STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT between IDEANOMICS, INC. TIMIOS HOLDINGS CORP. and TIMIOS ACQUISITION, LLC dated as of May 1, 2023
Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
between
IDEANOMICS, INC. TIMIOS HOLDINGS CORP.
and
TIMIOS ACQUISITION, LLC
dated as of May 1, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS | 5 |
ARTICLE II PURCHASE AND SALE | 13 |
Section 2.01 Purchase and Sale | 13 |
Section 2.02 Purchase Price | 13 |
Section 2.03 Transactions to be Effected at the Closing. | 14 |
Section 2.04 Closing. | 14 |
Section 2.05 Withholding Tax. | 14 |
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER PARTIES | 15 |
Section 3.01 Organization and Authority of Seller Parties. | 15 |
Section 3.02 Organization, Authority and Qualification of the Company. | 15 |
Section 3.03 Capitalization | 16 |
Section 3.04 Subsidiaries. | 16 |
Section 3.05 No Conflicts; Consents. | 16 |
Section 3.06 Financial Statements. | 17 |
Section 3.07 Undisclosed Liabilities. | 17 |
Section 3.08 Absence of Certain Changes, Events and Conditions. | 17 |
Section 3.09 Material Contracts. | 20 |
Section 3.10 Title to Assets; Real Property. | 21 |
Section 3.11 Condition and Sufficiency of Assets | 22 |
Section 3.12 Intellectual Property. | 22 |
Section 3.13 [RESERVED] | 25 |
Section 3.14 Accounts Receivable | 25 |
Section 3.15 Customers and Suppliers. | 25 |
Section 3.16 Insurance | 26 |
Section 3.17 Legal Proceedings; Governmental Orders. | 26 |
Section 3.18 Compliance With Laws; Permits. | 26 |
Section 3.19 Environmental Matters. | 27 |
Section 3.20 Employee Benefit Matters. | 28 |
Section 3.21 Employment Matters. | 32 |
Section 3.22 Taxes. | 33 |
Section 3.23 Books and Records. | 35 |
Section 3.24 Brokers. | 35 |
Section 3.25 Full Disclosure | 35 |
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ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER | 36 |
Section 4.01 Organization and Authority of Buyer | 36 |
Section 4.02 No Conflicts; Consents. | 36 |
Section 4.03 Investment Purpose | 36 |
Section 4.04 Brokers. | 36 |
Section 4.05 Sufficiency of Funds. | 37 |
Section 4.06 Legal Proceedings. | 37 |
ARTICLE V COVENANTS | 37 |
Section 5.01 Conduct of Business Prior to the Closing. | 37 |
Section 5.02 Access to Information | 39 |
Section 5.03 Notice of Certain Events. | 39 |
Section 5.04 Resignations. | 40 |
Section 5.05 Confidentiality. | 40 |
Section 5.06 Non-Competition; Non-Solicitation | 40 |
Section 5.07 Governmental Approvals and Consents | 41 |
Section 5.08 Books and Records. | 42 |
Section 5.09 Closing Conditions | 43 |
Section 5.10 Public Announcements | 43 |
Section 5.11 Funding of Capital | 43 |
Section 5.12 Further Assurances. | 43 |
ARTICLE VI TAX MATTERS | 43 |
Section 6.01 Tax Covenants. | 43 |
Section 6.02 Termination of Existing Tax Sharing Agreements. | 44 |
Section 6.03 Tax Indemnification | 44 |
Section 6.04 Straddle Period | 45 |
Section 6.05 Section 338(h)(10) Election | 45 |
Section 6.06 Contests. | 46 |
Section 6.07 Cooperation and Exchange of Information | 46 |
Section 6.08 Tax Treatment of Indemnification Payments. | 46 |
Section 6.09 Payments to Buyer | 46 |
Section 6.10 Survival | 46 |
Section 6.11 Overlap | 46 |
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ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS TO CLOSING | 47 |
Section 7.01 Conditions to Obligations of All Parties | 47 |
Section 7.02 Conditions to Obligations of Buyer | 47 |
Section 7.03 Conditions to Obligations of the Seller Parties | 49 |
ARTICLE VIII INDEMNIFICATION | 50 |
Section 8.01 Survival | 50 |
Section 8.02 Indemnification By Seller Parties. | 50 |
Section 8.03 Indemnification By Buyer | 51 |
Section 8.04 Certain Limitations. | 51 |
Section 8.05 Indemnification Procedures. | 52 |
Section 8.06 Payments. | 54 |
Section 8.07 Tax Treatment of Indemnification Payments. | 54 |
Section 8.08 Effect of Investigation | 54 |
Section 8.09 Exclusive Remedies. | 54 |
ARTICLE IX TERMINATION | 55 |
Section 9.01 Termination | 55 |
Section 9.02 Effect of Termination | 55 |
ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS | 55 |
Section 10.01 Expenses. | 55 |
Section 10.02 Notices. | 56 |
Section 10.03 Interpretation | 56 |
Section 10.04 Headings | 56 |
Section 10.05 Severability. | 57 |
Section 10.06 Entire Agreement | 57 |
Section 10.07 Successors and Assigns. | 57 |
Section 10.08 No Third-party Beneficiaries. | 57 |
Section 10.09 Amendment and Modification; Waiver | 57 |
Section 10.10 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial | 57 |
Section 10.11 Specific Performance | 58 |
Section 10.12 Counterparts. | 58 |
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This Stock Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of May 1, 2023, is entered into between Ideanomics, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“Parent”), Timios Holdings Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Seller” and, together with Parent, each a “Seller Party” and together, the “Seller Parties”) and Timios Acquisition, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Buyer”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Parent owns, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Seller;
