Separation and Distribution Agreement by and among Ralcorp Holdings, Inc., Post Holdings, Inc. and Post Foods, LLC Dated as of , 20
Exhibit 2.1
by and among
Ralcorp Holdings, Inc.,
and
Post Foods, LLC
Dated as of , 20
Table of Contents
Page | ||||
ARTICLE I Definitions and Usage |
2 | |||
Section 1.01 Definitions |
2 | |||
Section 1.02 Interpretation. |
10 | |||
ARTICLE II Certain Actions Prior to the Distribution Date |
11 | |||
Section 2.01 Financing Arrangements. |
11 | |||
Section 2.02 Financial Instruments. |
11 | |||
ARTICLE III Business Separation |
12 | |||
Section 3.01 Actions Prior to the Separation. |
12 | |||
Section 3.02 The Separation. |
13 | |||
Section 3.03 Termination of Existing Intercompany Agreements. |
13 | |||
ARTICLE IV The Distribution |
14 | |||
Section 4.01 Record Date and Distribution Date. |
14 | |||
Section 4.02 Post Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws; Rights Agreement. |
14 | |||
Section 4.03 The Agent. |
14 | |||
Section 4.04 Delivery of Post Shares. |
14 | |||
Section 4.05 The Distribution. |
14 | |||
Section 4.06 Distributed Post Shares. |
15 | |||
Section 4.07 Distribution is at Ralcorp’s Discretion. |
15 | |||
Section 4.08 Additional Approvals. |
15 | |||
Section 4.09 Disposition of the Retained Shares. |
16 | |||
Section 4.10 Use of Proceeds from Post Credit Facility and Ralcorp Debt. |
16 | |||
ARTICLE V Business Separation Closing Matters |
16 | |||
Section 5.01 Delivery of Instruments of Conveyance. |
16 | |||
Section 5.02 Provision of Corporate Records. |
16 | |||
Section 5.03 Right of Offset. |
17 | |||
ARTICLE VI No Representations or Warranties |
17 | |||
Section 6.01 No Ralcorp Representations or Warranties. |
17 | |||
Section 6.02 No Post Representations or Warranties. |
18 | |||
ARTICLE VII Certain Covenants |
18 | |||
Section 7.01 Governmental Approvals and Consents and Third-Party Consents. |
18 | |||
Section 7.02 Non-Assignable Contracts. |
18 | |||
Section 7.03 Further Assurances. |
19 | |||
Section 7.04 Receipt of Misdirected Assets. |
20 | |||
Section 7.05 Late Payments. |
20 | |||
Section 7.06 Certain Business Matters. |
20 | |||
Section 7.07 Litigation. |
21 | |||
Section 7.08 Signs; Use of Company Name. |
22 | |||
Section 7.09 Stock Options Registration Statement. |
23 |
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ARTICLE VIII Conditions to the Distribution |
23 | |||
Section 8.01 Conditions to the Distribution. |
23 | |||
Section 8.02 Ralcorp Right Not to Close or to Terminate. |
25 | |||
ARTICLE IX Insurance Matters |
25 | |||
Section 9.01 Insurance Prior to the Effective Time. |
25 | |||
Section 9.02 Ownership of Policies and Programs. |
25 | |||
Section 9.03 Maintenance of Insurance for Post. |
26 | |||
Section 9.04 Acquisition, Administration and Maintenance of Post-Distribution Insurance by Post. |
26 | |||
Section 9.05 Rights under Shared Policies. |
26 | |||
Section 9.06 Administration of Claims. |
27 | |||
Section 9.07 Insurance Premiums. |
27 | |||
Section 9.08 Agreement for Waiver of Conflict and Shared Defense. |
28 | |||
Section 9.09 Duty to Mitigate. |
28 | |||
Section 9.10 Non-Waiver of Rights to Coverage. |
28 | |||
ARTICLE X Expenses |
28 | |||
ARTICLE XI Indemnification |
29 | |||
Section 11.01 Release of Pre-Distribution Claims. |
29 | |||
Section 11.02 Indemnification by Post. |
30 | |||
Section 11.03 Indemnification by Ralcorp. |
31 | |||
Section 11.04 Applicability of and Limitation on Indemnification. |
32 | |||
Section 11.05 Adjustment of Indemnifiable Losses. |
32 | |||
Section 11.06 Procedures for Indemnification of Third-Party Claims. |
33 | |||
Section 11.07 Procedures for Indemnification of Direct Claims. |
35 | |||
Section 11.08 Contribution. |
36 | |||
Section 11.09 Remedies Cumulative. |
36 | |||
Section 11.10 Survival. |
36 | |||
Section 11.11 No Special Damages. |
37 | |||
Section 11.12 Ancillary Agreements. |
37 | |||
ARTICLE XII Dispute Resolution |
37 | |||
Section 12.01 Agreement to Arbitrate. |
37 | |||
Section 12.02 Escalation. |
37 | |||
Section 12.03 Procedures for Arbitration. |
38 | |||
Section 12.04 Selection of Arbitrator. |
39 | |||
Section 12.05 Hearings. |
39 | |||
Section 12.06 Discovery and Certain Other Matters. |
40 | |||
Section 12.07 Certain Additional Matters. |
41 | |||
Section 12.08 Continuity of Service and Performance. |
41 | |||
Section 12.09 Law Governing Arbitration Procedures. |
41 | |||
Section 12.10 Choice of Forum. |
42 | |||
ARTICLE XIII Access to Information and Services |
42 | |||
Section 13.01 Agreement for Exchange of Information. |
42 | |||
Section 13.02 Ownership of Information. |
43 |
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Section 13.03 Compensation for Providing Information. |
43 | |||
Section 13.04 Retention of Records. |
43 | |||
Section 13.05 Limitation of Liability. |
44 | |||
Section 13.06 Production of Witnesses. |
44 | |||
Section 13.07 Sharing of Knowledge. |
44 | |||
Section 13.08 Confidentiality. |
45 | |||
Section 13.09 Privileged Matters. |
47 | |||
Section 13.10 Attorney Representation. |
48 | |||
Section 13.11 Financial Information Certifications. |
49 | |||
ARTICLE XIV Miscellaneous |
50 | |||
Section 14.01 Entire Agreement. |
50 | |||
Section 14.02 Choice of Law. |
50 | |||
Section 14.03 Amendment. |
50 | |||
Section 14.04 Waiver. |
50 | |||
Section 14.05 Partial Invalidity. |
50 | |||
Section 14.06 Execution in Counterparts. |
50 | |||
Section 14.07 Successors and Assigns. |
51 | |||
Section 14.08 Third-Party Beneficiaries. |
51 | |||
Section 14.09 Notices. |
51 | |||
Section 14.10 No Reliance on Other Party. |
51 | |||
Section 14.11 Performance. |
52 | |||
Section 14.12 Force Majeure. |
52 | |||
Section 14.13 Termination. |
52 | |||
Section 14.14 Limited Liability. |
52 |
iii
Table of Exhibits
Exhibit A
|
Form of Employee Matters Agreement | |
Exhibit B
|
Form of Post Holdings, Inc. Articles of Incorporation | |
Exhibit C
|
Form of Post Holdings, Inc. Bylaws | |
Exhibit D
|
Form of Tax Allocation Agreement | |
Exhibit E
|
Form of Transition Services Agreement | |
Exhibit F
|
Form of Rights Agreement of Post | |
Exhibit G
|
Form of Joint Defense Agreement |
Table of Schedules
Schedule 1.01A
|
Assumed Actions | |
Schedule 1.01B
|
Commercial Agreements | |
Schedule 1.01C
|
Post Financial Instruments | |
Schedule 1.01D
|
Post Liabilities | |
Schedule 1.01E
|
Post Marks | |
Schedule 1.01F
|
Ralcorp Financial Instruments | |
Schedule 3.02(b)
|
Post Board of Directors | |
Schedule 3.03(b)
|
Surviving Intercompany Agreements | |
Schedule 5.01
|
Certain Conveyance Instruments | |
Schedule 9.02(b)
|
Post Policies | |
Schedule 10.01
|
Separation Costs | |
Schedule 11.01(b)
|
Obligations Not Released |
iv
This Separation and Distribution Agreement is made as of , 2012 by and among Ralcorp Holdings,
Inc., a Missouri corporation (“Ralcorp”), Post Holdings, Inc., a Missouri corporation and
wholly-owned subsidiary of Ralcorp (“Post”), and Post Foods, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Ralcorp (“Post US”).
Recitals
A. Ralcorp, through Post US and Post Foods Canada Corp. (“Post Canada”), a British
Columbia corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of RH Financial Corporation, a Nevada corporation
and wholly-owned subsidiary of Ralcorp, is engaged in the business of manufacturing, distributing
and marketing Post® brand ready-to-eat cereal products.
B. The Board of Directors of Ralcorp has determined that it would be advisable and in the best
interests of Ralcorp and its shareholders for Ralcorp to separate into two publicly-traded
companies: (i) Ralcorp, which will continue to conduct, directly and through its subsidiaries, the
businesses of manufacturing, distributing and marketing a variety of private brand, regional and
value brand food products, and (ii) Post, which will continue to conduct, directly and through its
subsidiaries, the Post Business.
C. To effectuate the Distribution, the Parties intend to complete the Internal Reorganization.
D. The Board of Directors of Ralcorp has determined that, following the Internal
Reorganization, it would be advisable and in the best interests of Ralcorp and its shareholders for
Ralcorp to distribute on a pro rata basis to the holders of outstanding shares of Ralcorp Common
Stock, at least 80% of the outstanding shares of Post Common Stock owned by Ralcorp as of the
Distribution Date.
E. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, it is intended that: (i) the Post Contribution (as
defined below), taken together with the Distribution (as defined below) will qualify as a tax-free
reorganization within the meaning of Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the “Code”); (ii) Ralcorp will not recognize gain or loss with respect to the
Post Contribution (including the receipt by Ralcorp of the Post Debt Securities (as defined below)
and any proceeds of the Post Credit Facility (as defined below)), (iii) the Ralcorp shareholders
will not recognize gain or loss upon the receipt of Post Common Stock (as defined below) in the
Distribution (except to the extent of cash received in lieu of fractional shares), (iv) provided
the Retained Shares (as defined below) are transferred to Ralcorp creditors pursuant to the Equity
for Debt Exchange (as defined below) or to creditors pursuant to the Share Repurchase (as defined
below), in each case, within 12 months following the Distribution, Ralcorp will not recognize gain
or loss with respect to the Retained Shares (other than, in the case
of the Equity for Debt Exchange, (A) deductions attributable to the fact
that the Ralcorp Debt (as defined below) may be redeemed at a premium, (B) income attributable to
the fact that the Ralcorp Debt may be redeemed at a discount, and (C) interest expense accrued with
respect to the Ralcorp Debt), and (v) provided the Retained Shares are transferred to Ralcorp
shareholders pursuant to the Share Repurchase within 12 months following the Distribution, no gain
or loss will be recognized by (and no amount will be included in the income of) Ralcorp
shareholders upon the exchange of Ralcorp Common Stock (as defined below) for Retained Shares
pursuant to the Share Repurchase.
F. It is appropriate and desirable to set forth the principal transactions required to
effectuate the Internal Reorganization and certain other agreements that will govern the
relationship of Ralcorp and Post following the Distribution.
1
Agreements
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein and other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, and intending
to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions and Usage
Definitions and Usage
Section 1.01 Definitions
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth in this
Section 1.01:
“AAA” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.04(a).
“Action” means any action, claim, counterclaim, demand, suit, countersuit,
arbitration, mediation, alternative dispute resolution, litigation, inquiry, subpoena, discovery
request, proceeding or investigation by or before any court, arbitration panel or entity, grand
jury or Governmental Authority.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person that
directly or indirectly Controls, is Controlled by or is under common Control with the specified
Person; provided, however, that, for purposes of this Agreement, no Ralcorp Party or any director
or officer thereof shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any Post Party and vice versa.
“Agent” means Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the distribution agent appointed by
Ralcorp to distribute shares of Post Common Stock pursuant to the Distribution.
“Agreement” means this Separation and Distribution Agreement, as the same may be
amended from time to time.
“Applicable Deadline” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.03(b).
“Arbitration Act” means the United States Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C.§§1 et seq.
“Arbitration Demand Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.03(a).
“Assumed Actions” means those Actions in which Ralcorp or any of its Subsidiaries is a
defendant or the Party against whom the claim or investigation is directed and which primarily
relate to the Post Business, including those Actions listed on Schedule 1.01(A).
“Canada Sale” has the meaning set forth in Annex I.
“Claims Administration” means the processing of claims made under Ralcorp Policies,
including the reporting of claims to the applicable insurance carrier, management and defense of
claims, and providing for appropriate releases upon settlement of claims.
“Claims-Made Policies” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.05(a).
“Code” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
2
“Commercial Agreements” means the agreements identified on Schedule 1.01(B),
entered into on or before the Distribution Date, regarding certain ongoing business and service
relationships between the Ralcorp Parties and the Post Parties.
“Confidential Information” means any of the following:
(a) any proprietary information that is competitively sensitive material or otherwise of value
to Ralcorp, Post and its or their Subsidiaries and not generally known to the public, including
product planning information, marketing strategies, financial information, information regarding
operations, consumer and/or customer relationships, consumer and/or customer profiles, sales
estimates, business plans, and internal performance results relating to the past, present or future
business activities of Ralcorp, Post and its and their Subsidiaries and the consumers, customers,
clients and suppliers of any of the foregoing;
(b) any proprietary scientific or technical information, design, invention, process,
procedure, formula, or improvement that is commercially valuable and secret in the sense that its
confidentiality affords Ralcorp, Post and its and their Subsidiaries a competitive advantage over
their competitors; and
(c) all confidential or proprietary concepts, documentation, reports, data, specifications,
computer software, source code, object code, flow charts, databases, inventions, information, and
trade secrets.
Confidential Information includes such information as may be contained in or embodied by documents,
substances, laboratory notebooks, documentation, reports, data, specifications, computer source
code and object code, flow charts, databases, drawings, pilot plants or demonstration or operating
facilities, diagrams, specifications, bills of material, equipment, prototypes and models, and any
other tangible manifestation (including data in computer or other digital format) of the foregoing.
“Contract” means any written, oral, implied or other agreement, assurance,
undertaking, contract, commitment, lease, license, permit, franchise, concession, deed of trust,
contract, note, bond, mortgage, guaranty, indenture, indemnity, representation, warranty, legally
binding arrangement or other instrument or obligation.
“Control” means the power to direct the management of an entity, directly or
indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the
terms “Controlled by” and “under common Control” have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
“Conveyance Instruments” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.01.
“Debt for Debt Exchange” has the meaning set forth in Annex I.
“Debt for Debt Exchange Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Annex I.
“Designated Ralcorp Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.03(d).
“Distributed Post Shares” means all of the Post Shares except for the Retained Shares.
“Distribution” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.05(a).
“Distribution Date” means the date on which the Distribution shall be effected, such
date to be determined by, or under the authority of, the Board of Directors of Ralcorp in its sole
and absolute discretion.
“Distribution Ratio” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.05(a).
3
“Effective Time” means the time at which the Distribution is effective on the
Distribution Date, which shall be deemed to be 11:59 p.m., New York time, on the Distribution Date.
“Employee Contract” means any written Contract between a Party and a current or former
employee of any Party.
“Employee Matters Agreement” means the Employee Matters Agreement, dated as of the
date hereof, between Ralcorp and Post, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A.
“Equity for Debt Exchange” has the meaning set forth in Annex I.
“Equity for Debt Exchange Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Annex I.
“Escalation Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(a).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Expenses” means any and all expenses incurred in connection with investigating,
defending or asserting any Action incident to any matter indemnified against hereunder (including
court filing fees, court costs, arbitration, mediation or alternative dispute resolution fees or
costs, witness fees, and reasonable fees and disbursements of outside legal counsel, investigators,
expert witnesses, consultants, accountants and other third-party professionals).
“External Debt” means existing Ralcorp debt, including, but not limited to, debt of
Ralcorp relating to: (a) the assumption of the obligation under the Splitco notes in the
acquisition of Post in 2008; (b) the acquisition of American Italian Pasta Company in 2010; and (c)
the acquisition of Xxxx Xxx Refrigerated Dough, LLC from Xxxx Xxx Corporation on October 3, 2011.
“FIFO Basis” means, with respect to the payment of Unrelated Claims pursuant to the
same Shared Policy, the payment in full of each successful claim (regardless of whether a Ralcorp
Insured Party or a Post Insured Party is the claimant) in the order in which such successful claim
is approved by the insurance carrier, until the limit of the applicable Shared Policy is met.
“Foreign Exchange Rate” means, with respect to any currency other than United States
dollars, as of any date of determination, the rate set forth in the exchange rate section of The
Wall Street Journal or, if not published in The Wall Street Journal, then the average of the
opening bid and asked rates on such date at which such currency may be exchanged for United States
dollars as quoted by JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (or any successor thereto or other
major money center commercial bank agreed to by the Parties).
“Form 10 Registration Statement” means the registration statement on Form 10 of Post,
including all amendments or supplements thereto, filed with the SEC prior to the Distribution Date.
“Governmental Approvals and Consents” means any notices, reports or other filings to
be made with or to, or any consents, registrations, approvals, permits, waivers, clearances or
authorizations to be obtained from, any Governmental Authority.
“Governmental Authority” means any foreign, U.S. federal, state, local or other
government, governmental, statutory or administrative authority, regulatory body or commission or
any court, tribunal or judicial, arbitral or mediation body.
4
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.05(a).
“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.05(a).
“Indemnity Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.05(a).
“Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.01(a).
“Information Statement” means the information statement, included with the Form 10
Registration Statement and to be sent by Ralcorp to its shareholders in connection with the
Distribution, as it may be amended or supplemented.
“Intercompany Agreements” means any Contract, other than this Agreement and the
Transaction Agreements, between one or more of the Ralcorp Parties, on the one hand, and one or
more of the Post Parties, on the other hand, entered into prior to the Distribution.
“Internal Reorganization” has the meaning set forth in Annex I.
“IRS” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
“Joint Defense Agreement” means a common interest and joint defense agreement in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit G.
“Liabilities” means any and all debts, liabilities, Losses and obligations, absolute
or contingent, matured or unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, accrued or unaccrued, known or
unknown, whenever arising, including all costs and expenses relating thereto, and including those
debts, liabilities, Losses and obligations arising under any law, rule, regulation, Action,
threatened Action, order or consent decree of any Governmental Authority or any award of any
arbitrator of any kind, and those arising under any Contract.
“Losses” means any and all losses, costs, obligations, liabilities, settlement
payments, awards, judgments, taxes, fines, penalties, damages, fees, expenses, deficiencies, claims
or other charges (including the costs and expenses of any and all Actions and demands, assessments,
judgments, settlements and compromises relating thereto and attorneys’, accountants’, consultants’
and other professionals’ fees and expenses incurred in the investigation or defense thereof or the
enforcement of rights hereunder).
“Xxxx” means a Ralcorp Xxxx or a Post Xxxx.
