to the termination of this Agreement, the “Restricted
Shares”); the total number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to stock
options set forth on Exhibit C hereto
(together with any other stock options that the Stockholder acquires prior to
the termination of this Agreement, the “Options”); and the total number of
shares of Company Common Stock under the Company’s Director Stock Unit Program
set forth on Exhibit D hereto
(together with any other shares of Company Common Stock under the Company’s
Director Stock Unit Program that the Stockholder acquires prior to the
termination of this Agreement, the “Director Stock Units”); and
WHEREAS,
concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company,
Purchaser and Parent are entering into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the
“Merger Agreement”), of even date herewith, which (upon the terms and subject to
the conditions set forth therein) provides for, among other things, a tender
offer (the “Offer”) by Purchaser for the Company Common Stock and the subsequent
merger of Purchaser with and into the Company (the “Merger”); and
WHEREAS,
as a condition to their willingness to enter into the Merger Agreement,
Purchaser and Parent have requested each Stockholder to agree, and in order to
induce Purchaser and Parent to enter into the Merger Agreement each Stockholder
has agreed, to enter into this Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the representations, warranties,
covenants, and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree
as follows:
ARTICLE
I
STOCKHOLDERS’
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Each
Stockholder hereby separately and severally represents and warrants to Purchaser
and Parent as follows with respect to such Stockholder:
1.1 Due Organization and
Authorization. Stockholder, if it is a trust, is duly
organized and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is
formed. Stockholder possesses the requisite power and authority to execute,
deliver, and perform this Agreement, to appoint Purchaser (or any nominee
thereof) as its Proxy (as defined below), and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement,
the appointment of Purchaser (or any nominee thereof) as Stockholder’s Proxy,
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly
authorized by all requisite action of Stockholder. This Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by or on behalf of Stockholder and constitutes a legal,
valid, and binding obligation of Stockholder, enforceable against Stockholder in
accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or
other similar Laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights
generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether
enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). There is no
beneficial owner of any of such Stockholder’s Shares, Restricted Shares, Options
and Director Stock Units or other beneficiary or holder of any other interest in
any thereof whose consent is required for the execution and delivery of this
Agreement or for the consummation by Stockholder of the transactions
contemplated hereby.
1.2 No
Conflicts; Required Filings and Consents.
(a) The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Stockholder do not, and the
performance of this Agreement by Stockholder will not, (i) conflict with or
violate the trust instrument of Stockholder if it is a trust, (ii) conflict with
or violate any law applicable to Stockholder or by which Stockholder or any of
Stockholder’s assets is bound or affected, or (iii) result in any breach of
or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both
would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination,
acceleration, or cancellation of, or result in the creation of a lien or
encumbrance on such Stockholder’s Shares, Restricted Shares, Options and
Director Stock Units, pursuant to, any note, bond, mortgage, indenture,
contract, agreement, lease, license, permit, franchise, or other instrument or
obligation to which Stockholder is a party or by which Stockholder or any of
Stockholder’s assets is bound or affected.
(b) The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Stockholder does not, and the
performance of this Agreement by Stockholder will not, require any consent,
approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any
governmental or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, other than (i)
filings under the HSR Act and any similar foreign requirements, and (ii) any
necessary filing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
1.3 Title. Stockholder
is the sole beneficial owner of the shares of Company Common Stock, Restricted
Shares, Options and Director Stock Units set forth opposite Stockholder’s name
on Exhibits A, B, C
and D hereto, free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest,
mortgage, claim, proxy, voting restriction or other voting trust, agreement,
understanding, or arrangement of any kind, right of first refusal or other
limitation on disposition, adverse claim of ownership, or other encumbrance of
any kind, other than (i) restrictions imposed by securities laws,
(ii) pursuant to this Agreement or the Merger Agreement or (iii) in
the case of the Restricted Shares, Options and Director Stock Units,
restrictions imposed by the Company’s equity incentive plans and related trust.
As of the date hereof, Stockholder does not own beneficially any other shares of
Company Common Stock (including restricted shares and shares under the Company’s
Director Stock Unit Program) or options to purchase shares of Company Common
Stock.