WHEREAS, Seller owns all the issued and outstanding shares of common stock, (the “Shares”), of Fiducia Real Estate Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”); and
WHEREAS, Seller wishes to sell to Buyer, and Xxxxx wishes to purchase from Seller, the Shares, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
AGREEMENT
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
The following terms have the meanings specified or referred to in this ARTICLE I:
“Action” means any claim, action, cause of action, demand, lawsuit, arbitration, inquiry, audit, notice of violation, proceeding, litigation, citation, summons, subpoena or investigation of any nature, civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or otherwise, whether at law or in equity.
“Affiliate” of a Person means any other Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Allocation Schedule” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.05(b).
“Ancillary Documents” means the Secured Loan Agreement and such other documents or instruments as Buyer (or its assignee) deems reasonably necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
"April 2023 Note” means that secured debenture, dated as of April 17, 2023, by and between Parent and YA II PN, in the initial principal amount of $750,000.
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“April 2023 Note Amount” means any amounts outstanding under the April 2023 Note.
“Audited Financial Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06.
“Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06.
“Balance Sheet Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06.
“Benefit Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.20(a).
“Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks located in New York are authorized or required by Law to be closed for business.
“Buyer” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Buyer Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.02.
“CERCLA” means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 et seq.
“Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04.
“Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04.
“Closing Date Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(a)(i).
“Closing Indebtedness Certificate” means a certificate executed by an officer of the Company certifying on behalf of the Company an itemized list of all outstanding Indebtedness of the Company Group as of the close of business on the Closing Date and the Person to whom such outstanding Indebtedness is owed and an aggregate total of such outstanding Indebtedness.
“Closing Transaction Expenses Certificate” means a certificate executed by an officer of the Company, certifying the amount of Transaction Expenses of the Company Group remaining unpaid as of the close of business on the Closing Date (including an itemized list of each such unpaid Transaction Expense with a description of the nature of such expense and the person to whom such expense is owed).
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Common Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(a).
“Company” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Company Group” means the Company and its Subsidiaries.
“Company Intellectual Property” means all Intellectual Property that is owned by the Company Group.
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“Company IP Agreements” means all licenses, sublicenses, consent to use agreements, settlements, coexistence agreements, covenants not to sue, waivers, releases, permissions and other Contracts, whether written or oral, relating to Intellectual Property to which any Company Group entity is a party, beneficiary or otherwise bound.
“Company IP Registrations” means all Company Intellectual Property that is subject to any issuance, registration or application by or with any Governmental Authority or authorized private registrar in any jurisdiction, including issued patents, registered trademarks, domain names and copyrights, and pending applications for any of the foregoing.
“Company IT Systems” means all Software, computer hardware, servers, networks, platforms, peripherals, and similar or related items of automated, computerized, or other information technology (IT) networks and systems (including telecommunications networks and systems for voice, data and video) owned, leased, licensed, or used (including through cloud-based or other third-party service providers) by the Company Group.
“Contracts” means all contracts, leases, deeds, mortgages, licenses, instruments, notes, commitments, undertakings, indentures, joint ventures and all other agreements, commitments and legally binding arrangements, whether written or oral.
“Current Assets” means cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, inventory and prepaid expenses, but excluding (a) the portion of any prepaid expense of which Buyer will not receive the benefit following the Closing, and (b) deferred Tax assets, each of (a) and (b) as determined in accordance with GAAP applied using the same accounting methods, practices, principles, policies and procedures, with consistent classifications, judgments and valuation and estimation methodologies that were used in the preparation of the Audited Financial Statements for the most recent fiscal year end as if such accounts were being prepared and audited as of a fiscal year end.