“Net Intercompany Debt” means the aggregate amount of indebtedness owed by the Post
Parties to any of the Ralcorp Parties, net of the aggregate amount of indebtedness owed by the
Ralcorp Parties to the Post Parties. For the avoidance of doubt, “Net Intercompany Debt” shall not
include the Post Credit Facility or the Post Debt Securities.
“Notes Offering Memorandum” means each of the preliminary offering memorandum, subject
to completion, dated , 2012, and the final offering memorandum, dated , 2012, with respect to the
offering and sale of the Post Debt Securities, in each case together with the information
incorporated by reference therein.
“NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
“Occurrence-Based Policies” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.05(a).
5
“Out-of-Pocket Expenses” means expenses involving a payment to a Third Party (other
than an employee of the Party making the payment).
“Party” means a Ralcorp Party or a Post Party, as applicable.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited
liability company, entity, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or
Governmental Authority.
“Post” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Post Articles of Incorporation” means the Articles of Incorporation of Post, the form
of which is attached hereto as Exhibit B.
“Post Balance Sheet” means the audited combined balance sheet of Post as of September
30, 2011 included in the Information Statement.
“Post Business” means the manufacture, distribution and marketing of Post® brand
ready-to-eat cereal products and any other businesses or operations that, if owned or operated by
Ralcorp as of the Distribution Date, would be properly included in Ralcorp’s branded cereal
products reporting segment, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States as of the Distribution Date.
“Post Bylaws” means the Bylaws of Post, the form of which is attached as Exhibit
C.
“Post Canada” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Post Common Stock” means common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Post.
“Post Contribution” has the meaning set forth in Annex I.
“Post Credit Facility” means the credit facility provided pursuant to the agreement
dated as of , 2012 among Post, the lenders party thereto , as Administrative Agent, and , as Joint
Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners, , as Syndication Agent, and and , as Co-Documentation Agents.
“Post Debt Securities” has the meaning set forth in Annex I.
“Post Financial Instruments” means all credit facilities (including the Post Credit
Facility), indentures, loans, notes (including the Post Debt Securities), guaranties,
foreign-currency forward-exchange contracts, futures, forwards, swaps, options, collars, surety
bonds, letters of credit and similar instruments primarily related to the Post Business under which
any Ralcorp Party has any primary, secondary, contingent, joint, several or other Liability,
including those set forth on Schedule 1.01(C).
“Post Indemnified Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.03.
“Post Insured Party” means any Post Party that is a named insured, additional named
insured or insured under any Shared Policy.
“Post Liabilities” means: (a) all Liabilities of the Post Parties and their respective
Affiliates; (b) all Liabilities of Ralcorp and its current or former Subsidiaries or other
Affiliates (including Post and its current or former Subsidiaries or other Affiliates) to the
extent based upon, arising out of or relating to the Post Business or the
6
assets acquired in the Canada Sale; (c) all Liabilities to the extent based upon or arising
under the RMT Transaction Agreement, dated November 15, 2007, between Kraft Foods Inc., Cable
Holdco, Inc., Ralcorp, and Ralcorp Mailman LLC, and any co-manufacturing, project, de-coupling,
contribution or other commercial agreements entered into in connection with the transactions
contemplated thereby; (d) all Liabilities to the extent based upon or arising out of the Post
Financial Instruments; (e) all Liabilities set forth or referred to on Schedule 1.01(D);
(f) all Liabilities reflected on the Post Balance Sheet or in the notes thereto and all other
Liabilities that are of a nature or type that would have resulted in such Liabilities being
included as Liabilities on a consolidated balance sheet of Post, or in the notes thereto, as of the
Effective Time (were such balance sheet and notes to be prepared) on a basis consistent with the
determination of the nature and type of Liabilities included on the Post Balance Sheet; it being
understood that to the extent the amount of any Liability included on the Post Balance Sheet or the
notes thereto was an estimate thereof, the actual amount of such Liability (rather than the
estimated amount) shall be deemed to be a Post Liability for purposes of this clause (f); (g) all
Liabilities arising out of, resulting from or relating to any of the matters described under the
captions “Business — Regulation” and “Business — Legal Proceedings” in the Information Statement;
and (h) all Liabilities delegated or allocated to, or assumed by, Post or any of the other Post
Parties under this Agreement or any of the Transaction Agreements; provided, however, that
notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this clause (h) or any of the other preceding clauses
of this sentence, “Post Liabilities” shall exclude all Liabilities specifically delegated or
allocated to, or assumed by, Ralcorp or any of the other Ralcorp Parties under this Agreement or
any of the Transaction Agreements. For the avoidance of doubt: (A) Liabilities described in
clause (b) of the immediately preceding sentence shall not be excluded from the definition of Post
Liabilities simply because such Liabilities are based upon or arise out of operations or assets no
longer owned by Post or any of the other Post Parties as of the Effective Time (e.g., previously
sold, disposed or lost operations or assets); (B) the designation in this Agreement of any
Liability as a Post Liability shall be binding on the Post Parties, notwithstanding that such
Liability may arise out of, directly or indirectly, the negligence, strict liability or other legal
fault of any one or more of the Ralcorp Parties; and (C) except as expressly set forth in this
Agreement or a Transaction Agreement, the designation in this Agreement of Liabilities as Post
Liabilities or Ralcorp Liabilities is only for purposes of allocating responsibility for such
Liabilities as between the Parties and their respective Subsidiaries, shall be subject to Sections
7.07 and 11.05 and shall not affect any obligations to, give rise to any rights of, or affect any
obligations of any Third Parties.
“Post Marks” means the name Post, or any variations thereof, and any other trademarks,
service marks, trade names, logos or identifiers owned by, or licensed by a Third Party to, any
Post Party, in each case as of the Effective Time, including without limitation those listed on
Schedule 1.01(E).
“Post Parties” means Post, the Post Subsidiaries and any other Subsidiary of Post
(including those formed or acquired after the date hereof).
“Post Policies” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(b).
“Post Share” means a share of Post Common Stock.
“Post Subsidiaries” means, Post US and each Subsidiary of Post US.
“Post US” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Prime Rate” means the rate that JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (or any
successor thereto or other major money center commercial bank agreed to by the Parties hereto)
announces from time to time as its prime lending rate, as in effect from time to time.
7
“Protected Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.06(b).
“Ralcorp” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Ralcorp Business” means all businesses and operations of the Ralcorp Parties, other
than the Post Business.
“Ralcorp Common Stock” means common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Ralcorp.
“Ralcorp Debt” has the meaning set forth in Annex I.
“Ralcorp Financial Instruments” means all credit facilities, guaranties,
foreign-currency forward-exchange contracts, futures, forwards, swaps, options, collars, surety
bonds, letters of credit and similar instruments primarily related to the Ralcorp Business under
which any Post Party has any primary, secondary, contingent, joint, several or other Liability,
including those set forth on Schedule 1.01(F).
“Ralcorp Indemnified Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.02.
“Ralcorp Insured Party” means any Ralcorp Party that is a named insured, an additional
named insured or an insured under any Shared Policy.
“Ralcorp Liabilities” means all Liabilities of Ralcorp and its Subsidiaries, as of the
Distribution Date, other than the Post Liabilities. For the avoidance of doubt: (A) the
designation in this Agreement of any Liability as a Ralcorp Liability shall be binding on the
Ralcorp Parties, notwithstanding that such Liability may arise out of, directly or indirectly, the
negligence, strict liability or other legal fault of any one or more members of the Post Parties;
and (B) except as expressly set forth in this Agreement or a Transaction Agreement, the designation
in this Agreement of Liabilities as Post Liabilities or Ralcorp Liabilities is only for purposes of
allocating responsibility for such Liabilities as between the Parties and their respective
Subsidiaries, shall be subject to Sections 7.07 and 11.05 and shall not affect any obligations to,
give rise to any rights of, or affect any obligations of any Third Parties.
“Ralcorp Marks” means the name Ralcorp, or any variations thereof, and any other
trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos or identifiers owned by, or licensed by a Third Party
to, any Ralcorp Party, in each case as of the Effective Time.
“Ralcorp Parties” means Ralcorp and its Subsidiaries (including those formed or
acquired after the date hereof), other than the Post Parties.
“Ralcorp Policies” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).
“Record Date” means the close of business on the date determined by the Board of
Directors of Ralcorp as the record date for the Distribution.
“Related Claims” means a claim or claims against a Shared Policy made by one or more
Post Insured Parties, on the one hand, and one or more Ralcorp Insured Parties, on the other hand,
filed in connection with Losses suffered by either a Post Insured Party or a Ralcorp Insured Party,
as the case may be, arising out of the same underlying transaction or series of transactions or
event or series of events that have also given rise to Losses
8
suffered by a Ralcorp Insured Party or a Post Insured Party, as the case may be, which Losses
are the subject of a claim or claims by such Person against a Shared Policy.
“Representatives” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.08(a).
“Retained Shares” means the Post Common Stock retained by Ralcorp immediately
following the Distribution.
“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Share Repurchase” means the transfer by Ralcorp of the Retained Shares and/or
any of the proceeds of the Post Credit Facility, to repurchase Ralcorp Common Stock pursuant to the
plan that includes the Distribution.
“Shared Policies” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.05(a).
“Soliciting Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.06(b).
“Stock Options Registration Statement” means the Registration Statement on Form S-8 or
such other form or forms as may be appropriate, as amended and supplemented, including all
documents incorporated by reference therein, to effect the registration under the Securities Act of
Post Shares or other Post securities subject to certain stock options, stock appreciation rights,
restricted stock and restricted stock units or other arrangements granted to current and former
officers, employees, directors and consultants of the Ralcorp Parties pursuant to the Employee
Matters Agreement.
“Subsidiary” means, when used with reference to any Person, any corporation or other
entity or organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, of which at least a majority of the
securities or interests having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect at least a
majority of the board of directors or others performing similar functions with respect to such
corporation or other entity or organization is directly or indirectly owned by such Person or by
any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries;
provided, however, that no Person that is not directly or indirectly wholly owned by any other
Person shall be a Subsidiary of such other Person unless such other Person directly or indirectly
Controls, or has the right, power or ability to Control, that Person.
“Tax Allocation Agreement” means the Tax Allocation Agreement, dated the date hereof,
between Ralcorp and Post, the form of which is attached as Exhibit D.
“Third Party” means a Person that is not a Party or a Subsidiary of a Party.
“Third-Party Claim” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.06(a).
“Third-Party Consents” means any material consent, approval, waiver or authorization
to be obtained from any Person that is not a Governmental Authority.
“Transaction Agreement” means each of the Employee Matters Agreement, the Tax
Allocation Agreement, the Transition Services Agreement and the Conveyance Instruments.
“Transition Services Agreement” means the Transition Services Agreement, dated as of
the date hereof, between Ralcorp and Post, the form of which is attached as Exhibit E.
“Unaided Knowledge” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.08(d).
9
“Unrelated Claims” means a claim or claims against a Shared Policy that is not a Related Claim.
Section 1.02 Interpretation.
In this Agreement, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(a) words used in the singular include the plural and words used in the plural include
the singular;
(b) references to any Person include such Person’s successors and assigns but, if
applicable, only if such successors and assigns are permitted by this Agreement, and a
reference to such Person’s “Affiliates” or “Subsidiaries” shall be deemed to mean such
Person’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, as applicable, following the Distribution;
(c) any reference to any gender includes the other gender and the neuter;
(d) the words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by
the words “without limitation”;
(e) the words “shall” and “will” are used interchangeably and have the same meaning;
(f) the word “or” shall have the inclusive meaning represented by the phrase “and/or”;
(g) any reference to any Article, Section, Exhibit or Schedule means such Article or
Section of, or such Exhibit or Schedule to, this Agreement, as the case may be, and
references in any Section or definition to any clause means such clause of such Section or
definition;
(h) the words “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof,” “hereto” and words of similar import
shall be deemed references to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Section or
other provision of this Agreement;
(i) any reference to any agreement, instrument or other document means such agreement,
instrument or other document as amended, supplemented and modified from time to time to the
extent permitted by the provisions thereof and by this Agreement;
(j) any reference to any law (including statutes and ordinances) means such law
(including all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) as amended, modified, codified
or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect at the time of determining compliance or
applicability;
(k) relative to the determination of any period of time, “from” means “from and
including,” “to” means “to but excluding” and “through” means “through and including”;
(l) accounting terms used herein shall have the meanings historically ascribed to them
by Ralcorp and its Subsidiaries, including Post and its Subsidiaries, in its and their
internal accounting and financial policies and procedures in effect as of the date of this
Agreement;
(m) if there is any conflict between the provisions of the body of this Agreement and
the Schedules hereto, the provisions of the body of this Agreement shall control unless
explicitly stated otherwise in such Schedule;
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(n) if there is any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and a Transaction
Agreement, the provisions of such Transaction Agreement shall control (but only with respect
to that Transaction Agreement) unless explicitly stated otherwise therein;
(o) the titles to Articles and headings of Sections contained in this Agreement have
been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed to be a part of or
to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement;
(p) any portion of this Agreement obligating a Party to take any action or refrain from
taking any action, as the case may be, shall mean that such Party shall also be obligated to
cause its relevant Subsidiaries to take such action or refrain from taking such action, as
the case may be;
(q) unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, all references to dollar amounts
herein shall be in respect of lawful currency of the United States; and
(r) the language of this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language the Parties
hereto have chosen to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall
be applied against any Party.
ARTICLE II
Certain Actions Prior to the Distribution Date
Certain Actions Prior to the Distribution Date
Section 2.01 Financing Arrangements.
On or prior to the Effective Time, Post will:
(a) borrow up to $175 million pursuant to the Post Credit Facility;
(b) consummate the Post Contribution;
(c) issue the Post Debt Securities; and
(d) consummate the Canada Sale.
Section 2.02 Financial Instruments.
(a) Post will use its commercially reasonable efforts to take or cause to be taken all
actions, and enter into (or cause the other Post Parties to enter into) such agreements and
arrangements, as shall be necessary to cause, as of the Effective Time, (i) the removal of
the Ralcorp Parties from all Post Financial Instruments and (ii) the Ralcorp Parties to be
fully and unconditionally released from all Liabilities in respect of the Post Financial
Instruments. It is understood and agreed that all Liabilities in respect of the Post
Financial Instruments are Post Liabilities and Post shall indemnify the Ralcorp Parties from
any Liabilities suffered thereby to the extent arising out of, resulting from or relating to
the Post Financial Instruments. Without limiting the foregoing, after the Effective Time,
(A) Post will not, and will not permit any Post Party to, renew, extend, modify, amend or
supplement any Post Financial Instrument in any manner that would increase, extend or give
rise to any Liability of a Ralcorp Party under such Post Financial Instrument and (B) with
respect to any Post Financial Instrument for which any Ralcorp Party was not removed and
fully and unconditionally released from all Liabilities in respect of such Post
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Financial Instrument prior to the Effective Time, Post shall continue to use its
commercially reasonable efforts to cause such removal and release.
(b) Ralcorp will use its commercially reasonable efforts to take or cause to be taken
all actions, and enter into (or cause the other Ralcorp Parties to enter into) such
agreements and arrangements, as shall be necessary to cause, as of the Effective Time, (i)
the removal of the Post Parties from all Ralcorp Financial Instruments and (ii) the Post
Parties to be fully and unconditionally released from all Liabilities in respect of the
Ralcorp Financial Instruments. It is understood and agreed that all Liabilities in respect
of the Ralcorp Financial Instruments are Ralcorp Liabilities and Ralcorp shall indemnify the
Post Parties from any Liabilities suffered thereby to the extent arising out of, resulting
from or relating to the Ralcorp Financial Instruments. Without limiting the foregoing, after
the Effective Time, (A) Ralcorp will not, and will not permit any Ralcorp Party to, renew,
extend, modify, amend or supplement any Ralcorp Financial Instrument in any manner that
would increase, extend or give rise to any Liability of a Post Party under such Ralcorp
Financial Instrument and (B) with respect to any Ralcorp Financial Instrument for which any
Post Party was not removed and fully and unconditionally released from all Liabilities in
respect of such Ralcorp Financial Instrument prior to the Effective Time, Ralcorp shall
continue to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such removal and release.
ARTICLE III
Business Separation
Business Separation
Section 3.01 Actions Prior to the Separation.
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, on the Distribution Date but
prior to the Distribution, Ralcorp and Post shall take or cause to be taken the following actions
in the following order to the extent not taken prior to the date hereof:
(a) The Parties shall cause the Internal Reorganization to be completed.
(b) Immediately prior to the Effective Time, Ralcorp shall contribute to Post an amount
of cash so that, as of the Effective Time (but after taking into account the payments
described in this Section 3.01), the Post Parties shall have, in the aggregate, an amount of
cash and cash equivalents (determined, for purposes of this Section 3.01, in accordance with
Section 1.02(l)) that Ralcorp deems appropriate, which amount shall be equal to at least
$__ million. Except as otherwise expressly and specifically provided in this
Agreement or any Transaction Agreement, all Net Intercompany Debt and all intercompany
receivables, payables, loans and other accounts between any Ralcorp Party, on the one hand,
and any Post Party, on the other hand, in existence immediately prior to the Effective Time,
after giving effect to the Internal Reorganization, shall be satisfied and/or settled by the
relevant Ralcorp Party or Post Party no later than the Effective Time by (i) forgiveness by
the relevant obligor or (ii) one or a related series of repayments, distributions of and/or
contributions to capital, in each case as determined by Ralcorp, in its discretion.
(c) Within 45 days following the Distribution Date, if the Parties determine that the
amount of cash and cash equivalents held by the Post Parties, collectively, as of the
Effective Time (and after taking into account the payments described above in Section
3.01(b)) was less than $_ million, then Ralcorp shall pay to Post a payment equal to
the amount such shortfall, provided that none of the Post Parties shall have taken any
action (or failed to take any action) outside the ordinary course of business with a view to
or for the purpose or with the effect of reducing the amount of cash and cash equivalents
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held by the Post Parties, collectively, as of 45 days following the Distribution Date.
Any payment to be made by Ralcorp pursuant to this Section 3.01(c) shall be subject to
compliance by the Post Parties with the covenants set forth in Section 7.06(c). Any payment
made pursuant to this Section 3.01(c) shall be made, to the extent practicable, by first
making reconciling payments (to reflect actual amounts as compared to estimates) with
respect to any payments made pursuant to Section 3.01(b) based on estimates as of the
Effective Time.
Section 3.02 The Separation.
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, on or before the Distribution
Date and following the consummation of the transactions to be taken pursuant to Section 3.01,
Ralcorp and Post shall take the following actions:
(a) To the extent not already executed, the applicable Ralcorp Parties and the
applicable Post Parties shall execute and deliver to the other the Transaction Agreements
and Commercial Agreements to which they are intended to be a Party.
(b) The Board of Directors of Post shall be reconstituted so that it consists of the
persons set forth on Schedule 3.02(b).
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Ralcorp may elect in its sole and absolute
discretion at any time prior to the Distribution to omit or modify any of the transactions
set forth in Section 3.01 and Section 3.02 or to include additional transactions.
Section 3.03 Termination of Existing Intercompany Agreements.
