STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT by and among CHARLES DOUGLAS HOUSE, and FIND/SVP, INC. Dated as of March 14, 2005
EXECUTION
COPY
by and
among
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX HOUSE,
and
FIND/SVP,
INC.
Dated as
of March 14, 2005
TABLE
OF CONTENTS |
||||
Page | ||||
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS |
1 | |||
ARTICLE II SALE AND PURCHASE OF SHARES |
9 | |||
Section 2.1 | Purchase of Shares. |
9 | ||
Section 2.2 | Consideration. |
9 | ||
Section 2.3 | One Year Deferred Consideration. |
10 | ||
Section 2.4 | Two Year Deferred Consideration. |
10 | ||
Section 2.5 | Three Year Deferred Consideration. |
10 | ||
Section 2.6 | Determination of Calculations. |
11 | ||
Section 2.7 | Post-closing Operations. |
12 | ||
Section 2.8 | Payment of Deferred Consideration Upon Certain Events of Default. |
13 | ||
Section 2.9 | Closing Date Indebtedness Schedule and Purchase Price Adjustment. |
16 | ||
(a) | Closing Date Indebtedness Schedule. |
16 | ||
(b) | Purchase Price Adjustment Based on Closing Date Indebtedness. |
16 | ||
Section 2.10 | Legending of Consideration Shares. |
17 | ||
ARTICLE III CLOSING |
18 | |||
Section 3.1 | Time and Place of Closing. |
18 | ||
Section 3.2 | Conditions Precedent to Purchaser s Obligation to Close. |
18 | ||
Section 3.3 | Conditions Precedent to Seller s Obligation to Close. |
20 | ||
ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
21 | |||
Section 4.1 | Representations and Warranties of the Seller. |
21 | ||
(a) | Organization. |
21 | ||
(b) | Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and Corporate Records. |
22 | ||
(c) | Capitalization of the Company. |
23 | ||
(d) | Capitalization of the Subsidiary. |
23 | ||
(e) | Authority. |
24 | ||
(f) | Subsidiaries. |
24 | ||
(g) | Financial Statements. |
24 | ||
(h) | Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities. |
25 | ||
(i) | Taxes |
25 | ||
(j) | Tangible Property. |
26 | ||
(k) | No Conflict. |
26 | ||
(l) | Absence of Changes. |
27 | ||
(m) | Litigation. |
29 | ||
(n) | Licenses and Permits: Compliance With Law. |
29 | ||
(o) | Real Property Leases. |
30 | ||
(p) | Real Property Ownership. |
31 | ||
(q) | Intellectual Property. |
31 | ||
(r) | Contracts. |
33 | ||
(s) | Labor Matters. |
34 | ||
(t) | Pension and Benefit Plans. |
35 | ||
(u) | Insurance. |
38 | ||
(v) | Employees. |
39 | ||
(w) | Customers and Suppliers. |
39 | ||
(x) | Governmental Approvals and Third Party Consents. |
40 | ||
(y) | Transactions with Related Parties. |
40 | ||
(z) | Brokers and Intermediaries. |
40 | ||
(aa) | Title to Securities. |
40 | ||
(bb) | List of Bank Accounts and Proxies. |
41 |
i
(cc) | Environmental and Safety Matters. |
41 | ||
(dd) | Accounts Receivable, Notes Receivable, and Costs in Excess of Billing. |
42 | ||
(ee) | Investment in the Consideration Shares. |
42 | ||
(ff) | Disclosure. |
42 | ||
(gg) | FIRPTA. |
42 | ||
(hh) | Net Working Capital Ratio. |
42 | ||
Section 4.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchaser. |
43 | |||
(a) | Organization and Standing. |
43 | ||
(b) | Corporate Power and Authority. |
43 | ||
(c) | Agreement Does Not Violate Other Instruments. |
43 | ||
(d) | Litigation. |
43 | ||
(e) | Approvals. |
43 | ||
(f) | Brokers and Intermediaries. |
44 | ||
(g) | SEC Filings. |
44 | ||
(h) | Investment Intent. |
44 | ||
(i) | Solvency. |
44 | ||
ARTICLE V COVENANTS |
44 | |||
Section 5.1 | Affirmative Covenants of the Seller. |
44 | ||
Section 5.2 | Affirmative Covenants of the Seller Relating to Due Diligence. . |
45 | ||
Section 5.3 | Negative Covenants of the Seller. |
46 | ||
Section 5.4 | Affirmative Covenants of the Purchaser. |
48 | ||
Section 5.5 | Preparation of Tax Return. |
48 | ||
(a) | Tax Returns. |
48 | ||
(b) | Cooperation on Tax Matters. |
48 | ||
(c) | Tax Refunds. |
49 | ||
(d) | Transfer Taxes. |
49 | ||
(e) | Apportionment of Straddle Periods. |
49 | ||
Section 5.6 | Notification. |
49 | ||
Section 5.7 | Confidentiality. |
50 | ||
Section 5.8 | Covenant Not to Compete. |
50 | ||
Section 5.9 | Further Assurances |
53 | ||
Section 5.10 | Transfer of the Shares. |
53 | ||
Section 5.11 | Subsequent Actions. |
53 | ||
Section 5.12 | Efforts |
54 | ||
Section 5.13 | Release by Seller. |
54 | ||
Section 5.14 | Acquisition Proposals: No Solicitation. . |
54 | ||
Section 5.15 | Termination of Certain Liabilities.. |
55 | ||
ARTICLE VI TERMINATION |
55 | |||
Section 6.1 | Termination by the Purchaser. |
55 | ||
Section 6.2 | Termination by the Seller. |
55 | ||
Section 6.4 | Notice of Termination. . |
56 | ||
Section 6.5 | Waiver.. |
56 | ||
ARTICLE VII INDEMNIFICATION |
56 | |||
Section 7.1 | Survival of the Representations and Warranties. |
56 | ||
Section 7.2 | Effects of Investigation. |
56 | ||
Section 7.3 | Indemnification Generally. |
57 | ||
(a) | By the Seller. |
57 | ||
(b) | By the Purchaser. |
57 | ||
(c) | Indemnity Procedure. |
57 | ||
(d) | Limitations on Indemnification. |
60 | ||
(e) | Right to Set-off Against Additional Consideration. |
61 |
ii
Section 7.4 | Obligation. |
62 | ||
ARTICLE VIII MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS |
62 | |||
Section 8.1 | Expenses. |
62 | ||
Section 8.2 | Governing Law. |
62 | ||
Section 8.3 | Notices. |
62 | ||
Section 8.4 | No Waiver of Remedies, etc. |
63 | ||
Section 8.5 | Injunctive Relief; Jurisdiction and Venue. |
63 | ||
Section 8.6 | Counterparts. |
64 | ||
Section 8.7 | Section and Other Headings. |
64 | ||
Section 8.8 | Entire Agreement; Incorporation by Reference. |
64 | ||
Section 8.9 | Binding Effect |
64 | ||
Section 8.10 | Amendment or Modification. |
64 | ||
Section 8.11 | Waiver. |
64 | ||
Section 8.12 | Severability. |
64 | ||
Section 8.13 | Assignment. |
65 | ||
Section 8.14 | Publicity. |
65 | ||
Section 8.15 | Right to Update Schedules. |
65 | ||
iii
THIS
STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this Agreement ), dated as of March 14, 2005, is
entered into by and among FIND/SVP, INC., a New York corporation with its
principal offices at 000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (the
Purchaser ); and XXXXXXX XXXXXXX HOUSE, an individual residing at 0000 Xxxxx
00xx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000 (the Seller ).
W I T N E
S S E T H:
WHEREAS,
the Seller is the legal and beneficial owner of all of the issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock of SIGNIA PARTNERS, INC., a District of
Columbia corporation, with its principal offices at 0000 Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000 (the Company ); and
WHEREAS,
the Seller desires to sell, and the Purchaser desires to acquire, all of the
shares of the capital stock of the Company, upon the terms and conditions set
forth herein.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual representations,
warranties, covenants and promises herein contained, the Purchaser and the
Seller hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
As used
herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context
otherwise requires:
Additional
Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount means a sum determined in accordance
with the formula set forth on Schedule
2.5
hereto.
Adjusted
EBITDA means any of One Year Adjusted EBITDA, Two Year Adjusted EBITDA, or Three
Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA, or any portion thereof within an applicable
Deferred Consideration Period, as the context requires.
Affiliate
of a Person means a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with
such Person. The term Affiliate shall include any Person that owns or has
control over more than ten percent (10%) of the equity interests in another
Person. With respect to Section 5.4 only, Affiliate shall only mean the
subsidiaries and related entities of Purchaser set forth in its filings with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934.
Agent has
the meaning set forth in Section 5.14 hereof.
1
Acquisition
Proposal has the meaning set forth in section 5.14 hereof.
Applicable
Law means, with respect to any Person, any international, national, regional,
state or local treaty, statute, law, ordinance, rule, administrative action,
regulation, order, writ, injunction, judgment, decree or other requirement of
any Governmental Entity and any requirements imposed by common law or case law,
applicable to such Person or any of its properties, assets, officers, directors,
employees, consultants or agents (in connection with their activities on behalf
of such Person). Applicable Law includes, without limitation, environmental
laws, state and local zoning laws and ordinances, land use and building laws,
laws respecting the sale of services, laws respecting employment and labor, and
laws respecting bidding on contracts.
Assets
means all tangible and intangible property owned by the Company and any other
assets of the Company designated as assets pursuant to GAAP.
Average
Closing Price means the average of the prices of the Purchaser Common Stock
quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board on the NASDAQ System for a twenty (20)
consecutive trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the
Closing Date.
Balance
Sheet has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(g) hereof.
Bankruptcy
Event has the meaning set forth in Section 2.8(b) hereof.
Business
means the business of the Company and the Subsidiary as currently conducted,
including, but not limited to, competitive intelligence, strategic research and
consulting, and business seminars and conferences.
CERCLA
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(cc) hereof.
Closing
means the consummation of the transactions provided for in this
Agreement.
Closing
Date has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1 hereof.
Closing
Date Indebtedness Schedule has the meaning set forth in Section 2.7(a)
hereof.
Code
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor statutes
thereto.
Common
Stock means the authorized common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the
Company.
Company
has the meaning set forth on the Preamble of this Agreement.
Company
Intellectual Property has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(q)
hereof.
2
Company
Office Lease shall mean the lease by the Company of its principal office space
located at 0000 Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000.
Company
Pre-closing Payments shall mean the payments set forth on Schedule 5.15 hereof
that the Seller shall cause the Company to make on or prior to the
Closing.
Company
Share of Special Operating Costs has the meaning set forth in Section 2.7(c)
hereof.
Compensation-Related
Payments shall mean salaries, bonuses, employment taxes, matching contributions
under any retirement plan and any costs, charges or expenses pertaining to stock
option grants, restricted share grants or incentive payments that affect and are
reflected in the Purchaser's statement of income for the applicable period (but
excluding any costs, charges or expenses pertaining to the OMG Bonus Program),
each as calculated in accordance with GAAP.
Consideration
Shares has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2 hereof.
Content
shall mean any and all information, pictures, images, graphics, video, text, and
any other content or information, in whatever form or on any media.
Date of
Determination has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3 hereof.
Deferred
Consideration Period means the three year period commencing on the Deferred
Consideration Period Commencement Date and ending on the last day of the
thirty-sixth month thereafter or any of the three one-year periods commencing on
the Deferred Consideration Period Commencement Date, as the context
requires.
Deferred
Consideration Period Commencement Date shall have the meaning set forth within
the definition of One Year Adjusted EBITDA .
Determining
Accountants has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6(b) hereof.
Xxxxxxxxx
Employment Agreement has the meaning set forth in Section
3.2(f)(ix).
Employee
Benefit Plan means any (a) nonqualified deferred compensation or retirement plan
or arrangement which is an Employee Pension Benefit Plan, (b) qualified defined
contribution retirement plan or arrangement which is an Employee Pension Benefit
Plan, (c) qualified defined benefit retirement plan or arrangement which is an
Employee Pension Benefit Plan (including any Multiemployer Plan), or (d)
Employee Welfare Benefit Plan or material fringe benefit plan, program,
arrangement or account.
Employee
Pension Benefit Plan has the meaning set forth in Section 3(2) of
ERISA.
Employee
Welfare Benefit Plan has the meaning set forth in Section 3(1) of
ERISA.
3
Encumbrance
shall mean any mortgage, lien, security interest, pledge, proxy, voting trust or
agreement, encumbrance, option, restriction on use, voting or transferability,
defect of title, charge or claim of any nature whatsoever on any property or
property interest.
Environmental
Release shall have the meaning set forth in CERCLA.
Environmental
and Safety Requirements shall mean all Applicable Law concerning public health
and safety, worker health and safety and pollution or protection of the
environment (including, without limitation, all those relating to the presence,
use, production, generation, handling, transport, treatment, storage, disposal,
distribution, labeling, testing, processing, discharge, Environmental Release,
threatened Environmental Release, control or cleanup of any hazardous or
otherwise regulated materials, substances or wastes, chemical substances or
mixtures, pesticides, pollutants, contaminants, toxic chemicals, petroleum
products or distillates, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, noise or
radiation).
ERISA
means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended.
Estimated
Closing Date Indebtedness Schedule has the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(a)
hereof.
Event of
Default has the meaning set forth in Section 2.8(a) hereof.
Fiduciary
has the meaning set forth in Section 3(21) of ERISA.
Financial
Statements has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(g) hereof.
GAAP
means U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, applied on a basis
consistent with the basis on which the Balance Sheet and Financial Statements
referred to in Section 4.1(g) were prepared.
Governmental
Entity shall mean any national, international, territorial, state, regional,
provincial or local governmental authority, quasi-governmental authority,
instrumentality, court, government or self-regulatory organization, commission,
tribunal or organization or any regulatory, administrative commission or other
agency, or any political or other subdivision, department or branch of any of
the foregoing, or any arbitrator or mediator.
Gross
Profit shall mean the Company s gross profit as determined by GAAP, giving
effect to all direct Compensation-Related Payments and commissions paid on sales
appropriately included in direct costs, but not giving effect to any charges for
interest expense, depreciation, amortization, income taxes or gross receipts
taxes.
Guaranty
shall mean, as to any Person, all liabilities or obligations of such Person,
with respect to any indebtedness or other obligations of any other person, which
have been guaranteed, directly or indirectly, in any manner by such Person,
through an agreement, contingent or otherwise, primarily for the purpose of
enabling the debtor to make payment of such indebtedness or obligation or to
guarantee the payment to the owner of such indebtedness or obligation against
loss, or to supply funds to or in any manner invest in the debtor, or
otherwise.
4
Indebtedness
of any Person means and includes, without duplication, as of any date as of
which the amount thereof is to be determined, (i) all obligations of such Person
for borrowed money; (ii) all obligations of such Person representing the balance
deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property, except any such
balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable; (iii) all
obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures, or other
similar instruments (other than performance, surety, and appeals bonds arising
in the ordinary course of business); (iv) any capital lease obligation of such
Person; (v) all reimbursement, payment, or similar obligations, contingent or
otherwise, of such Person under acceptance or letters of credit (other than
letters of credit in support of trade obligations or incurred in connection with
public liability insurance, workers compensation, unemployment insurance,
old-age pensions, and other social security benefits other than in respect of
employee benefit plans subject to ERISA); (vi) all obligations of such Person,
contingent or otherwise, under any Guaranty by such Person of the obligations of
another Person of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above; (vi)
all obligations referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above secured by any
mortgage or security interest in property (including without limitation
accounts, contract rights, and general intangibles) owned by such Person and as
to which such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such
obligations other than to the extent of the property subject to such mortgage or
security interest; and (vii) any other indebtedness included on, or that should
be included on, a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.
For the avoidance of doubt, Indebtedness of any Person shall not include any
deferred taxes of such Person.
Indebtedness
Report has the meaning set forth in Section 2.7(a) hereof.
Insurance
Policies has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(u) hereof.
Intellectual
Property shall mean any United States, foreign, international and state patents
and patent applications, industrial design registrations, certificates of
invention and utility models (collectively, Patents ); trademarks, service
marks, and trademark or service xxxx registrations and applications, trade
names, logos, designs, slogans, and general intangibles of like nature, together
with all goodwill related to the foregoing (collectively, Trademarks ); Internet
domain names; copyrights, copyright registrations, renewals and applications for
copyrights, including without limitation for the Content and the Software (each
as defined herein) (collectively, Copyrights ); Content; Software, technology,
trade secrets and other confidential information, know-how, proprietary
processes, formulae, algorithms, models and methodologies, rights of privacy and
publicity, including but not limited to, the names, likenesses, voices and
biographical information of real persons, and all license agreements and other
agreements granting rights relating to any of the foregoing which are classified
as intangible assets under GAAP.
Knowledge
, whether capitalized or not, means (i) the actual knowledge of such Person
after due inquiry or (ii) knowledge that such Person should have reasonably been
expected to know in the Ordinary Course of Business, unless otherwise provided
for herein to the contrary. A Person (other than an individual) will be deemed
to have knowledge of a particular fact or other matter if any of such Person's
current Affiliates, officers or directors, has, or at any time had, knowledge of
such fact or other matter. In addition, the Seller and the Company shall be
deemed to have knowledge of a particular fact or other matter if Xxxxxxx House,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx or Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx has knowledge of such fact or
matter.
5
Lease and
Leases have the meanings set forth in Section 4.1(o) hereof.
Leased
Property has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(o) hereof.
Liability
and Liabilities means any liability or obligation (whether known or unknown,
whether absolute or contingent, whether liquidated or unliquidated and whether
due or to become due).
License
Agreements has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(q) hereof.
Litigation
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(m) hereof.
Losses
has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3(a) hereof.
Material
Adverse Effect means any change, event or condition of any character which has
had or could have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), results of operations, assets, liabilities, properties or business
of the Company or the Purchaser, as applicable.
Material
Agreement has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(r) hereof.
Xxxxxxx
Employment Agreement has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2(f)(ix)
hereof.
Multiemployer
Plan has the meaning set forth in Section 3(37)(A) of ERISA.
Net
Working Capital Ratio means the ratio of (i) total current assets, less an
amount equal to accrued payroll expense, to (ii) total current liabilities, less
an amount equal to accrued payroll expense and accrued employee vacation time,
each as determined in accordance with GAAP.
Net
Working Capital Ratio Threshold has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2(a)(iii)
below.
OMG Bonus
Program shall mean any OMG bonus incentive plan adopted by the Purchaser from
time to time.
One Year
Adjusted EBITDA means, for the one year period beginning on February 1, 2005
(the Deferred Consideration Period Commencement Date ) and ending on the last
day of the twelfth month thereafter, in accordance with GAAP, Gross Profit of
the Company plus the
aggregate amount of the Company Pre-closing Payments as set forth on Schedule on
Schedule 3.2 (a), less the sum
of (i) a fixed overhead charge in the amount of Six Hundred Forty-One Thousand
Five Hundred One Dollars ($641,501), (ii) the amount of any Compensation-Related
Payments to Company employees not otherwise included in the calculation of Gross
Profit, provided that such Compensation-Related Payments have been approved by
Seller, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, and (iii) the Company
Share of Special Operating Costs, if any, for the applicable period as
determined in accordance with Section 2.7(c).