“Current Liabilities” means accounts payable, accrued Taxes and accrued expenses, but excluding payables to any of the Company's Affiliates, directors, employees, officers or stockholders and any of their respective Affiliates, deferred Tax liabilities, Transaction Expenses and the current portion of any Indebtedness of the Company, determined in accordance with GAAP applied using the same accounting methods, practices, principles, policies and procedures, with consistent classifications, judgments and valuation and estimation methodologies that were used in the preparation of the Audited Financial Statements for the most recent fiscal year end as if such accounts were being prepared and audited as of a fiscal year end.
“Direct Claim” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.05(c).
“Disclosure Schedules” means the Disclosure Schedules delivered by the Seller Parties and Buyer concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
“Dollars or $” means the lawful currency of the United States.
“Encumbrance” means any charge, claim, community property interest, pledge, condition, equitable interest, lien (statutory or other), option, security interest, mortgage, easement, encroachment, right of way, right of first refusal, or restriction of any kind, including any restriction on use, voting, transfer, receipt of income or exercise of any other attribute of ownership.
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“Environmental Attributes” means any emissions and renewable energy credits, energy conservation credits, benefits, offsets and allowances, emission reduction credits or words of similar import or regulatory effect (including emissions reduction credits or allowances under all applicable emission trading, compliance or budget programs, or any other federal, state or regional emission, renewable energy or energy conservation trading or budget program) that have been held, allocated to or acquired for the development, construction, ownership, lease, operation, use or maintenance of the Company Group as of: (i) the date of this Agreement; and (ii) future years for which allocations have been established and are in effect as of the date of this Agreement.
“Environmental Claim” means any Action, Governmental Order, lien, fine, penalty, or, as to each, any settlement or judgment arising therefrom, by or from any Person alleging liability of whatever kind or nature (including liability or responsibility for the costs of enforcement proceedings, investigations, cleanup, governmental response, removal or remediation, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, medical monitoring, penalties, contribution, indemnification and injunctive relief) arising out of, based on or resulting from: (a) the presence, Release of, or exposure to, any Hazardous Materials; or (b) any actual or alleged non-compliance with any Environmental Law or term or condition of any Environmental Permit.
“Environmental Law” means any applicable Law, and any Governmental Order or binding agreement with any Governmental Authority: (a) relating to pollution (or the cleanup thereof) or the protection of natural resources, endangered or threatened species, human health or safety, or the environment (including ambient air, soil, surface water or groundwater, or subsurface strata); or (b) concerning the presence of, exposure to, or the management, manufacture, use, containment, storage, recycling, reclamation, reuse, treatment, generation, discharge, transportation, processing, production, disposal or remediation of any Hazardous Materials. The term “Environmental Law” includes, without limitation, the following (including their implementing regulations and any state analogs): the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 et seq.; the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984, 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq.; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, as amended by the Clean Water Act of 1977, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.; the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, as amended, 15 U.S.C. §§ 2601 et seq.; the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 11001 et seq.; the Clean Air Act of 1966, as amended by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401 et seq.; and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, 29 U.S.C. §§ 651 et seq.
“Environmental Notice” means any written directive, notice of violation or infraction, or notice respecting any Environmental Claim relating to actual or alleged non-compliance with any Environmental Law or any term or condition of any Environmental Permit.
“Environmental Permit” means any Permit, letter, clearance, consent, waiver, closure, exemption, decision or other action required under or issued, granted, given, authorized by or made pursuant to Environmental Law.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
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“ERISA Affiliate” means all employers (whether or not incorporated) that would be treated together with the Company or any of its Affiliates as a “single employer” within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.
“Financial Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06.
“GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles in effect from time to time.
“Government Contracts” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.09(a)(viii).
“Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, local or foreign government or political subdivision thereof, or any agency or instrumentality of such government or political subdivision, or any self-regulated organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority or quasi-governmental authority (to the extent that the rules, regulations or orders of such organization or authority have the force of Law), or any arbitrator, court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction.
“Governmental Order” means any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation, determination or award entered by or with any Governmental Authority.
“Hazardous Materials” means: (a) any material, substance, chemical, waste, product, derivative, compound, mixture, solid, liquid, mineral or gas, in each case, whether naturally occurring or manmade, that is hazardous, acutely hazardous, toxic, or words of similar import or regulatory effect under Environmental Laws; and (b) any petroleum or petroleum-derived products, radon, radioactive materials or wastes, asbestos in any form, lead or lead-containing materials, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, and polychlorinated biphenyls.