(a) Except as set forth in Section 3.03(b), all Intercompany Agreements and all other
intercompany arrangements and course of dealings, whether or not in writing and whether or
not binding, in effect immediately prior to the Distribution shall be terminated, cancelled
and of no further force and effect from and after the Distribution. If, as a result of
mistake or oversight, any Intercompany Agreement, intercompany arrangement and/or course of
dealings is terminated and cancelled pursuant to this Section 3.03, then, at the request of
Ralcorp or Post, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith after the Distribution to
determine whether, notwithstanding such termination and cancellation, such Intercompany
Agreement, intercompany arrangement and/or course of dealings should continue following the
Effective Time and the terms and conditions upon which the Parties may continue with respect
thereto.
(b) The provisions of Section 3.03(a) shall not apply to any of the following (or to
any provisions thereof):
(i) this Agreement and the Transaction Agreements (and each other agreement or
instrument expressly contemplated by this Agreement or any Transaction Agreement to be
entered into by any of the Post Parties and any of the Ralcorp Parties);
(ii) any other Contracts that this Agreement or any Transaction Agreement expressly
contemplates will survive the Distribution;
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(iii) any confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements among any of the Post Parties
and any of the Ralcorp Parties or employees of either of them, including any obligation not
to disclose proprietary or privileged information;
(iv) all payables and receivables accrued and unpaid in the ordinary course of business
of the Ralcorp Parties and the Post Parties pursuant to the Commercial Agreements prior to
the Effective Time; or
(v) any Contracts listed or described on Schedule 3.03(b).
ARTICLE IV
The Distribution
The Distribution
Section 4.01 Record Date and Distribution Date.
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the Board of Directors of
Ralcorp shall, in its sole and absolute discretion, establish the Record Date and the Distribution
Date and any necessary or appropriate procedures in connection with the Distribution. The Board of
Directors of Ralcorp shall have the right to adjust the Distribution Ratio at any time prior to the
Distribution.
Section 4.02 Post Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws; Rights Agreement.
Prior to the Distribution, the Post Board of Directors and Ralcorp, as sole shareholder of
Post, shall have adopted and approved the Post Articles of Incorporation and the Post Bylaws and
taken all action necessary so that the Rights Agreement of Post, in substantially the form of
Exhibit F hereto, shall become effective upon the Distribution, and Post shall have filed
the Post Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Missouri.
Section 4.03 The Agent.
Prior to the Distribution Date, Ralcorp shall enter into a distribution agent agreement with the Agent.
Section 4.04 Delivery of Post Shares.
Ralcorp shall take such steps as are necessary or appropriate to permit the Distributed Post
Shares to be distributed in the manner described in this Article IV. In its capacity as the
distribution agent, the Agent will distribute the Distributed Post Shares in the manner described
in this Article IV.
Section 4.05 The Distribution.
(a) Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Section 8.01
and at the sole and absolute discretion of Ralcorp, on the Distribution Date, Ralcorp shall
effect the Distribution and shall cause the Agent to distribute to
each holder of record of shares of Ralcorp Common Stock as of the Record Date (other than with respect to shares of
Ralcorp Common Stock held in treasury by Ralcorp) by means of a pro rata dividend of one
Post Share for every shares of Ralcorp Common Stock (the “Distribution Ratio”) held
of record by such holder as of the Record Date (the “Distribution”); provided,
however, that any fractional Distributed Post Shares shall be treated as provided in Section
4.05(c).
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(b) Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, each holder of
record of Ralcorp Common Stock as of the Record Date, other than in respect of shares of
Ralcorp Common Stock held in treasury by Ralcorp, will be entitled to receive in the
Distribution one share of Post Common Stock for every shares of Ralcorp Common Stock held of
record by such record holder as of the Record Date.
(c) Ralcorp will direct the Agent to determine, as soon as is practicable after the
Distribution Date, the number of fractional shares, if any, of Post Common Stock allocable
to each record holder entitled to receive Post Common Stock in the Distribution and to
promptly aggregate all the fractional shares and sell the whole shares obtained thereby on
behalf of such record holders, in open market transactions or otherwise, at the
then-prevailing trading prices, and to cause to be distributed to each such record holder,
in respect of such record holder’s fractional share, each record holder’s ratable share of
the proceeds from such sale, after making appropriate deductions of the amounts required to
be withheld for U.S. federal income tax purposes and after deducting an amount equal to all
brokerage charges, commissions and transfer taxes attributed to such sale.
(d) Any Post Common Stock or cash in lieu of fractional shares with respect to Post
Common Stock that remains unclaimed by any record holder 180 days after the Distribution
Date will be delivered to Post. Post will hold the Post Common Stock or cash for the
account of such record holder, and any record holder will look only to Post for the Post
Common Stock or cash, if any, in lieu of fractional shares, subject in each case to
applicable escheat or other abandoned property laws. Ralcorp expressly waives any claim to
any Post Common Stock or cash in lieu of fractional shares to be transferred to Post
pursuant to this Section 4.05(d) and, if received, will transfer such Post Common Stock and
cash in lieu of fractional shares to Post for the account of the record holders.
Section 4.06 Distributed Post Shares.
Each Post Share distributed in the Distribution shall be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. Such Distributed Post Shares shall be distributed as
uncertificated shares registered in book-entry form through the direct registration system. No
certificates therefor shall be distributed. Ralcorp shall cause the Agent to deliver an account
statement to each holder of Post Common Stock reflecting such holder’s ownership interest in
Distributed Post Shares.
Section 4.07 Distribution is at Ralcorp’s Discretion.
The consummation of the transactions provided for in this Article IV shall only be effected
after the Distribution has been declared by the Board of Directors of Ralcorp and after all of the
conditions set forth in Section 8.01 shall have been satisfied or waived by Ralcorp.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time prior to the Distribution, Ralcorp, in its sole and
absolute discretion, may determine not to consummate the Distribution or may change the terms of
the Distribution, including by accelerating or delaying the time of consummation of all or part of
the Distribution.
Section 4.08 Additional Approvals.
Prior to the Distribution, the Parties shall cooperate in effecting, and if so requested by
the other Party, shall ratify any actions which are reasonably necessary or desirable to be taken
by Post to effectuate the transactions referenced in or contemplated by this Agreement in a manner
consistent with the terms hereof,
15
including the preparation and implementation of appropriate plans, agreements and arrangements
for employees of the Post Business and non-employee members of Post’s Board of Directors.
Section 4.09 Disposition of the Retained Shares.
Following the Distribution, Ralcorp shall (i) transfer all or a portion of the Retained Shares
to the financial institutions holding the Ralcorp Debt in repayment of all or a portion of the
Ralcorp Debt pursuant to the Equity for Debt Exchange Agreement, which such exchange shall be
completed no later than 12 months after the Distribution; (ii) transfer all or a portion of the
Retained Shares to its shareholders in exchange for Ralcorp Common
Stock as part of the Share Repurchase, which such exchange shall be
completed no later than 12 months after the
Distribution; and/or (iii) dispose of all or a portion of the Retained Shares in the open market,
through privately negotiated transactions or otherwise, which disposition shall be completed no
later than five years after the Distribution.
Section 4.10 Use of Proceeds from Post Credit Facility and Ralcorp Debt.
Following the Distribution, Ralcorp shall transfer the portion of the cash proceeds from the
Post Credit Facility it received from Post to its creditors in repayment of External Debt, which
such transfer shall be completed no later than 12 months after the Distribution. In addition,
Ralcorp shall use the proceeds of the Ralcorp Debt to pay down External Debt, for share repurchases
and/or for general corporate business purposes.
ARTICLE V
Business Separation Closing Matters
Business Separation Closing Matters
Section 5.01 Delivery of Instruments of Conveyance.
In order to effectuate the transactions contemplated by Article II through Article IV, the
Parties shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, prior to or as of the
Distribution, such deeds, bills of sale, instruments of assumption, instruments of assignment,
stock powers, certificates of title and other instruments of assignment, transfer, assumption,
license and conveyance (collectively, the “Conveyance Instruments”) as Ralcorp and Post
shall reasonably deem necessary or appropriate to effect such transactions, including those set
forth on Schedule 5.01.
Section 5.02 Provision of Corporate Records.
(a) Without limitation of the Parties’ rights and obligations pursuant to Article XIII,
prior to or as promptly as reasonably practicable after the Distribution, Ralcorp shall
deliver to Post all corporate books and records of the Post Parties and, upon request,
copies of all corporate books and records of the Ralcorp Parties to the extent relating to
the Post Business in its possession or control, including in each case copies of all
applicable active agreements, litigation files, insurance policies and government filings.
(b) Without limitation of the Parties’ rights and obligations pursuant to Article XIII,
prior to or as promptly as reasonably practicable after the Distribution, Post shall deliver
to Ralcorp all corporate books and records of the Ralcorp Parties and, upon request, copies
of all corporate books and records of the Post Parties to the extent relating to the Ralcorp
Business in its possession or control, including in each case copies of all applicable
active agreements, litigation files, insurance policies and government filings.
16
Section 5.03 Right of Offset.
Upon Post’s written consent, and except as otherwise provided herein or in any Transaction
Agreement, to the extent Ralcorp has the right to receive any amounts hereunder or under any
Transaction Agreement or under any other arrangement contemplated by the Transaction Agreements
between Ralcorp and Post, then Ralcorp may satisfy such amounts out of and shall have a right of
offset against any amounts then currently due from Post to Ralcorp hereunder or thereunder.
ARTICLE VI
No Representations or Warranties
No Representations or Warranties
Section 6.01 No Ralcorp Representations or Warranties.
Except as expressly set forth herein or in any Transaction Agreement, none of the Ralcorp
Parties makes any representation or warranty of any kind whatsoever, express or implied, to any of
the Post Parties in any way with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or any
other matter, including as to (a) the value, condition, prospects or freedom from encumbrance of,
or any other matter concerning, any of the Post Subsidiaries (including their respective assets) or
the Post Business, (b) the legal sufficiency to convey title to the equity interests of Post US or
the equity interests or assets of Post Canada on the execution, delivery and/or filing of the
Conveyance Instruments or (c) the amount or nature of, or any other matter concerning, the
Liabilities of the Post Parties. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING CONTAINED TO THE CONTRARY IN ANY OTHER
PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT AND TO THE FULLEST EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IT IS THE
EXPLICIT INTENT OF EACH PARTY THAT POST TAKES THE POST BUSINESS AND ALL SUCH POST SUBSIDIARIES (AND
THEIR RESPECTIVE ASSETS) AND TRANSFERRED ASSETS “AS IS,” “WHERE IS” AND “WITH ALL FAULTS” AND THAT,
WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, RALCORP HEREBY (I) EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS AND
NEGATES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AT COMMON LAW, BY STATUTE OR OTHERWISE,
RELATING TO (A) THE CONDITION OR SUFFICIENCY THEREOF (INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, MARKETABILITY, TITLE, VALUE, FREEDOM FROM
ENCUMBRANCE OR OF CONFORMITY TO MODELS OR SAMPLES OF MATERIALS, OR THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF ANY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN OR ON, OR DISPOSED OR DISCHARGED FROM, SUCH ASSETS) OR (B) ANY INFRINGEMENT
BY RALCORP OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES OR OTHER AFFILIATES OF ANY PATENT OR PROPRIETARY RIGHT OF ANY
THIRD PARTY; AND (II) NEGATES ANY RIGHTS OF POST UNDER STATUTES TO CLAIM DIMINUTION OF
CONSIDERATION AND ANY CLAIMS BY POST FOR DAMAGES BECAUSE OF REDHIBITORY VICES OR DEFECTS, WHETHER
KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, IT BEING THE INTENTION OF THE PARTIES HERETO THAT THE POST BUSINESS AND ALL SUCH
POST SUBSIDIARIES (AND THEIR RESPECTIVE ASSETS) AND TRANSFERRED ASSETS ARE TO BE ACCEPTED BY POST
IN THEIR PRESENT CONDITION. The Post Parties shall bear the economic and legal risks that any
conveyances of such assets shall prove to be insufficient or that the Post Parties’ title to any
such assets shall be other than good and marketable and free of encumbrances. Except as expressly
set forth in this Agreement or in any Transaction Agreement, none of the Ralcorp Parties represents
or warrants that the obtaining of the consents or approvals, the execution and delivery of any
amendatory agreements and the making of the filings and applications contemplated by this Agreement
shall satisfy the provisions of all applicable agreements or the requirements of all applicable
laws or judgments and, subject to Section 6.02, the Post Parties shall bear the economic and legal
risk that any necessary consents or approvals are not obtained or that any requirements of law not
complied with in connection with the Post Contribution or the Canada Sale. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Ralcorp shall, or shall cause the other applicable Ralcorp Parties to, use commercially
reasonable efforts to cure any material defects in the applicable Post Parties’ title to any
transferred assets; provided that the Post Parties
17
shall pay any Out-of-Pocket Expenses or any other Liability to any Third Party incurred by the
Ralcorp Parties in connection with such commercially reasonable efforts.
Section 6.02 No Post Representations or Warranties.
Except as expressly set forth herein or in any Transaction Agreement, none of the Post Parties
makes any representation or warranty of any kind whatsoever, express or implied, to any of the
Ralcorp Parties in any way with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or any other
matter, including the amount or nature of, or any other matter concerning, the Liabilities of the
Ralcorp Parties.
ARTICLE VII
Certain Covenants
Certain Covenants
Section 7.01 Governmental Approvals and Consents and Third-Party Consents.
Prior to the Distribution, the Parties will use their respective commercially reasonable
efforts to obtain all Governmental Approvals and Consents and all Third-Party Consents that are
required or appropriate in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 7.02 Non-Assignable Contracts.
(a) If and to the extent that any Ralcorp Party is unable to obtain any consent,
approval or amendment necessary for the transfer or assignment to any Post Party of any
Contract or other rights relating to the Post Business that would otherwise be transferred
or assigned to such Post Party as contemplated by this Agreement or any other agreement or
document contemplated hereby, (i) such Ralcorp Party shall continue to be bound thereby and
the purported transfer or assignment to such Post Party shall automatically be deemed
deferred until such time as all legal impediments are removed and all necessary consents
have been obtained and (ii) unless not permitted by the terms thereof or by law, the Post
Parties shall pay, perform and discharge fully all of the obligations of the Ralcorp Parties
thereunder from and after the Distribution, or such earlier time as such transfer or
assignment would otherwise have taken place, and indemnify the Ralcorp Parties for all
Losses arising out of such performance by such Post Party. The Ralcorp Parties shall,
without further consideration therefor, pay and remit to the applicable Post Party promptly
all monies, rights and other considerations received in respect of such performance. The
Ralcorp Parties shall exercise or exploit their rights and options under all such Contracts
and other rights, agreements and documents referred to in this Section 7.02(a) only as
reasonably directed by Post and at Post’s expense. If and when any such consent, approval
or amendment shall be obtained or such Contract or other right or agreement shall otherwise
become transferable or assignable or be able to be novated, the Ralcorp Parties shall
promptly assign or transfer and novate (to the extent permissible) all of their rights and
obligations thereunder to the applicable Post Party without payment of further
consideration, and such Post Party shall, without the payment of any further consideration
therefor, assume such rights and obligations. To the extent that the transfer or assignment
of any Contract or other right (or the proceeds therefrom) pursuant to this Section 7.02(a)
is prohibited by law or the terms thereof, this Section 7.02(a) shall operate to create a
subcontract with the applicable Post Party to perform each relevant Contract or other right,
agreement or document at a subcontract price equal to the monies, rights and other
considerations received by the Ralcorp Parties with respect to the performance by such Post
Party.
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(b) If and to the extent that any Post Party is unable to obtain any consent, approval
or amendment necessary for the transfer or assignment to any Ralcorp Party of any Contract
or other rights relating to the Ralcorp Business that would otherwise be transferred or
assigned to such Ralcorp Party as contemplated by this Agreement or any other agreement or
document contemplated hereby, (i) such Post Party shall continue to be bound thereby and the
purported transfer or assignment to such Ralcorp Party shall automatically be deemed
deferred until such time as all legal impediments are removed and all necessary consents
have been obtained and (ii) unless not permitted by the terms thereof or by law, the Ralcorp
Parties shall pay, perform and discharge fully all of the obligations of the Post Parties
thereunder from and after the Distribution, or such earlier time as such transfer or
assignment would otherwise have taken place, and indemnify the Post Parties for all Losses
arising out of such performance by such Ralcorp Party. The Post Parties shall, without
further consideration therefor, pay and remit to the applicable Ralcorp Party promptly all
monies, rights and other considerations received in respect of such performance. The Post
Parties shall exercise or exploit their rights and options under all such Contracts and
other rights, agreements and documents referred to in this Section 7.02(b) only as
reasonably directed by Ralcorp and at Ralcorp’s expense. If and when any such consent,
approval or amendment shall be obtained or such Contract or other right or agreement shall
otherwise become transferable or assignable or be able to be novated, the Post Parties shall
promptly assign or transfer and novate (to the extent permissible) all of their rights and
obligations thereunder to the applicable Ralcorp Party without payment of further
consideration, and such Ralcorp Party shall, without the payment of any further
consideration therefor, assume such rights and obligations. To the extent that the transfer
or assignment of any Contract or other right (or the proceeds therefrom) pursuant to this
Section 7.02(b) is prohibited by law or the terms thereof, this Section 7.02(b) shall
operate to create a subcontract with the applicable Ralcorp Party to perform each relevant
Contract or other right, agreement or document at a subcontract price equal to the monies,
rights and other considerations received by the Post Parties with respect to the performance
by such Ralcorp Party.
Section 7.03 Further Assurances.
(a) Each Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, after the Distribution
Date, to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, all things
reasonably necessary or advisable under applicable laws to consummate or make effective the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that no Ralcorp Party or
Post Party shall be obligated under this Section 7.03(a) to pay any consideration or
Out-of-Pocket Expenses (other than de minimis filing or transaction fees), grant any
concession or incur any Liability to any Third Party.
(b) If, as a result of mistake or oversight, any asset or Contract reasonably necessary
to the conduct of the Post Business is not transferred to the applicable Post Party or is
transferred to any Ralcorp Party, or any asset or Contract reasonably necessary to the
conduct of the Ralcorp Business is not transferred to the applicable Ralcorp Party or is
transferred to any Post Party, the Parties intend that such asset or Contract shall be
transferred to the Party which requires such asset or Contract for the conduct of its
business without the payment of any additional consideration, and Ralcorp and Post shall
negotiate in good faith after the Distribution to determine whether, notwithstanding such
intent, such asset or Contract should not be transferred to a Post Party or to a Ralcorp
Party, as the case may be, and/or the terms and conditions upon which such asset or Contract
shall be made available to a Post Party or to a Ralcorp Party, as the case may be. Unless
expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement or any Transaction Agreement, if, as a
result of mistake or oversight, any Post Liability is retained or assumed by any Ralcorp
Party, or any Ralcorp Liability is retained or assumed by any Post Party, the Parties intend
that
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such Liability shall be transferred to the Party with respect to which such Liability
relates without the payment of any additional consideration, and Ralcorp and Post shall
negotiate in good faith after the Distribution to determine whether, notwithstanding such
intent, such Liability should not be transferred to a Post Party or a Ralcorp Party, as the
case may be, and/or the terms and conditions upon which any such Liability shall be
transferred. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 7.03(b), no Ralcorp
Party or Post Party shall be obligated under this Section 7.03(b) to pay any consideration
(other than de minimis filing or transaction fees), grant any concession or incur any
Liability to any Third Party other than the Liability to be transferred.