6
One Year
Deferred Consideration Amount means a sum determined in accordance with the
formula set forth on Schedule
2.3
hereto.
One Year
Deferred Consideration Threshold means an amount of One Year Adjusted EBITDA
equal to $750,000.
Ordinary
Course of Business means the ordinary course of business consistent with past
custom and practice.
PBGC
means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Company.
Person
shall mean any natural person, corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, joint venture, trust, business association, unincorporated
association, organization, Governmental Entity or other entity or
organization.
Prohibited
Transaction has the meaning set forth in Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975
of the Code.
Purchase
Price has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2 hereof.
Purchaser
has the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Agreement.
Purchaser
s Business means (i) subscription-based research and consulting services, (ii)
any short-answer or rapid-turnaround research and consulting services, or (iii)
any in-depth business research or competitive intelligence
services.
Purchaser
Common Stock has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a) hereof.
Related
Party and Related Parties has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(y)
hereof.
Reportable
Event has the meaning set forth in Section 4043 of ERISA.
Representatives
means, as to any Person, its accountants, attorneys, consultants, officers,
directors, employees, agents and other advisers and
representatives.
Releasee
has the meaning set forth in Section 5.13 hereof.
Right of
Set-off has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3(e) hereof.
7
Securities
Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
in effect thereunder.
Seller
has the meaning set forth in the first preamble of this Agreement.
Seller
Claims has the meaning set forth in Section 5.13 hereof.
Seller
Employment Agreement has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2(f)(ix)
hereof.
Shares
means all shares of Common Stock.
Software
shall mean any and all (i) computer programs, including any and all software
implementations of algorithms, models and methodologies, whether in source code
or object code form, (ii) databases, compilations, and any other electronic data
files, including any and all collections of data, whether machine readable or
otherwise, (iii) descriptions, flow-charts, technical and functional
specifications, and other work product used to design, plan, organize, develop,
test, troubleshoot and maintain any of the foregoing, (iv) without limitation to
the foregoing, the software technology supporting any functionality contained on
any of the Company Internet site(s), and (v) all documentation, including
technical, end-user, training and troubleshooting manuals and materials,
relating to any of the foregoing.
Special
Operating Costs has the meaning set forth in Section 2.7(c) hereof.
Subsidiary
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(f) hereof.
Tax or
Taxes means any federal, state, local or foreign income, gross receipts, capital
stock, franchise, profits, withholding, social security, unemployment,
disability, real property, personal property, stamp, excise, occupation, sales,
use, transfer, value added, alternative minimum, estimated or other tax,
assessment, charge, duty, fee, levy or other governmental charge of any kind
whatsoever, including any interest, penalty or addition thereto, whether
disputed or not.
Three
Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA means, for the three year period beginning on the
Deferred Consideration Period Commencement Date and ending on the last day of
the thirty-sixth month thereafter, in accordance with GAAP, Gross Profit of the
Company plus the
aggregate amount of the Company Pre-closing Payments as set forth on Schedule on
Schedule 3.2 (a), less the sum
of (i) a fixed overhead charge in the amount of Six Hundred Forty-One Thousand
Five Hundred One Dollars ($641,501), (ii) the amount of any Compensation-Related
Payments to Company employees not otherwise included in the calculation of Gross
Profit, provided that (A) in the
case of Compensation-Related Payments to employees employed by the Company prior
to the second anniversary of the Deferred Consideration Period Commencement
Date, such Compensation-Related Payments are approved by Seller, which approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld, and (B) in the
case of Compensation-Related Payments to employees employed by the Company on or
after the second anniversary of the Deferred Consideration Period Commencement
Date, such Compensation-Related Payments are approved solely by Seller, and
(iii) the Company Share of Special Operating Costs, if any, for the applicable
period as determined in accordance with Section 2.7(c).
8
Three
Year Aggregate Deferred Consideration Threshold means an amount of Three Year
Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA equal to $2,550,000.
Three
Year Deferred Consideration Amount means a sum determined in accordance with the
formula set forth on Schedule
2.5
hereto.
Two Year
Adjusted EBITDA means, for the one year period beginning on the one-year
anniversary of the Deferred Consideration Period Commencement Date and ending on
the last day of the twelfth month thereafter, in accordance with GAAP, Gross
Profit of the Company, less the sum
of (i) a fixed overhead charge in the amount of Six Hundred Forty-One Thousand
Five Hundred One Dollars ($641,501), (ii) the amount of any Compensation-Related
Payments to Company employees not otherwise included in the calculation of Gross
Profit, provided that such Compensation-Related Payments have been approved by
Seller, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, and (iii) the Company
Share of Special Operating Costs, if any, for the applicable period as
determined in accordance with Section 2.7(c).
Two Year
Deferred Consideration Amount means a sum determined in accordance with the
formula set forth on Schedule
2.4
hereto.
Two Year
Deferred Consideration Threshold means an amount of Two Year Adjusted EBITDA
equal to $750,000.
ARTICLE
II
SALE
AND PURCHASE OF SHARES
Section
2.1 Purchase
of Shares. Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, on the Closing Date, the Seller
shall sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser shall purchase from the Seller,
all of the Seller s right, title and interest in and to the Shares, which shall
collectively constitute one hundred percent (100%) of the issued and outstanding
capital stock of the Company. At the Closing, the Seller shall deliver to the
Purchaser all of the certificates representing the Shares together with stock
powers separate from the certificates duly executed by the Seller in blank and
sufficient to convey to the Purchaser good title to all of the Shares free and
clear of any and all Encumbrances of any nature whatsoever, other than
restrictions arising under applicable securities laws.
Section
2.2 Consideration.
(a) Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, in addition to any One
Year Deferred Consideration Amount, Two Year Deferred Consideration Amount and
Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount or other amount that may be payable
pursuant to Sections 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 and 2.8 hereof, respectively, the aggregate
purchase price for the Shares shall be up to Three Million Four Hundred Thousand
($3,400,000.00) Dollars (the Purchase Price ), payable by the Purchaser to or
for the benefit of the Seller, as follows:
9
(i) |
$3,100,000.00,
subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 2.9 below, shall be payable
in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds at the Closing
(the Cash Consideration ) to the Seller;
and |
(ii) |
$300,000.00
of duly authorized and non-assessable shares (the Consideration Shares )
of the Purchaser s common stock, par value $.0001 per share (the Purchaser
Common Stock ) issued to the Seller. |
For
purposes of determining the number of shares of Purchaser Common Stock which
shall constitute the Consideration Shares payable at Closing to the Seller, the
value of Purchaser Common Stock shall be determined based upon the Average
Closing Price. If, on or prior to the Closing Date, Purchaser should split or
combine the Purchaser Common Stock, or pay a stock dividend or other stock
distribution in Purchaser Common Stock, or otherwise change the Purchaser Common
Stock into any other securities, or make any other dividend or distribution on
the Purchaser Common Stock (other than normal quarterly dividends, as the same
may be adjusted from time to time and in the ordinary course), then the number
of Consideration Shares issuable on the Closing Date will be appropriately
adjusted to reflect such split, combination, dividend or other distribution or
change.
Section
2.3 One
Year Deferred Consideration.
If the
One Year Adjusted EBITDA equals or exceeds the One Year Deferred Consideration
Threshold, the Purchaser shall pay, or shall arrange for the Company to pay to
the Seller in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds the One Year
Deferred Consideration Amount indicated on Schedule
2.3 hereto
within ten (10) days after the determination of the One Year Adjusted EBITDA.
The date of determination ( Date of Determination ) of the One Year Adjusted
EBITDA, Two Year Adjusted EBITDA or Three Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA, as the
case may be, shall be the earlier to occur of (i) the date on which the
Purchaser receives notice from the Seller that the Seller does not dispute the
Purchaser s determination of the One Year Adjusted EBITDA, Two Year Adjusted
EBITDA or Three Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA, as the case may be, as provided
in Section 2.6(a) below, (ii) the date the parties resolve among themselves any
such dispute regarding such determination, or (iii) the date of the written
notice of the Determining Accountants as set forth in Section 2.6(b)
below.
Section
2.4 Two
Year Deferred Consideration. If the
Two Year Adjusted EBITDA equals or exceeds the Two Year Deferred Consideration
Threshold, the Purchaser shall pay, or shall arrange for the Company to pay to
the Seller in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds the Two Year
Deferred Consideration Amount indicated on Schedule
2.4 hereto
within ten (10) days after the determination of the Two Year Adjusted EBITDA.
Section
2.5 Three
Year Deferred Consideration. If the
Three Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA equals or exceeds the Three Year Aggregate
Deferred Consideration Threshold, the Purchaser shall pay, or shall arrange for
the Company to pay to the Seller in cash by wire transfer of immediately
available funds the Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount indicated on
Schedule
2.5 hereto
within ten (10) days after the determination of the Three Year Aggregate
Adjusted EBITDA.
10
Section
2.6 Determination
of Calculations.
(a) The One
Year Adjusted EBITDA, the One Year Deferred Consideration Amount, and whether
the One Year Deferred Consideration Threshold has been met shall be determined
by the Chief Financial Officer of the Purchaser no later than sixty (60) days
following the end of the period and notice thereof shall be delivered to the
Seller within five (5) days of such determination. The Two Year Adjusted EBITDA,
the Two Year Deferred Consideration Amount, and whether the Two Year Deferred
Consideration Threshold has been met shall be determined by the Chief Financial
Officer of the Purchaser no later than sixty (60) days following the end of the
period and notice thereof shall be delivered to the Seller within five (5) days
of such determination. The Three Year Adjusted EBITDA, the Three Year Deferred
Consideration Amount, and whether the Three Year Deferred Consideration
Threshold has been met shall be determined by the Chief Financial Officer of the
Purchaser no later than sixty (60) days following the end of the period and
notice thereof shall be delivered to the Seller within five (5) days of such
determination. The notices required to be provided by the Chief Financial
Officer as set forth herein shall be in writing and shall include copies of the
financial statements used in making the computations.
(b) The
Seller and his accountant shall be afforded access to and shall be entitled to
review and make extracts from the work papers, files and books of account in
connection with the determination of the One Year Adjusted EBITDA, the Two Year
Adjusted EBITDA, the Three Year Adjusted EBITDA, the One Year Deferred
Consideration Amount, the Two Year Deferred Consideration Amount, the Three Year
Deferred Consideration Amount and whether the One Year Deferred Consideration
Threshold, the Two Year Deferred Consideration Threshold or the Three Year
Deferred Consideration Threshold have been met. These determinations shall
become final and binding upon the parties unless, within thirty (30) days
following delivery to the Seller, notice is given by the Seller to the Purchaser
of the Seller s dispute, setting forth in reasonable detail the Seller s basis
for such objection. If the
Seller has delivered notice of
such a
dispute to
Purchaser within such thirty (30) day period, then Purchaser shall pay such
amount of the One Year Deferred Consideration Amount, the Two Year Deferred
Consideration Amount, or the Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount, as
applicable, that is
not
subject to any dispute
and the
parties shall work together in good faith to resolve the dispute.
If the parties are unable to reach agreement within thirty (30) days after
notice of dispute has been received by the Purchaser, then all such disputes
shall be referred together as promptly as practicable for resolution to a
mutually acceptable independent accounting firm of national reputation that has
not represented any of the parties hereto within the preceding two (2) years
(the Determining Accountants ). The Determining Accountants will make a
determination as to each item in dispute, which determination will be (i) in
writing, (ii) furnished to the Purchaser and the Seller as promptly as
practicable after the items in dispute have been referred to the
11
Determining
Accountants, (iii) made in accordance with this Agreement, and (iv) final and
binding upon each party hereto. Each of the Purchaser and the Seller shall use
reasonable efforts to cause the Determining Accountants to render their decision
as soon as reasonably practicable, including without limitation by promptly
complying with all reasonable requests by the Determining Accountants for
information, books, records and similar items. In rendering its decision, the
Determining Accountant shall, in its sole discretion, apportion its fees and
expenses in connection with the dispute, based on its views as to the relative
merits of the positions of each party in the dispute; provided, however, that
the Seller shall advance half, and the Purchaser shall advance the other half,
of any retainer fee or deposit required by the Determining Accountant in advance
of a final resolution, subject to reapportionment by the Determining Accountant
of its fees and expenses as aforesaid. All determinations of the Determining
Accountant's apportionment of fees and expenses as between the Seller and the
Purchaser shall be final and binding on the parties hereto, and neither the
Seller nor the Purchaser shall have the right to appeal such
determination.
Section
2.7 Post-closing
Operations.
(a) After the
Closing, the Purchaser agrees to operate and manage the Business consistent with
reasonable business practices and further agrees and undertakes to the Seller
that the Purchaser will use its commercially reasonable efforts to promote,
support and continue the operations of the Business and will
act in good faith with regard to the achievement of the maximization of One Year
Adjusted EBITDA, Two Year Adjusted EBITDA or Three Year Aggregate Adjusted
EBITDA, as applicable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Purchaser shall be
entitled to do any act (or refrain therefrom) in the conduct of the business of
the Business if it acts in good faith, consistent with reasonable business
practices and reasonably considers such action (or determination not to act) to
be in the best interests of the Business and not for the purpose of adversely
affecting the calculation of One Year Adjusted EBITDA, Two Year Adjusted EBITDA
or Three Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA, as applicable. Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, following the earlier to occur of
(i) the end of the three-year Deferred Consideration Period, (ii) an Event of
Default, or (iii) a Bankruptcy Event, all covenants of the Purchaser and consent
and approval rights of the Seller under this Agreement with respect to the
operations of the Business of the Company, including, without limitation,
decisions regarding Compensation-Related Payments, shall terminate.
(b) The
Purchaser and the Seller agree that separate books and records will be kept for
the Company and its Subsidiary during the Deferred Consideration
Period.
(c) The
Purchaser and the Seller acknowledge that following the Closing and during the
Deferred Consideration Period, the Company may incur unforeseen fees, costs and
expenses (including attorney s fees and damage awards or settlement payments,
but excluding consequential damages) relating to litigation or threatened
litigation
involving the Company (a Claim ), which fees, costs and expenses would not
otherwise be indemnifiable pursuant to the indemnification provisions of Section
6.3(a) of this Agreement and would adversely affect the Company s operating
results during the Deferred Consideration Period ( Special Operating Costs ).
Each party agrees to notify the other party as soon as reasonably practicable
following such party s knowledge of a Claim that has given or could give rise to
Special Operating Costs. The Purchaser shall have the sole right to determine
(which determination shall be made within a reasonable period of time following
the Purchaser understanding the facts and circumstances of such Claim) whether
any Claim giving rise
12
to
Special Operating Costs shall be managed solely by the Seller, as President of
the Company, or by the Purchaser. If such Claim is managed solely by the Seller,
as President of the Company, then the Company Share of Special Operating Costs
of such Claim shall equal 100% of the Special Operating Costs arising out of
such Claim. If such Claim is managed by the Purchaser, then the Company Share of
Special Operating Costs arising out of such Claim shall equal 50% of the Special
Operating Costs. For purposes of this paragraph (c), a Claim will be considered
to be managed solely by the Seller if the Seller has exclusive control and
decision making authority with respect to all aspects of the Claim, including
settlement negotiations, subject to the terms of the next sentence. In any
event, the Seller, as President of the Company, shall not settle any such Claim
without prior notice to and consultation with the Purchaser, and no settlement
of a Claim involving any equitable relief that might have an adverse effect on
the Purchaser may be agreed to without the written consent of the Purchaser
(which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld).
Section
2.8 Payment
of Deferred Consideration Upon Certain Events of Default.
(a) If one or
more Events of Default, as defined in this Section 2.8(a), shall occur, then
Purchaser shall pay, or shall arrange for the Company to pay, in lieu of any
further payments to be made pursuant to Sections 2.3, 2.4 or 2.5 hereof, but
subject to the last sentence of this Section 2.8(a):
(i) |
if
such Event of Default occurs during the eleven month period beginning on
the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the eleventh month
thereafter, (A) $280,000 less the Deferred Consideration Deduction Amount,
if any, on the date that the One Year Deferred Consideration Amount would
have otherwise been due, (B) $280,000 on the date that the Two Year
Deferred Consideration Amount would have otherwise been due, and (C)
$840,000 on the date that the Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount
would have otherwise been due; |
(ii) |
if
such Event of Default occurs during the one year period beginning on the
one-year anniversary of the Deferred Consideration Period Commencement
Date and ending on the last day of the twelfth month thereafter, (A)
$280,000, less the Deferred Consideration Deduction Amount, if any, on the
date that the Two Year Deferred Consideration Amount would have otherwise
been due, and (C) $840,000 on the date that the Three Year Deferred
Consideration Amount would have otherwise been due;
or |
(iii) |
if
such Event of Default occurs during the one year period beginning on the
two-year anniversary of the Deferred Consideration Period Commencement
Date and ending on the last day of the twelfth month thereafter, $840,000,
less the Deferred Consideration Deduction amount, if any, on the date that
the Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount would have otherwise been
due; |
in each
case, paid in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the
Seller. An Event of Default for purposes of this Section 2.8 shall have occurred
upon the termination of either the Seller Employment Agreement or, unless the
Seller agrees to such termination, the Xxxxxxx Employment Agreement, in each
case, by the Company without Cause (as defined in such agreements forms of which
are attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2(a)(vii)) or, solely with respect to the
Seller, by such employee for Good Reason . For purposes of this Agreement, Good
Reason shall mean: (a) Good Reason under Section 6(b)(i) of the Seller s
Employment Agreement only with respect to material, uncured breaches of Section
5 of the Seller s Employment Agreement; and (b) Good Reason under Section
6(b)(iii) of the Seller s Employment Agreement.
13
If an
Event of Default occurs during the second six months of any applicable twelve
month Deferred Consideration Period there shall be a Deferred Consideration
Deduction Amount based on the shortfall, if any, between the Company s
annualized Adjusted EBITDA to date and the Adjusted EBITDA targets set forth on
Schedules 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5. The Deferred Consideration Deduction Amount for any
Deferred Consideration Period shall equal: (i) the maximum amount of the One
Year Deferred Consideration Amount, Two Year Deferred Consideration Amount or
Three Year Aggregate Consideration Amount, as applicable, less (ii) the amount
of One Year Deferred Consideration Amount, Two Year Deferred Consideration
Amount or Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount, as applicable, that would
have been paid assuming that the One Year Adjusted EBITDA, Two Year Adjusted
EBITDA or Three Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA, as applicable, equals
(A) the
Adjusted EBITDA earned from the beginning of the applicable Deferred
Consideration Period until the date of the Event of Default, multiplied by
(B) a
fraction, (x) the
numerator of which is twelve and (y) the
denominator of which is the number of months into the applicable Deferred
Consideration Period that the Event of Default occurred, multiplied by
(C) 110%.