1.4 Information for Offer Documents and
Proxy Statement. None of the information relating to
Stockholder and its affiliates provided by or on behalf of Stockholder or its
affiliates specifically for inclusion in the Schedule TO, Schedule 14D-9, Offer
Documents, or Proxy Statement will, at the respective times the Schedule TO,
Schedule 14D-9, Offer Documents, and Proxy Statement are filed with the SEC or
are first published, sent or given to stockholders of the Company, 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.
ARTICLE
II
STOCKHOLDERS’
COVENANTS
Each
Stockholder hereby separately and severally covenants to Purchaser and Parent as
follows with respect to such Stockholder:
2.1 Voting of Shares and Restricted
Shares. Stockholder hereby agrees that from the Go-Shop Period
Termination Date until the termination of the Agreement pursuant to Section 4.2
(the “Term”), at any meeting of the stockholders of the Company however called
and in any action by written consent of the stockholders of the Company,
Stockholder shall vote its Shares and Restricted Shares (except to the extent
such Shares have been tendered to Purchaser in the Offer and not withdrawn or
sold to the Purchaser pursuant to the Company Securities Options) (i) in favor
of the Merger and the Merger Agreement, (ii) against any Acquisition Proposal
(other than an Acquisition Proposal submitted by a Go-Shop Party) and against
any proposal for action or agreement that would result in a breach of any
covenant, representation or warranty or any other obligation or agreement of the
Company under the Merger Agreement or which is reasonably likely to result in
any of the Company’s obligations under the Merger Agreement not being fulfilled,
any change in the directors of the Company (except as contemplated by the Merger
Agreement), any change in the present capitalization of the Company or any
amendment to the Company’s corporate structure or business, or any other action
which could reasonably be
expected
to impede, interfere with, delay, postpone or materially adversely affect the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Merger Agreement or the
likelihood of such transactions being consummated and (iii) in favor of any
other matter necessary for consummation of the transactions contemplated by the
Merger Agreement which is considered at any such meeting of stockholders or in
such consent, and in connection therewith to execute any documents which are
necessary or appropriate in order to effectuate the foregoing, including the
ability for Purchaser or its nominee(s) to vote the Shares and Restricted Shares
directly.
2.2 Proxy. Stockholder
hereby revokes all prior proxies or powers of attorney with respect to any of
its Shares and Restricted Shares. During the Term, Stockholder hereby
constitutes and appoints Purchaser, or any nominee designated by Purchaser, with
full power of substitution and re-substitution at any time during the Term, as
its true and lawful attorney and proxy (“Proxy”), for and in its name, place,
and stead, to demand that the Secretary of the Company call a special meeting of
the stockholders of the Company for the purpose of considering any matter
referred to in Section 2.1 and to vote each of the Stockholder’s Shares and
Restricted Shares (except to the extent such Shares have been tendered to
Purchaser in the Offer and not withdrawn or sold to the Purchaser pursuant to
the Company Securities Options) as its Proxy in respect of any such matter, at
every annual, special, adjourned, or postponed meeting of the stockholders of
the Company, including the right to sign its name (as stockholder) to any
consent, certificate, or other document relating to the Company that the law of
the State of Delaware might permit or require. THE FOREGOING PROXY AND POWER OF
ATTORNEY ARE IRREVOCABLE AND COUPLED WITH AN INTEREST THROUGHOUT THE TERM.
Stockholder will take such further action and execute such other documents as
may be necessary to effectuate the intent of this Section 2.2.
2.3 Tender. Stockholder
hereby agrees to tender in the Offer, prior to the Expiration Date, all Shares
owned beneficially by Stockholder. Stockholder hereby acknowledges and agrees
that Purchaser’s obligation to accept for payment and pay for such Shares in the
Offer is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Annex I to the Merger
Agreement.
2.4 Restrictions on Transfer, Proxies and
Non-Interference. Stockholder hereby agrees, while this
Agreement is in effect, and except as contemplated hereby, not to (i) sell,
transfer, pledge, encumber, assign or otherwise dispose of, or enter into any
contract, option or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale,
transfer, pledge, encumbrance, assignment or other disposition of, any of the
Shares, Restricted Shares, Options or Director Stock Units, (ii) grant any
proxies, deposit any Shares, Restricted Shares, Options or Director Stock Units
into a voting trust or enter into a voting agreement with respect to any Shares,
Restricted Shares, Options or Director Stock Units, or (iii) take any
action that would make any representation or warranty of Stockholder contained
herein untrue or incorrect in any material respect or have the effect of
preventing or disabling Stockholder from performing Stockholder’s obligations
under this Agreement.