Section 7.04 Receipt of Misdirected Assets.
In the event that at any time and from time to time after the Effective Time, any Ralcorp
Party shall receive from a Third Party an asset of the Post Business (including any remittances
from account debtors in respect of the Post Business), such Ralcorp Party shall promptly transfer
such asset to the appropriate Post Party. In the event that at any time and from time to time
after the Effective Time, any Post Party shall receive from a Third Party an asset of the Ralcorp
Business (including any remittances from account debtors in respect of the Ralcorp Business), such
Post Party shall promptly transfer such asset to the appropriate Ralcorp Party. Each Party shall
cooperate with the other Party and use its commercially reasonable efforts to set up procedures and
notifications as are reasonably necessary or advisable to effectuate the transfers contemplated by
this Section 7.04.
Section 7.05 Late Payments.
Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement or in any Transaction
Agreement, any amount not paid when due pursuant to this Agreement or any Transaction Agreement
(and any amounts billed or otherwise invoiced or demanded in writing and properly payable that are
not paid within 30 days of the date of such xxxx, invoice or other written demand) shall accrue
interest at a rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate plus 5%.
Section 7.06 Certain Business Matters.
(a) Following the Effective Time and except as otherwise set forth in any Transaction
Agreement, any Party may (i) engage in the same or similar activities or lines of business
as any other Party is or in the future may be engaged in and/or (ii) do business, or refrain
from doing business, with any potential or actual supplier or customer of such other Party.
(b) Each Party agrees that, for a period of 24 months from the Distribution Date, such
Party (a “Soliciting Party”) will not solicit for employment any employee of any
other Party (a “Protected Party”); provided, however, that it is understood that
this employee non-solicitation provision shall not prohibit: (i) generalized solicitations
by advertising and the like, which are not directed to specific individuals or employees of
the Protected Party; (ii) solicitations of persons whose employment was terminated by the
Protected Party; or (iii) solicitations of persons who have terminated their employment with
the Protected Party without any prior solicitation by the Soliciting Party.
(c) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or in any of the
Transaction Agreements, during the period from the date hereof through the Distribution
Date, neither Post nor any of the other Post Parties shall take (or fail to take, as
applicable), without the prior written consent of Ralcorp, any action in connection with
their respective businesses or operations that would have a material adverse effect as to
their combined financial condition, results of operations or cash flows
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through the Distribution Date, as compared to the assumptions or results reflected in
Post’s fiscal 2012 operating budget presented to the Board of Directors of Ralcorp at its
September 22, 2011 meeting, a copy of which has been provided to the Chief Accounting
Officer of Ralcorp. The restrictions applicable to the Post Parties under this Section
7.06(c) shall apply to, but not be limited to, the following activities:
(i) collection of accounts receivable;
(ii) payment of accounts payable or other amounts payable to Third Parties;
(iii) accumulation of inventory;
(iv) provision of rebates, discounts, advances, allowances or concessions to customers;
(v) payment of bonuses or other compensatory amounts to employees or prospective
employees;
(vi) settlement of or agreement to settle litigation or other legal proceedings
involving the making of any cash payment;
(vii) payment with respect to capital expenditures other than (A) in the ordinary
course of business and (B) consistent with the fiscal 2012 capital expenditures budget
previously approved by the Board of Directors of Ralcorp;
(viii) entry into or modification, amendment, termination or waiver of any material
rights under any Contract involving any payment to be made either to or by any of the Post
Parties;
(ix) change to any method of accounting or in any accounting policies or procedures; or
(x) other action (or failure to take other action) outside the ordinary course of
business with a view to or for the purpose or with the effect of reducing the aggregate
amount of their cash and cash equivalents on hand as of the Distribution Date.
(d) Each of Post and Ralcorp is aware that from time to time certain business
opportunities may arise which more than one Party may be financially able to undertake, and
which are, from their nature, in the line of more than one Party’s business and are of
practical advantage to more than one Party. In connection therewith, the Parties agree that
if either Ralcorp or Post acquires knowledge of an opportunity that meets the foregoing
standard with respect to more than one Party, neither Ralcorp nor Post shall have any duty
to communicate or offer such opportunity to any of the others and may pursue or acquire such
opportunity for itself, or direct such opportunity to any other Person.
Section 7.07 Litigation.
(a) As of the Effective Time, the Post Parties shall assume and thereafter, except as
provided in Article XI, be responsible for all Liabilities that may result from the Assumed
Actions and all fees and costs relating to the defense of the Assumed Actions, including
attorneys’ fees and costs incurred after the Effective Time. Consistent with the provisions
of Section 11.05(a) limiting the indemnification obligations of an Indemnifying Party to the
extent of proceeds received by an Indemnified Party from a Third Party indemnitor, the Post
Parties shall not assume any liability of Ralcorp to the extent Ralcorp actually receives
any indemnification proceeds from a Third Party; provided that, to the extent any of
21
such Third Party indemnification proceeds is attributable to the fees and costs paid by
any of the Post Parties pursuant to the preceding sentence, Ralcorp shall reimburse such
Post Party promptly following Ralcorp’s receipt of such proceeds.
(b) (i) Ralcorp agrees that, at all times from and after the Effective Time, if an
Action relating primarily to the Ralcorp Business is commenced by a Third Party naming both
one or more Ralcorp Parties and one or more Post Parties as defendants thereto, then Ralcorp
shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Post Parties to be removed from
such Action; provided that if Ralcorp is unable to cause such Post Parties to be removed
from such Action, Ralcorp and Post shall cooperate and consult to the extent necessary or
advisable with respect to such Action.
(ii) Post agrees that, at all times from and after the Effective Time, if an Action
relating primarily to the Post Business is commenced by a Third Party naming both one or
more Ralcorp Parties and one or more Post Parties as defendants thereto, then Post shall use
its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Ralcorp Parties to be removed from such
Action; provided that if Post is unable to cause such Ralcorp Parties to be removed from
such Action, Ralcorp and Post shall cooperate and consult to the extent necessary or
advisable with respect to such Action.
(iii) Ralcorp and Post agree that, at all times from and after the Effective Time, if
an Action which does not relate primarily to the Post Business or the Ralcorp Business is
commenced by a Third Party naming both one or more Ralcorp Parties and one or more Post
Parties as defendants thereto, then Ralcorp and Post shall cooperate and consult to the
extent necessary or advisable with respect to such Action.
Section 7.08 Signs; Use of Company Name.
(a) Except as provided in the Transaction Agreements, within one year after the
Distribution Date, at their expense, the Post Parties shall remove any and all exterior and
interior commercial signs and similar identifiers on assets or properties owned or held by
them that refer or pertain specifically to any Ralcorp Party or the Ralcorp Business.
Except as provided in the Transaction Agreements, within one year after the Distribution
Date, at their expense, the Ralcorp Parties shall remove any and all exterior and interior
commercial signs and similar identifiers on assets or properties owned or held by them that
refer or pertain specifically to any Post Party or the Post Business. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Ralcorp and Post shall use commercially reasonable efforts to change all such
references to the other Party as soon as practicable following the Distribution Date. Post
hereby grants to the Ralcorp Parties, and Ralcorp hereby grants to the Post Parties, for a
period of one year following the Distribution Date, a worldwide, non-exclusive,
non-transferable, royalty-free license to use signs and identifiers that refer or pertain
specifically to the other Party on the assets or properties used in the licensee’s
respective businesses as of the Effective Time.
(b) Except as provided in the Transaction Agreements and in Section 7.08(a), after one
year following the Distribution Date, (i) without the prior written consent of Ralcorp, the
Post Parties shall not use or display any of the Ralcorp Marks and (ii) without the prior
written consent of Post, the Ralcorp Parties shall not use or display any of the Post Marks;
provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this Agreement
will prevent any Party from using the other’s name in filings with Governmental Authorities,
materials intended for distribution to such Party’s shareholders or any other communication
(including correspondence) in any medium that describes the current or former
22
relationship between the Parties; provided, further, that the continuation of
references to such Marks in telephone directories (and other similar Third Party or
incidental uses which are not capable of being updated within the time period set forth
above) will not breach this Section 7.08.
(c) Each Party shall use the Marks of the other Party as allowed hereunder only in
connection with goods or services that are of a level of quality at least equal to the
quality of comparable goods or services marketed by that Party before the Effective Time and
that it will allow the Party owning the right to such Marks reasonable inspection rights,
upon reasonable written notice, to ensure compliance with the foregoing.
Section 7.09 Stock Options Registration Statement.
Post shall prepare and, if required, file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to the
Stock Options Registration Statement (and the prospectus used in connection therewith) as may be
necessary to keep the Stock Options Registration Statement effective under the Securities Act for a
period of not less than ten years following the Distribution Date, provided that Post’s obligations
pursuant to this Section 7.09 shall terminate on the date upon which there are no further offers of
securities covered thereby pursuant to the terms of the applicable stock option agreements or stock
appreciation rights agreements.
ARTICLE VIII
Conditions to the Distribution
Conditions to the Distribution
Section 8.01 Conditions to the Distribution.
The obligation of Ralcorp to effect the Distribution is subject to the satisfaction or the
waiver by Ralcorp, in its sole and absolute discretion, of each of the following conditions:
(a) This Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the declaration
of the Distribution, shall have been duly approved by the Board of Directors of Ralcorp in
accordance with applicable law and the Restated Articles of Incorporation and Amended and
Restated Bylaws of Ralcorp.
(b) The Parties shall have completed the Internal Reorganization.
(c) Ralcorp shall
have received (i) a private letter ruling from the IRS (which shall
not have been revoked or modified in any material respect), in form and substance
satisfactory to Ralcorp, generally to the effect that, among other things: (1) the Post
Contribution, taken together with the Distribution will qualify as a tax-free reorganization
within the meaning of Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code; (2) Ralcorp will not
recognize gain or loss with respect to the Post Contribution (including the receipt by
Ralcorp of the Post Debt Securities and any proceeds of the Post Credit Facility), (3) the
Ralcorp shareholders will not recognize gain or loss upon the receipt of Post Common Stock
in the Distribution (except to the extent of cash received in lieu of fractional shares),
(4) provided the Retained Shares are transferred to Ralcorp creditors pursuant to the Equity
for Debt Exchange or to creditors pursuant to the Share Repurchase,
in each case, within 12
months following the Distribution, Ralcorp will not recognize gain or loss with respect to
the Retained Shares (other than, in the case of the Equity for Debt
Exchange, (A) deductions attributable to the fact that the Ralcorp
Debt may be redeemed at a premium, (B) income attributable to the fact that the Ralcorp Debt
may be redeemed at a discount, and (C) interest expense accrued with respect to the Ralcorp
Debt), and (5) provided the Retained Shares are transferred to Ralcorp shareholders pursuant
to the Share Repurchase within 12 months following the Distribution, no gain or loss will be
recognized by (and no
23
amount will be included in the income of) Ralcorp shareholders upon the exchange of
Ralcorp Common Stock for Retained Shares pursuant to the Share Repurchase; and (ii) an
opinion of Xxxxx Xxxx LLP (or other nationally recognized tax counsel) based upon customary
factual statements, representations, and covenants by the Parties, their Subsidiaries and
their stockholders as tax counsel shall request, in form and substance satisfactory to
Ralcorp, to the effect that the Post Contribution, taken together with the Distribution will
qualify as a tax-free reorganization within the meaning of Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of
the Code.
(d) An independent firm acceptable to Ralcorp, in its sole and absolute discretion,
shall have delivered one or more opinions to the Board of Directors of Ralcorp confirming
the solvency and financial viability of Ralcorp and Post, which opinions shall be in form
and substance satisfactory to Ralcorp, in its sole and absolute discretion, and shall not
have been withdrawn or rescinded.
(e) Ralcorp and Post shall have received all permits, registrations and consents
required under the securities or “blue sky” laws of states or other political subdivisions
of the United States or of foreign jurisdictions in connection with the Distribution.
(f) The Form 10 Registration Statement and the Stock Options Registration Statement
shall have become effective under the Exchange Act and the Securities Act, respectively, and
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Form 10 Registration Statement or the
Stock Options Registration Statement shall be in effect or, to the knowledge of either
Ralcorp or Post, threatened by the SEC.
(g) Prior to the Distribution, the Parties shall have prepared and mailed to the
holders of record of Ralcorp Common Stock the Information Statement and such other
information concerning Post, its business, operations and management, the Distribution and
such other matters as Ralcorp shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion and as may
otherwise be required by law.
(h) The NYSE shall have approved the Post Common Stock for listing, subject to official
notice of issuance.
(i) Prior to the Distribution, all of Ralcorp’s representatives or designees shall have
resigned or been removed as officers and from all Boards of Directors or similar governing
bodies of the Post Parties, and all of Post’s representatives or designees shall have
resigned or been removed as officers and from all Boards of Directors or similar governing
bodies of the Ralcorp Parties.
(j) Ralcorp and Post shall have received all Governmental Approvals and Consents and
all Third-Party Consents necessary to effect the Distribution and to permit the operation of
the Post Business after the Distribution Date.
(k) No order, injunction or decree issued by any Governmental Authority or other legal
restraint or prohibition preventing consummation of the Distribution or any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Transaction Agreements shall have been
threatened or shall be in effect.
(l) The transactions contemplated by Article II and Article III to occur prior to the
Distribution, including the execution and delivery of the Transaction Agreements, shall have
been consummated.
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(m) Each of Ralcorp and Post shall have credit ratings assigned by credit rating
agencies that are satisfactory to Ralcorp in its sole and absolute discretion.
(n) The Distribution shall not violate or result in a breach of applicable law or any
material Contract of any Party.
(o) No other events or developments shall have occurred or shall exist that, in the
judgment of the Board of Directors of Ralcorp, in its sole and absolute discretion, would
make it inadvisable to effect the Distribution.
Section 8.02 Ralcorp Right Not to Close or to Terminate.
The satisfaction of the foregoing conditions are for the sole benefit of Ralcorp and shall not
give rise to or create any duty on the part of Ralcorp or the Board of Directors of Ralcorp to
waive or not waive any such condition or to effect the Distribution, or in any way limit Ralcorp’s
power to terminate this Agreement as set forth in Section 14.13 or alter the consequences of any
termination from those specified in Section 14.13. Any determination made by Ralcorp prior to the
Distribution concerning the satisfaction or waiver of any or all of the conditions set forth in
Section 8.01 shall be conclusive and binding on the Parties.
ARTICLE IX
Insurance Matters
Insurance Matters
Section 9.01 Insurance Prior to the Effective Time.
Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in this Article IX, Post hereby agrees, for
itself and on behalf of the Post Parties, that the Ralcorp Parties shall not have any Liability
whatsoever to the Post Parties as a result of the insurance policies, insurance contracts and claim
administration contracts and practices related to the foregoing of the Ralcorp Parties in effect at
any time prior to the Effective Time, including but not limited to Liability as a result of the
level or scope of coverage of any such insurance policies (or lack of any insurance policy or
coverage), insurance contracts, claim administration contracts, the creditworthiness of any
insurance carrier, the terms and conditions of any policy or contract and the adequacy or
timeliness of any notice, or the lack thereof, to any insurance carrier, bankruptcy trustee for any
insurer, scheme administrator for any insurer, or claims administrator with respect to any actual
claim or potential claim or otherwise.
Section 9.02 Ownership of Policies and Programs.
(a) Ralcorp or one or more of the other Ralcorp Parties shall continue to own all
insurance policies, insurance contracts and claim administration contracts of any kind of
any Ralcorp Party which were or are in effect at any time at or prior to the Effective Time
(other than the Post Policies), including but not limited to general liability (whether
primary, excess or umbrella), fiduciary liability, automobile, aircraft hull and liability,
all risk property (including business interruption) and casualty, directors and officers
liability, employer’s liability, workers’ compensation, comprehensive crime, terrorism,
errors and omissions and property/boiler and machinery insurance policies, together with all
rights, benefits and privileges thereunder (collectively, the “Ralcorp Policies”).
Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, (i) the Ralcorp Parties shall retain all of
their respective rights, benefits and privileges, if any, under the Ralcorp Policies and
(ii) coverage of the Post Parties under the Ralcorp Policies shall cease as of the Effective
Time with respect to all Losses to the extent incurred or suffered by one or more of the
Post Parties in connection with, relating to, arising out of or due to, directly or
indirectly, any event or
25
occurrence at or after the Effective Time. Nothing contained herein shall be construed
to be an attempted assignment of or a change to any part of the ownership of the Ralcorp
Policies or shall be construed to waive any right or remedy of any Ralcorp Party in respect
thereof. No provision of this Agreement is intended to relieve any insurer of any Liability
under any policy.
(b) Post or one or more of the other Post Parties shall own (i) all insurance policies,
insurance contracts and claim administration contracts established in contemplation of the
Distribution to cover only the Post Parties after the Effective Time and (ii) the insurance
policies, insurance contracts and claims administration contracts listed on Schedule
9.02(b) (collectively, the “Post Policies”).
Section 9.03 Maintenance of Insurance for Post.
Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, Ralcorp shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to maintain in full force and effect the Shared Policies to the extent that such policies
apply to the Post Business.
Section 9.04 Acquisition, Administration and Maintenance of Post-Distribution Insurance by
Post.
Commencing as of the Effective Time, Post shall be responsible for establishing and
maintaining a separate insurance program with commercially reasonable limits, deductibles and
self-retentions for activities and claims involving any of the Post Parties or their respective
Subsidiaries. Each of the Post Parties and each of their Subsidiaries, as appropriate, shall be
responsible for all administrative and financial matters relating to insurance policies established
and maintained by the Post Parties and each of their Subsidiaries for claims relating to any period
at or after the Effective Time involving any Post Party or any of its Subsidiaries.
Section 9.05 Rights under Shared Policies.
(a) At and after the Effective Time: (i) subject to the provisions of Section 9.05(d),
Post will have the right to assert and/or continue to prosecute claims for any Losses with
respect to the Post Business under Ralcorp Policies that provide coverage for such Losses
(excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any group health and welfare insurance policies)
(“Shared Policies”) with insurers that are “occurrence-based” insurance policies
(“Occurrence-Based Policies”) arising out of insured events thereunder occurring
during the policy period up to the Effective Time to the extent that the terms, conditions
and exclusions of any such Occurrence-Based Policies and agreements relating thereto so
allow; and (ii) subject to the provisions of Section 9.05(d), Post will have the right to
assert and/or continue to prosecute claims for any Losses with respect to the Post Business
under Shared Policies with insurers that are written on a “claims-made” basis
(“Claims-Made Policies”) arising out of claims made thereunder up to the Effective
Time to the extent that the terms, conditions and exclusions of any such Claims-Made
Policies and agreements relating thereto so allow.