In the case of Three Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA, the pro rata calculation
described in the preceding sentence will only be performed for the Adjusted
EBITDA for the third and final one-year Deferred Consideration Period, which
number will be added to the actual One Year Adjusted EBITDA and Two Year
Adjusted EBITDA for purposes of determining the Three Year Aggregate Adjusted
EBITDA to be used in the calculation of the Deferred Consideration Deduction
Amount for such period. Any objection made by the Seller to the calculation of
the Deferred Consideration Deduction Amount shall be resolved by the parties in
the same manner prescribed by Section 2.6(b) hereof. The following examples are
meant to be illustrative and not comprehensive:
Example
1: The
Seller s employment with the Company is terminated during the seventh month of
the first Deferred Consideration Period and such termination constitutes an
Event of Default. The Company s One Year Adjusted EBITDA through the date of
termination is $350,000. The Deferred Consideration Deduction Amount for such
Deferred Consideration Period would equal $280,000: $280,000 (the maximum amount
payable for such period), less $0 (the amount of One Year Deferred Consideration
Amount that would have been paid if One Year Adjusted EBITDA equaled: $350,000 x
12/7 x 110% = $660,000).
Example
2: The
Seller s employment with the Company is terminated during the eighth month of
the second Deferred Consideration Period and such termination constitutes an
Event of Default. The Company s Two Year Adjusted EBITDA through the date of
termination is $500,000. The Deferred Consideration Deduction Amount for such
Deferred Consideration Period would equal $70,000: $280,000 (the maximum amount
payable for such period), less $210,000 (the amount of Two Year Deferred
Consideration Amount that would have been paid if Two Year Adjusted EBITDA
equaled: $500,000 x 12/8 x 110% = $825,000).
14
Example
3: The
Seller s employment with the Company is terminated during the eighth month of
the third and final Deferred Consideration Period and such termination
constitutes an Event of Default. The One Year Deferred Consideration Amount was
$140,000 on the basis of One Year Adjusted EBITDA of $800,000. The Two Year
Deferred Consideration Amount was $280,000 on the basis of Two Year Adjusted
EBITDA of $1,000,000. The Company s Three Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA through
the date of termination is $2,200,000, $400,000 of which came in the third
Deferred Consideration Period. The Deferred Consideration Deduction Amount for
such Deferred Consideration Period would equal $840,000: $840,000 (the maximum
amount payable for such period in connection with an Event of Default), less $0
(the amount of Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount that would have been
paid in connection with an Event of Default if Adjusted EBITDA for the full
third Deferred Consideration Period equaled: $400,000 x 12/8 x 110% = $660,000,
which, when added to the actual One Year Adjusted EBITDA and Two Year Adjusted
EBITDA, gives a Three Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA of $2,460,000).
Example
4: Same as
Example 3, except Adjusted EBITDA was $600,000 in the third Deferred
Consideration Period through the date of termination. The Deferred Consideration
Deduction Amount for such Deferred Consideration Period would equal $0: $840,000
(the maximum amount payable for such period in connection with an Event of
Default), less $840,000 (the amount of Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount
that would have been paid in connection with an Event of Default if Adjusted
EBITDA for the full third Deferred Consideration Period equaled: $600,000 x 12/8
x 110% = $990,000, which, when added to the actual One Year Adjusted EBITDA and
Two Year Adjusted EBITDA, gives a Three Year Aggregate Adjusted EBITDA of
$2,790,000).
If an
Event of Default occurs during the first six months of any applicable twelve
month Deferred Consideration Period there shall be no Deferred Consideration
Deduction Amount. In addition, if the Company s Adjusted EBITDA for the twelve
month Deferred Consideration Period in which an Event of Default occurs would
have entitled the Seller to the payment of One Year Deferred Consideration
Amount, Two Year Deferred Consideration Amount or Three Year Aggregate Deferred
Consideration Amount, as the case may be, in excess of the amount payable for
such Deferred Consideration Period pursuant to this Section 2.8(a), such excess
amount shall be paid promptly to the Seller.
(b) If one or
more Bankruptcy Events, as defined in this Section 2.8(b), shall occur, then
Purchaser immediately thereupon shall pay, or shall arrange for the Company to
pay, in lieu of any further payments to be made pursuant to Sections 2.3, 2.4,
2.5 or 2.8(a) hereof,:
(i) |
if
such Bankruptcy Event occurs during the eleven month period beginning on
the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the eleventh month
thereafter, $1,400,000; |
(ii) |
if
such Bankruptcy Event occurs during the one year period beginning on the
one-year anniversary of the Deferred Consideration Period Commencement
Date and ending on the last day of the twelfth month thereafter,
$1,120,000; or |
15
(iii) |
if
such Event of Default occurs during the one year period beginning on the
two-year anniversary of the Deferred Consideration Period Commencement
Date and ending on the last day of the twelfth month thereafter,
$840,000; |
in each
case, to the Seller in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds. A
Bankruptcy Event for purpose of this Section 2.8(b) shall mean any bankruptcy,
reorganization, debt arrangement or other proceeding under any bankruptcy or
insolvency law, or any dissolution or liquidation proceeding, is instituted by
or against the Purchaser and if instituted against the Purchaser, is not
dismissed within sixty (60) days.
Section
2.9 Closing
Date Indebtedness Schedule and Purchase Price Adjustment.
(a) Closing
Date Indebtedness Schedule.
On the
date hereof, the Seller shall have caused the Company to prepare and provide to
the Purchaser a copy of the Company s unaudited, estimated Schedule of
Indebtedness as of the Closing Date (the Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness
Schedule ). Within 60 calendar days following the Closing Date, the Purchaser or
its accountants has the right to review the Company s financial books and
records in order to, among other things, verify the accuracy of the Estimated
Closing Date Indebtedness Schedule. After the conclusion of the review, the
Purchaser shall deliver a written report to the Seller (the Indebtedness Report
), which shall include the Company's Schedule of Indebtedness as of the Closing
Date, as determined by the Purchaser or its accountants (the Closing Date
Indebtedness Schedule ). The Seller may object to all or any part of the
Indebtedness Report by written notice to the Purchaser within 14 calendar days
after its receipt by the Seller; and the Seller s failure to send such objection
notice within such period shall be deemed conclusive acceptance of the
Indebtedness Report by the Seller, whereupon the Indebtedness Report and its
contents shall become final and binding on the parties for purposes of this
Agreement. Any timely objection made by the Seller to the Indebtedness Report
shall be resolved by the parties in the same manner prescribed by Section 2.6(b)
hereof.
(b) Purchase
Price Adjustment Based on Closing Date Indebtedness.
(i) Estimated
Closing Date Indebtedness. The
Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness Schedule shall include entries for the total
estimated Indebtedness of the Company as of the Closing Date. The amount of Cash
Consideration payable at Closing shall be adjusted as follows:
(A) if the
Company s estimated outstanding Indebtedness as of the Closing Date, as
reflected on the Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness Schedule, exceeds $300,000,
the Cash Consideration shall be reduced by the amount of such difference;
and
16
(B) if the
Company s estimated outstanding Indebtedness as of the Closing Date, as
reflected on the Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness Schedule, is less than
$300,000, the Cash Consideration shall be increased by the amount of such
difference.
(ii) Closing
Date Indebtedness. The
Closing Date Indebtedness Schedule shall include entries for the total
Indebtedness of the Company as of the Closing Date. As part of the Indebtedness
Report, the Purchaser or its accountants shall verify the difference between the
actual Indebtedness as of the Closing Date and $300,000 and recalculate the
amount of any adjustment to be made to Cash Consideration pursuant to Section
2.9(b)(i).
(A) To the
extent that the actual Cash Consideration owing to the Seller is greater than
the estimated Cash Consideration paid to the Seller at the Closing, then the
Purchaser shall pay, or shall arrange for the Company to pay, such difference to
the Seller in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds within ten
(10) days of the determination of the actual Cash Consideration
amount.
(B) To the
extent that the actual Cash Consideration owing to the Seller is less than the
estimated Cash Consideration paid to the Seller at the Closing, then at the
Purchaser s sole option either the Seller shall pay such difference to the
Purchaser in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds within ten
(10) days of the determination of the actual Cash Consideration amount or the
Seller may exercise the same Right of Set-off prescribed by Section 6.3(e)
hereof with respect to such difference in Cash Consideration owed to the
Purchaser.
Section
2.10 Legending
of Consideration Shares. Each
certificate for Purchaser Common Stock to be issued to the Seller pursuant to
this Agreement shall bear substantially the following legend:
NO
TRANSFER OF THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY BE MADE EXCEPT (A)
PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933, AS AMENDED, AND THE RULES AND REGULATIONS IN EFFECT THEREUNDER (THE ACT )
AND ALL APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR (B) IF SUCH TRANSFER IS EXEMPT FROM
THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT.
17
ARTICLE
III
CLOSING
Section
3.1 Time
and Place of Closing.
Provided
that each condition precedent to close set forth in this Article has been
satisfied or waived by the party entitled to waive such condition, the Closing
shall take place at the offices of Xxxx Xxxxxxx, P.C., 1350 Avenue of the
Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, 00000, on April 4, 2005 at 10:00 A.M., New York
time, or on such other date and time upon which the parties may agree (the
Closing Date ). All proceedings to be taken and all documents to be executed at
the Closing shall be deemed to have been taken, delivered and executed
simultaneously, and no proceeding shall be deemed taken nor documents deemed
executed or delivered until all have been taken, delivered and
executed.
Section
3.2 Conditions
Precedent to Purchaser s Obligation to Close. The
obligation of the Purchaser to purchase the Shares and to perform its other
obligations under this Agreement at the Closing shall be subject to the
satisfaction of each and every of the following conditions precedent (or waiver
thereof by the Purchaser) on or prior to the Closing Date:
(a) Representations
and Warranties. Each of
the representations and warranties of the Seller contained in Section 4.1 of
this Agreement or in any certificate or other document delivered pursuant to
this Agreement or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby,
disregarding all qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating to
materiality or Material Adverse Effect, were true and correct in all material
respects when made and shall be true and correct in all material respects at and
as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though such representations and
warranties were made at and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that
such representations and warranties speak as of another date, in which case such
representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date,
and except as otherwise contemplated or permitted by this Agreement), and the
Purchaser shall have received a certificate from the Seller, dated the Closing
Date, to that effect.
(b) Compliance
with Obligations.
The
Seller shall have performed and complied, and shall have caused the Company to
perform and comply, in all material respects with all agreements, covenants and
obligations required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by them
on or prior to the Closing Date and the Purchaser shall have received a
certificate from the Seller, dated the Closing Date, to that
effect.
(c) No
Material Adverse Change. Except as
may be set forth herein, since the date hereof there shall have been no change,
occurrence or circumstance having or reasonably likely to have, individually or
in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and the Purchaser shall have
received a certificate from the Seller, dated the Closing Date, to such
effect.
(d) Consents. The
Company shall have obtained, on or prior to the Closing Date, the consent of all
Persons, the consent of which is required, so that the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not constitute a default or
accelerate any liability under any agreement to which the Company is a party or
by which the Company is bound.
18
(e) No
Injunctions. etc.
The
Closing shall not have been enjoined or prohibited by any judicial or regulatory
proceeding, nor shall any action, proceeding, suit, litigation or investigation
be pending or threatened before any Governmental Entity (i) that seeks to enjoin
or prohibit, or to obtain damages in connection with the Closing or (ii) that
purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement
and the other documents, instruments and agreements to be entered into by the
Seller pursuant hereto.
(f) Receipt
of Documents, etc.
The Purchaser
shall have received the following, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to the Purchaser:
(i) |
certificates
representing the Shares, which certificates shall be in good delivery
form, duly endorsed or accompanied by appropriate stock transfer powers
duly executed; |
(ii) |
copies
of the Articles of Incorporation (as recently certified by their
respective jurisdictions of formation) and Bylaws of the Company,
certified by the Secretary of the Company as of the Closing Date as being
true and correct copies thereof as in effect on the Closing
Date; |
(iii) |
a
certificate from the Seller certifying as of the Closing Date (A) the
amount of the Company s total Indebtedness and (B) that the Company has a
Net Working Capital Ratio of at least 2.35:1.00 (the Net Working Capital
Ratio Threshold ); |
(iv) |
evidence
reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser that all of the Company Pre-closing
Payments listed on Schedule 5.15 have been made by the Company on or prior
to the Closing; |
(v) |
evidence
reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser that all options, warrants, rights,
contracts, calls, puts, rights to subscribe, conversion rights, equity
appreciation, phantom stock or similar rights or other agreements or
commitments with respect to the capital stock of the Company or the
Subsidiary listed on Schedule 4.1(c) have been
terminated; |
(vi) |
all
corporate minute books, stock certificate books and other corporate
records of each of the Company and the
Subsidiary; |
(vii) |
a
certificate of the Secretary of State of the District of Columbia, dated
as of a date within thirty (30) days prior to the Closing Date, certifying
that the Company is in good standing under the laws of the District of
Columbia, and a bringdown good standing confirmation dated as of the
Closing Date; |
(viii) |
a
certificate of the Secretary of State of District of Columbia, dated as of
a date within thirty (30) days prior to the Closing Date, certifying that
the Subsidiary is in good standing under the laws of District of Columbia,
and a bringdown good standing confirmation dated as of the Closing
Date; |
19
(ix) |
duly
executed Employment Agreements, dated the Closing Date, substantially in
the respective forms attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2(f)(ix), by and between
the Company and each of The Seller (the Seller Employment Agreement ),
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx (the Xxxxxxx Employment Agreement ) and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
(the "Xxxxxxxxx Employment Agreement"); |
(x) |
the
consent of the landlord to the assignment of the Company Office Lease;
|
(xi) |
the
written consent of all Persons whose consent is required so that the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not
constitute a default or accelerate any liability under any agreement to
which the Company or the Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or
the Subsidiary is bound; and |
(xii) |
evidence
reasonably satisfactory to the Purchaser that the Employment Agreement
between the Company and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, dated October 31, 2003 has been
terminated. |
Section
3.3 Conditions
Precedent to Seller s Obligation to Close. The
obligations of the Seller to sell the Shares and to perform his other
obligations under this Agreement at the Closing shall be subject to the
satisfaction of the following conditions precedent (or waiver thereof by the
Seller) on or prior to the Closing Date:
(a) Representations
and Warranties. Each of
the representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained in Section 4.2 of
this Agreement or in any certificate or other document delivered pursuant to
this Agreement or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby,
disregarding all qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating to
materiality or Material Adverse Effect, were true and correct in all material
respects when made and shall be true and correct in all material respects at and
as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though such representations and
warranties were made at and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that
such representations and warranties speak as of another date, in which case such
representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date,
and except as otherwise contemplated or permitted by this Agreement), and the
Seller shall have received a certificate from the Purchaser, dated the Closing
Date, to that effect.
(b) Compliance
with Obligations.
The
Purchaser shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all
agreements, covenants and obligations required by this Agreement to be performed
or complied with by it on or prior to the Closing Date and the Seller shall have
received a certificate from the Purchaser, dated the Closing Date, to that
effect.
20
(c) No
Material Adverse Change. Except
as may be set forth herein, since date hereof there shall have been no change,
occurrence or circumstance having or reasonably likely to have, individually or
in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and the Seller shall have received a
certificate from the Purchaser, dated the Closing Date, to such
effect.
(d) No
Injunctions. etc. The
Closing shall not have been enjoined or prohibited by any judicial or regulatory
proceeding, nor shall any action, proceeding, suit, litigation or investigation
involving the Company be pending before any court, arbitration, tribunal,
governmental or regulatory agency or legislative body (i) that seeks to enjoin
or prohibit, or to obtain substantial damages in connection with, the Closing,
or (ii) that purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this
Agreement and the other documents, instruments and agreements to be entered into
by the Purchaser pursuant hereto.
(e) Receipt
of Documents, etc. The
Seller shall have received the following, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Seller:
(i) |
the
Initial Cash Consideration; |
(ii) |
the
Closing Consideration Shares; |
(iii) |
certified
copies of resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Purchaser approving
the transactions set forth in this
Agreement; |
(iv) |
(v) |
the
duly executed Seller Employment Agreement, Xxxxxxx Employment Agreement
and Xxxxxxxxx Employment Agreement, each dated the Closing Date,
substantially in the respective forms attached hereto as Exhibit
3.2(f)(ix). |
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
Section
4.1 Representations
and Warranties of the Seller. The
Seller represents and warrants to the Purchaser that each of the following
statements is true, accurate and complete:
(a) Organization. Except
as set forth on Schedule 4.1(a), each of
the Company
and the Subsidiary is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in
good standing under the laws of the state in which it was incorporated, has the
full corporate power and authority and possesses all governmental
franchises, licenses,
permits, authorizations and approvals required to carry on the Business in the
places and as it is now being conducted and to own, lease and sublease the
properties and assets with respect to the Business which it now owns, leases or
subleases and is qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in each of
the jurisdictions listed under its name in Schedule
4.1(a) attached
hereto, which constitute all of the jurisdictions where the
nature or character of the property owned, leased or operated by it or the
nature of the business transacted by it makes such qualification necessary,
except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
21
(b) Articles
of Incorporation, Bylaws and Corporate Records. The
Seller has heretofore furnished to the Purchaser complete and correct copies of
the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, stock ledgers and all minutes books of
the Board of Directors and its committees and the stockholders of each of the
Company and the Subsidiary. All material actions taken by each of the Company
and the Subsidiary since its organization and incorporation have been duly
authorized and/or subsequently ratified by the stockholder or Board of
Directors, as necessary, of the Company or the Subsidiary, as the case may be,
and are set forth in the minute books of the Company or the Subsidiary, as the
case may be. Such minute books contain complete and accurate records of all
meetings and other corporate actions of the board of directors, committees of
the board of directors, incorporators and stockholders of the Company and the
Subsidiary since the date of their respective incorporations. All such meetings
were duly called and held, and a quorum was present and acting throughout each
such meeting. Such stock ledgers and stock transfer records reflect all
issuances and registrations of transfer of all shares of capital stock of the
Company and the Subsidiary, as the case may be, and certificates representing
all canceled shares of capital stock have been returned to the stock ledger,
except where a lost certificate affidavit has been received from the registered
owner (or their lawful representative) of the shares evidenced thereby.
Execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby by the Seller does not and will not violate
any provision of the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the
Company.
22
(c) Capitalization
of the Company. The
entire authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 1,000 shares of
Common Stock of which 250 shares are issued to the Seller and remain
outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding Common Stock have been duly
authorized, are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and are held of
record by the Seller, and, except as set forth on Schedule
4.1(c) attached
hereto, are free and clear of any liens, charges, Encumbrances
or in violation of any statutory or common law preemptive rights. Except as set
forth on Schedule
4.1(c) attached
hereto, there are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants, rights,
contracts, calls, puts, rights to subscribe, conversion rights or other
agreements or commitments to which the Company or the Seller is a party or which
are binding upon the Company or the Seller providing for the issuance, transfer,
disposition or acquisition of any of its capital stock. Except as set forth on
Schedule
4.1(c) attached
hereto, there is no outstanding or authorized equity appreciation, phantom stock
or similar rights with respect to the Company. There are no dividends which have
accrued or been declared but are unpaid on the outstanding capital stock of the
Company. All Taxes required to be paid in connection with the issuance and any
transfers of the outstanding capital stock of the Company have been paid. All
permits or authorizations required to be obtained from or registrations required
to be effected with any Person in connection with any and all issuances of
securities of the Company since the date of its incorporation have been obtained
or effected, and all securities of the Company have been issued and are held in
accordance with the provisions of all Applicable Law. There are no voting
trusts, proxies or any other agreements or understandings with respect to the
voting of the capital stock of the Company, which would not otherwise be
terminated at or before the Closing. Upon consummation of the Closing, the
Company will not have any securities convertible into or exchangeable for any
shares of its capital stock which have been created prior to the Closing, nor
will it have outstanding any rights, options, agreements or arrangements to
subscribe for or to purchase its capital stock or any securities convertible
into or exchangeable for its capital stock, which has been created prior to the
Closing.