2.5 Disclosure. Stockholder
hereby authorizes Purchaser to publish and disclose in the Offer Documents and,
if approval of the Company’s stockholders is required under applicable law, the
Proxy Statement (including all documents and schedules filed with the SEC), its
identity, its ownership of Company Common Stock, and the nature of its
commitments, arrangements, and understandings under this Agreement.
2.6 No Solicitation. Stockholder
covenants and agrees that, during the Term, it shall not, directly or
indirectly, initiate, solicit or knowingly take any action to facilitate or
encourage (including by way of providing information) the submission of any
inquiries, proposals or offers or any other efforts or attempts that constitute,
or may reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal, or engage in
any discussions or negotiations with respect thereto. Stockholder immediately
shall cease and cause to be terminated all existing discussions or negotiations
of Stockholder and its agents, or other representatives with any person (other
than Purchaser or Parent) with respect to any of the foregoing except as
otherwise contemplated by Section 5 of the Merger Agreement. Stockholder shall
notify the Company promptly of any such proposal or offer, or any inquiry or
contact with any person with respect thereto, of which it becomes aware and
shall, in any such notice to the Company, indicate in reasonable detail the
identity of the person making such proposal, offer, inquiry, or contact and the
material terms and conditions of such proposal, offer, inquiry, or
contact. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the
contrary, Stockholder may, and if any agent, or representative of Stockholder is
a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, such member of the Board of
Directors of the Company may, in his or her capacity as such director, take such
actions, if any, as are permitted to be taken by such Stockholder, or such agent
or representative thereof, by Section 5 of the Merger Agreement.
2.7 Fiduciary
Duties. Parent and Purchaser acknowledge and agree that the
obligations set forth in this Agreement will be deemed to be obligations of the
Stockholder solely in the Stockholder’s capacity as a stockholder of the
Company, and nothing in this Agreement will be deemed to limit or restrict in
any manner the discharge of the Stockholder’s fiduciary duties as a director
and/or officer of the Company.
ARTICLE
III
COMPANY
SECURITIES OPTIONS
3.1 Grant of Company Shares
Option. In order to induce Purchaser to enter into the Merger
Agreement, each Stockholder hereby separately and severally grants to Purchaser
an irrevocable option (the “Company Shares Option”) to purchase the
Stockholder’s Shares (including any Restricted Shares that vest upon the
acceptance for payment by Purchaser of all shares of Company Common Stock
tendered and not withdrawn in the Offer) at a price per Share (the “Offer
Price”) in cash equal to (i) Seven Dollars and Fifty Cents ($7.50) plus
(ii) in the event a higher price is paid or to be paid for any shares of
Company Common Stock by Purchaser pursuant to the Offer or the Merger (but
excluding any price paid to any stockholder who exercises dissenters’ rights in
connection with the Merger), the amount by which the highest such price exceeds
Seven Dollars and Fifty Cents ($7.50). The Company Shares Option shall be
exercisable pursuant to the terms of Section 3.4 below.
3.2 Grant of Company Options Purchase
Right. In order to induce Purchaser to enter into the Merger
Agreement, each Stockholder hereby separately and severally grants to
Purchaser
an irrevocable option (the “Company Options Purchase Right”) to purchase the
shares of Company Common Stock underlying the Stockholder’s Options at a price
per share in cash equal to the Offer Price. In the event that
Purchaser exercises the Company Options Purchase Right, the Stockholders holding
Options shall exercise such Options simultaneously with the sale to Purchaser of
the shares of Company Common Stock underlying such Options, and the Purchaser
shall deliver (i) to each Stockholder holding Options, the excess, if any,
of the Offer Price over the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock set
forth in such Options, less any required withholding taxes, and (ii) to the
Company, the aggregate exercise price of such Options. The Company Options
Purchase Rights shall be exercisable pursuant to the terms of Section 3.4
below.
3.3 Grant of Company DSU
Option. In order to induce Purchaser to enter into the Merger
Agreement, each Stockholder hereby separately and severally grants to Purchaser
an irrevocable option (the “Company DSU Option” and, together with the Company
Shares Option and the Company Options Purchase Right, the “Company Securities
Options”) to purchase the shares of Company Common Stock underlying the
Stockholder’s Director Stock Units at a price per share in cash equal to the
Offer Price. The Company DSU Option shall be exercisable pursuant to the terms
of Section 3.4 below.