(b) For those claims asserted and/or prosecuted by Post under either the
Occurrence-Based Policies or the Claims-Made Policies: (i) all of the Ralcorp Parties’
reasonable Out-of-Pocket Expenses incurred in connection with their efforts to assist Post
in asserting or continuing to prosecute the claims described in Section 9.05(c) will be
promptly paid by Post following receipt of an invoice for such expenses; (ii) such claims
shall be subject to any amendments, commutations, terminations, buy-outs, extinguishments
and modifications of the Shared Policies subject to Section 9.05(d); (iii) such claims will
be subject to (and recovery thereon will be reduced by the amount of) any applicable
deductibles or self-insured retentions, and, with respect to any such deductibles or
self-insured retentions which require a payment by a Ralcorp Party or any Subsidiary of a
Ralcorp Party in respect thereof, Post shall reimburse
26
such Ralcorp Party or Subsidiary for such payment; (iv) Post shall be responsible for
and shall pay any Out-of-Pocket Expenses for prosecuting, claims handling or residual
Liability arising from such claims; and (v) such claims will be subject to exhaustion of
existing sublimits and aggregate limits in accordance with Section 9.05(e).
(c) Ralcorp will use commercially reasonable efforts to assist Post in asserting claims
and establishing its right to coverage under applicable Shared Policies if so requested by
Post in writing (so long as all of the Ralcorp Parties’ Out-of-Pocket Expenses in connection
therewith are promptly paid by Post in accordance with Section 9.05(b)), but Ralcorp will
not otherwise be obligated to negotiate, investigate, defend, settle or otherwise handle
such claims on behalf of Post. No Ralcorp Party will bear any Liability for the failure or
refusal of an insurer to pay any claim under any Shared Policy. It is understood that
Claims-Made Policies may not provide coverage to the Post Parties for incidents occurring
prior to the Effective Time but asserted with the insurance carrier after the Effective
Time.
(d) In the event that after the Effective Time Ralcorp proposes to amend, commute,
terminate, buy-out, extinguish liability under or otherwise modify any Shared Policies under
which Post has or may in the future have rights to assert claims pursuant to this Article IX
in a manner that would reasonably be expected to adversely affect any such rights of Post in
any material respect, (i) Ralcorp will give Post prior notice thereof and consult with Post
with respect to such action, (ii) Ralcorp will not take such action without the prior
written consent of Post, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed, and (iii) Ralcorp will pay to Post its equitable share (which shall be mutually
agreed upon by Ralcorp and Post, acting reasonably), if any, of any net proceeds actually
received by Ralcorp from the insurer under the applicable Shared Policy as a result of such
action by Ralcorp (after deducting Ralcorp’s Out-of-Pocket Expenses incurred in connection
with such action).
(e) To the extent that the limits of any Shared Policy preclude payment in full of
Unrelated Claims filed by Ralcorp and Post, the insurance proceeds available under such
Shared Policy shall be paid to Ralcorp and/or Post on a FIFO Basis. In the event that
Ralcorp and Post file Related Claims under any Shared Policy, each of Ralcorp and Post shall
receive a pro rata amount of the available insurance proceeds, based on the relationship the
Loss incurred by each such Party bears to the total Loss to both such Parties from the
occurrence or event underlying the Related Claims.
(f) In no event will any Ralcorp Party have any liability or obligation whatsoever to
any Post Party if any Shared Policy is terminated or otherwise ceases to be in effect for
any reason (other than a termination in breach of Section 9.05(d)), is unavailable or
inadequate to cover any Liability of any Post Party for any reason whatsoever or is not
renewed or extended beyond the current expiration date.
Section 9.06 Administration of Claims.
(a) From and after the Effective Time, the Ralcorp Parties will be responsible for the
Claims Administration with respect to claims of the Ralcorp Parties under Shared Policies.
(b) From and after the Effective Time, Ralcorp shall provide appropriate instructions
to the applicable insurance brokers under the Shared Policies to facilitate Claims
Administration by Post.
Section 9.07 Insurance Premiums.
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From and after the Effective Time, Ralcorp will pay all premiums, taxes, assessments or
similar charges (retrospectively-rated or otherwise) as required under the terms and conditions of
the respective Shared Policies in respect of periods of coverage prior to the Effective Time,
whereupon Post will upon the request of Ralcorp promptly reimburse Ralcorp for that portion of such
additional premiums and other payments paid by Ralcorp as are reasonably determined by Ralcorp to
be attributable to the Post Business; provided that, prior to agreeing to pay any such additional
premiums or other payments that would reasonably be expected to result in a requirement for Post to
provide reimbursement under this Section 9.07, Ralcorp shall, to the extent reasonably practicable,
provide Post with prior notice and a reasonable opportunity to consult with Ralcorp with respect
thereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Ralcorp will distribute any return of premiums, taxes,
assessments or similar charges (retrospectively-rated or otherwise) under the terms and conditions
of the respective Shared Policies, to Post in proportion to the amount of any such return
previously allocated to Post.
Section 9.08 Agreement for Waiver of Conflict and Shared Defense.
In the event that a Shared Policy provides coverage for both a Ralcorp Party, on the one hand,
and a Post Party, on the other hand, relating to the same occurrence, Ralcorp and Post agree to
defend jointly, pursuant to a Joint Defense Agreement; provided that in the event there is a
conflict of interest which in the reasonable opinion of either such Party would otherwise prevent
the conduct of that joint defense, the Parties shall cooperate to pursue coverage under such Shared
Policy pursuant to appropriate arrangements (which may require separate counsel) as permitted by
such Shared Policy. Nothing in this Section 9.08 will be construed to limit or otherwise alter in
any way the indemnity obligations of the Parties, including those created by this Agreement, by
operation of law or otherwise.
Section 9.09 Duty to Mitigate.
To the extent that any Party is responsible for the Claims Administration for any claim under
any of the Shared Policies after the Effective Time, such Party shall use its commercially
reasonable efforts to mitigate the amount of the Loss which is the subject of the claim under the
applicable Shared Policy.
Section 9.10 Non-Waiver of Rights to Coverage.
An insurance carrier that would otherwise be obligated to pay any claim shall not be relieved
of the responsibility with respect thereto, or, solely by virtue of the provisions of this Article
IX, have any subrogation rights with respect thereto, it being expressly understood and agreed that
no insurance carrier or any Third Party shall be entitled to a benefit (i.e., a benefit such Person
would not be entitled to receive had the Distribution not occurred or in the absence of the
provisions of this Article IX) by virtue of the provisions hereof.
ARTICLE X
Expenses
Expenses
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, any Transaction Agreement or any other
agreement contemplated hereby, or except as otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties hereto,
and except as otherwise set forth on Schedule 10, each of Ralcorp and Post shall pay its
own Out-of Pocket Expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement, any Transaction Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby,
the Form 10 Registration Statement and the Stock Options Registration Statement and the
consummation of the Distribution and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
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ARTICLE XI
Indemnification
Indemnification
Section 11.01 Release of Pre-Distribution Claims.
(a) Except as provided in Section 11.01(b), effective as of the Effective Time, each
Party hereto does hereby, on behalf of itself and its successors and assigns, release and
forever discharge the other Party, each Subsidiary of such other Party and their respective
successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Distribution Date have
been directors, officers or employees of such other Party (in each case, in their respective
capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and
assigns, from any and all demands, Actions and Liabilities whatsoever, whether at law or in
equity (including any right of contribution), whether arising under any Contract or
agreement, by operation of law or otherwise, existing or arising from any acts or events
occurring or failing to occur or alleged to have occurred or to have failed to occur or any
conditions existing or alleged to have existed on or before the Distribution Date, including
in connection with the transactions and all other activities to implement the Distribution.
Ralcorp shall cause each of the other Ralcorp Parties to, effective as of the Effective
Time, release and forever discharge each of the Post Indemnified Parties as and to the same
extent as the release and discharge provided by Ralcorp pursuant to the foregoing provisions
of this Section 11.01(a). Post shall cause each of the other Post Parties to, effective as
of the Effective Time, release and discharge each of the Ralcorp Indemnified Parties as and
to the same extent as the release and discharge provided by Post pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this Section 11.01(a).
(b) Nothing contained in Section 11.01(a) shall impair any right of any Person
identified in Section 11.01(a) to enforce this Agreement or any Transaction Agreement.
Nothing contained in Section 11.01(a) shall release or discharge any Person from:
(i) any Liability provided in or resulting from any agreement (or portion thereof) of
the Ralcorp Parties and Post Parties that is specified in Section 3.03(b) or the applicable
Schedules thereto as not to terminate as of the Effective Time, or any other Liability
specified in Section 3.03(b) as not to terminate as of the Effective Time or Schedule
11.01(b), to the extent set forth therein;
(ii) any Liability assumed, transferred, assigned, retained or allocated to that Person
in accordance with, or any other Liability of that Person under, this Agreement or any of
the Transaction Agreements;
(iii) any Liability that any Party may have with respect to indemnification or
contribution pursuant to this Agreement for claims brought against the Parties or their
respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates by Third Parties, which Liability shall be governed by
the provisions of this Article XI;
(iv) any Liability that any Party may have with respect to indemnification or
contribution pursuant to any of the Transaction Agreements for claims brought against the
Parties or their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates by Third Parties, which Liability
shall be governed by the appropriate provisions of the Transaction Agreements;
(v) any unpaid accounts payable or receivable arising from or relating to the sale,
provision, or receipt of goods, payment for goods, property or services purchased, obtained
or used in the ordinary course of business prior to the Effective Time by a Post Party from
a Ralcorp Party, or by a Ralcorp Party from a Post Party, pursuant to (or any refund claims
pursuant to) any Commercial Agreement;
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(vi) any Liability the release of which would result in the release of any Person other
than a Ralcorp Party or a Post Party or their respective directors, officers and employees;
provided, however, that the Parties hereto agree not to bring or allow their respective
Subsidiaries to bring suit against the other Party or any of their respective directors,
officers and employees with respect to any such Liability;
(vii) any Liability provided in or resulting from any Employee Contract; or
(viii) any Liability for which either Party is entitled to, and actually receives,
indemnification from a Third Party to the extent that assignment, release or discharge of
such Liability pursuant to Section 11.01(a) would cause such Third Party indemnity
obligations to be terminated.
In addition, nothing contained in Section 11.01(a) shall release any Party from honoring its
existing obligations to indemnify, or advance expenses to, any Person who was a director, officer
or employee of such Party, at or prior to the Effective Time, to the extent such Person becomes a
named defendant in any Action involving such Party, and was entitled to such indemnification or
advancement of expenses pursuant to then-existing obligations; provided, however, that to the
extent applicable, Section 11.02 and Section 11.03 shall determine whether any Party shall be
required to indemnify the other in respect of such Liability.
(c) No Party hereto shall make, nor permit any of its Subsidiaries to make, any claim
or demand, or commence any Action asserting any claim or demand, including any claim of
contribution or indemnification, against the other Party, or any other Person released
pursuant to Section 11.01(a), with respect to any Liability released pursuant to Section
11.01(a).
(d) It is the intent of each of the Parties hereto by virtue of the provisions of this
Section 11.01 to provide for a full and complete release and discharge of all Liabilities
existing or arising from all acts and events occurring or failing to occur or alleged to
have occurred or to have failed to occur and all conditions existing or alleged to have
existed on or before the Distribution Date between the Ralcorp Parties and the Post Parties
(including any contractual agreements or arrangements existing or alleged to exist between
the Parties on or before the Distribution Date), except as expressly set forth in Section
11.01(b). At any time, at the reasonable request of either Ralcorp or Post, the other Party
hereto shall execute and deliver (and cause its respective Subsidiaries to execute and
deliver) releases reflecting the provisions hereof.
Section 11.02 Indemnification by Post.
Except as provided in Section 11.05, as expressly provided in any of the Transaction
Agreements, Post shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Ralcorp Parties and each of their
respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each of the heirs, executors,
successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Ralcorp Indemnified
Parties”), from and against any and all Expenses or Losses to the extent incurred or suffered
by one or more of the Ralcorp Indemnified Parties in connection with, relating to, arising out of
or due to, directly or indirectly, any of the following items:
(a) the failure by any Post Party or any other Person to pay, perform or otherwise
promptly discharge any of the Post Liabilities or any Contract or arrangement included in
the Post Business in accordance with their respective terms;
(b) any Post Liability;
(c) the Post Business;
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(d) except with respect to the Designated Ralcorp Information described in Section
11.03(d), any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein not misleading, contained in the Form 10 Registration
Statement, the Information Statement, any Notes Offering Memorandum, the Stock Options
Registration Statement (or related prospectus forming a part thereof) or in any other
registration statement filed by Post (or related prospectus forming a part thereof);
(e) any use by any Post Party allowed hereunder after the Effective Time of the Ralcorp
Marks or the Information owned by, or licensed by a Third Party to, a Ralcorp Party;
(f) the breach by any Post Party of any covenant or agreement set forth in this
Agreement or any Conveyance Instrument; and
(g) any item or matter for which indemnification is to be provided by Post in
accordance with Article XV of the Employee Matters Agreement;
in each case, regardless of when or where the loss, claim, accident, occurrence, event or happening
giving rise to the Expense or Loss took place, or whether any such loss, claim, accident,
occurrence, event or happening is known or unknown, or reported or unreported and regardless of
whether such loss, claim, accident, occurrence, event or happening giving rise to the Expense or
Loss existed prior to, on or after the Distribution Date or relates to, arises out of or results
from actions, inactions, events, omissions, conditions, facts or circumstances occurring or
existing prior to, on or after the Distribution Date.
Section 11.03 Indemnification by Ralcorp.
Except as provided in Section 11.05, as expressly provided in any of the Transaction
Agreements, Ralcorp shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Post Parties and each of their
respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each of the heirs, executors,
successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Post Indemnified
Parties”), from and against any and all Expenses or Losses to the extent incurred or suffered
by one or more of the Post Indemnified Parties in connection with, relating to, arising out of or
due to, directly or indirectly, any of the following items:
(a) the failure by any Ralcorp Party or any other Person to pay, perform or otherwise
promptly discharge any of the Ralcorp Liabilities in accordance with their respective terms;
(b) any Ralcorp Liability;
(c) the Ralcorp Business;
(d) solely with respect to all information set forth in or omitted from the Form 10
Registration Statement or Information Statement to the extent relating to (a) the Ralcorp
Parties, (b) the Ralcorp Liabilities, (c) the External Debt or (d) the substantive
disclosure set forth in the Form 10 Registration Statement relating to Ralcorp’s board of
directors’ consideration of the Separation and the Transactions, including the section
entitled “Reasons for the Separation” (collectively, the “Designated Ralcorp
Information”), any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading;
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(e) any use by any Ralcorp Party allowed hereunder after the Effective Time of the Post
Marks or the Information owned by, or licensed by a Third Party to, a Post Party;
(f) the breach by any Ralcorp Party of any covenant or agreement set forth in this
Agreement or any Conveyance Instrument; and
(g) any item or matter for which indemnification is to be provided by Ralcorp in
accordance with Article XV of the Employee Matters Agreement;
in each case, regardless of when or where the loss, claim, accident, occurrence, event or happening
giving rise to the Expense or Loss took place, or whether any such loss, claim, accident,
occurrence, event or happening is known or unknown, or reported or unreported and regardless of
whether such loss, claim, accident, occurrence, event or happening giving rise to the Expense or
Loss existed prior to, on or after the Distribution Date or relates to, arises out of or results
from actions, inactions, events, omissions, conditions, facts or circumstances occurring or
existing prior to, on or after the Distribution Date.
Section 11.04 Applicability of and Limitation on Indemnification.
The indemnity obligations under this Article XI shall apply notwithstanding any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Indemnified Party and shall apply without regard to whether the Loss or
Expense for which indemnity is claimed hereunder is based on strict liability, absolute liability
or any other theory of liability or arises as an obligation for contribution. THE PARTIES
UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE RELEASE FROM LIABILITIES AND INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER
AND UNDER THE TRANSACTION AGREEMENTS MAY INCLUDE RELEASE FROM LIABILITIES AND INDEMNIFICATION FOR
LOSSES RESULTING FROM, OR ARISING OUT OF, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AND IN WHOLE OR IN PART, AN
INDEMNIFIED PARTY’S OWN NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHER LEGAL FAULT.
Section 11.05 Adjustment of Indemnifiable Losses.
(a) The amount that any Party (an “Indemnifying Party”) is required to pay to
any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”) shall be
reduced by any insurance proceeds, Third Party indemnity obligations to the extent actually
received and other amounts actually recovered taking into account any actual tax benefit or
detriment (net of any Out-of-Pocket Expenses incurred in the collection thereof) by or on
behalf of such Indemnified Party in reduction of the related Expense or Loss. Each of
Ralcorp and Post shall use its respective commercially reasonable efforts to collect any
proceeds under its respective available and applicable insurance policies and Third Party
indemnities to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is entitled prior to seeking
indemnification or contribution under this Agreement, where allowed; provided, however, that
any such actions by an Indemnified Party will not relieve the Indemnifying Party of any of
its obligations under this Agreement, including the Indemnifying Party’s obligation promptly
to pay directly or reimburse the Indemnified Party for costs and expenses actually incurred
by the Indemnified Party. If an Indemnified Party receives a payment (an “Indemnity
Payment”) required by this Agreement from an Indemnifying Party in respect of any
Expense or Loss and subsequently actually receives insurance proceeds or indemnification
proceeds from any Third Party in respect of such Expense or Loss, then such Indemnified
Party shall refund to the Indemnifying Party an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the
after-tax amount of such insurance proceeds or indemnification proceeds actually received
and (ii) the net amount of Indemnity Payments actually received previously. The Indemnified
Party agrees that the Indemnifying Party shall be subrogated to
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such Indemnified Party under any applicable insurance policy as to any payments made by
such Indemnifying Party.
(b) An insurer who would otherwise be obligated to pay any claim shall not be relieved
of the responsibility with respect thereto or, solely by virtue of the indemnification
provisions hereof, have any subrogation rights with respect thereto, it being expressly
understood and agreed that no insurer or any other Third Party shall be entitled to a
“windfall” (i.e., a benefit it would not be entitled to receive in the absence of the
indemnification provisions), and shall not be deemed to be third-party beneficiaries, by
virtue of the indemnification provisions hereof.
(c) To the extent permissible under applicable tax law, amounts paid by Ralcorp to or
for the benefit of Post or by Post to or for the benefit of Ralcorp under this Article XI
(and under other specified provisions of this Agreement) shall be treated by the Parties and
their respective Subsidiaries, for all applicable tax purposes, as either a contribution by
Ralcorp to Post or a distribution by Post to Ralcorp, as the case may be, occurring
immediately prior to the Distribution; provided, however, that, in the event it is
determined that such treatment is not permissible under applicable law, the payment in
question shall be adjusted to place the Indemnified Party in the same after-tax position it
would have enjoyed if such treatment had been permissible.