(d) Capitalization
of the Subsidiary. The
entire authorized capital stock of the Subsidiary consists of 1,000 shares of
Common Stock of which 1,000 shares are issued to the Company and remain
outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Subsidiary
has been duly authorized, is validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and
at the Closing will be held of record by the Company, and are free and clear of
any liens, charges or other Encumbrances. There are no outstanding or authorized
options, warrants, rights, contracts, calls, puts, rights to subscribe,
conversion rights or other agreements or commitments to which the Subsidiary or
the Company is a party or which are binding upon the Subsidiary or the Company
providing for the issuance, transfer, disposition or acquisition of any of the
Subsidiary s capital stock. There is no outstanding or authorized equity
appreciation, phantom stock or similar rights with respect to the Subsidiary.
There are no dividends which have accrued or been declared but are unpaid on the
outstanding capital stock of the Subsidiary. All Taxes required to be paid in
connection with the issuance and any transfers of the outstanding capital stock
of the Subsidiary have been paid. All permits or authorizations required to be
obtained from or registrations required to be effected with any Person in
connection with any and all issuances of securities of the Subsidiary since its
date of incorporation have been
obtained or effected, and all securities of the Subsidiary have been issued and
are held in accordance with the provisions of all Applicable Law. There are no
voting trusts, proxies or any other agreements or understandings with respect to
the voting of the capital stock of the Subsidiary, which would not otherwise be
terminated at or before the Closing. Upon consummation of the Closing, the
Subsidiary will not have any securities convertible into or exchangeable for any
shares of its capital stock which have been created prior to the Closing, nor
will it have outstanding any rights, options, agreements or arrangements to
subscribe for or to purchase its capital stock or any securities convertible
into or exchangeable for its capital stock, which has been created prior to the
Closing.
23
(e) Authority.
The Seller
is a natural Person and is competent and has all requisite power and authority
to execute and deliver this Agreement and the other documents, instruments and
agreements to be entered into by him pursuant hereto, to perform hereunder and
thereunder, and to consummate the transactions identified in this Agreement
without the necessity of any act or consent of any other Person or entity
whomsoever. This Agreement and each and every agreement, document and instrument
to be executed, delivered and performed by the Seller in connection herewith,
constitute or will, when executed and delivered, constitute the legal, valid and
binding obligation of the Seller, enforceable against him in accordance with
their respective terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws from time to time
in effect affecting the enforcement of creditors rights generally, and except as
enforcement of remedies may be limited by general equitable
principles.
(f) Subsidiaries.
Schedule
4.1(f) sets
forth the jurisdiction of incorporation and authorized and outstanding capital
of Washington Researchers (the Subsidiary ) and the jurisdictions in which the
Subsidiary is qualified to do business. All the outstanding capital stock of the
Subsidiary is owned directly or indirectly by the Company free and clear of all
Encumbrances and all material claims or charges of any kind, and is validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Except for the Subsidiary, the Company
does not control directly or indirectly or have any direct or indirect equity
participation in any Company, partnership, trust, joint venture, limited
liability company or other business association.
(g) Financial
Statements.
The
Seller has delivered to the Seller true and complete copies of the Company s
(i) audited consolidated balance sheets and related audited consolidated
statements of income, stockholder s equity and comprehensive income, and cash
flows at and for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2003 and 2004, including the
notes thereto and (ii) the
unaudited but reviewed consolidated balance sheet and related unaudited
consolidated statement of income, stockholder s equity and comprehensive income,
and cash flows at and for the six months ended December 31, 2004, including the
notes thereto (collectively, the Financial Statements ). The Company s unaudited
but reviewed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2004 is referred to
herein as the Balance Sheet. The Financial Statements (a) have been prepared
from, are in accordance with, and accurately reflect the books and records of
the Company and the Subsidiary, in accordance with GAAP consistently applied
throughout the periods covered thereby, and (b) are true and correct and fairly
present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and the
Subsidiary on a consolidated basis as of the respective dates thereof and the
results of operations, changes in stockholders equity and comprehensive income
(in the case of the year-end Financial Statements), and cash flows for the
periods covered thereby.
24
(h) Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities. Except
a set forth on Schedule
4.1(h),
there are
no Liabilities of the Company or the Subsidiary other than those that
(i) are disclosed or reserved against on the Balance Sheet or the notes
thereto; or (ii) have been incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business since the
date of the Balance Sheet. To the Seller s Knowledge, the reserves reflected in
the Financial Statements are adequate, appropriate and reasonable, and have been
calculated in a consistent manner.
(i) Taxes. Except
as set forth on Schedule 4.1(i), each of
the Company and the Subsidiary has duly filed or caused to be filed all Tax
reports and returns that it was required to file. Except as set forth on
Schedule 4.1(i), all such reports and returns were prepared and
filed in accordance with Applicable Law and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, are
correct and complete in all material respects and neither the Company nor the
Subsidiary has reported on its income tax returns any positions taken therein
that could give rise to a substantial understatement of federal or other income
tax. No claim has ever been made by an authority in a jurisdiction where the
Company or the Subsidiary does not file Tax returns that the Company or the
Subsidiary or the case may be is or may be subject to taxation by that
jurisdiction. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.1(i), all Taxes owed
by the Company and the Subsidiary as set forth on any filed return have been
fully paid or fully reserved against in the Financial Statements. The Company
and the Subsidiary have withheld and paid all Taxes required to have been
withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee,
creditor, independent contractor or other third party. Except as set forth on
Schedule 4.1(i), there is no action, suit, proceeding,
investigation, audit dispute or claim concerning any Tax Liability of the
Company or the Subsidiary either (i) claimed or raised by any authority in
writing or (ii) as to which the Seller has any actual knowledge, and, to the
knowledge of the Seller, there exists no reasonable basis for the making of any
such actions, suits, proceedings, investigations, audit disputes or claims.
Except as set forth on Schedule 4.1(i), there is no liability for
federal, state, local or foreign income, sales, use, employment, excise,
property, franchise, ad valorem, license, employment or other Taxes,
assessments, fees, charges or additions to Tax arising out of, or attributable
to, or affecting the Assets or the conduct of the Business, for which the
Company will have any Liability for payment or otherwise in excess of the
amounts so paid by the Company which would be reflected as a liability of the
Company in its financial statements if prepared as of the Closing Date in
accordance with GAAP. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has waived any
statute of limitations in respect of Taxes or agreed to any extension of time
with respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency. Neither the Seller, with respect
to the Company, nor the Company, with respect to itself or the Subsidiary, has
agreed or is required to make any adjustments pursuant to Section 481(a) of the
Code or any similar provision of other tax law, domestic or foreign, by reason
of a change in accounting method initiated by it or any other relevant party nor
has it any knowledge that any taxing authority has proposed any such adjustment
or change in accounting method. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has any
application pending with any taxing authority requesting permission for any
changes in accounting methods.
25
(j) Tangible
Property.
(iii) Assets.
Schedule
4.1(j) hereto
sets forth all plant, machinery, equipment, furniture, leasehold improvements,
fixtures, vehicles, structures, any related capitalized items and other tangible
property used in the Business ( Tangible Property ).
(iv) Title
to Assets.
Except as
disclosed in Schedule
4.1(j) attached
hereto, the Company has good and valid title to, or a valid leasehold interest
in, all Tangible Property, in each case free and clear of any
Encumbrances.
(v) Enforceability
of Personal Property Leases.
Each of
the leases for personal property included in the Assets is in full force and
effect and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and
each other party thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms, and there is
not existing under any of such leases any default of the Company or any event or
condition which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a
default.
(vi) Operating
Condition.
All of
the tangible material Assets are in operating condition and sufficient state of
repair to operate the Business as presently conducted by the Company, and is
inspected, maintained and operated in conformity with all Applicable
Law.
(vii) Sufficiency.
Other
than as set forth on Schedule
4.1(j), there
are no assets owned by any third party which are used in the operation of the
Business, as presently conducted by the Company.
(k) No
Conflict. Except
as set forth on Schedule
4.1(k),
the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other documents, instruments
and agreements to be entered into pursuant hereto by the Seller do not, and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not: (i)
violate
or
conflict with the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws (or other organizational
documents) of the Company or the Subsidiary; (ii) violate or conflict with any
Applicable Law binding upon the Company or the Subsidiary, except as would not
be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) violate or
conflict with, result in a breach of, constitute a default or otherwise cause
any loss of benefit under any material agreement or other obligation to which
the Company or the Subsidiary is a party (including, without limitation, the
Contracts set forth on Schedule attached hereto) or by which either of them or
any of their Assets are bound, except, in each case, for such violations,
conflicts, breaches, defaults or losses as would not have a Material Adverse
Effect; or (iv) result in the creation of an Encumbrance pursuant to, or give
rise to any penalty, acceleration of remedies, right of termination or otherwise
cause any alteration of any rights or obligations of any party under any
material contract or agreement to which either the Company or the Subsidiary is
a party or by which either of them or any of their assets are bound. Except as
set forth on Schedule
4.1(k), no
consent, authorization, waiver by or filing with any governmental agency,
administrative body or other third party is required in connection with the
execution or performance of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation by
the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for such consents,
authorizations, waivers or filings, as to which the failure to obtain would not
be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
26
(l) Absence
of Changes. Except as
disclosed in Schedule
4.1(1) attached
hereto, since December 31, 2004, the Company and the Subsidiary has conducted
the Business only in the Ordinary Course of Business and:
(i) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has made any distribution of cash or other Assets
other than distributions made in the Ordinary Course of Business and which did
not impair the Company s ability to meet the Net Working Capital Ratio
Threshold;
(ii) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has (a) sold, leased, licensed, transferred or
assigned any of the Assets, tangible or intangible, in excess of $10,000 in the
aggregate, other than for fair consideration in the Ordinary Course of Business
and the Company has not written up the value of any of the Assets, or (b) sold,
leased, licensed, transferred, assigned or disposed of any of the Assets
material to the conduct of the Business.
(iii) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has entered into any written contract, lease,
sublease or license involving more than $25,000, other than customer contracts
and subcontractor contracts related thereto entered into in the Ordinary Course
of Business;
(iv) to the
Seller s knowledge, no party (including, without limitation, the Company and the
Subsidiary) has accelerated, terminated, modified or canceled any contract,
agreement, lease, sublease or license (or series of related contracts,
agreements, leases, subleases and licenses) involving more than $25,000 to which
the Company or the Subsidiary is a party or by which it is bound, and, to the
Seller s knowledge, no party (including, without limitation, the Company and the
Subsidiary) has threatened, or notified the Seller, the Company or the
Subsidiary, of its intent to do any of the foregoing;
(v) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has imposed any written mortgage or pledge of, or
permitted or allowed the subjection of any lien, charge, security interest or
Encumbrance of any kind on any of its Assets, tangible or
intangible;
(vi) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has made or committed to make any capital
expenditure (or series of related capital expenditures) involving more than
$25,000;
27
(vii) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed any
indebtedness (including capitalized lease obligations);
(viii) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has canceled, amended, delayed or postponed
(beyond its normal practice) the payment of accounts payable and other
Liabilities;
(ix) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has canceled, compromised, waived or released any
right or claim (or series of related rights and claims) involving more than
$10,000 in the aggregate;
(x) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has become a defendant in any legal action or
proceeding, exclusive of xxxxxxx s compensation claims, where the amount
involved or the potential loss is claimed to be more than $10,000;
(xi) there has
been no change made or authorized in the charter, by-laws or other
organizational documents of the Company or the Subsidiary and there has been no
change in any method of accounting or accounting practice of the Company or the
Subsidiary;
(xii) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has issued, sold or otherwise disposed of, or
authorized for issuance or sale, its capital stock or other equity securities,
or granted or authorized for issuance or sale any options, warrants or other
rights to purchase or obtain (including upon conversion or exercise) any of its
capital stock;
(xiii) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has declared, set aside or paid any dividend or
distribution with respect to its capital stock or redeemed, purchased or
otherwise acquired any of their capital stock;
(xiv) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has experienced any damage, destruction or loss
(whether or not covered by insurance) which has had or could have a Material
Adverse Effect;
(xv) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has made any new loan to, or entered into any
other transaction with, any of their directors, officers and employees giving
rise to any claim or right on their part against the Person or on the part of
the Person against them, other than in the Ordinary Course of
Business;
(xvi) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has granted any increase in the compensation,
fringe benefits, or other compensation of, or paid any bonus or special payment
of any kind (including increases under any bonus, pension, profit-sharing or
other plan or commitment) to any of their employees, officers or directors, or
Related Parties;
28
(xvii) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has adopted any (A) bonus, (B) profit-sharing,
(C) incentive compensation, (D) pension, (E) retirement, (F) medical,
hospitalization, life or other insurance, (G) severance, (H) other plan,
contract or commitment for any of its directors, officers or employees, or
modified or terminated any existing such plan, contract or
commitment;
(xviii) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has made any charitable or other capital
contribution;
(xix) there has
not been any other occurrence, commitment, event, incident, action, failure to
act or transaction outside the Ordinary Course of Business involving the Company
or the Subsidiary which has or will have a Material Adverse Effect;
(xx) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has received notice of any material adverse
change in their relationships with any financial institution, customer or
supplier with which they currently do Business, nor is the Company or the Seller
aware of any circumstance that could reasonably lead to such a change; and
(xxi) neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has agreed, whether in writing or otherwise, to
take any of the foregoing actions.
(m) Litigation. Except as
set forth on Schedule 4.1(m), there are no actions, suits, investigations,
arbitrations claims or proceedings ( Litigation ) pending or, to the Seller s
Knowledge, threatened before any Governmental Entity (a) against (whether as
plaintiff, defendant or otherwise) or affecting the Company or the Subsidiary or
their directors, officers or shareholders in their capacities as such (b)
against the Seller relating to the Shares or the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, and to the knowledge of the Seller there exist no facts or
circumstances creating any reasonable basis for the institution of any such
action, suit, investigation, claim or proceeding. Schedule 4.1(m) sets forth a
complete and accurate list, description and outcome of any Litigation against
(whether as plaintiff, defendant or otherwise) or affecting the Company or the
Subsidiary during the last five (5) years. There is no Litigation pending or, to
the Seller s Knowledge, threatened against the Company or the Subsidiary that
materially and adversely affects any of the Company, the Subsidiary, the Assets
or the Business or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and none of
the items described in Schedule
4.1(m),
individually or in the aggregate, if pursued and/or resulting in a judgment
against any of the Company or the Subsidiary would have a Material Adverse
Effect on the Assets or the Business. Except as set forth on Schedule
4.1(m), there
are no outstanding judgments, decrees, orders or injunctions issued against the
Company or the Subsidiary.
(n) Licenses
and Permits: Compliance With Law. Each of
the Company and the Subsidiary possess all material licenses, certificates,
permits and franchises required to be obtained from federal, foreign, state,
county, municipal or other public authorities in the operation of the Business,
and each of the Company and the Subsidiary is presently conducting the Business
so as to comply with all Applicable Law and in all material respects with all
such material licenses, certificates, permits and franchises. Neither the
Company nor the Subsidiary is in receipt of written notice from any Governmental
Entity alleging the violation of any Applicable Law and to the Knowledge of the
Seller no investigation, inspection, audit, or other proceeding by any
Governmental Entity involving an allegation of violation of any Applicable Law
is threatened or contemplated.
29
(o) Real
Property Leases.
(i) Leases.
Schedule
4.1(o) attached
hereto, lists all leases (each a Lease, and collectively the Leases ) entered
into by the Company or the Subsidiary pursuant to which any real property is
occupied or used by the Company or the Subsidiary with respect to the Business
(the Leased Property ). The Seller has delivered to the Purchaser correct and
complete copies of the Leases (including all amendments thereto) listed in
Schedule
4.1(o). Except
as set forth in Schedule
4.1(o) hereto,
with respect to each Lease listed in Schedule
4.1(o): (i) the
Leases are legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and effect; (ii)
the Leases will continue to be legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full
force and effect on identical terms following the Closing, and (iii) there are
no disputes, claims, controversies, oral agreements or forbearance programs in
effect as to the Leases; there are no other agreements that concern the right,
title or interest in and to the Leases or grant to any other Person the right to
occupy the Premises used in the Business. All rent and other sums and charges
payable under the Leases are current, no notice of default or termination under
the Leases are outstanding, no termination event or condition or uncured default
on the part of the Company or the Subsidiary or on the part of the landlord
thereunder exists under the Leases, and no event has occurred and no condition
exists which, with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would
constitute such a default or termination event or condition. There are no
subleases, licenses or other agreements granting to any person other than the
Company any right to the possession, use, occupancy or enjoyment of the premises
demised by the Leases. All of the premises demised under the Leases are used in
the conduct of the Business. To the Seller s Knowledge, no landlord under the
Leases have any plans to make any material alterations to any of the Leased
Property, the construction of which would interfere with the use of any portion
of the Leased Property. To the Seller s Knowledge, no landlord under the Leases
have any plans to make any material alterations to any of the buildings in which
Leased Property is located, the costs of which alterations would be borne in any
part by a tenant under such Leases.
(ii) Leasehold
Improvements. All
improvements located on the Leased Property are in a state of good maintenance
and repair and in a condition adequate and suitable for the effective conduct
therein of the Business conducted and proposed to be conducted by the Company or
the Subsidiary. To the Seller s knowledge, the heating, ventilation, air
conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems at the Leased Properties are in
and will be at Closing in good working order and repair to the extent that it is
Tenant s obligation. To the knowledge of Seller, the heating, ventilation, air
conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems at the Leased Properties are in
and will be at Closing in good working order and repair to the extent that it is
the landlord s obligation, or the Seller will have advised the landlord in
writing, with a copy delivered to the Purchaser, of any defect and requested
correction of same. The Company has not experienced any material interruption in
such services provided to the Leased Property within the last year.
30
(p) Real
Property Ownership. Neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary owns any real property.
(q) Intellectual
Property.
(i) Schedule
4.1(q) sets
forth a complete and accurate list of all United States, international and state
(i) Patents and Patent applications, (ii) Trademark registrations and
applications and all material unregistered Trademarks, (iii) Internet domain
names, and (iv) Copyright registrations and applications and Software (excluding
commercially available off the shelf Software), owned by the Company and/or the
Subsidiary or any other person listed on Schedule
4.1(q) or used
in the Business indicating for each, the applicable jurisdiction, registration
number (or application number), date issued (or date filed) and descriptions of
such property, together with all licenses related to the foregoing, whether the
Company or the Subsidiary is the licensee or licensor thereunder.
(ii) The
Company and/or the Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, owns or presently has the
valid right to use pursuant to license agreements (the License Agreements ), or
otherwise, all Intellectual Property currently used in connection with the
Business as (such Intellectual Property, together with the License Agreements
the Company Intellectual Property ).