3.4 Exercise of Company Securities
Options. The Company Securities Options (i) shall become
exercisable, in whole but not in part, for (A) all Shares (including any
Restricted Shares that vest upon the acceptance for payment by Purchaser of all
shares of Company Common Stock tendered and not withdrawn in the Offer) subject
thereto (less any such Shares which Purchaser has accepted for payment and paid
for in the Offer), (B) all shares of Company Common Stock underlying the
Stockholders’ Options subject thereto and (C) all shares of Company Common
Stock underlying the Stockholders’ Director Stock Units subject thereto,
respectively, in each case at the close of business upon the Expiration Date
(or, if for any reason later, immediately after the expiration of the period,
including any extensions thereof, during which shares of Company Common Stock
tendered pursuant to the Offer may by the terms of the Offer be accepted or
rejected) or, if later, the date upon which (x) all waiting periods under the HSR
Act or other applicable law shall have expired or been waived and (y) there
shall not be in effect any preliminary or final injunction or other order issued
by any court or governmental, administrative, or regulatory agency or authority
prohibiting the exercise of the Company Securities Options pursuant to this
Agreement, if, but only, if, Purchaser has accepted for payment all shares of
Company Common Stock tendered and not withdrawn in the Offer, and (ii) shall
remain exercisable for a period of fifteen (15) days after the first such date
on which the Company Securities Options becomes exercisable pursuant to clause
(i) of this sentence. If the Company Securities Options do not become
exercisable under this Section 3.4 due to (a) the termination or withdrawal of
the Offer prior to the Expiration Date (or the later date specified in the
second parenthetical of this Section 3.4), or (b) the failure of Purchaser to
accept for payment all shares of Company Common Stock tendered and not withdrawn
in the Offer, it shall be deemed to have expired. In the event that Purchaser
wishes to exercise the Company Securities Options, Purchaser, prior to the
expiration thereof, shall send a written notice to each
Stockholder identifying the place for the closing of such purchase at least two
(2) business days prior to such closing.
ARTICLE
IV
MISCELLANEOUS
4.1 Definitions. Terms
used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement, have the meanings assigned to
such terms in the Merger Agreement.
4.2 Termination. This
Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force and effect (i) by the
written mutual consent of the parties hereto or (ii) automatically and without
any required action of the parties hereto upon the earlier to occur of (A) the
Effective Time, (B) the termination of the Merger Agreement pursuant to
Section 7.1 thereof or (C) the closing of the exercise of the Company
Securities Options or the expiration of the Company Securities Options,
whichever occurs earlier. The termination of this Agreement shall not relieve
any party hereto from any liability for any breach of this Agreement prior to
termination.
4.3 Non-Survival. The
representations and warranties made herein shall terminate upon termination of
this Agreement pursuant to Section 4.2.
4.4 Notices. All notices and other
communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been
duly given (i) upon hand delivery, (ii) upon confirmation of receipt
of facsimile transmission, (iii) upon confirmed delivery by a standard overnight
courier, or (iv) after five (5) business days if sent by registered or certified
mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the following address or to
such other address that a party hereto might later specify by like
notice:
(a) If
to Purchaser or Parent, to:
AZZ incorporated
One Museum Place
0000 Xxxx 0xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
000
Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Executive
Officer
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
With copies to:
Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx
LLP
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
0000
Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: F. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
S.
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Fax: (000)
000-0000
(b)
If to Stockholders, to:
c/o North American Galvanizing &
Coatings, Inc.
0000 X. Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
0000
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Executive
Officer
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
With copies to:
Xxxxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP
00 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxx
Fax: (000)
000-0000
4.5 Severability. In
the event that any provision in this Agreement is held invalid, illegal, or
unenforceable in a jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified or deleted as
to the jurisdiction involved but only to the extent necessary to render the same
valid, legal, and enforceable. The validity, legality, and enforceability of the
remaining provisions hereof shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby
nor shall the validity, legality, or enforceability of such provision be
affected thereby in any other jurisdiction.
4.6 Entire
Agreement. This Agreement and the Merger Agreement, as it may
be amended from time to time, constitute the entire agreement among the parties with respect
to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings, both written and oral, among the parties, or any of them, with
respect thereto.