(d) In the event that an Indemnity Payment shall be denominated in a currency other
than United States dollars, the amount of such payment shall be translated into United
States dollars using the Foreign Exchange Rate for such currency determined in accordance
with the following rules:
(i) with respect to an Expense or a Loss arising from payment by a financial
institution under a guarantee, comfort letter, letter of credit, foreign exchange contract
or similar instrument, the Foreign Exchange Rate for such currency shall be determined as of
the date on which such financial institution shall have been reimbursed;
(ii) with respect to an Expense or a Loss covered by insurance, the Foreign Exchange
Rate for such currency shall be the Foreign Exchange Rate employed by the insurance company
providing such insurance in settling such Expense or Loss with the Indemnifying Party; and
(iii) with respect to an Expense or a Loss not covered by clause (i) or (ii) above, the
Foreign Exchange Rate for such currency shall be determined as of the date that notice of
the claim with respect to such Expense or Loss shall be given to the Indemnified Party.
Section 11.06 Procedures for Indemnification of Third-Party Claims.
(a) If any Third Party shall make any claim or commence any Action (each such claim or
Action being a “Third-Party Claim”) against any one or more of the Indemnified
Parties with respect to which an Indemnified Party intends to make any claim for
indemnification against Post under Section 11.02 or against Ralcorp under Section 11.03,
such Indemnified Party shall promptly give written notice to the Indemnifying Party
describing such Third-Party Claim in reasonable detail. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
failure of any Indemnified Party to provide notice in accordance with this Section 11.06(a)
shall not relieve the related Indemnifying Party of its obligations under this Article XI,
except to the extent that such Indemnifying Party is actually prejudiced by such failure to
provide prompt notice.
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(b) The Indemnifying Party shall have 21 days after its receipt of the notice referred
to in Section 11.06(a) to notify the Indemnified Party that it elects to conduct and control
the defense of such Third-Party Claim. If the Indemnifying Party does not give the
foregoing notice, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to defend, contest, settle or
compromise such Third-Party Claim in the exercise of its reasonable discretion, subject to
the provisions of this Section 11.06, and the Indemnifying Party shall, upon request from
any of the Indemnified Parties, promptly pay to such Indemnified Parties in accordance with
the other terms of this Section 11.06(b) the amount of any Expense or Loss subject to
indemnification hereunder resulting from the Third-Party Claim. If the Indemnifying Party
gives the foregoing notice that it elects to conduct and control the defense of such
Third-Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall have the right, at its sole expense, to
undertake, conduct and control, through counsel reasonably acceptable to the Indemnified
Party, the conduct and settlement of such Third-Party Claim, and the Indemnified Party shall
cooperate with the Indemnifying Party in connection therewith, provided that: (i) the
Indemnifying Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent any lien, encumbrance or
other adverse charge to thereafter attach to any asset of any Indemnified Party; (ii) the
Indemnifying Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent any injunction against
any Indemnified Party; (iii) the Indemnifying Party shall permit the Indemnified Party and
any counsel chosen by the Indemnified Party and reasonably acceptable to the Indemnifying
Party to monitor such conduct or settlement and shall provide the Indemnified Party and any
such counsel with such information regarding such Third-Party Claim as either of them may
reasonably request (which request may be general or specific), but the fees and expenses of
such counsel chosen by the Indemnified Party shall be borne by the Indemnified Party unless
(A) the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall have mutually agreed that the
Indemnifying Party should pay for such counsel or (B) the named parties to any such
Third-Party Claim include the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party and
representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or
reasonably likely conflicts of interest between them, in either of which cases the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for such Indemnified Party shall be paid or
reimbursed by the Indemnifying Party; and (iv) the Indemnifying Party shall agree promptly
to reimburse to the extent required under this Article XI the Indemnified Party for the full
amount of any Expense or Loss resulting from such Third-Party Claim. A Party’s defense of
any Third-Party Claim pursuant to this Section 11.06(b) includes the right (after
consultation with the other Party following at least 21 days’ written notice thereof) to
compromise, settle or consent to the entry of any judgment or determination of liability
concerning such Third-Party Claim; provided, however, that, in no event shall the
Indemnifying Party, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, settle or
compromise any claim or consent to the entry of any judgment if the effect thereof is (i) to
permit any injunction, declaratory judgment, other order or other non-monetary relief to be
entered, directly or indirectly, against such Indemnified Party or (ii) in the reasonable
judgment of such Indemnified Party (as reflected in a written objection delivered by such
Indemnified Party to the Indemnifying Party within the period of 21 days following receipt
of the written notice described above in this Section 11.06(b)), have a material adverse
financial impact or a material adverse effect upon the ongoing operations of such
Indemnified Party (taken together with its Subsidiaries). Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Section 11.06, unless otherwise specifically agreed to by the Parties in
writing (which agreement may not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), neither
Party shall enter into any compromise or settlement or consent to the entry of any judgment
which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the Third Party of a
release of both the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (and their respective
Subsidiaries) from all further liability concerning such Third-Party Claim.
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(c) If the Indemnifying Party shall not have undertaken the conduct and control of the
defense of any Third-Party Claim as provided above, the Indemnifying Party shall
nevertheless be entitled through counsel chosen by the Indemnifying Party and reasonably
acceptable to the Indemnified Party to monitor the conduct or settlement of such claim by
the Indemnified Party, and the Indemnified Party shall provide the Indemnifying Party and
such counsel with such information regarding such Third-Party Claim as either of them may
reasonably request (which request may be general or specific), but all costs and expenses
incurred in connection with such monitoring shall be borne by the Indemnifying Party. In
any such case, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to compromise, settle or consent
to the entry of any judgment with respect to such Third-Party Claim as provided in Section
11.06(b) without the consent of the Indemnifying Party.
(d) If the Indemnified Party determines in its reasonable judgment that the
Indemnifying Party is not contesting such Third-Party Claim in good faith or is not settling
such Third-Party Claim in accordance with this Section 11.06, the Indemnified Party shall
have the right to undertake control of the defense of such Third-Party Claim upon five days
written notice to the Indemnifying Party and thereafter to defend, contest, settle or
compromise such Third-Party Claim in the exercise of its exclusive discretion. In any such
case, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to compromise, settle or consent to the
entry of any judgment with respect to such Third-Party Claim as provided in Section 11.06(b)
without the consent of the Indemnifying Party and at the sole expense of the Indemnifying
Party.
(e) In the event of any payment by or on behalf of any Indemnifying Party to any
Indemnified Party in connection with any Third-Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party will be
subrogated to and will stand in the place of such Indemnified Party to the extent of such
payment as to any events or circumstances in respect of which such Indemnified Party may
have any right, defense or claim relating to the Third-Party Claim against any claimant or
plaintiff asserting the Third-Party Claim or against any other Person (other than another
Indemnified Party). Such Indemnified Party will cooperate with the Indemnifying Party in a
reasonable manner, and at the cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, in prosecuting any
subrogated right, defense or claim.
(f) If an Action is commenced by a Third Party naming both one or more Ralcorp Parties
and one or more Post Parties as defendants thereto, such Action will be handled in
accordance with Section 7.07(b), to the extent applicable. Except as provided in Section
11.08, in the event of any Action in which the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party
each have Liability, then at the request of either Party, the Parties will endeavor to agree
on an apportionment of Liability and Out-of-Pocket Expenses related to the defense of such
Action. In the event of any Action in which the Indemnifying Party is not also a named
defendant, at the request of either the Indemnified Party or Indemnifying Party, the Parties
will use reasonable efforts to substitute the Indemnifying Party for the named defendant in
the Action.
(g) With respect to any Tax Contest (as defined in the Tax Allocation Agreement), the
provisions of the Tax Allocation Agreement (and not the provisions of this Section 11.06)
shall apply.
Section 11.07 Procedures for Indemnification of Direct Claims.
If any claim for indemnification on account of an Expense or a Loss that does not result from
a Third-Party Claim is to be made directly by the Indemnified Party against the Indemnifying Party,
the Indemnified Party shall promptly after learning of such direct claim give written notice to the
Indemnifying Party describing such claim in
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reasonable detail. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of any Indemnified Party to
provide notice in accordance with this Section 11.07 shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of
its obligations under this Article XI, except to the extent that such Indemnifying Party is
actually prejudiced by such failure to provide prompt notice. Such notice may be given by email or
other electronic means. Such Indemnifying Party shall have a period of 21 days after the receipt
of such notice within which to respond thereto. If such Indemnifying Party does not respond within
such 21-day period, such Indemnifying Party shall be deemed to have refused to accept
responsibility to provide indemnification with respect to such claim. If such Indemnifying Party
does not respond within such 21-day period or does respond within such 21-day period and rejects
such claim in whole or in part, such Indemnified Party shall be free to pursue resolution as
provided in Article XII.
Section 11.08 Contribution.
If the indemnification provided for in this Article XI is judicially determined to be
unavailable (other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in which case this Section
11.08 shall not apply) to an Indemnified Party in respect of any Losses or Expenses referred to
herein, then the Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Expense or
Loss in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Post Indemnified
Parties, on the one hand, and the Ralcorp Indemnified Parties, on the other hand, in connection
with the conduct, statements or omissions that resulted in such Expense or Loss. The relative
fault of any Post Indemnified Party, on the one hand, and of any Ralcorp Indemnified Party, on the
other hand, in the case of any Expense or Loss arising out of or related to information contained
in the Form 10 Registration Statement, the Information Statement, any Notes Offering Memorandum,
the Stock Options Registration Statement (or related prospectus forming a part thereof), any other
registration statement filed by Post (or related prospectus forming a part thereof) or other
securities law filing shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission of a material
fact relates to information supplied by the Post Business or a Post Indemnified Party, on the one
hand, or by the Ralcorp Business or a Ralcorp Indemnified Party, on the other hand. Only the
Designated Ralcorp Information shall be deemed supplied by the Ralcorp Business or the Ralcorp
Indemnified Parties. All other information in the Form 10 Registration Statement, the Information
Statement, any Notes Offering Memorandum, the Stock Options Registration Statement (or related
prospectus forming a part thereof) and any other registration statement filed by Post (or related
prospectus forming a part thereof) shall be deemed supplied by the Post Business or the Post
Indemnified Parties. The Parties agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to above.
Section 11.09 Remedies Cumulative.
The remedies provided in this Article XI shall be cumulative and, subject to the provisions of
Article XI, shall not preclude assertion by an Indemnified Party of any other rights or the seeking
of any and all other remedies against any Indemnifying Party; provided that the procedures set
forth in this Article XI shall be the exclusive procedures governing any indemnity action brought
under this Agreement.
Section 11.10 Survival.
All covenants and agreements of the Parties contained in this Agreement relating to
indemnification shall survive the Distribution Date indefinitely, unless a specific survival or
other applicable period is expressly set forth herein.
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Section 11.11 No Special Damages.
IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PARTY BE LIABLE UNDER THIS ARTICLE XI OR OTHERWISE IN RESPECT OF THIS
AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION AGREEMENT FOR EXEMPLARY, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, REMOTE,
SPECULATIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING IN RESPECT OF LOST PROFITS OR REVENUES), HOWEVER
CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), WHETHER OR NOT SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN
ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT ANY SUCH PARTY INCURS SUCH DAMAGES
PAYABLE TO A THIRD PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH A THIRD-PARTY CLAIM, IN WHICH EVENT SUCH DAMAGES SHALL
BE RECOVERABLE.
Section 11.12 Ancillary Agreements.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent any Transaction
Agreement contains any indemnification obligation or contribution obligation relating to any
Ralcorp Liability, Post Liability or asset contributed, assumed, retained, transferred, delivered,
conveyed or governed pursuant to such Transaction Agreement, the indemnification obligations and
contribution obligations contained herein shall not apply to such Ralcorp Liability, Post Liability
or asset and instead the indemnification obligations and/or contribution obligations set forth in
such Transaction Agreement shall govern with regard to such Ralcorp Liability, Post Liability or
asset.
ARTICLE XII
Dispute Resolution
Dispute Resolution
Section 12.01 Agreement to Arbitrate.
Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or in any Transaction Agreement, the
procedures for discussion, negotiation and arbitration set forth in this Article XII shall apply to
all disputes, controversies or claims (whether sounding in contract, tort or otherwise) that may
arise out of or relate to, or arise under or in connection with this Agreement or any Transaction
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including all actions taken in
furtherance, performance or non-performance of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby
before or after the date of this Agreement or the Distribution Date), between or among any of the
Ralcorp Parties and the Post Parties. Each Party hereto agrees on behalf of itself and its
respective Subsidiaries that the procedures set forth in this Article XII shall be the sole and
exclusive remedy in connection with any dispute, controversy or claim relating to any of the
foregoing matters and irrevocably waives any right to commence any Action in or before any
Governmental Authority, except as expressly provided in Section 12.07(b) and except to the extent
provided under the Arbitration Act in the case of judicial review of arbitration results or awards.
EACH PARTY ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND ITS RESPECTIVE SUBSIDIARIES IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO ANY
TRIAL IN A COURT THAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE JURISDICTION OVER ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE SET
FORTH IN THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THIS SECTION 12.01.
Section 12.02 Escalation.
(a) The Parties hereto agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to resolve
expeditiously any dispute, controversy or claim between them or any of their respective
Subsidiaries with respect to the matters covered hereby that may arise from time to time on
a mutually acceptable negotiated basis. In furtherance of the foregoing, any Party hereto
involved in a dispute, controversy or claim may deliver a notice (an “Escalation
Notice”) demanding an in-person meeting involving representatives of the Parties hereto
at a senior level of management of the Parties hereto (or if the Parties hereto agree, of
the appropriate strategic business unit or division within each Party). A copy of any such
Escalation Notice
37
shall be given to the General Counsel, or like officer, of each Party involved in the
dispute, controversy or claim (which copy shall state that it is an Escalation Notice
pursuant to this Agreement). Any agenda, location or procedures for such discussions or
negotiations between the Parties may be established by the Parties from time to time;
provided, however, that the Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to meet within
30 days of the Escalation Notice.
(b) If the Parties are unable to resolve the dispute within 30 business days after the
date of the Escalation Notice, any Party hereto will have the right to begin arbitration and
submit an Arbitration Demand Notice in accordance with Section 12.03.
(c) The Parties may, by mutual consent, select a mediator to aid the Parties in their
discussions and negotiations. Any opinion expressed by any such mediator shall be strictly
advisory and shall not be binding on the Parties, nor shall any opinion expressed by any
such mediator be admissible in any arbitration proceedings. Costs of any mediation shall be
borne equally by the Parties, except that each Party shall be responsible for its own
expenses. Mediation is not a prerequisite to a demand for arbitration under Section 12.03.
(d) The Parties agree that all discussions and negotiations between the Parties during
the foregoing proceedings will be inadmissible as evidence and without prejudice to the
legal position of a Party in any subsequent Action.
Section 12.03 Procedures for Arbitration.
(a) At any time following the 30 business day period set forth in Section 12.02(b), any
Party involved in the dispute, controversy or claim (regardless of whether such Party
delivered the Escalation Notice) may, unless the Applicable Deadline has passed, make a
written demand (the “Arbitration Demand Notice”) that the dispute be resolved by
binding arbitration, which Arbitration Demand Notice shall be given to the Parties to the
dispute, controversy or claim in the manner set forth in Section 14.09. If any Party shall
deliver an Arbitration Demand Notice to another Party, such other Party may itself deliver
an Arbitration Demand Notice to such first Party with respect to any related dispute,
controversy or claim with respect to which the Applicable Deadline has not passed without
the requirement of delivering an Escalation Notice. No Party may assert that the failure to
resolve any matter during any discussions or negotiations, the course of conduct during the
discussions or negotiations or the failure to agree on a mutually acceptable time, agenda,
location or procedures for the meeting, in each case, as contemplated by Section 12.02, is a
prerequisite to a demand for arbitration under this Section 12.03. If either Party delivers
an Arbitration Demand Notice with respect to any dispute, controversy or claim that is the
subject of any then pending arbitration proceeding or of a previously delivered Arbitration
Demand Notice, all such disputes, controversies and claims shall be resolved in the
arbitration proceeding for which an Arbitration Demand Notice was first delivered unless the
arbitrator in his or her sole discretion determines that it is impracticable or otherwise
inadvisable to do so.
(b) Except as may be expressly provided in any Transaction Agreement, any Arbitration
Demand Notice may be given until two years after the later of (i) the occurrence of the act
or event giving rise to the underlying claim (it being understood that in the case of a
Third-Party Claim, such date shall be the date of assertion of the Third-Party Claim rather
than the act or event underlying the Third-Party Claim) and (ii) the date on which such act
or event was, or should have been, in the exercise of reasonable due diligence, discovered
by the Party asserting the claim (as applicable and as it may in a particular case
38
be specifically extended by the Parties in writing, the “Applicable Deadline”).
Any discussions, negotiations or mediations between the Parties pursuant to this Agreement
or otherwise will not toll the Applicable Deadline unless expressly agreed in writing by the
Parties. Each Party agrees, on behalf of itself and its respective Subsidiaries, that, if
an Arbitration Demand Notice with respect to a dispute, controversy or claim is not given on
or before the Applicable Deadline, such dispute, controversy or claim will be barred.
Subject to Section 12.07(d), upon delivery of an Arbitration Demand Notice pursuant to
Section 12.03(a) on or before the Applicable Deadline, the dispute, controversy or claim
shall be decided by one or more arbitrators in accordance with the rules set forth in this
Article XII.
Section 12.04 Selection of Arbitrator.
(a) Except as otherwise set forth herein, any arbitration hereunder will be submitted
to and administered by the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”) in
accordance with its Procedures for Large, Complex Commercial Disputes then prevailing.
Unless the Parties otherwise agree, any such arbitration shall be conducted by and before a
single arbitrator. Within 16 days following the delivery of any Arbitration Demand Notice
hereunder, the Parties shall jointly request AAA to nominate ten candidates to act as
arbitrator with respect to the dispute, by written notice to the Parties (provided, however,
that, if the Party that submitted the Arbitration Demand Notice is unable to obtain the
cooperation of the other Party to make such joint request, the Party that submitted such
notice may make the request on behalf of both Parties). Within 10 days following their
receipt of such notice from AAA, the Parties shall concurrently exchange their respective
rankings of the ten candidates and shall seek to select the arbitrator by mutual agreement.
If the Parties do not reach agreement on the selection of the arbitrator within 20 days
following their receipt of the notice from AAA providing the ten candidates (as evidenced by
their joint notice of selection to AAA), the selection shall be made by AAA, which selection
will take into account the Parties’ rankings of the candidates referred to in the
immediately preceding sentence, if such rankings are provided to AAA. If the Parties
determine, by mutual written agreement, to utilize an arbitration panel, consisting of three
or more arbitrators, in connection with any dispute, each such arbitrator shall be selected
pursuant to the procedures set forth in this Section 12.04(a) (and, in that event, any
references to the “arbitrator” in this Article XII shall be deemed to refer such arbitration
panel or each such arbitrator or any such arbitrator, as the context indicates or requires).
Any arbitrator selected pursuant to this Section 12.04(a) shall be neutral and
disinterested with respect to each of the Parties and the matter and shall be reasonably
competent in the applicable subject matter.
(b) The arbitrator selected pursuant to Section 12.04(a) will set a time for the
hearing of the matter, which will commence no later than 180 days after the selection of the
arbitrator pursuant to Section 12.04(a). The arbitrator may extend such period at the
arbitrator’s discretion pursuant to a reasoned request from either Party or on the
arbitrator’s own initiative if it is necessary to do so. The arbitrator shall use the
arbitrator’s best efforts to reach a final decision and render the same in writing to the
Parties not later than 60 days after the last hearing date, unless otherwise agreed by the
Parties in writing. Failure of the arbitrator to do so, however, shall not be a basis for
challenging the decision.