(iii) The
Intellectual Property set forth on Schedule
4.1(q) is
solely and exclusively owned by the Company and/or the Subsidiary free and clear
of all Encumbrances, and as for all registered Intellectual Property, the
Company or the Subsidiary is listed in the records of the appropriate United
States, state or foreign agency as the sole owner of record for each
registration and application for any Patent, Trademark, Internet domain name and
Copyright. All of the Intellectual Property registrations and applications and
common law trademarks set forth on Schedule
4.1(q), and the
trademark rights underlying any trademark registrations, applications and common
law marks set forth on Schedule
4.1(q), are
valid and subsisting, in full force and effect, and have not been cancelled,
expired, or abandoned. Neither the Seller nor the Company has received any
written, or oral notification of any pending or threatened opposition,
interference or cancellation proceeding before any court or registration
authority in any jurisdiction against the items set forth on Schedule
4.1(q) or other
Company Intellectual Property, directly or indirectly, owned by any of the
Company or against any Company Intellectual Property not owned by the Company or
the Subsidiary.
31
(iv) There are
no settlements, injunctions, forbearances to xxx, consents, judgments, or orders
or similar obligations to which the Company or the Subsidiary is a party or, to
the Knowledge of the Seller, is otherwise bound, which (i) restrict any of the
Company or the Subsidiary s rights, as the case may be to use any Company
Intellectual Property, (ii) restrict the Subsidiary Business in order to
accommodate a third party s Intellectual Property rights or (iii) permit third
parties to use any Intellectual Property which would otherwise infringe any
Company Intellectual Property. Neither of the Company or the Subsidiary has
licensed or sublicensed its rights in any Company Intellectual Property other
than pursuant to the License Agreements set forth on Schedule
4.1(q) and no
royalties, honoraria or other fees are payable by the Company for the use of or
right to use any Company Intellectual Property in connection with the Business,
except pursuant to the License Agreements set forth on Schedule
4.1(q).
(v) The
License Agreements, permits and other agreements under which either the Company
or the Subsidiary has rights to the Company Intellectual Property are valid and
binding obligations of the Company and all other parties thereto, enforceable in
accordance with their terms, and the Seller does not have Knowledge of any event
or condition not listed on Schedule 4.1(q) which will result in a violation or
breach of, or constitute (with or without due notice or lapse of time or both),
a default by the Company or the Subsidiary, under any such License Agreement or
other agreement.
(vi) Neither
the Seller nor the Company has received written or oral notification that the
conduct of the Business infringes any Intellectual Property rights owned or
controlled by any third party (either directly or indirectly such as through
contributory infringement or inducement to infringe) or is defamatory or
violative in any way of any publicity, privacy, or other rights. Neither the
Seller nor the Company has received any written or oral notification of any
pending or threatened claims or suits (i) alleging that any of the Company s or
the Subsidiary s activities or the conduct of the Business infringes upon or
constitutes the unauthorized use of the Intellectual Property rights of any
third party, nor alleging libel, slander, defamation, or other violation of a
personal right, or (ii) challenging the ownership, use, validity or
enforceability of any Company Intellectual Property.
32
(vii) Except as
set forth on Schedule 4.1(q), to the Knowledge of the Seller and the Company, no
third party is misappropriating, infringing, or otherwise violating any Company
Intellectual Property, and no such claims are pending against a third party by
the Company or the Subsidiary.
(viii) The
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not result in the loss
or impairment of the Company s or the Subsidiary s right to own or use any of
the Company Intellectual Property nor require the consent of any Governmental
Authority or third party in respect of any such Company Intellectual
Property.
(ix) Neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary is currently licensing to a third party, and has
not assigned its rights to any Company Intellectual Property anywhere in the
world.
(x) The
Company and the Subsidiary own or have the right to use all Software used in the
Business. No
unlicensed copies of any Software that is available in consumer retail stores or
otherwise commercially available and subject
to "shrink-wrap" or "click-through" license agreements are installed on any of
the
Company s or the Subsidiary s computers
or computer systems
(r) Contracts.
(i) Schedule
4.1(r)(i) sets
forth a list of the following contracts, agreements, binding bids, binding
proposals, or binding quotations (whether written or oral) to which the Company
or the Subsidiary is a party or signatory or pursuant to which the Company or
the Subsidiary has third party rights (except with respect to the Leases, which
are set forth on Schedule
4.1(o), which
is hereby incorporated by reference into Schedule
4.1(r)(i) and made
a part thereof): (A) contract or series of contracts resulting in a commitment
or potential commitment for expenditure or other obligation or potential
obligation, or which provides for the receipt or potential receipt, involving in
excess of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) in
33
any
instance, or series of related contracts that in the aggregate give rise to
rights or obligations exceeding such amount; (B) indenture, mortgage, promissory
note, loan agreement, guarantee or other agreement or commitment for the
borrowing or lending of money or Encumbrance of Assets involving more than Ten
Thousand Dollars ($10,000) in each instance; (C) agreement which restricts the
Company or the Subsidiary from engaging in any line of business or from
competing with any other Person; and (D) any partnership, shareholder, joint
venture, or similar agreement or arrangement to which either the Company or the
Subsidiary is a party (collectively, and together with the Leases and all other
agreements required to be disclosed on any schedule to this Agreement, the
Material Agreements ). The Seller has previously made available to the Purchaser
true, complete and correct copies of all written Material Agreements. The
Company is not a party to any oral agreement (other than oral agreements with
clients and customers) that is not terminable by the Company upon thirty days
notice without obligation by the Company to the other party.
(ii) Except as
set forth on Schedule
4.1(r)(ii), each of
the Material Agreements is in full force and effect and are the valid and
legally binding obligations of the Company or the Subsidiary which is party to
such Material Agreement and, to the Knowledge of the Company and the Seller, the
other parties thereto, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms,
subject only to bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the rights of
creditors generally and to general equitable principles.
(iii) Neither
the Seller, the Company, nor the Subsidiary has received written or oral notice
of default by the Company or the Subsidiary under any of the Material
Agreements, including any written or oral contract or agreement relating to
borrowed money to which the Company is a party or by or to which it or its
Assets are bound or subject, and no event has occurred which, with the passage
of time or the giving of notice or both, would constitute a material default by
the Company or the Subsidiary thereunder. Neither the Company, the Subsidiary
nor, to the Knowledge of the Seller and the Company, any of the other parties to
any of the Material Agreements is in material default thereunder, nor, to the
Knowledge of the Seller and the Company, has an event occurred which, with the
passage of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute a material
default by such other party thereunder. Neither the Seller, the Company, nor the
Subsidiary has received written or oral notice of the pending or threatened
cancellation, revocation or termination of any of the Material Agreements,
including, without limitation, any written or oral agreements relating to
borrowed money to which the Company or the Subsidiary is a party or by or to
which it or its assets are bound or subject, nor are any of them aware of any
facts or circumstances which are reasonably likely to lead to any such
cancellation, revocation or termination.
(s) Labor
Matters.
(i) Neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary is a party to or bound by any collective
bargaining or similar agreement with any labor organization or work rules or
practices agreed to with any labor organization or employee association
applicable to employees of the Company or the Subsidiary.
34
(ii) No labor
union has been certified by the National Labor Relations Board as bargaining
agent for any of the employees of the Company or the Subsidiary; no notice has
been received from any labor union stating that it has been designated as the
bargaining agent for any of said employees; and no petition has been filed by
any labor union requesting an election to determine whether or not it is the
exclusive bargaining agent for any of said employees.
(iii) None of
the employees of the Company or the Subsidiary is represented by any labor
organization and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, there has been no union
organizing activities among the employees of the Company or the Subsidiary
within the past five years, nor does any question concerning representation
exist concerning such employees.
(iv) Except as
set forth on Schedule
4.1(s) attached
hereto, within the last three (3) years, neither the Company nor the Subsidiary
has been the subject of any union activity or labor dispute, nor has there been
any strike, dispute, worker slowdown, stoppage or lockout of any kind or similar
labor activity called, or threatened to be called, against the Company or the
Subsidiary; and, except as set forth on Schedule
4.1(s), neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has violated in any material respects any
applicable federal or state law or regulation relating to labor or labor
practices with regard to the Business, including, without limitation, all laws
relating to labor relations, equal employment opportunities, fair employment
practices, prohibited discrimination and similar employment activities, and
neither the Company nor the Subsidiary is a party to any collective bargaining
agreement affecting the Business.
(v) There are
no unfair labor practices, representation or other proceedings claimed, pending
or threatened before any Governmental Entity and neither the Seller nor the
Company knows of any facts or circumstances which might give rise to such unfair
labor practice, representation or other proceeding.
(t) Pension
and Benefit Plans.
(i) Schedule
4.1(t) attached
hereto lists all Employee Benefit Plans that the Company and the Subsidiary
maintain, or at any time since January 1, 1999 have maintained, or to which the
Company or the Subsidiary contributes, or at any time since January 1, 1999 have
had any obligation to contribute for the benefit of any current or former
employee of the Company or the Subsidiary. The representations and warranties
set forth in the following subsections A, B, C, D, E and F are with reference to
such Employee Benefit Plans:
35
(A) Each
Employee Benefit Plan (and each related trust or insurance contract) complies,
in form and in operation in all material respects, and has been maintained in
material compliance with the applicable requirements of ERISA and the Code and
all other applicable law including, but not by way of limitation, the
requirements of Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA and of Section 4980B of
the Code (together with any regulations and proposed regulations promulgated
thereunder) and there has been no notice issued by any governmental authority
questioning or challenging such compliance. All Employee Benefit Plans are in
compliance with Code Section 412, to the extent that it is applicable. None of
the Company have or have been party to a defined benefit employee pension plan
under or subject to ERISA.
(B) All
required reports, disclosures and descriptions (including Form 5500 Annual
Reports, Summary Annual Reports and Summary Plan Descriptions) have been filed
or distributed appropriately with respect to each Employee Benefit Plan through
plan years ending December 31, 2003. All required reports, disclosures and
descriptions (including Form 5500 Annual Reports, Summary Annual Reports and
Summary Plan Descriptions) through Plan year ended January 31, 2003 have been or
will be prepared and have been or will be filed or distributed appropriately
with respect to each Employee Benefit Plan.
(C) All
contributions (including all employer contributions and employee salary
reduction contributions) which are due, have been paid to each Employee Pension
Benefit Plan and all contributions for any period ending on or before the
Closing Date which are not yet due through Plan year ended December 31, 2004
have been paid to each Employee Pension Benefit Plan or properly accrued prior
to the Closing Date in accordance with the terms of the plan and past custom and
practice of the Company. All premiums or other payments for all periods ending
on or before the Closing Date have been paid or properly accrued with respect to
each Employee Welfare Benefit Plan. All tax filings required to be made prior to
the date of Closing with respect to each Employee Benefit Plan have been made,
including but not limited to IRS Forms 990-T and 5330, and any taxes due in
connection with such filings have been paid.
(D) Each
Employee Pension Benefit Plan meets the requirements of a qualified plan under
Section 401(a) of the Code and a request has been made for a favorable
determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service for GUST. No event has
occurred and no condition exists which could result in the revocation of such
letter.
36
(E) There
have been no Prohibited Transactions with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan.
Neither the Seller nor, to the Seller s Knowledge, any other Fiduciary has any
liability for breach of fiduciary duty or any other failure to act or comply in
connection with the administration or investment of the assets of any Employee
Benefit Plan. No charge, complaint, action, suit, proceeding, hearing,
investigation, claim or demand against or involving any Employee Benefit Plan or
with respect to the administration or the investment of the assets of any
Employee Benefit Plan (other than routine claims for benefits) is pending or
threatened. The Seller does not have any Knowledge of any basis for any such
charge, complaint, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, investigation, claim or
demand.
(F) With
respect to each Employee Benefit Plan, the Seller has furnished to the Purchaser
correct and complete copies of (1) the plan documents and summary plan
descriptions, (2) the most recent determination letter received from the
Internal Revenue Service, (3) the most recent Form 5500 Annual Report, together
with all schedules, as required, filed with the Internal Revenue Service or the
Department of Labor, as applicable, and (4) all related trust agreements,
insurance contracts and other funding agreements which implement each Employee
Benefit Plan.
(ii) Neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary maintains, contributes to or has any liability
with respect to, and has never maintained, contributed nor been required to
contribute to any Multiemployer Plan. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has
incurred, and the Seller does not have Knowledge that the Company or the
Subsidiary will incur, any Liability to the PBGC (other than PBGC premium
payments) or otherwise under Title IV of ERISA (including any withdrawal
Liability) or under the Code with respect to any Employee Pension Benefit Plan
that the Company or the Subsidiary maintain or at any time maintained or to
which the Company or the Subsidiary contribute or at any time contributed or at
any time been required to contribute unless in each instance such Liability has
been reflected or accrued on the Financial Statements.
(iii) Neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary maintains, maintained, contributes, contributed
or been required to contribute to any Employee Welfare Benefit Plan providing
health, accident or life insurance benefits to former employees, their spouses
or their dependents other than in accordance with Section 4980B of the
Code.
37
(u) Insurance. Schedule
4.1(u) attached
hereto sets forth the following information with respect to each insurance
policy (including but not limited to policies providing property, casualty,
liability and workers compensation coverage and bond and surety arrangements) to
which the Company or the Subsidiary has been a party, a named insured or
otherwise the beneficiary of coverage at any time within the past three (3)
years (the Insurance Policies ):
(i) the name,
address and telephone number of the agent;
(ii) the name
of the insurer, the name of the policyholder and the name of each covered
insured;
(iii) the
policy number and the period of coverage;
(iv) the scope
(including an indication of whether the coverage was on a claims made,
occurrence or other basis) and amount (including a description of how
deductibles and ceilings are calculated and operate) of coverage;
and
(v) a
description of any retroactive premium adjustments or other loss sharing
arrangements.
The
Company has previously provided the Purchaser with true and complete copies of
all of the Insurance Policies, as amended. The Insurance Policies that are in
effect are designated as such on Schedule
4.1(u) (the
Current Policies ). The Insurance Policies provide adequate and customary
coverage for the Business and are sufficient for compliance by the Company and
the Subsidiary with all requirements of Applicable Law and all material
agreements to which the Company or the Subsidiary is a party or by which any of
the Assets are bound. All of the Current Policies are in full force and effect
and are valid and enforceable in accordance with their terms, and the Company
and the Subsidiary have complied with all terms and conditions of such policies,
including premium payments, except where such non-compliance would not provide
grounds for termination or a reduction in or declination of coverage by the
insurance company. None of the insurance carriers has indicated to the Company
or the Seller an intention to cancel, or alter the coverage under, any of the
Current Policies. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has any claim pending
against any of the insurance carriers under any of the Insurance Policies and
there has been no actual or alleged occurrence of any kind which may give rise
to any such claim and has not made any claims under any policy at any time since
January 1, 1999. All applications for the Insurance Policies are accurate in all
material respects. None of such Insurance Policies or arrangements provides for
any retrospective premium adjustment, experienced-based liability
or loss sharing arrangement affecting the Company or the Subsidiary. A true and
complete list of all outstanding claims for medical expenses in excess of
$10,000 made by or with respect to any employee of the Company or the Subsidiary
is set forth in Schedule
4.1(u).
38
(v) Employees.
(i) Except as
disclosed in Schedule
4.1(v)(i) attached
hereto, the Company has not entered into any written or oral employment
agreement with any director, officer or employee of the Company, and the Company
has not entered into any agreements granting severance benefits or benefits
payable upon a change of control of the Company or of the Business. To the
Knowledge of the Seller, no key employee or group of employees has any plans to
terminate employment with the Company or the Subsidiary as a result of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise.
(ii) Schedule
4.1(v)(ii) contains
the names, descriptive title, and annual salary rates and other compensation of
all officers, directors, consultants and employees of the Company who do work
for the Company.
(iii) Schedule
4.1(v)(iii) sets
forth a list of all employee policies, employee manuals or other written
statements of rules or policies as to working conditions, vacation and sick
leave applicable to such persons.
(w) Customers
and Suppliers.
(i) There are
no pending disputes or controversies between the Company and any major customer
or supplier of the Company where the amount in controversy exceeds, or could
reasonably be expected to exceed $5,000 in Losses to the Company, nor, to the
Seller s knowledge, are there any facts which would impair the relationship of
the Company or the Subsidiary with its major customers or suppliers. The Seller
and the Company have no Knowledge that any of the Company s or the Subsidiary s
major customers or suppliers has or is contemplating terminating its
relationship with the Company or the Subsidiary. To the Seller s Knowledge, no
major customer or supplier has experienced any type of work stoppage or other
material adverse circumstances or conditions that may jeopardize or adversely
affect the Company s or the Subsidiary s relationship with any major customer or
supplier.
(ii) Neither
the Company nor any Person acting with authority on behalf of the Company, nor
any Affiliates of the Company nor the Seller, acting alone or together, has with
respect to the Business directly or indirectly in violation of Applicable Law,
given or agreed to give any gift or similar benefit during the past two (2)
years to any customer, supplier, trading company, shipping company, governmental
employee or other Person who is or may be in a position to help or hinder the
Business (or assist the Company in connection with any actual or proposed
transaction) which (A) may subject any of the Company to any material damage or
any material penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation,
proceeding or investigation, (B) if not given, may have had a Material Adverse
Effect, or (C) if not continued in the future, may have a Material Adverse
Effect.
39
(x) Governmental
Approvals and Third Party Consents. No filing
or registration with, and no consent, approval, authorization, license, permit,
certificate or order of any Governmental Entity or any other Person is required
to be made or obtained to permit the Seller to execute, deliver or perform this
Agreement or any instrument or agreement required hereby to be executed by them
at the Closing.
(y) Transactions
with Related Parties. Except
as disclosed in Schedule 4.1(y) attached hereto, the
Company is not a party to any material transaction with any Person which is a
present or former officer or director or shareholder of or partner of any of the
Company, or Affiliate or family member of such officer, director, shareholder or
partner (each such party being a Related Party and, collectively, the Related
Parties ). There are no material commitments to and no material income reflected
in the Financial Statements that has or have been derived from any person or
entity which is a Related Party and, following the Closing, the Purchaser shall
have no obligation of any kind or description to any such Related Party other
than as set forth in accordance with this Agreement. Except as reflected in the
Financial Statements, no material expense relating to the operation of the
Business has been borne by any Person which is a Related Party, the Company does
not have any material income reflected on the Financial Statements that is
dependent upon or conditioned on the Business affiliation with any Related Party
and the Company and the Seller have no reason to believe that any income source
will not be available to the Company after Closing due to lack of sufficient
affiliation. The Company and the Seller have no reason to believe that any
material expense reflected in the Financial Statements will be affected by loss
of the Business affiliation with any Related Party and has no reason to believe
that any expense will increase for the Company after the Closing due to lack of
such affiliation. For purposes of this subsection 4.1(y), transactions between
the Company and the Subsidiary shall be disregarded.
(z) Brokers
and Intermediaries. The
Company has not employed any broker, finder, advisor or intermediary in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement which would be
entitled to a broker s, finder s or similar fee or commission in connection
therewith or upon the consummation thereof except for the firm Kaulkin,
Ginsberg, to whom the Seller will pay the entire fee upon and in connection with
the closing of this transaction.