4.7 Assignment. No
party may assign or delegate this Agreement or any right, interest, or
obligation hereunder, provided that Purchaser, in its sole discretion, may
assign or delegate its rights and obligations hereunder to any direct or
indirect Subsidiary of Parent; provided that any such assignment or delegation
shall not relieve Purchaser from liability hereunder.
4.8 No Third-Party
Beneficiaries. This Agreement shall be binding upon, inure
solely to the benefit of, and be enforceable by only the parties hereto, their
respective successors, and permitted assigns, and nothing in this Agreement,
express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any person, other than
the parties hereto, their respective successors, and permitted assigns, any
rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities of any nature
whatsoever.
4.9 Waiver of Appraisal Rights.
Stockholder hereby waives any rights of appraisal or rights to dissent
from the Merger.
4.10 Further
Assurance. Each party hereto shall execute and deliver such
additional documents and take all such further action as may be necessary or
desirable to consummate and make effective, in the most expeditious manner
practicable, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
4.11 Certain
Events. Stockholder agrees that this Agreement and the
obligations hereunder shall attach to Stockholder’s Shares, Restricted Shares,
Options and Director Stock Units and shall be binding upon any person or entity
to which legal or beneficial ownership of such Shares, Restricted Shares,
Options and Director Stock Units shall pass, whether by
operation
of law or otherwise. Notwithstanding any transfer of Shares, Restricted Shares,
Options and Director Stock Units, the transferor shall remain liable for the
performance of all obligations under this Agreement (other than in the case of
any transfer to Purchaser or Parent or an affiliate of any
thereof).
4.12 No Waiver. The
failure of any party hereto to exercise any right, power, or remedy provided
under this Agreement or otherwise available at law or in equity, the failure of
any party hereto to insist upon compliance by any other party hereto with its
obligations hereunder, or the existence of any custom or practice of the parties
at variance with the terms hereof shall not constitute a waiver by such party of
its right to exercise any such or other right, power, or remedy or to demand
such compliance.
4.13 Specific
Performance. The parties hereto acknowledge that irreparable
damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement
were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or otherwise
breached. Accordingly, the parties agree that an aggrieved party shall be
entitled to injunctive relief to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to
enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof in any court having
jurisdiction, this being in addition to any other right or remedy to which such
party may be entitled under this Agreement, at law, or in equity.
4.14 Governing Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of
the State of Delaware, without effect to provisions thereof relating to
conflicts of law.
4.15 Headings. The
descriptive headings in this Agreement were included for convenience of
reference only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement.
4.16 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
[Remainder
of the Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Page to Follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties hereto have each caused this Agreement to be executed in a manner sufficient to bind them
as of the date first written above.
PURCHASER:
BIG KETTLE MERGER SUB,
INC.
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
Title: President
and Chief Executive Officer
PARENT:
AZZ INCORPORATED
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
Title: President
and Chief Executive Officer
Purchaser and Parent Signature Page to Stockholders
Agreement
STOCKHOLDERS:
XXXXXXX X. XXXXX
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxx
Title: Individual
Signed at
______________________*
XXXXXX X. XXXXX
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Individual
Signed at
______________________*
THE XXXXXX X. XXXXX REVOCABLE TRUST
DATED 9/15/95
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Trustee
Signed at
______________________*
XXXXXX
X. XXXXX
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Individual
Signed at
______________________*
XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXX XX
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
XX
Title: Individual
Signed at
______________________*
XXXXXXX
X. XXXXX
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Individual
Signed at
______________________*
Stockholder Signature Page to Stockholders Agreement
XXXXXX
X. XXXXXX
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Individual
Signed at
______________________*
THE
XXXXXX X. XXXXXX REVOCABLE
LIVING
TRUST DATED 2/27/08
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Trustee
Signed at
______________________*
XXXX
X. XXXXXX
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Individual
Signed at
______________________*
XXXX
X. XXXXXX QUALIFIED ANNUITY TRUST 2008-1
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Trustee
Signed at
______________________*
XXXX
X. XXXXXX QUALIFIED ANNUITY TRUST 2009-1
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Trustee
Signed at
______________________*
* To
be signed outside of New York State.
Stockholder Signature Page to Stockholders Agreement