Section 12.05 Hearings.
The arbitrator shall actively manage the arbitration with a view to achieving a just, speedy
and cost-effective resolution of the dispute, claim or controversy. The arbitrator shall determine
whether an oral hearing is required or whether the dispute should be submitted for a judgment or
decision based on written submissions, verified witness statements and other written evidence. The
arbitrator may, in the arbitrator’s sole discretion, set time
39
and other limits on the presentation of each Party’s case, its memoranda or other submissions,
and refuse to receive any proffered evidence that the arbitrator finds to be cumulative,
unnecessary, irrelevant or of low probative nature. The decision of the arbitrator or a majority
of the arbitration panel will be final and binding on the Parties, and judgment thereon may be had
and will be enforceable in any court having jurisdiction over the Parties. Arbitration awards will
bear interest from the date of the award at an annual rate of the Prime Rate plus 5%. To the
extent that the provisions of this Agreement and the prevailing rules of the AAA conflict, the
provisions of this Agreement shall govern.
Section 12.06 Discovery and Certain Other Matters.
(a) Discovery procedures available in litigation before the courts shall not apply in
any arbitration proceedings hereunder. Any Party involved in the applicable dispute,
controversy or claim may request limited document production from the other Party or Parties
of specific and demonstrably relevant documents, with the reasonable expenses of the
producing Party or Parties incurred in such production paid by the requesting Party. Any
such discovery shall be conducted expeditiously and shall not cause the hearing provided for
in Section 12.05 to be adjourned except upon consent of both Parties or upon a showing of
good cause demonstrating that such adjournment is necessary to permit discovery essential to
a Party to the proceeding. Depositions, interrogatories or other forms of discovery (other
than the document production set forth above) shall not occur except by consent of all
Parties involved in the applicable dispute, controversy or claim. Disputes concerning the
scope of document production and enforcement of the document production requests will be
referred to the arbitrator for resolution. All discovery requests will be subject to the
Parties’ rights to claim any applicable privilege. The arbitrator will adopt procedures to
protect the proprietary rights of the Parties and to maintain the confidential treatment of
the arbitration proceedings (except as may be required by applicable law). Subject to the
foregoing, the arbitrator shall have the power to issue subpoenas to compel the production
of documents relevant to the dispute, controversy or claim.
(b) The arbitrator shall have full power and authority to determine issues of
arbitrability but shall otherwise be limited to interpreting or construing the applicable
provisions of this Agreement or any Transaction Agreement, and will have no authority or
power to limit, expand, alter, amend, modify, revoke or suspend any condition or provision
of this Agreement or any Transaction Agreement; it being understood, however, that the
arbitrator will have full authority to implement the provisions of this Agreement or any
Transaction Agreement and to fashion appropriate remedies for breaches of this Agreement
(including interim or permanent injunctive relief); provided, however, that the arbitrator
shall not have (i) any authority in excess of the authority a court having jurisdiction over
the Parties and the controversy or dispute would have absent these arbitration provisions or
(ii) any right or power to award exemplary, punitive, special, indirect, consequential,
remote or speculative damages (including in respect of lost profits or revenues) or treble
damages (provided that this clause (ii) shall not limit the award of any such damages to the
extent they are included in any Liabilities to Third Parties as to which the provisions of
this Article XII are applicable). It is the intention of the Parties that in rendering a
decision the arbitrator gives effect to the applicable provisions of this Agreement and the
Transaction Agreements and follow applicable law (it being understood and agreed that this
sentence shall not give rise to a right of judicial review of the award of the arbitrator).
(c) If a Party fails or refuses to appear at and participate in an arbitration hearing
after due notice, the arbitrator may hear and determine the controversy upon evidence
produced by the appearing
40
Party. Any decision rendered under such circumstances shall be as valid and
enforceable as if the Parties had appeared and participated fully at all stages.
(d) The fees of the arbitrator and all other arbitration costs shall be borne equally
by each Party involved in the matter, except that each Party shall be responsible for its
own attorney’s fees and other costs and expenses, including the costs of witnesses selected
by such Party.
Section 12.07 Certain Additional Matters.
(a) Any arbitration award shall be an award with a holding in favor of or against a
Party on each claim and shall include findings of facts and conclusions of law (including
with respect to any matters relating to the validity or infringement of patents or patent
applications) and shall include a statement of the reasoning on which the award rests. The
award must also be in adequate form so that a judgment of a court may be entered thereupon.
Judgment upon any arbitration award hereunder may be entered in any court having
jurisdiction thereof. Any award shall not be vacated or appealed except on the bases of (i)
the award being procured by fraud or corruption, (ii) the arbitrator being partial or
corrupt, (iii) the arbitrator wrongfully refusing to postpone a hearing or hear evidence, or
(iv) the arbitrator exceeding the scope of the power granted to the arbitrator in this
Agreement.
(b) Regardless of whether an Escalation Notice has been delivered, prior to the time at
which the arbitrator is appointed pursuant to Section 12.04, either Party may seek one or
more temporary restraining orders in a court of competent jurisdiction if necessary in order
to preserve and protect the status quo. Neither the request for, nor the grant or denial
of, any such temporary restraining order shall be deemed a waiver of the obligation to
arbitrate as set forth herein, and the arbitrator may order the Parties to petition the
court to dissolve, continue or modify any such order. Any such temporary restraining order
shall remain in effect until the first to occur of the expiration of the order in accordance
with its terms or the dissolution thereof.
(c) Except as required by law, the Parties shall hold, and shall cause their respective
officers, directors, employees, agents and other representatives to hold, the existence,
content and result of mediation or arbitration in confidence in accordance with the
provisions of Article XIII and except as may be required in order to enforce any award.
Each of the Parties shall request that the arbitrator comply with such confidentiality
requirement.
(d) If at any time the arbitrator shall fail to serve as such for any reason, the
Parties shall select a new arbitrator who shall be disinterested as to the Parties and the
matter in accordance with the procedure set forth herein for the selection of the initial
arbitrator. The extent, if any, to which testimony previously given shall be repeated or as
to which the replacement arbitrator elects to rely on the stenographic record (if there is
one) of such testimony shall be determined by the arbitrator.
Section 12.08 Continuity of Service and Performance.
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Parties will continue to provide service and honor all
other commitments under this Agreement and each Transaction Agreement during the course of dispute
resolution pursuant to the provisions of this Article XII with respect to all matters not subject
to such dispute, controversy or claim to the extent such Party is obligated to do so pursuant to
the underlying agreement.
Section 12.09 Law Governing Arbitration Procedures.
41
The interpretation of the provisions of this Article XII, only insofar as they relate to the
agreement to arbitrate and any procedures pursuant thereto, shall be governed by the Arbitration
Act and other applicable U.S. federal law. In all other respects, the interpretation of this
Agreement shall be governed as set forth in Section 14.02.
Section 12.10 Choice of Forum.
Any arbitration proceedings hereunder shall take place in St. Louis, Missouri, unless another
location is otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties.
ARTICLE XIII
Access to Information and Services
Access to Information and Services
Section 13.01 Agreement for Exchange of Information.
(a) At all times from and after the Distribution Date, except in the case of an
adversarial Action by one Party against another Party (which shall be governed by discovery
rules as may be applicable under Article XI, Article XII or otherwise), as soon as
reasonably practicable after written request: (i) Ralcorp shall afford to the Post Parties
and their authorized accountants, counsel and other designated representatives reasonable
access during normal business hours to, or, at Post’s written request and expense, provide
copies of, all records, books, contracts, instruments, data, documents and other information
(collectively, “Information”) in the possession or under the control of Ralcorp
immediately following the Distribution Date to the extent relating to Post, the Post
Business immediately following the Distribution Date or the employees of the Post Business;
and (ii) Post shall afford to the Ralcorp Parties and their authorized accountants, counsel
and other designated representatives reasonable access during normal business hours to, or,
at Ralcorp’s written request and expense, provide copies of, all Information in the
possession or under the control of Post immediately following the Distribution Date to the
extent relating to Ralcorp, the Ralcorp Business immediately following the Distribution Date
or the employees of the Ralcorp Business or to the extent requested by Ralcorp in connection
with the determination or verification of the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents
held by the Post Parties as of the Distribution Date in order to comply with the provisions
of Section 3.01(c); provided, however, that in the event that either Ralcorp or Post
determines that any such provision of or access to Information might be commercially
detrimental, violate any law or Contract or waive any attorney-client privilege, the work
product doctrine or other applicable privilege, the Parties shall take all reasonable
measures to permit the compliance with such obligations in a manner that avoids any such
harm or consequence.
(b) Any Party hereto may request Information under Section 13.01 or Section 13.07: (i)
to comply with reporting, disclosure, filing or other requirements imposed on the requesting
Party (including under applicable securities laws) by a Governmental Authority having
jurisdiction over the requesting Party; (ii) for use in any other judicial, regulatory,
administrative or other proceeding or in order to satisfy audit, accounting, claims defense,
regulatory filings, litigation or other similar requirements; (iii) for use in compensation,
benefit or welfare plan administration or other bona fide business purposes; or (iv) to
comply with its obligations under this Agreement or any Transaction Agreement.
(c) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, until the end of the first full
fiscal year of Post occurring after the Distribution Date (and for a reasonable period of
time afterwards as required for each Party to prepare consolidated financial statements or
complete a financial statement audit for
42
the fiscal year during which the Distribution Date occurs), each Party shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the other Party’s Information requests to
enable the other Party to meet its timetable for dissemination of its earnings releases and
financial statements and enable such other Party’s independent registered public accounting
firm to timely complete their audit of the annual financial statements and review of the
quarterly financial statements.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article XIII, neither Party shall be
required to deliver or make available to the other books and records or portions thereof
which are subject to any applicable law, rule or regulation or confidentiality agreements
which would by their terms prohibit such delivery; provided, however, if requested by the
other Party, such Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to seek a waiver of or
other relief from such confidentiality restriction.
(e) To the extent any books or records are subject to restrictions or limitations set
forth the Employee Matters Agreement, such restrictions and limitations shall apply to such
books or records, notwithstanding any provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Parties’ obligations to provide Information and cooperation with respect to
taxes shall be governed by the Tax Allocation Agreement, and not by this Section 13.01.
Section 13.02 Ownership of Information.
After the Effective Time, the Ralcorp Parties shall own all Information, including all trade
secrets, and all copyrights in any tangible expressions thereof, then in the possession or under
the control of the Ralcorp Parties or the Post Parties, relating primarily to the Ralcorp Business.
After the Effective Time, the Post Parties shall own all Information, including all trade secrets,
and all copyrights in any tangible expressions thereof, then in the possession or under the control
of the Ralcorp Parties or the Post Parties, relating primarily to the Post Business. Any
Information owned by one Party that is provided to a requesting Party pursuant to Section 13.01
shall be deemed to remain the property of the providing Party. Except as specifically set forth
herein, nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to grant or confer rights of license
or otherwise in any such Information.
Section 13.03 Compensation for Providing Information.
The Party requesting Information agrees to reimburse the providing Party for the reasonable
costs, if any, of gathering and copying such Information (including any costs and expenses incurred
in any review of Information for purposes of protecting the privileged Information of the providing
Party or in connection with the restoration of backup tapes for purposes of providing the requested
Information), to the extent that such costs are incurred for the benefit of the requesting Party.
Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, such costs shall be computed in
accordance with the providing Party’s standard methodology and procedures, if any, and if there is
no such standard methodology and procedures, then on a commercially reasonable basis.
Section 13.04 Retention of Records.
(a) To facilitate the possible exchange of Information pursuant to this Article XIII
after the Distribution Date, except as otherwise required or agreed in writing, or as
otherwise provided in the Tax Allocation Agreement, the Parties hereto agree to use
commercially reasonable efforts to retain all Information in their respective possession or
control on the Distribution Date in accordance with the policies and procedures of Ralcorp
as in effect on the Distribution Date or such other commercially reasonable policies and
procedures as may be adopted by the applicable Party after the Distribution Date
43
as provided herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Party hereto shall be required
to delay implementation of any amendment to Information retention policies and legal hold
procedures to the extent such amendments are required by applicable law. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, nothing in this Article XIII shall require either party to retain electronic
mail beyond the periods specified in relevant corporate policies, unless such electronic
mail is subject, by virtue of its content, to other specific records retention provisions,
or is subject to a litigation hold or document retention notice, or is otherwise known by
its custodian to relate to a pending or threatened Action.
(b) In the event of either Party’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ inadvertent failure to
comply with its applicable document retention policies as required under this Section 13.04,
such Party shall be liable to the other Party solely for the amount of any monetary fines or
penalties imposed or levied against such other party by a Governmental Authority (which
fines or penalties shall not include any Liabilities asserted in connection with the claims
underlying the applicable Action, other than fines or penalties resulting from any claim of
spoliation) as a result of such other Party’s inability to produce Information caused by
such inadvertent failure and, notwithstanding Section 11.02 and Section 11.03, shall not be
liable to such other Party for any other Liabilities.
Section 13.05 Limitation of Liability.
Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, no Party shall have any liability to the other
Party (a) if any Information exchanged or provided pursuant to this Agreement is found to be
inaccurate, in the absence of willful misconduct or fraud by the Party providing such Information,
or (b) if any Information is destroyed despite using commercially reasonable efforts to comply with
the provisions of Section 13.04.
Section 13.06 Production of Witnesses.
At all times from and after the Distribution Date, except in the case of an adversarial Action
by one Party against another Party (which shall be governed by discovery rules as may be applicable
under Article XI, Article XII or otherwise), each Party shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to make available to the other Party (without cost (other than reimbursement of
actual Out-of-Pocket Expenses) to, and upon prior written request of, the other Party) its
directors, officers, employees and agents as witnesses to the extent that the same may reasonably
be required by the other Party (giving consideration to business demands of such directors,
officers, employees and agents) in connection with any legal, administrative or other proceeding in
which the requesting Party may from time to time be involved with respect to the Post Business, the
Ralcorp Business or any transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, that direct claims or
proceedings solely involving claims by one Party against the other Party shall be governed by the
provisions of Article XII. In connection with any matter contemplated by this Section 13.06, for
each such legal, administrative or other proceeding, the Parties will enter into a Joint Defense
Agreement, so as to maintain to the extent practicable any applicable attorney-client privilege,
work product immunity or other applicable privilege, immunity or protection of the Parties.
Section 13.07 Sharing of Knowledge.
For a period of 24 months following the Distribution Date, except in the case of an
adversarial Action by one Party against another Party (which shall be governed by discovery rules
as may be applicable under Article XI, Article XII or otherwise) and subject to any limitations set
forth in any Transaction Agreement, as soon as reasonably practicable after written request: (i)
to the extent that information or knowledge with respect to the Post Business is available through
discussions with employees of the Ralcorp Parties, Ralcorp shall make such
44
employees reasonably available to Post to provide such information or knowledge; and (ii) to
the extent that information or knowledge relating to the Ralcorp Business is available through
discussions with employees of the Post Parties, Post shall make such employees reasonably available
to Ralcorp to provide such information or knowledge; provided, however, that in the event that
either Ralcorp or Post determines that any such provision of such information or knowledge might be
commercially detrimental, violate any law or Contract or waive any attorney-client privilege, the
work product doctrine or other applicable privilege, the Parties shall take all reasonable measures
to permit the compliance with such obligations in a manner that avoids any such harm or
consequence. The Party receiving information or knowledge shall retain such information or
knowledge in accordance with the policies and procedures of Ralcorp as in effect on the
Distribution Date.
Section 13.08 Confidentiality.
(a) From and after the Distribution Date, each of Ralcorp and Post shall hold, and
shall cause their respective Subsidiaries and its and their directors, officers, employees,
agents, consultants, advisors, and other representatives (collectively,
“Representatives”) to hold, in strict confidence, with at least the same degree of
care that applies to Ralcorp’s confidential and proprietary information pursuant to policies
in effect as of the Distribution Date or such other procedures as may reasonably be adopted
by the receiving Party after the Distribution Date, all Confidential Information of the
disclosing Party or any of its Subsidiaries obtained by it prior to the Distribution Date,
accessed by it pursuant to Section 13.01 or furnished to it by or on behalf of the
disclosing Party or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to this Agreement or, to the extent not
addressed in a Transaction Agreement, any agreement contemplated hereby, shall not use such
Confidential Information (except as contemplated by this Agreement, a Transaction Agreement
or any agreement contemplated hereby) and shall not release or disclose such Confidential
Information to any other Person, except its Representatives, who shall be bound by the
provisions of this Section 13.08; provided, however, Confidential Information does not
include information that a receiving Party can show that such information (A) has been
published or has otherwise become available to the general public as part of the public
domain without breach of this Agreement, (B) has been furnished or made known to the
receiving Party without any obligation to keep it confidential by a Third Party under
circumstances which are not known to the receiving Party to involve a breach of the Third
Party’s obligations to a Party, (C) was developed independently of information furnished or
made available to the receiving Party as contemplated under this Agreement, (D) the use or
disclosure of which is permitted by this Agreement or any other Transaction Agreement or any
other agreement entered into pursuant hereto, (E) that is immaterial and its disclosure is
required as part of the conduct of that Party’s business and would not reasonably be
expected to be detrimental to the interests of the other Party, or (F) that the other Party
has agreed in writing may be so used or disclosed. Each of Ralcorp and Post, respectively,
shall be responsible for any breach of this Section 13.08 by any of its Representatives.
(b) If a Party is required to produce Confidential Information that it received from
the disclosing Party in response to a subpoena or other demand for disclosure of a
Governmental Authority, or in order to obtain or maintain any required governmental approval
or comply with any applicable law, rule or regulation, any accounting or SEC disclosure
obligation or any rule of any stock exchange on which the shares of such Party’s stock have
been or will be traded, such Party shall, to the extent legally permissible, provide prior
written notice to the disclosing Party before producing such Confidential Information. Upon
receipt of such notice, the disclosing Party shall promptly (i) seek an appropriate
protective order or (ii) waive the confidentiality obligations hereunder to the extent
necessary to permit the other Party to respond to the demand or fully satisfy the relevant
requirement or obligation. If a Party is nonetheless legally compelled to disclose
Confidential Information and the disclosing Party does
45
not promptly respond as required by this Section 13.08(b), such Party may disclose the
Confidential Information described in such Party’s prior written notice to the extent
necessary to respond to the demand or fully satisfy the relevant requirement or obligation.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in the Transaction Agreements, and without limiting
the generality of Section 13.08(a), from and after the Distribution Date, each of Ralcorp
and Post will implement and maintain security measures with at least the same degree of care
that applies to Ralcorp’s confidential and proprietary information pursuant to policies in
effect as of the Distribution Date or such other procedures as may reasonably be adopted by
the receiving Party after the Distribution that are designed to: (i) secure and maintain
the confidentiality of Confidential Information of the other Party; (ii) protect
Confidential Information of the other Party against anticipated threats or hazards; (iii)
protect against loss or theft or unauthorized access, copying, disclosure, loss, damage,
modification or use of Confidential Information of the disclosing Party; and (iv) take
reasonable measures to limit access to Confidential Information only to those
Representatives who have a bona fide business need to access the Confidential Information.