(aa) Title
to Securities. At the
Closing, the Seller will transfer and convey, and the Purchaser will acquire,
good and marketable title to the Shares, free and clear of all Encumbrances. At
the Closing, the Company will have good and marketable title to all of the
issued and outstanding shares of the Subsidiary, free and clear of all
Encumbrances. Upon the transfer of the Shares to Purchaser, the Company will
possess ownership of the entire Business necessary to operate the Company as an
on-going concern, including as such Business is presently being conducted and
there will be no material assets not owned by the Company which are used to
conduct the Business of the Company.
40
(bb) List
of Bank Accounts and Proxies. Set forth
on Schedule
4.1(bb) is: (a)
the name and address of each bank, trust company, savings and loan association,
or other institution in which each of the Company or the Subsidiary maintains an
account (cash, securities or other) or safe deposit box; (b) the name and phone
number of each Company and Subsidiary contact person at such bank or
institution; (c) the account number of the relevant account and a description of
the type of account; (d) the name of each person authorized by each of the
Company and the Subsidiary to effect transactions therewith or to have access to
any safe deposit box or vault; and (e) all proxies, powers of attorney or other
like instruments to act on behalf of each of the Company and the Subsidiary in
matters concerning its business or affairs.
(cc) Environmental
and Safety Matters.
(i) Each of
the Company and the Subsidiary is currently in compliance with all Environmental
and Safety Requirements, and neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has incurred
Liabilities nor is subject to any corrective, investigatory or remedial
obligations arising under Environmental and Safety Requirements which relate to
the Company or the Subsidiary or any of their respective properties or
facilities, except for such matters which are not reasonably likely to result in
a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) Neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has treated, stored, disposed of, arranged for or
permitted the disposal of, transported, handled or released any hazardous
substance causing either of them to incur any Liabilities for response costs,
natural resource damages or attorneys fees pursuant to the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (
CERCLA ), or any other Environmental and Safety Requirements, except for such
actions which are not reasonably likely to give rise to a Material Adverse
Effect.
(iii) Neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has either expressly or by operation of law,
assumed or undertaken any liability or corrective, investigatory or remedial
obligation of any other Person relating to any Environmental and Safety
Requirements, except for such actions which are not reasonably likely to give
rise to a Material Adverse Effect.
(iv) Neither
the Company nor the Subsidiary has received any communication (written or oral),
whether from a Governmental Entity, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that
alleges that the Company or the Subsidiary is not in full compliance with any
Environmental and Safety Requirements, and there are no circumstances that may
prevent or interfere with such full compliance in the future. The Company has
delivered to Purchaser prior to the execution of this Agreement all information
that is in the possession of or reasonably available to the Seller, the Company
or the Subsidiary regarding environmental matters pertaining to, or the
environmental condition of, the Businesses of the Company and the Subsidiary or
the compliance (or noncompliance) by the Company or the Subsidiary with any
Environmental and Safety Requirements.
41
(dd) Accounts
Receivable, Notes Receivable, and Costs in Excess of Billing. All
accounts, notes receivable and costs in excess of billing of each of the Company
and the Subsidiary as of the date hereof have arisen in the Ordinary Course of
Business, represent valid obligations to such company for sales made, services
performed or other charges and are, to the knowledge of the Seller and the
Company, not subject to claims or set-off, or other defenses or counter-claims
except for reserves for bad debts provided on the Financial Statements. All
items which are required by GAAP to be reflected as accounts and notes
receivable on the Financial Statements and on the books and records of the
Company are so reflected and have been recorded in accordance with
GAAP.
(ee) Investment
in the Consideration Shares. The
Seller is acquiring the Consideration Shares for his own account and will not
sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any of the Consideration Shares or any
interest therein, without registration under the Securities Act and applicable
state blue sky laws, except in a transaction which in the opinion of counsel
reasonably acceptable to Purchaser is exempt therefrom. The Seller is an
accredited investor as that term is defined in rules promulgated under the
Securities Act. The Seller has such knowledge and experience in financial and
business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risk of an
investment in the Purchaser Common Stock and has obtained, in its judgment,
sufficient information from Purchaser to evaluate the merits and risks of an
investment in the Purchaser Common Stock. The Seller has been provided the
opportunity to obtain information and documents concerning Purchaser and the
Purchaser Common Stock, and has been given the opportunity to ask questions of,
and receive answers from, the directors and officers of the Purchaser concerning
the Purchaser and the Purchaser Common Stock and other matters pertaining to
this investment. The Seller acknowledges that the offer of the Purchaser Common
Stock will not be reviewed by any Governmental Entity and is being sold to the
Seller in reliance upon exemption from the Securities Act. The Seller is aware
of the risks inherent in an investment in the Purchaser and specifically the
risks of an investment in the Purchaser Common Stock. In addition, the Seller is
aware and acknowledges that there can be no assurance of the future viability or
profitability of the Purchaser, nor can there be any assurance relating to the
current or future price of the Purchaser Common Stock, as quoted on the OTC
Bulletin Board on the NASDAQ System, or market conditions generally.
(ff) Disclosure. No
representation or warranty of the Seller contained in this Agreement, or the
schedules hereto, and no closing certificate furnished by the Seller to the
Purchaser at the Closing contains or will contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements contained herein or therein, in light of the circumstances in which
they are made, not misleading.
(gg) FIRPTA. The
Seller is not a foreign person within the meaning of Section 1445 of the Code.
(hh) Net
Working Capital Ratio. The
Company has a Net Working Capital Ratio of at least 2.35:1.00.
42
Section
4.2 Representations
and Warranties of the Purchaser. The
Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to the Seller that each of the
following statements is true, accurate and complete in all
respects:
(a) Organization
and Standing. The
Purchaser is a company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of New York, and has the full corporate power and
authority to carry on its business in the places and as it is now being
conducted and to own and lease its properties and assets.
(b) Corporate
Power and Authority. The
Purchaser has the full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement and the other documents, instruments, and agreements to be entered
into pursuant hereto by the Purchaser, to perform hereunder and thereunder, and
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby without the
necessity of any act, approval or consent of any other Person or entity
whomsoever. The execution, delivery and performance by the Purchaser of this
Agreement, and each and every other agreement, document and instrument to be
executed, delivered and performed in connection herewith have been, or by the
Closing will be, approved by all requisite corporate action on the part of the
Purchaser and constitute or will, when executed and delivered, constitute the
legal, valid and binding obligation of the Purchaser, enforceable against it in
accordance with their respective terms, except as enforceability may be limited
by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws
from time to time in effect affecting the enforcement of creditors rights
generally, and except as enforcement of remedies may be limited by general
equitable principles.
(c) Agreement
Does Not Violate Other Instruments. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other documents, instruments,
and agreements to be entered into pursuant hereto by Purchaser do not, and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not,
violate any provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or
Bylaws, as amended, of the Purchaser or constitute an occurrence of default
under any provision of: any mortgage, deed of trust, conveyance to secure debt,
note, loan, lien, lease, agreement, instrument, or any consent, order, judgment
or decree to which it is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are
affected. Purchaser is not and will not be required to obtain any material
consent from any Person in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
consummation or performance of the transactions contemplated hereby that has
not been received prior to Closing.
(d) Litigation. There is
no suit, action, proceeding or claim pending or, to the Purchaser s Knowledge,
threatened against or affecting the Purchaser or any of its affiliates that
would impair the ability of the Purchaser to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or operate the Business or own the Assets after
the Closing.
(e) Approvals. Assuming
the accuracy of the representations and warranties set
forth in Section 4.1(ee) hereof, no filing
or registration with, and no consent, approval, authorization, license, permit,
certificate or order of any governmental authority is required by any applicable
law or by any applicable judgment, order or decree or any applicable rule or
regulation of any governmental authority, to permit the Purchaser to execute,
deliver or perform this Agreement or any instrument or agreement required hereby
to be executed by it at the Closing.
43
(f) Brokers
and Intermediaries. The
Purchaser has not employed any broker, finder, advisor or intermediary in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement which would be
entitled to a broker s, finder s or similar fee or commission in connection
therewith or upon the consummation thereof.
(g) SEC
Filings. The
Purchaser has made available to the Seller through the XXXXX system, true and
complete copies of the Purchaser s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003 (the 10-K ), and all other reports filed
by the Purchaser pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the Exchange Act ) since the filing of the 10-K and prior to the date hereof
(collectively, the SEC Filings). The SEC Filings are the only filings required
of the Purchaser pursuant to the Exchange Act for such period. At the time of
filing thereof, the SEC Filings complied as to form in all material respects
with the requirements of the Exchange Act and did not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
(h) Investment
Intent. The
Purchaser is acquiring the Shares for its own account and will not sell,
transfer, or otherwise dispose of any of the Shares or any interest therein,
without registration under the Securities Act and applicable state blue sky
laws, except in a transaction which in the opinion of counsel reasonably
acceptable to Purchaser is exempt therefrom. The Purchaser has been provided the
opportunity to obtain information and documents concerning Seller and the
Shares, and has been given the opportunity to ask questions of, and receive
answers from, the directors and officers of the Seller concerning the Seller and
the Shares and other matters pertaining to this investment; provided, however,
that the acknowledgment in this sentence shall not negate any indemnification
liabilities of the Seller for breaches of any of the Seller s representations
and warranties under this Agreement. The Purchaser acknowledges that the offer
of the Shares will not be reviewed by any Governmental Entity and is being sold
to the Purchaser in reliance upon exemption from the Securities Act.
(i) Solvency. The
Purchaser is not now
insolvent nor will it be rendered insolvent at closing after giving effect to
the transactions contemplated hereby.
As used in this section, insolvent means the inability of the Purchaser to pay
its liabilities as they become due in the usual course of business.
ARTICLE
V
COVENANTS
Section
5.1 Affirmative
Covenants of the Seller. Except
as set forth on Schedule 5.1, the Seller hereby covenants and agrees that prior
to the Closing Date, unless otherwise expressly contemplated by this Agreement
or consented to in writing by Purchaser, the Seller shall, and shall cause the
Company and the Subsidiary, as applicable, to:
44
(a) |
operate
the Business in the Ordinary Course of
Business; |
(b) |
use
reasonable efforts to preserve substantially intact the Company s and the
Subsidiary s business organization and goodwill, maintain the Company s
and the Subsidiary s rights and franchises, retain the services of the
Company s and the Subsidiary s respective officers and key employees and
maintain the Company s and the Subsidiary s relationships with their
customers and suppliers; |
(c) |
maintain
and keep their properties and tangible Assets in as good repair and
condition as at present, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and maintain
supplies in quantities consistent with their customary business
practice; |
(d) |
use
reasonable best efforts to keep in full force and effect insurance in
amount and scope of coverage to that currently
maintained; |
(e) |
use
reasonable efforts to obtain (and to cooperate with the Purchaser in
obtaining) any consent, authorization or approval of, or exemption by, any
Person required to be obtained or made by the Seller in connection with
the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement; |
(f) |
use
reasonable efforts to bring about the satisfaction of the conditions
precedent to the Closing set forth in Section 3.2 of this Agreement;
and |
(g) |
promptly
advise the Purchaser orally and within three (3) business days thereafter,
in writing of any change in the Business that has had or is likely to have
a Material Adverse Effect upon the Company. |
Section
5.2 Affirmative
Covenants of the Seller Relating to Due Diligence. From the
date of this Agreement and until the Closing Date, the Seller hereby covenants
and agrees to cause the Company to afford the Purchaser and its Representatives,
reasonable access to the properties and facilities of the Company, and cause the
Company to make available to Purchaser and its Representatives, all books and
records relating to the Company and to the Business. The rights of access and
investigation provided for in this Section 5.2 shall be conducted during normal
business hours, upon reasonable prior notice and in such manner as not to
interfere unreasonably with the operation of the Business. The Seller authorizes
the Purchaser to disclose to such banks, lenders, potential investors and
investors, as well as the Purchaser s attorneys, accountants and other financial
advisors, all financial statements and other information of the Company
reasonably required by such persons to evaluate an investment in the Purchaser
provided that such parties are advised of the confidential nature of such
information.
45
Section
5.3 Negative
Covenants of the Seller. Except
as set forth on Schedule 5.3, the Seller hereby covenants and agrees that
between the date of this Agreement and the Closing, unless otherwise expressly
contemplated by this Agreement or consented to in writing by the Purchaser, the
Seller shall not permit the Company to do any of the foregoing:
(a) make any
distribution of cash or other Assets other than distributions made in the
Ordinary Course of Business and which do not impair the Company s ability to
meet the Net Working Capital Ratio Threshold;
(b) (i)
sell, lease, license, transfer or assign any of the Assets, tangible or
intangible, in excess of $10,000 in the aggregate, other than for fair
consideration in the Ordinary Course of Business and not write up the value of
any of the Assets, or (ii) sell, lease, license, transfer, assign or dispose of
any of the Assets material to the conduct of the Business.
(c) enter
into any written contract, lease, sublease or license involving more than
$25,000, other than customer contracts and subcontractor contracts related
thereto entered into in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(d) accelerate,
terminate, modify or cancel any contract, agreement, lease, sublease or license
(or series of related contracts, agreements, leases, subleases and licenses)
involving more than $25,000 to which the Company or the Subsidiary is a party or
by which it is bound;
(e) impose
any written mortgage or pledge of, or permit or allow the subjection of any
lien, charge, security interest or Encumbrance of any kind on any of its Assets,
tangible or intangible;
(f) make or
commit to make any capital expenditure (or series of related capital
expenditures) involving more than $25,000;
(g) create,
incur, assume or guarantee any indebtedness (including capitalized lease
obligations);
(h) cancel,
amend, delay or postpone (beyond its normal practice) the payment of accounts
payable and other Liabilities;
(i) cancel,
compromise, waive or release any right or claim (or series of related rights and
claims) involving more than $10,000 in the aggregate;
(j) make or
authorize any change in the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents
of the Company or the Subsidiary make any change in any method of accounting or
accounting practice of the Company or the Subsidiary;
46
(k) issue,
sell or otherwise dispose of, or authorize for issuance or sale, its capital
stock or other equity securities, or granted or authorized for issuance or sale
any options, warrants or other rights to purchase or obtain (including upon
conversion or exercise) any of its capital stock;
(l) declare,
set aside or pay any dividend or distribution with respect to its capital stock
or redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any of their capital
stock;
(m) make any
new loan to, or enter into any other transaction with, any of their directors,
officers and employees giving rise to any claim or right on their part against
the Person or on the part of the Person against them, other than in the Ordinary
Course of Business;
(n) grant any
increase in the compensation, fringe benefits, or other compensation of, or paid
any bonus or special payment of any kind (including increases under any bonus,
pension, profit-sharing or other plan or commitment) to any of their employees,
officers or directors, or Related Parties;
(o) adopt any
(A) bonus, (B) profit-sharing, (C) incentive compensation, (D) pension, (E)
retirement, (F) medical, hospitalization, life or other insurance, (G)
severance, (H) other plan, contract or commitment for any of its directors,
officers or employees, or modify or terminate any existing such plan, contract
or commitment;
(p) make any
charitable or other capital contribution;
(q) take any
willful action for the primary purpose of causing any condition to the Closing
(as set forth in Article III hereof) to be materially delayed or fail to be
satisfied;
(r) terminate
or modify, or commit or cause or suffer to be committed any act that will result
in material breach or violation of any term of or (with or without notice or
passage of time, or both) constitute a default under or otherwise give any
Person a basis for non-performance under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan or credit agreement, lease, license or other agreement, instrument,
arrangement or understanding, written or oral, other than in the Ordinary Course
of Business;
(s) apply any
Assets to the direct or indirect payment, discharge, satisfaction or reduction
of any amount payable directly or indirectly to or for the benefit of the Seller
or any Affiliate of the Seller or any Related Party or to the prepayment of any
such amounts, other than expenses payable in the Ordinary Course of
Business;
(t) do any
act, or omit to do any act which would cause a violation or breach of any of the
representations, warranties or covenants of the Seller or the Company set forth
in this Agreement or cause any representation or warranty set forth herein, or
in any certificate or other document delivered in connection herewith, to be
untrue on the Closing Date;
(u) take any
action which has or could have a Material Adverse Effect;
(v) transfer,
directly or indirectly, in any way, any cash, cash equivalents, securities, or
other assets to the Seller, or for the benefit of the Seller, including, but not
limited to, by way of dividend, loan, repayment of indebtedness, payment of
fees, or other distribution or transfer; or
47
(w) agree,
whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of the foregoing.
Section
5.4 Affirmative
Covenants of the Purchaser. The
Purchaser hereby covenants and agrees that, unless otherwise expressly
contemplated by this Agreement or consented to in writing by the Seller, the
Purchaser will and hereby agrees to:
(a) comply
promptly with all requirements with respect to the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, and furnish information to the Seller in connection with any
such requirement;
(b) use its
reasonable efforts to obtain any consent, authorization or approval of, or
exemption by, any Person required to be obtained or made by Purchaser in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) not take
any willful action for the primary purpose of causing any condition to the
Closing (as set forth in Article III hereof) to be materially delayed or to fail
to be satisfied;
(d) use its
reasonable efforts to bring about the satisfaction of the conditions precedent
to Closing set forth in Section 3.3 of this Agreement.
Section 5.5 Preparation
of Tax Return. (a) Tax
Returns. Seller
shall file or cause to be filed when due all Tax returns that are required to be
filed by or with respect to the Company for Tax periods ending on or before the
Closing Date, and shall remit or cause to be remitted any Taxes due in respect
of such Tax returns. Purchaser shall not file or cause to be filed any Tax
return relating to the Company for Tax periods ending on or before the Closing
Date without the Seller s prior consent (which shall not be unreasonably
withheld), other than Tax returns that will not be materially adverse to the
Seller. Purchaser shall file or cause to be filed all Tax returns that are
required to be filed by or with respect to the Company for Taxes with respect to
any Tax period that begins before and ends after the Closing Date (a Straddle
Period ) and shall remit or cause to be remitted the amount of Taxes shown on
such Tax returns. Seller shall reimburse Purchaser for the portion of the Taxes
payable for all periods of the Straddle Period occurring prior to Closing as
determined pursuant to Section 5.1(e). Purchaser shall file or cause to be filed
when due all other Tax returns that are required to be filed by or with respect
to the Company, and shall remit or cause to be remitted any Taxes due in respect
of such Tax returns. Seller or Purchaser shall reimburse the other party for any
Taxes which are payable with Tax returns to be filed by the other party pursuant
to this Section 5.1(a), in each case, within ten (10) days after such returns
are filed.
(b) Cooperation
on Tax Matters. Purchaser
and Seller shall cooperate fully, as and to the extent reasonably requested by
the other party, in connection with the filing of Tax returns relating to the
Company and any audit, litigation or other proceeding with respect to Taxes
relating to the Company, including any Tax claim. Such cooperation shall include
the retention and (upon the other party s request) the provision of records and
information which are reasonably relevant to any such audit, litigation or other
proceeding and making employees available on a mutually convenient basis to
provide additional information and explanation of any material provided
hereunder or to testify at any proceeding.
48
(c) Tax
Refunds. The
amount or economic benefit of any refunds of Taxes of the Company for any
taxable period ending on or before the Closing Date shall be for the account of
Seller. The amount or economic benefit of any refunds of Taxes of the Company
for any taxable period beginning after the Closing Date shall be for the account
of Purchaser. The amount or economic benefit of any refunds of Taxes of the
Company for any period beginning before and ending after the Closing Date shall
be ratably apportioned between Purchaser and Seller in the manner described in
Section 5.1(e). Any such amounts owing to Purchaser and Seller, as applicable,
as provided in this Section 5.1(c) shall be paid by Purchaser or Seller, as
applicable, within five (5) business days of the receipt of any such refunds.
(d) Transfer
Taxes. All
transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration and other such Taxes and
fees (including any penalties and interest) incurred in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement ( Transfer Taxes ) shall be shared
equally by Purchaser and Seller. Purchaser will, at its own expense, file all
necessary Tax returns and other documentation with respect to all such transfer,
documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration and other Taxes and fees, and, if
required by applicable law, Seller will join in the execution of any such Tax
returns and other documentation.
(e) Apportionment
of Straddle Periods.
In the
event of any Straddle Period:
(i) |
real,
personal and intangible property Taxes and any other Taxes levied on a per
diem basis ( Per Diem Taxes ) of the Company for any Tax period prior to
Closing shall be equal to the amount of such Per Diem Taxes for the entire
Straddle Period multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of days from the beginning of the relevant Straddle Period up to
the day before the Closing Date and the denominator of which is the total
number of days in the Straddle Period; and |
(ii) |
the
Taxes of the Company (other than Per Diem Taxes) for any Tax period prior
to Closing shall be computed as if such Tax period ended as of the close
of business on the day before the Closing
Date. |
Section
5.6 Notification. Each
party to this Agreement shall promptly notify the other party in writing of the
occurrence, or pending or threatened occurrence, of any event that would
constitute a breach or violation of this Agreement by any party or that would
cause any representation or warranty made by the notifying party in this
Agreement to be false or misleading in any respect (including without
limitation, any event or circumstance which would have been required to be
disclosed on any schedule to this Agreement had such event or circumstance
occurred or existed on or prior to the date of this Agreement). Any such
notification shall not limit or alter any of the representations, warranties or
covenants of the parties set forth in this Agreement nor any rights or remedies
that a party may have with respect to a breach of any representation, warranty
or covenant.
49
Section
5.7 Confidentiality. The
parties hereto hereby agree to treat all of the information required to be
disclosed or exchanged in connection with this Agreement and any other
confidential information a party hereto receives from another party hereto as
confidential, to not directly or indirectly use any of such information except
in connection with this Agreement, and, if this Agreement is terminated for any
reason whatsoever, to keep such information confidential and within ten (10)
business days after termination of this Agreement for any reason, to return to
such other party all tangible embodiments (and all copies) of such information
which are in its possession. The parties hereto may disclose on a confidential
basis the transactions contemplated hereby and any information which such party
may obtain from another party hereto to their respective Boards of Directors,
senior management personnel, attorneys, accountants, financial advisors,
prospective investors in the Purchaser or any Affiliates or other professionals
to the extent necessary to obtain their services in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby. Neither party shall have an obligation to
treat as confidential (i) information that was already in such party s or any of
such party s possession prior to disclosure by the other party; (ii) information
then generally known or available to the public or that later becomes publicly
available other than through the receiving party; or (iii) information disclosed
to the party by a third party who was not bound by an obligation of
confidentiality to the other party. The obligation to maintain the
confidentiality of information shall also not apply to any information disclosed
or disclosures made in response to a valid subpoena or similar process or to an
order of a court of competent jurisdiction, provided that the disclosing party
shall have used its reasonable best efforts to notify the other party hereto to
whom the confidential information belongs in time to afford such party an
opportunity to contest such process or order.
Section
5.8 Covenant
Not to Compete. The
Seller acknowledges that in order to assure the Purchaser that the Purchaser
will retain the value of the Company as a going concern, the Seller, on the
terms set forth in this Section 5.8, agrees not to utilize its special knowledge
of the Business of the Company and its relationships with customers, prospective
customers, suppliers and others or otherwise to compete with the Business
subject to the terms hereafter set forth. Accordingly, subject to the Closing of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Seller covenants and agrees
as follows:
(a) During
the five (5) year period that begins on the Closing Date, the Seller shall not,
whether for their own account or for the account of any other party other than
the Company or Purchaser or its Affiliates, directly or indirectly engage or
have any financial interest in, own, manage, operate, finance, control or
participate in the ownership, management, operation, financing or control of, be
employed by, associated with or in any manner connected with, lend their name to
or any similar name to, lend their credit to or render services or advice to,
any organization or activity which in any manner competes with (A) the Company
with respect to the Business or (B) the Purchaser or its Affiliates with respect
to the Purchaser s Business. For purposes of this Section 5.8, the term
"compete" shall mean with respect to the Company or the Purchaser and its
Affiliates: (i) with respect to or in connection with conducting any Business or
the Purchaser s Business, calling on, soliciting, taking away, or accepting as
50
a client
or customer or attempting to call on, solicit, take away or accept as a client
or customer, any individual, person, partnership, company, association or other
entity or enterprise that is or was a client or customer of the Company or, to
the Seller s Knowledge, the Purchaser or its Affiliates on or within two (2)
years of the Closing Date; (ii) with respect to any business reason other than
in connection with the Business or the Purchaser s Business, calling on,
soliciting, taking away, or accepting as a client or customer or attempting to
call on, solicit, take away or accept as a client or customer, any individual,
person, partnership, company, association or other entity or enterprise that is
or was a client or customer of the Company or, to the Seller s Knowledge, the
Purchaser or its Affiliates on or within two (2) years of the Closing Date
without the prior written consent of the CEO of the Purchaser in each instance,
which consent will not be unreasonably delayed or withheld; (iii) soliciting,
taking away or attempting to solicit or take away, employ or otherwise engage as
an employee, independent contractor or otherwise, any person who is or was an
employee of the Company or the Purchaser or its Affiliates on or within one (1)
year of the Closing Date, on behalf of any individual, person, partnership,
company, association or other entity or enterprise conducting Business or the
Purchaser s Business; (iv) inducing or attempting to induce any employee of the
Company or the Purchaser and its Affiliates to terminate employment with the
Company or the Purchaser and its Affiliates, as the case may be; (v) entering
into or attempting to enter into any business similar to or competing in any way
with the Business or the Purchaser s Business. Notwithstanding the foregoing
sentence, if the Purchaser has failed to make payment of any amount under
Sections 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 or 2.8 required to be made pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement within sixty (60) days after the applicable Date of Determination or
under Section 6(d)(II) of the Seller Employment Agreement with the Company, then
the restrictions contained in clause (v) of the prior sentence shall terminate
and have no further force or effect, and the restrictions contained in clauses
(i) and (ii) of the prior sentence shall be suspended until such payment in full
is made by the Purchaser to the Seller, at which time such restrictions shall
resume and shall continue to be in full force and effect; provided, however,
that the Seller will be entitled to continue servicing all customers who have
expressly engaged the Seller in writing to provide business services prior to
the resumption of the restrictions contained in clauses (i) and (ii) of the
prior sentence, provided,
further, that,
if such required payment is not made in full within one hundred and fifty (150)
days after the Date of Determination, the restrictions contained in clauses (i)
and (ii) shall terminate and have no further force or effect. For purposes of
this Section 5.8(a), the words "directly or indirectly" as they modify the word
"compete" shall mean (i) acting as an agent, representative, consultant,
officer, director, manager, independent contractor or employee of any
individual, person, partnership, Company, association, limited liability
Company, limited liability partnership or other entity or enterprise which
competes with the Company, the Business or the Purchaser s Business, (ii)
participating in any such competing entity or enterprise as an owner, member,
partner, limited partner, joint venturer, creditor or stockholder (except as a
stockholder holding less than a three percent (3 %) interest in a Company whose
shares are traded on a regional or national securities exchange or have been
registered under Section 12(g) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended); and (iii) communicating to any such competing entity or enterprise the
names or addresses or any other information concerning any past, present or
identified prospective client or customer.
51
(b) During
the five (5) year period that begins on the Closing Date, the Seller shall not
interfere with any of the Company s, the Purchaser s or the Purchaser s
Affiliates relationships with any party, including any party who, during the one
year period ending on the Closing Date, was an employee, contractor, supplier or
customer of any of the Company, the Purchaser, or the Purchaser s Affiliates .
The Seller shall not make public statements which may negatively impact any of
the Company, the Purchaser or Purchaser s Affiliates, or any of its Seller,
directors, officers, employees or agents with respect to the customers,
suppliers, products, personnel or business of Purchaser, Purchaser s Affiliates,
and any of the Company, and
Purchaser and its Affiliates shall not make public statements which negatively
impact Seller, except to the extent such statements by the Seller, the Purchaser
or Purchaser s Affiliates are (i) required by the federal securities laws or any
other laws applicable to the Purchaser or its Affiliates, (ii) made in a manner
consistent with an individual s fiduciary duties, or (iii) in connection with
any arbitration, mediation, administrative action, or litigation (including,
without limitation pleadings, depositions, discovery requests and testimony)
relating to this Agreement or any other Agreement between the
parties. For
purposes of this Section 5.8(b), interfere shall mean intentional or grossly
negligent acts or conduct that is reasonably likely to hamper, hinder or disturb
the relationships between the Company, the Purchaser or Purchaser s Affiliates
and any applicable party; provided, however, that the term interfere shall not
include any act of solicitation under Section 5.8(a)(i), (ii) or (v) hereof that
was permissible in accordance with the terms of Section 5.8(a) at the time that
such act was committed.
(c) The
Seller shall not at any time, directly or indirectly, use or purport to
authorize any Person to use any name, xxxx, copyright, logo, a trade dress or
other identifying words or images which are the same as or similar to those used
currently or in the past by Purchaser or the Company, in connection with any
product or service, whether or not such use would be in a business competitive
with that of Purchaser or the Company.
(d) Notwithstanding
the restrictions contained in this Section 5.4, the parties acknowledge and
agree that so long as the Seller is not employed by the Company, the Seller s
solicitation of a current or former customer or client of the Company, Purchaser
or their respective Affiliates (a Restricted Customer ) will not, in and of
itself, result in a breach of Section 5.8 of this Agreement provided that the
following conditions are met:
(i) the
Seller does not solicit any person at the Restricted Customer with whom the
Seller had contact prior to the termination of his employment (a Restricted
Contact ) with the Company nor any other person within such Restricted Contact s
department at the Restricted Customer;
(ii) the
Seller s solicitation of the Restricted Customer pertains to a product or
service that is not competitive with either the Company s Business or the
Purchaser s Business;
52
(iii) the
Seller s solicitation of a Restricted Customer is not, at the time of the
commencement of such solicitation, reasonably likely to negatively impact the
Company s relationship with such Restricted Customer, including its business
with such Restricted Customer; and
(iv) the
Seller is otherwise in compliance with each of the covenants and agreements set
forth in this Section 5.4.
(e) The
Seller hereby acknowledges that a breach of the provisions of Sections
5.8(a)-(d) cannot reasonably or adequately be compensated in damages in an
action at law; and that a breach of any of the provisions contained in Sections
5.4(a)-(d) will cause the Company irreparable injury and damage. By reason
thereof, the Seller hereby agrees that the Company shall be entitled, in
addition to any other remedies it may have under this Agreement or otherwise, to
preliminary, temporary and permanent injunctive and other equitable relief to
prevent or curtail any actual breach of Sections 5.8(a)-(d) by the Seller;
provided, however, that no specification in this Agreement of a specific legal
or equitable remedy shall be construed as a waiver or prohibition against the
pursuing of other legal or equitable remedies in the event of such a breach. The
Seller acknowledge that (a) the business of the Company is national and
international in scope and its products are marketed throughout the United
States and in other countries, territories and possessions; (b) the Company
compete with other businesses that are or could be located in any part of the
United States and in other countries, territories and possessions; and (c) the
provisions of this Section 5.4 are reasonable and necessary to protect the
business of the Company and will not restrict the Seller from earning a
livelihood.
Section
5.9 Further
Assurances. At any
time, and from time to time, whether on or after the Closing Date, each party
shall execute such additional instruments, documents, certifications and other
assurances and take such actions as may be reasonably requested by any other
party to confirm or perfect or otherwise to carry out the intent and purposes of
this Agreement.
Section
5.10 Transfer
of the Shares. The
Company hereby waives any and all rights the Company may have under all
agreements between the Company and the Seller or otherwise to object to the
transfer to Purchaser of any Shares and hereby covenants not to consent to the
transfer of any Shares to any Person other than Purchaser.
Section
5.11 Subsequent
Actions. If at any
time after the Closing the Purchaser will consider or be advised that any deeds,
bills of sale, instruments of conveyance, assignments, assurances or any other
actions or things are necessary or desirable (i) to vest, perfect or
confirm ownership (of record or otherwise) in Purchaser, its right, title or
interest in, to or under any or all of the Shares, (ii) to vest, perfect or
confirm ownership (of record or otherwise) in the Company and the Subsidiary,
any of its rights, properties or assets or (iii) otherwise to carryout this
Agreement, the Seller shall execute and deliver all deeds, bills of sale,
instruments of conveyance, powers of attorney, assignments and assurances and
take and do all such other actions and things as may be requested by Purchaser
in order to vest, perfect or confirm any and all right, title and interest in,
to and under such rights, properties or assets in Purchaser or the Company or
the Subsidiary or otherwise to carry out this Agreement.
53
Section
5.12 Efforts. Between the date
of this Agreement and the Closing Date, Purchaser and Seller shall each use
their commercially reasonable efforts to cause the transactions in Section 3.2
to be satisfied.
Section
5.13 Release
by Seller.
Effective as of
the Closing Date and subject to the Seller s receipt of the Initial Cash
Consideration and the Closing Consideration Shares, the Seller hereby releases
and forever discharges the Company and the Subsidiary and the Company s and the
Subsidiary s respective individual, joint or mutual, past, present and future
representatives, affiliates, principals, officers, employees, insurers,
subrogors, subrogees, licensees, predecessors, members, directors, managers,
stockholders, limited partners, general partners, controlling persons,
subsidiaries, successors and assigns (individually a Releasee and
collectively, the Releasees ) from
any and all claims, demands, proceedings, causes of action, orders, obligations,
contracts, agreements, debts and liabilities whatsoever, whether known or
unknown, suspected or unsuspected, foreseeable and unforeseeable, liquidated and
unliquidated, insured and uninsured, both at law and in equity, which the Seller
now has, has ever had or may hereafter have against the respective Releasees
arising contemporaneously with or prior to the Closing Date or on account of or
arising out of any matter, cause or event occurring contemporaneously with or
prior to the Closing Date ( Seller Claims ); provided,
however, that
nothing contained herein shall operate to release any obligation of the Company
and the Subsidiary arising under this Agreement or the Employment Agreement,
dated as of the Closing Date, between the Company and the Seller, and the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
Section
5.14 Acquisition
Proposals: No Solicitation. In
consideration of the substantial expenditure of time, effort, and expense
undertaken by the Purchaser in connection with the negotiation and execution of
this Agreement, the Seller agrees that unless this Agreement has been terminated
pursuant to the terms hereof or by the mutual agreement of the parties, neither
the Seller, nor their respective Affiliates, Representatives, employees or
agents (collectively, Agents ) will, between the date hereof and the earlier of
the termination of this Agreement and the Closing, directly or indirectly, (i)
assist, solicit, encourage, negotiate, receive, or accept any proposal (whether
solicited or unsolicited) (an Acquisition Proposal ), for, or execute any
agreement relating to, a sale of all or any part of the Shares, the Company, or
their respective assets or a sale of any equity or debt security of the Company
or any merger, consolidation, combination, recapitalization, sale of any
material assets or other transaction involving any of the Company with any other
party, or (ii) provide any information regarding any of the Company to any third
party for the purpose of soliciting, encouraging or negotiating an Acquisition
Proposal (it being understood that nothing contained in clauses (i) or (ii)
above shall restrict the Seller or any of the Agents from providing information
as required by legal process). In addition, the Seller shall promptly notify the
Purchaser in writing of any third party s Acquisition Proposal, or communication
in connection with any potential Acquisition Proposal, to the Seller or any of
the Company, together with all relevant terms and conditions
thereof.
54
Section
5.15 Termination
of Certain Liabilities. At or
prior to the Closing, the Seller shall cause the Company to pay, discharge and
satisfy in full the Liabilities set forth on Schedule
5.15 (the
Company Pre-closing Payments ). At the Closing, the Seller shall deliver to the
Purchaser evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Purchaser of the complete
satisfaction or discharge of the Company Pre-closing Payments, and the release
of the Company and its assets, as the case may be, from any Liabilities
associated with such Company Pre-closing Payments.
ARTICLE VI
TERMINATION
Section
6.1 Termination
by the Purchaser. This
Agreement may be terminated by the Purchaser as follows:
(a) upon a
breach of any material representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the
part of the Seller set forth in this Agreement, or if any material
representation or warranty of the Seller shall have become untrue, in either
case such that the conditions set forth in Section 3.2 of this Agreement would
be incapable of being satisfied by the Seller on or prior to the Closing;
provided, that in any case, a willful breach shall be deemed to cause such
conditions to be incapable of being satisfied for purposes of this Section
6.1(a), and further provided that such breach or untrue representation or
warranty, other than a breach of Section 5.14, is not cured within ten (10) days
after notice thereof;
(b) any legal
proceeding is commenced or threatened by any Governmental Entity or other Person
directed against the consummation of the Closing or any other transaction
contemplated hereby, and Purchaser reasonably and in good xxxxx xxxxx it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed in view of such legal proceeding or threat
thereof; or
(c) at any
time after 5:00 p.m., New York time, on April 4, 2005 if the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement have not closed by such time.
Section
6.2 Termination
by the Seller. This
Agreement may be terminated by the Seller as follows:
(a) upon a
breach of any material representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the
part of Purchaser set forth in this Agreement, or if any material representation
or warranty of Purchaser shall have become untrue, in either case such that the
conditions set forth in Section 3.3 of this Agreement would be incapable of
being satisfied by Purchaser on or prior to the Closing; provided, that in any
case, a willful breach shall be deemed to cause such conditions to be incapable
of being satisfied for purposes of this Section 6.2(a), and further provided
that such breach or untrue misrepresentation or warranty is not cured within ten
(10) days after notice thereof; or
55
(b) at any
time after 5:00 p.m., New York time, on April 4, 2005 if the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement have not closed by such time.
Section
6.3 Effect
of Termination. In the
event of termination of this Agreement as provided in Sections 6.1 and 6.2,
this Agreement (except for the provisions of Sections 8.1 (Expenses), 8.2
(Governing Law), and this Section 6.3, which shall continue indefinitely, and
Section 5.14 (Acquisition Proposals; No Solicitation), which shall continue for
one year from the Closing Date) shall forthwith become void and neither party
shall have any further liability to the other under this Agreement; provided
that nothing herein shall relieve any party from liability for fraud or willful
breach of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. For the
avoidance of doubt, although the Seller will have no further obligations under
Section 5.14 following termination of this Agreement, Section 5.14 shall survive
termination of this Agreement for purposes of the Purchaser bringing any claims
relating to breaches of Section 5.14 that occurred prior to the termination of
this Agreement.