(d) Each recipient of Confidential Information of the other may utilize and enhance its
knowledge and experience retained in intangible form in the unaided memories of its
Representatives as a result of developing, working with, or viewing the other Party’s
Confidential Information (collectively, “Unaided Knowledge”). So long as the
recipient otherwise complies with Section 13.08 of this Agreement, the recipient may
develop, disclose, market, transfer and/or use Unaided Knowledge, and the other Party shall
not have any rights in the works created using such Unaided Knowledge nor any rights to
compensation related to the recipient’s use of such Unaided Knowledge, nor any rights in the
recipient’s business endeavors.
(e) Each of Ralcorp and Post acknowledges that the disclosing Party would not have an
adequate remedy at law for the breach by the receiving Party of any one or more of the
covenants contained in this Section 13.08 and agrees that, in the event of such breach, the
disclosing Party may, in addition to the other remedies that may be available to it, apply
to a court for an injunction to prevent breaches of this Section 13.08 and to enforce
specifically the terms and provisions of this Section 13.08. Notwithstanding any other
Section hereof, the provisions of this Section 13.08 shall survive the Distribution Date
indefinitely.
(f) This Section 13.08 shall not apply with respect to Confidential Information
furnished to the receiving Party or accessed by the receiving Party pursuant to a Commercial
Agreement, except to the extent that such Commercial Agreement incorporates the provisions
of this Section 13.08 by reference.
(g) Notwithstanding the limitations set forth in this Section 13.08, with respect to
financial and other information related to the Post Parties for the periods during which
such Post Parties were Subsidiaries of Ralcorp, Ralcorp shall be permitted to disclose such
information in its earnings releases, investor calls, rating agency presentations and other
similar disclosures to the extent such information has customarily been included by Ralcorp
in such disclosures and in its reports, statements or other documents filed or furnished
with the SEC in accordance with applicable law, rules or regulations.
(h) Each Party acknowledges that it and its Representatives may have in its or their
possession confidential or proprietary information of Third Parties that was received under
a confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement between such Third Party and the other Party.
Each Party will, and will cause its Representatives to, hold in confidence the confidential
and proprietary information
46
of Third Parties to which such Party has access, in accordance with the terms of any
agreements entered into between such Third Party and the other Party or its Representatives.
Section 13.09 Privileged Matters.
(a) The Parties recognize that legal and other professional services that have been and
will be provided prior to the Effective Time have been and will be rendered for the
collective benefit of each of the Ralcorp Parties and the Post Parties, and that each of the
Ralcorp Parties and the Post Parties should be deemed to be the client with respect to such
pre-separation services for the purposes of asserting all privileges which may be asserted
under applicable law.
(b) The Parties recognize that legal and other professional services will be provided
following the Effective Time which will be rendered solely for the benefit of Ralcorp or
Post, as the case may be. With respect to such post-separation services, the Parties agree
as follows:
(i) Ralcorp shall be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all
privileges in connection with privileged Information which relates solely to the Ralcorp
Business, whether or not the privileged Information is in the possession of or under the
control of Ralcorp or Post. Ralcorp shall also be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the
assertion or waiver of all privileges in connection with privileged Information that relates
solely to the subject matter of any claims constituting Ralcorp Liabilities, now pending or
which may be asserted in the future, in any lawsuits or other proceedings initiated against
or by Ralcorp, whether or not the privileged Information is in the possession of or under
the control of Ralcorp or Post; and
(ii) Post shall be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the assertion or waiver of all
privileges in connection with privileged Information which relates solely to the Post
Business, whether or not the privileged Information is in the possession of or under the
control of Ralcorp or Post. Post shall also be entitled, in perpetuity, to control the
assertion or waiver of all privileges in connection with privileged Information that relates
solely to the subject matter of any claims constituting Post Liabilities, now pending or
which may be asserted in the future, in any lawsuits or other proceedings initiated against
or by Post, whether or not the privileged Information is in the possession of or under the
control of Ralcorp or Post.
(c) The Parties agree that they shall have a shared privilege, with equal right to
assert or waive, subject to the restrictions in this Section 13.09, with respect to all
privileges not allocated pursuant to the terms of Section 13.09(b). All privileges relating
to any claims, proceedings, litigation, disputes, or other matters which involve both
Ralcorp and Post in respect of which both Parties retain any responsibility or Liability
under this Agreement, shall be subject to a shared privilege among them.
(d) No Party may waive any privilege which could be asserted under any applicable law,
and in which any other Party has a shared privilege, without the consent of the other Party,
which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed or as provided in Section 13.09(e) or
Section 13.09(f). Consent shall be in writing, or shall be deemed to be granted unless
written objection is made within 20 days after notice upon the other Party requesting such
consent. Each Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to preserve any privilege held by
the other Party if that privilege is a shared privilege or has been allocated to the other
Party pursuant to Section 13.09(b).
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(e) In the event of any litigation or dispute between or among any of the Parties, or
any of their respective Subsidiaries, joint ventures or partnerships, either such Party may
waive a privilege in which the other Party or such other entity has a shared privilege,
without obtaining the consent of the other Party; provided, that such waiver of a shared
privilege shall be effective only as to the use of information with respect to the
litigation or dispute between the relevant Parties and/or the applicable Subsidiaries, joint
ventures or partnerships, respectively, and shall not operate as a waiver of the shared
privilege with respect to Third Parties.
(f) If a dispute arises between the Parties or their respective Subsidiaries, joint
ventures or partnerships regarding whether a privilege should be waived to protect or
advance the interest of either Party, each Party agrees that it shall negotiate in good
faith, shall endeavor to minimize any prejudice to the rights of the other Party, and shall
not unreasonably withhold consent to any request for waiver by the other Party. Each Party
specifically agrees that it will not withhold consent to waiver for any purpose except to
protect its own legitimate interests.
(g) Upon receipt by either Party or by any Subsidiary, joint venture or partnership
thereof of any subpoena, discovery or other request which arguably calls for the production
or disclosure of information subject to a shared privilege or as to which the other Party
has the sole right hereunder to assert a privilege, or if either Party obtains knowledge
that any of its or any of its Subsidiaries’, joint ventures’ or partnerships’ current or
former directors, officers, agents or employees have received any subpoena, discovery or
other requests which arguably calls for the production or disclosure of such privileged
Information, such Party shall promptly notify the other Party of the existence of the
request and shall provide the other Party a reasonable opportunity to review the information
and to assert any rights it or they may have under this Section 13.09 or otherwise to
prevent the production or disclosure of such privileged Information.
(h) Ralcorp’s transfer of books and records and other information to Post, and
Ralcorp’s agreement to permit Post to possess privileged Information existing or generated
prior to the Distribution Date, are made in reliance on Post’s agreement, as set forth in
Section 13.08 and Section 13.09, to maintain the confidentiality of privileged Information
and to protect and maintain all applicable privileges. The access to information being
granted pursuant to Section 13.01, the agreement to provide witnesses and individuals
pursuant to Section 13.06 and the transfer of privileged Information to Post pursuant to
this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver of any privilege that has been or may be
asserted under this Section 13.09 or otherwise. Nothing in this Agreement shall operate to
reduce, minimize or condition the rights granted to Ralcorp in, or the obligations imposed
upon Post by, this Section 13.09. Post’s transfer of books and records and other
information to Ralcorp, and Post’s agreement to permit Ralcorp to possess privileged
Information existing or generated prior to the Distribution Date, are made in reliance on
Ralcorp’s agreement, as set forth in Section 13.08 and Section 13.09, to maintain the
confidentiality of privileged Information and to assert and maintain all applicable
privileges. The access to information being granted pursuant to Section 13.01, the
agreement to provide witnesses and individuals pursuant to Section 13.06 and the transfer
of privileged Information to Ralcorp pursuant to this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver
of any privilege that has been or may be asserted under this Section 13.09 or otherwise.
Nothing in this Agreement shall operate to reduce, minimize or condition the rights granted
to Post in, or the obligations imposed upon Ralcorp by, this Section 13.09.
Section 13.10 Attorney Representation.
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Ralcorp, on behalf of itself and the other Ralcorp Parties, hereby waives any conflict of
interest with respect to any attorney who is or becomes an employee of Post resulting from such
person being an employee of Ralcorp or any of its Subsidiaries (including the Post Parties) at any
time prior to the Distribution and agrees to allow such attorney to represent the Post Parties in
any transaction or dispute with respect to this Agreement, the Transaction Agreements, the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and transactions between the Parties which commence
following the Distribution Date. Post, on behalf of itself and the other Post Parties, hereby
waives any conflict of interest with respect to any attorney who is or becomes an employee of
Ralcorp resulting from such person being an employee of Post or any of its Subsidiaries (including
the Ralcorp Parties) at any time prior to the Distribution and agrees to allow such attorney to
represent the Ralcorp Parties in any transaction or dispute with respect to this Agreement, the
Transaction Agreements and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and transactions
between the Parties which commence following the Distribution Date. In furtherance of the
foregoing, each Ralcorp Party and each Post Party will, upon request, execute and deliver a
specific waiver as may be required in connection with a particular transaction or dispute under the
applicable rules of professional conduct in order to effectuate the general waiver set forth above.
Section 13.11 Financial Information Certifications.
(a) In order to enable the principal executive officer or officers, principal financial
officer or officers and principal accounting officer or officers of Ralcorp to make the
certifications required of them under Section 302 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, within
30 days following the end of any fiscal quarter during which Post is a Subsidiary of
Ralcorp, Post shall provide a certification statement with respect to such quarter or
portion thereof to those certifying officers and employees of Ralcorp, which certification
shall be in substantially the same form as had been provided by officers or employees of
Post in certifications delivered prior to the Distribution Date (provided that such
certification shall be made by Post rather than individual officers or employees), or as
otherwise agreed upon between the Parties. Such certification statements shall also reflect
any changes in certification statements necessitated by the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
(b) In order to enable the principal executive officer or officers, principal financial
officer or officers and principal accounting officer or officers of Post to make the
certifications required of them under Section 302 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, within
30 days following the end of any fiscal quarter during which Post is a Subsidiary of
Ralcorp, Ralcorp shall provide a certification statement with respect to testing of internal
controls for corporate and shared services processes for such quarter or portion thereof to
those certifying officers and employees of Post, which certification shall be in
substantially the same form as had been provided by officers or employees of Ralcorp in
certifications delivered to its principal executive officer, principal financial officer and
controller prior to the Distribution Date (provided that such certification shall be made by
Ralcorp rather than individual officers or employees), or as otherwise agreed upon between
the Parties. Such certification statements shall also reflect any changes in certification
statements necessitated by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) After the date hereof, each of Ralcorp and Post shall maintain in effect at its own
cost and expense adequate systems and controls to the extent necessary to enable Post and
Ralcorp, to satisfy their respective reporting, accounting, audit and other obligations.
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ARTICLE XIV
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous
Section 14.01 Entire Agreement.
This Agreement and the Transaction Agreements, including the Schedules and Exhibits referred
to herein and therein and the documents delivered pursuant hereto and thereto, constitute the
entire agreement between any of the Parties hereto with respect to the subject matter contained
herein or therein, and supersede all prior agreements, negotiations, discussions, understandings
and commitments, written or oral, between any of the Parties hereto with respect to such subject
matter.
Section 14.02 Choice of Law.
THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY CONFLICTS OF LAW PROVISION OR RULE
THEREOF THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.
Section 14.03 Amendment.
This Agreement shall not be amended, modified or supplemented except by a written instrument
signed by an authorized representative of each of Ralcorp and Post.
Section 14.04 Waiver.
Any term or provision of this Agreement may be waived, or the time for its performance may be
extended, by the Party or Parties entitled to the benefit thereof. Any such waiver shall be
validly and sufficiently given for the purposes of this Agreement if, as to any Party, it is in
writing signed by an authorized representative of such Party. The failure of any Party to enforce
at any time any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed to be a waiver of such
provision, or in any way to affect the validity of this Agreement or any part hereof or the right
of any Party thereafter to enforce each and every such provision. No waiver of any breach of this
Agreement shall be held to constitute a waiver of any other or subsequent breach.
Section 14.05 Partial Invalidity.
Wherever possible, each provision hereof shall be interpreted in such a manner as to be
effective and valid under applicable law, but in case any one or more of the provisions contained
herein shall, for any reason, be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such
provision or provisions shall be ineffective to the extent, but only to the extent, of such
invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without invalidating the remainder of such provision or
provisions or any other provisions hereof, unless such a construction would be unreasonable.
Section 14.06 Execution in Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an
original instrument, but all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall
become binding when one or more counterparts have been signed by and delivered to each of the
Parties hereto.
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Section 14.07 Successors and Assigns.
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their
successors and permitted assigns; provided, however, that the rights and obligations of either
Party under this Agreement shall not be assignable by such Party (whether by a sale of assets,
merger, operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other Party. The
successors and permitted assigns hereunder shall include any permitted assignee as well as the
successors in interest to such permitted assignee (whether by merger, liquidation (including
successive mergers or liquidations) or otherwise).
Section 14.08 Third-Party Beneficiaries.
Except to the extent otherwise provided in Article IX (solely with respect to the directors
and officers insurance policy), Article XI and Section 13.10, the provisions of this Agreement are
solely for the benefit of the Parties and their respective Subsidiaries, Affiliates, successors and
permitted assigns and shall not confer upon any Third Party any remedy, claim, liability,
reimbursement or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this Agreement or any
Transaction Agreement.
Section 14.09 Notices.
All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted
hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given or delivered (i) when delivered
personally, (ii) if transmitted by facsimile, when confirmation of transmission is received, (iii)
if sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, on the third
business day after mailing or (iv) if sent by private courier, when received; and shall be
addressed as follows:
If to Ralcorp, to:
Ralcorp Holdings, Inc.
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
If to Post, to:
or to such other address as such Party may indicate by a notice delivered to the other Parties.
Section 14.10 No Reliance on Other Party.
The Parties hereto represent to each other that this Agreement is entered into with full
consideration of any and all rights which the Parties hereto may have. The Parties hereto have
relied upon their own knowledge and judgment and have conducted such investigations they and their
in-house counsel have deemed appropriate
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regarding this Agreement and the Transaction Agreements and their rights in connection with
this Agreement and the Transaction Agreements. The Parties hereto are not relying upon any
representations or statements made by any other Party, or any such other Party’s employees, agents,
representatives or attorneys, regarding this Agreement, except to the extent such representations
are expressly set forth or incorporated in this Agreement. The Parties hereto are not relying upon
a legal duty, if one exists, on the part of any other Party (or any such other Party’s employees,
agents, representatives or attorneys) to disclose any information in connection with the execution
of this Agreement or its preparation, it being expressly understood that no Party hereto shall ever
assert any failure to disclose information on the part of any other Party as a ground for
challenging this Agreement or any provision hereof.
Section 14.11 Performance.
Each Party shall cause to be performed, and hereby guarantees the performance of, all actions,
agreements and obligations set forth herein to be performed by any Subsidiary of such Party.
Section 14.12 Force Majeure.
No Party shall be deemed in default of this Agreement to the extent that any delay or failure
in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement results from any cause beyond its
reasonable control and without its fault or negligence, including acts of God, acts of civil or
military authority, embargoes, epidemics, war, riots, insurrections, fires, explosions,
earthquakes, floods, unusually severe weather conditions, labor problems or unavailability of
parts, or, in the case of computer systems, any failure in electrical or air conditioning
equipment. In the event of any such excused delay, the time for performance shall be extended for a
period equal to the time lost by reason of the delay.
Section 14.13 Termination.
Notwithstanding any provisions hereof, this Agreement may be terminated and the Distribution
abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time by and in the sole discretion of Ralcorp without
the prior the approval of Post or any other Person. In the event of such termination, this
Agreement shall forthwith become void and no Party shall have any liability to any Person by reason
of this Agreement or such termination.
Section 14.14 Limited Liability.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no individual who is a shareholder,
director, employee, officer, agent or representative of Post or Ralcorp, in such individual’s
capacity as such, shall have any liability in respect of or relating to the covenants or
obligations of Post or Ralcorp, as applicable, under this Agreement or any Transaction Agreement or
in respect of any certificate delivered with respect hereto or thereto and, to the fullest extent
legally permissible, each of Post and Ralcorp, for itself and its respective Subsidiaries and its
and their respective shareholders, directors, employees and officers, waives and agrees not to seek
to assert or enforce any such liability that any such Person otherwise might have pursuant to
applicable law.
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THIS CONTRACT CONTAINS A BINDING ARBITRATION PROVISION WHICH MAY BE ENFORCED BY THE PARTIES.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their
authorized representatives as of the date first above written.
Ralcorp Holdings, Inc. | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
Post Holdings, Inc. | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
Post Foods, LLC | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
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Annex I
The Internal Reorganization will take place in the following steps (collectively, the
“Internal Reorganization”), all of which have occurred or will occur prior to the
Distribution in the following order, unless otherwise determined by the Ralcorp Board:
Step 1: Ralcorp will form Post, a new wholly-owned subsidiary corporation under the laws of
the State of Missouri.
Step 2: Ralcorp
will borrow up to $775 million pursuant to a short-term note
payable and/or credit agreement to one or
more financial institutions (“Ralcorp Debt”).
Step 3: Post will borrow up to $175 million pursuant to the Post Credit Facility.
Step 4: Ralcorp will contribute all of the equity interest in Post US to Post (the “Post
Contribution”) in exchange for additional shares of Post Common Stock, a portion of the
proceeds from the Post Credit Facility, and newly issued debt securities of Post (the “Post
Debt Securities”).
Step 5: Post will use all or a portion of the borrowing proceeds it retained from the Post
Credit Facility to acquire the portion of the Post Business located in Canada from Post Canada
through either a direct or indirect stock or asset purchase (the “Canada Sale”).
Step
6: After the financial institutions or their affiliates have held the Ralcorp Debt for no less than five
days, Ralcorp will (i) enter into an exchange agreement with one or more financial institutions
(the “Debt for Debt Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which the parties agree to exchange an
amount of Ralcorp Debt to be determined by the parties bargaining at arm’s length for Post Debt
Securities, and/or (ii) enter into an exchange agreement with one or more financial institutions
(the “Equity for Debt Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which the parties agree to exchange
an amount of Ralcorp Debt to be determined by the parties bargaining at arm’s length for Retained
Shares;
Step
7: No less than 14 days following the issuance of the Ralcorp
Debt, Ralcorp will (i) if a Debt for Debt Exchange Agreement has been
entered into, repay all or a portion of the Ralcorp Debt by transferring Post Debt Securities to the financial
institutions holding such Ralcorp Debt pursuant to the Debt for Debt Exchange Agreement (the
“Debt for Debt Exchange”), and/or (ii) if an Equity
for Debt Exchange Agreement has been entered into, repay all or a portion of the Ralcorp Debt by
transferring Retained Shares to the financial institutions holding such Ralcorp Debt pursuant to
the Equity for Debt Exchange Agreement (the “Equity for Debt Exchange”).