Section
6.4 Notice
of Termination. A party
shall provide each of the other parties with at least ten (10) days notice prior
to termination under Sections 6.1 and 6.2 hereof and the opportunity to cure any
such deficiency or, if not capable of being cured in such ten (10) day period,
then to commence cure and proceed to complete same diligently and in any event
within thirty (30) days of such notice.
Section
6.5 Waiver. At any
time prior to the Closing, each of the parties hereto may (a) extend the
time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other
party hereto, (b) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and
warranties contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto or
(c) waive compliance with any of the agreements or conditions contained
herein. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid if set forth in an
instrument in writing signed by the party to be bound thereby.
ARTICLE
VII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section
7.1 Survival of the Representations and
Warranties. The
representations and warranties of the Seller and the Purchaser set forth in this
Agreement shall survive the Closing Date and remain in full force and effect
only until March 31, 2007; provided, however, that the representations and
warranties set forth in Sections 4.1(c), 4.1(d), 4.1(e), 4.1(f), 4.1(i), 4.1(t),
and 4.1(aa) shall survive the Closing Date and remain in effect until thirty
days after the expiration of the applicable statute of
limitations.
Section
7.2 Effects
of Investigation. The right
to indemnification, payment of Purchaser Losses or for other remedies based on
any representation, warranty, covenant or obligation of the Seller or the
Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement shall not be affected by
any investigation conducted with respect to, or any knowledge acquired (or
capable of being acquired) at any time, whether before or after the execution
and delivery of this Agreement or the date the Closing occurs, with respect to
the accuracy or inaccuracy of or compliance with, any such representation,
warranty, covenant or obligation. The waiver of any condition to the obligation
of the Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
where such condition is based on the accuracy of any representation or warranty,
or on the performance of or compliance with any covenant or obligation, shall
not affect the right to indemnification, payment of Purchaser Losses, or other
remedy based on such representation, warranty, covenant or
obligation.
56
Section
7.3 Indemnification
Generally.
(a) By
the Seller.The
Seller agrees to be responsible for and shall pay and indemnify and hold
harmless Purchaser and its Representatives (the Purchaser Indemnitees ) from,
against and in respect of, the amount of any and all liabilities, damages,
claims, deficiencies, fines, assessments, losses, Taxes, penalties, interest
(collectively, Losses ), costs and expenses, including, without limitation,
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel arising from, in connection with,
or incident to (i) any breach or violation of any of the covenants or agreements
of the Seller contained in this Agreement or any agreement, document or other
writing referred to herein and delivered pursuant hereto, other than any
employment agreement contemplated hereby; (ii) any breach or violation of any
representation or warranty of the Seller contained in this Agreement or any
agreement, document or other writing referred to herein and delivered pursuant
hereto, other than any employment agreement contemplated hereby; (iii) any and
all Taxes for any unaccrued or unreported Tax liabilities with respect either of
the Company or the Subsidiary for all periods prior to or including the Closing
Date; (iv) (A) any
Employee Benefit Plan (except to the extent that such Liability has been accrued
on the Financial Statements) or (B) the
Company s or the Subsidiary s failure to fully perform under and comply with the
requirements of ERISA or applicable law with respect to any Employee Benefit
Plan of the Company, in the case of each of (A) and
(B), in
respect of all periods prior to and including the Closing Date; and (vi) any and
all actions, suits, proceedings, demands, assessments or judgments, costs and
expenses incidental to any of the foregoing.
(b)
By the Purchaser. The
Purchaser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Seller from, against and in
respect of, the full amount of any and all Losses, costs and expenses,
including, without limitation, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel
arising from, in connection with, or incident to (i) any breach or violation of
any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements of Purchaser
contained in this Agreement or any agreement, document or other writing referred
to herein and delivered pursuant hereto, other than any employment agreement
contemplated hereby; and (ii) any and all actions, suits, proceedings, demands,
assessments or judgments, costs and expenses incidental to any of the foregoing.
(c)
Indemnity Procedure. A party
or parties hereto agreeing to be responsible for or to indemnify against any
matter pursuant to this Agreement is referred to herein as the Indemnifying
Party and the other party or parties claiming indemnity is referred to as the
Indemnified Party .
57
(i) An
Indemnified Party under this Agreement shall, with respect to claims asserted
against such party by any third party, give prompt written notice (including a
copy of such claim if such claim is in writing) to the Indemnifying Party of any
liability which might give rise to a claim for indemnity under this Agreement (
Claim Notice ), provided, however, that any failure to give such notice will not
waive any rights of the Indemnified Party, except to the extent the rights of
the Indemnifying Party are materially prejudiced.
(ii) The
Indemnifying Party shall have twenty
(20) days from the date of delivery of the Claim Notice to notify the
Indemnified Party (A) whether the Indemnifying Party disputes liability to the
Indemnified Party hereunder with respect to the third party claim, and, if so,
the basis for such a dispute, and (B) if the Indemnifying Party does not dispute
liability, whether or not the Indemnifying Party desires, at the sole cost and
expense of the Indemnifying Party, to defend against the third party claim,
provided that the Indemnified Party is hereby authorized (but not obligated) to
file any motion, answer or other pleading and to take any other action which the
Indemnified Party shall deem necessary or appropriate to protect the Indemnified
Party's interests.
(iii) If the
Indemnifying Party elects to defend against the third party claim, it may
conduct the defense of such claim through counsel of its choosing (subject to
the Indemnified Party's approval of such counsel, which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld), shall be solely responsible for the expenses of such
defense and shall be bound by the results of its defense or settlement of the
claim. The Indemnifying Party shall not settle any such claim without prior
notice to and consultation with the Indemnified Party, and no such settlement
involving any equitable relief or which might have an adverse effect on the
Indemnified Party may be agreed to without the written consent of the
Indemnified Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). So long as
the Indemnifying Party is diligently contesting any such claim in good faith,
the Indemnified Party may pay or settle such claim only at its own expense and
the Indemnifying Party will not be responsible for the fees of separate legal
counsel to the Indemnified Party, unless the named parties to any proceeding
include both parties and representation of both parties by the same counsel
would be inappropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Indemnified Party. If
the Indemnifying Party does not make such election, or having made such election
does not, in the reasonable opinion of the Indemnified Party proceed diligently
to defend such claim, then the Indemnified Party may (after written notice to
the Indemnifying Party), at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, elect to take
over the defense of and proceed to handle such claim in its discretion and the
Indemnifying Party shall be bound by any defense or settlement that the
Indemnified Party may make in good faith with respect to such claim. In
connection therewith, the Indemnifying Party will fully cooperate with the
Indemnified Party should the Indemnified Party elect to take over the defense of
any such claim.
58
(iv) The
parties agree to cooperate in defending such third party claims and the
Indemnified Party shall provide such cooperation and such access to its books,
records and properties as the Indemnifying Party shall reasonably request with
respect to any matter for which indemnification is sought hereunder; and the
parties hereto agree to cooperate with each other in order to ensure the proper
and adequate defense thereof.
(v) With
regard to claims of third parties for which indemnification is payable
hereunder, such indemnification shall be paid by the Indemnifying Party upon the
earlier to occur of: (i) the entry of a judgment against the Indemnified Party
and the expiration of any applicable appeal period, or if earlier, five (5) days
prior to the date that the judgment creditor has the right to execute the
judgment; (ii) the entry of an unappealable judgment or final appellate decision
against the Indemnified Party; or (iii) a settlement of the claim.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, provided that there is no good faith dispute as
to the applicability of indemnification, the reasonable expenses of counsel to
the Indemnified Party shall be reimbursed on a current basis by the Indemnifying
Party if such expenses are a liability of the Indemnifying Party. With regard to
other claims for which indemnification is payable hereunder, such
indemnification shall be paid promptly by the Indemnifying Party upon demand by
the Indemnified Party.
(vi) With
regard to claims
for which indemnification may be
payable hereunder which do not involve a claim being sought to be collected by a
third party, the Indemnified Party shall with reasonable promptness notify the
Indemnifying Party of such claim, specifying the nature of such claim and the
amount or the estimated amount thereof to the extent then feasible, provided,
however, that any failure to give such notice will not waive any rights of the
Indemnified Party, except to the extent the rights of the Indemnifying Party are
materially prejudiced. If the
Indemnifying Party either accepts such claim or does not notify the Indemnified
Party within twenty days after the date of receipt of the claim notice that the
Indemnifying Party disputes such claim, with a statement of the basis of such
position, the amount of such claim shall be conclusively deemed a liability of
the Indemnifying Party hereunder and such indemnification claim shall be paid
promptly by the Indemnifying Party. If an objection is made in writing in
accordance with this Section 7.3(c)(vi), the Indemnified Party shall respond in
a written statement to the objection within twenty days and, for forty days
thereafter, attempt in good faith to agree upon the rights of the respective
parties with respect to such claim (and, if the parties should so agree, a
memorandum setting forth such agreement shall be prepared and signed by both
parties).
59
(vii) The
parties will make appropriate adjustments for any Tax benefits actually received
and used, Tax detriments or insurance proceeds in determining the amount of any
indemnification obligation under this Article VII, provided that the Indemnified
Party shall be obligated to make reasonable efforts to continue pursuing any
payment pursuant to the terms of any insurance policy or to assign its rights
under such policy to the Indemnifying Party.
(d) Limitations on
Indemnification.
(i)
Anything
in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, no indemnification payment
shall be made to the Purchaser Indemnitees arising from breaches of
representations or warranties of the Seller under Section 7.3(a)(ii), until the
Purchaser Losses, costs and expenses aggregate at least $37,500, at which time
the Purchaser Indemnitees shall be indemnified dollar-for-dollar to the extent
any Purchaser Losses, costs and expenses with respect to such matter exists,
provided, that
such limitation shall not apply to Purchaser Losses arising from breaches of
representations or warranties made in the indemnification provisions set forth
in Section 7.3 with respect to Sections 4.1(c), 4.1(d), 4.1(e), 4.1(f), 4.1(i),
4.1(t), 4.1(aa), 5.8, or 8.1 or with respect to a claim of fraud or willful
misconduct by the Seller.
(ii) In no
event will any Purchaser Indemnitee be entitled to indemnification hereunder for
the amount of any Purchaser Losses for which the Purchaser has already been
compensated or made whole in the form of a reduction to the Purchase Price equal
to such amount.
(iii) The
aggregate liability of the Seller to Purchaser Indemnitees for indemnification
arising
from breaches of representations or warranties of the Seller under Section
7.3(a)(ii) shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the sum of the Purchase Price
and any One Year Deferred Consideration Amount, Two Year Deferred Consideration
Amount and Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount earned by the Seller, except
that (A) the Seller s aggregate liability to Purchaser Indemnitees pursuant to
this Article VII for any breach of its representations or warranties pertaining
to or
effecting the Company s relationship with the customers set forth on Schedule
7.3(d)(iii) shall
not exceed one-hundred percent (100%) of the sum of the Purchase Price and any
One Year Deferred Consideration Amount, Two Year Deferred Consideration Amount
and Three Year Deferred Consideration Amount earned by the Seller, and (B) there
shall be no limit on the Seller s aggregate liability to Purchaser Indemnitees
pursuant to this Article VI for any breach of Sections 4.1(c), 4.1(d), 4.1(e),
4.1(f), 4.1(i), 4.1(t), 4.1(aa), 5.8 or 8.1, or with respect to a claim of fraud
or willful misconduct by the Seller.
60
(iv)
The
aggregate liability of the Seller to
Purchaser Indemnitees for indemnification arising
from a breach of the representations of the Seller under Section
4.1(hh) shall be equal to an amount that, if added to the current assets of the
Company, would result in the Net Working Capital Ratio being equal to
2.35:1.
(v) In
addition, the indemnification obligations of each party under this Article VII
relating to breaches of such party s representations and warranties shall
terminate on the date on which the survivability of the representations and
warranties expires as set forth in Section 7.1 hereof.
(e) Right to Set-off Against
Additional Consideration. Should
the Seller be liable for any indemnification payments under this Article VII to
the Purchaser Indemnitees, the Purchaser may in good faith, and upon
notice to the Seller specifying in reasonable detail the basis therefor and
subject to the limitations in Section 7.3(c), set-off
and deduct such amounts from any payments or obligations (the "Right of
Set-off"), it may have to the Seller for any of the One Year Deferred
Consideration Amount, Two Year Deferred Consideration Amount or Three Year
Deferred Consideration Amount.
61
Section
7.4 Obligation. Subject
to the limitations set forth in Section 7.3, all representations, warranties,
covenants, agreements, and liabilities of the Seller under this Agreement shall
be the obligation of the Seller and are only for the benefit of Purchaser and
its successors. After the
Closing Date, except with respect to any employment agreement contemplated
hereby, indemnification pursuant to this Article VII shall be the sole and
exclusive remedy
of any
Purchaser or Seller Indemnitees for any
breach or other violation of any of the terms and provisions of this
Agreement or
otherwise arising out of or in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement or the operations of the Company,
whether
such claim may be
asserted as a breach of contract, tort, or otherwise, except with
respect to Purchaser
Losses, costs or expenses that occur as a result of fraudulent
misrepresentations or fraudulent acts of the Company or the
Seller. None of
the provisions of this Agreement shall give rise to any right of action by or
for the Seller, and the Seller shall not have any rights against the Company if
a remedy is sought or obtained against the Seller because the Company breaches
any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth
herein.
ARTICLE
VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
Section
8.1 Expenses. Except as
otherwise expressly provided for in this Agreement, Purchaser will bear its
expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, execution, and performance
of this Agreement, and the Seller will bear its expenses and the expenses of the
Company and the Subsidiary incurred prior to and after the Closing in connection
with the preparation, execution, and performance of this
Agreement.
Section
8.2 Governing
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of
the State of New York applicable to agreements to be fully performed within such
State.
Section
8.3 Notices. All
notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in
writing (including telecopier communication) and be delivered by personally or
by overnight courier (with written receipt requested) or telecopied (with
confirmed receipt), to the following addresses (or such other address as any
party shall have designated from time to time by notice to the other
party):
If to the
Seller or the Company to:
Xxxxxxx
House
0000
Xxxxx 00xx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
with a
copy to:
Shulman,
Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Xxxxx, P.A.
00000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
62
If to the
Purchaser, to:
FIND/SVP,
Inc.
000
Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx
Attention:
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
with a
copy to:
Xxxx
Xxxxxxx, P.C.
1350
Avenue of the Xxxxxxxx
00xx
Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Esq.
All such
notices and other communications shall be effective upon written confirmation of
delivery or if sent by facsimile, upon confirmed receipt of
transmission.
Section
8.4 No
Waiver of Remedies, etc. No
failure on the part of any party to exercise, and no delay of any party in
exercising, any right or remedy available hereunder or by law shall operate as a
waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or
remedy by any party preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the
exercise of any other right by such party. The remedies herein provided are
cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
Section
8.5 Injunctive
Relief; Jurisdiction and Venue. The
parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the
provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their
specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the
parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of
this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this
Agreement. The parties further agree: (a) that this Agreement shall be subject
to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New York County, New York, with
the exceptions of the matters in Sections 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.8(a) and 2.9, which
are required to be resolved by the parties in the manner prescribed by Section
2.6; (b) that any breach of any term or condition of this Agreement shall be
deemed to be a breach occurring in the State of New York by virtue of a failure
to perform an act required to be performed in the State of New York and
irrevocably and expressly agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of
the State of New York for the purpose of resolving any disputes among the
parties relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby; and
(c) to irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection
which they may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action
or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or any judgment
entered by any court in respect hereof brought in New York County, New York, and
further irrevocably waive any claim that any suit, action or proceeding brought
in New York County, New York has been brought in an inconvenient
forum.
63
Section
8.6 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which when so
executed shall be deemed an original of this Agreement and all of which together
shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart
of a signature page to this Agreement by telecopier shall be effective as
delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement, and delivery by
telecopier of an executed counterpart of any amendment or waiver of any
provision of this Agreement to be executed and delivered hereunder shall be
effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof, provided,
however, that in each instance an original executed counterpart shall be
promptly delivered to the other parties by hand or overnight
courier.
Section
8.7 Section
and Other Headings. The
sections and other headings contained in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only and shall not define, limit or extend the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.
Section
8.8 Entire
Agreement; Incorporation by Reference. All
Schedules and Exhibits attached hereto and all certificates, documents and other
instruments contemplated to be delivered hereunder are hereby expressly made a
part of this Agreement as fully as though set forth herein, and all references
to this Agreement herein or in any of such writings shall be deemed to refer to
and include all of such writings. This Agreement contains the entire agreement
between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all
prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties
with respect to the subject matter hereof.
Section
8.9 Binding
Effect. This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties and
their respective heirs, executors, personal representatives, successors and
permitted assigns. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to
confer on any Person other than the parties, or their respective successors or
permitted assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by
reason of this Agreement.
Section
8.10 Amendment
or Modification. This
Agreement may not be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified by the Parties
in any manner, except by an instrument in writing signed by each of the Seller
and an authorized officer of Purchaser.
Section
8.11 Waiver. The
failure of any party to enforce at any time any of the provisions of this
Agreement shall in no way be construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor
in any way to affect the validity of this Agreement or any part thereof or the
right of any party thereafter to enforce each and every such provision, and the
single or partial exercise of any right hereunder by any party shall not
preclude any other or further exercise of such right or any other right by such
party or the other party.
Section
8.12 Severability. If any
provision of this Agreement shall be determined by a court pursuant to Section
7.5 of this Agreement to be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such
determination shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining
provisions of this Agreement in such jurisdiction. If any provision of this
Agreement, or the application thereof to any Person or entity or any
circumstance, is found to be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, (a) a
suitable and equitable provision shall be substituted therefor in order to carry
out, so far as may be valid or enforceable, the unenforceable provision and (b)
the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to other
Persons, entities or circumstances shall not be affected by such invalidity or
unenforceability, nor shall such invalidity or unenforceability affect the
validity or enforceability of such provision, or the application thereof, in any
other jurisdiction.
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Section
8.13 Assignment. This
Agreement may not be assigned by any party without the written consent of the
other party; provided, that Purchaser may assign this Agreement to a Company,
partnership, or limited liability company of which Purchaser maintains majority
control.
Section
8.14 Publicity. No public
announcement or other publicity regarding this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby shall be made prior to or after the date hereof without the
prior written consent of the Purchaser and the Seller as to form, content,
timing and manner of distribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in
this Agreement shall preclude any party or its affiliates from making any public
announcement or filing pursuant to any federal or state securities laws or stock
exchange rules.
Section
8.15 Right
to Update Schedules. The
Seller shall have the right to supplement or amend the Schedules to Article III
of this Agreement with respect to any matter arising after the date hereof or,
as to any representation and warranty that is limited to the Seller s Knowledge,
discovered by the Seller between the date hereof and the Closing Date; provided,
that any such supplement (i) shall be delivered to the Purchaser in writing
promptly after such matter occurs or becomes known, (ii) shall not be deemed a
waiver by the Purchaser of any breach of a representation or warranty made on
the date hereof and shall not affect the right to indemnification, payment of
the Purchaser s Losses, or other remedy based on such representation or
warranty, and (iii) shall not be deemed to change any condition to the
obligation of the Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
.
[THE REST
OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
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IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Agreement as of
the date first above written.
SELLER: | /s/
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx House
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx House | |
| ||
PURCHASER: | FIND/SVP, INC. | |
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxx | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
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