“Indebtedness” means, without duplication and with respect to the Company Group, all (a) indebtedness for borrowed; (b) obligations for the deferred purchase price of property or services, (c) long or short-term obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments; (d) obligations under any interest rate, currency swap or other hedging agreement or arrangement; (e) capital lease obligations; (f) reimbursement obligations under any letter of credit, banker's acceptance or similar credit transactions; (g) guarantees made by the Company Group on behalf of any Affiliate or third party in respect of obligations of the kind referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) through (f); and (h) any unpaid interest, prepayment penalties, premiums, costs and fees that would arise or become due as a result of the prepayment of any of the obligations referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) through(g). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, “Indebtedness” includes the April 2023 Note and the March 2023 Note and any other indebtedness between the Seller Parties (or any Affiliate of a Seller Party) on the one hand and the Buyer (or any Affiliate of the Buyer) on the other hand.
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.05.
“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.05.
“Insurance Policies” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.16.
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“Intellectual Property” means any and all rights in, arising out of, or associated with any of the following in any jurisdiction throughout the world: (a) issued patents and patent applications (whether provisional or non-provisional), including divisionals, continuations, continuations-in-part, substitutions, reissues, reexaminations, extensions, or restorations of any of the foregoing, and other Governmental Authority-issued indicia of invention ownership (including certificates of invention, xxxxx patents, and patent utility models) (“Patents”); (b) trademarks, service marks, brands, certification marks, logos, trade dress, trade names, and other similar indicia of source or origin, together with the goodwill connected with the use of and symbolized by, and all registrations, applications for registration, and renewals of, any of the foregoing (“Trademarks”); (c) copyrights and works of authorship, whether or not copyrightable, and all registrations, applications for registration, and renewals of any of the foregoing (“Copyrights”); (d) internet domain names and social media account or user names (including “handles”), whether or not Trademarks, all associated web addresses, URLs, websites and web pages, social media sites and pages, and all content and data thereon or relating thereto, whether or not Copyrights; (e) mask works, and all registrations, applications for registration, and renewals thereof; (f) industrial designs, and all Patents, registrations, applications for registration, and renewals thereof; (g) trade secrets, know-how, inventions (whether or not patentable), discoveries, improvements, technology, business and technical information, databases, data compilations and collections, tools, methods, processes, techniques, and other confidential and proprietary information and all rights therein (“Trade Secrets”); (h) computer programs, operating systems, applications, firmware, and other code, including all source code, object code, application programming interfaces, data files, databases, protocols, specifications, and other documentation thereof; (i) rights of publicity; and (j) all other intellectual or industrial property and proprietary rights.
“Interim Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06.
“Interim Balance Sheet Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06.
“Interim Financial Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06.
“Knowledge of Seller or Seller's Knowledge” or any other similar knowledge qualification, means the actual or constructive knowledge of any director or officer of the Seller Parties or the Company, after due inquiry.
“Law” means any statute, law, ordinance, regulation, rule, code, order, constitution, treaty, common law, judgment, decree, other requirement or rule of law of any Governmental Authority.
“Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.07.
“Licensed Intellectual Property” means all Intellectual Property in which the Company Group holds any rights or interests granted by other Persons, including the Seller Parties or any of thier Affiliates.
“Losses” means losses, damages, liabilities, deficiencies, Actions, judgments, interest, awards, penalties, fines, costs or expenses of whatever kind, including reasonable attorneys' fees and the cost of enforcing any right to indemnification hereunder and the cost of pursuing any insurance providers; provided, however, that “Losses” shall not include punitive damages, except to the extent actually awarded to a Governmental Authority or other third party.
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"March 2023 Note” means that secured debenture, dated as of March 30, 2023, by and between Parent and YA II PN, in the initial principal amount of One Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,400,000) (and any fees and interest accrued thereunder).
“March 2023 Note Amount” means any amounts outstanding under the March 2023 Note.
“Material Adverse Effect” means any event, occurrence, fact, condition or change that is, or could reasonably be expected to become, individually or in the aggregate, materially adverse to (a) the business, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or assets of the Company Group, or (b) the ability of the Seller Parties to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby on a timely basis; provided, however, that “Material Adverse Effect” shall not include any event, occurrence, fact, condition or change, directly or indirectly, arising out of or attributable to: (i) general economic or political conditions; (ii) conditions generally affecting the industries in which the Company Group operates; (iii) any changes in financial or securities markets in general; (iv) acts of war (whether or not declared), armed hostilities or terrorism, or the escalation or worsening thereof; (v) any action required or permitted by this Agreement, except pursuant to Section 3.05 and Section 5.07; (vi) any changes in applicable Laws or accounting rules, including GAAP; or (vii) the public announcement, pendency or completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided further, however, that any event, occurrence, fact, condition or change referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) immediately above shall be taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred or could reasonably be expected to occur to the extent that such event, occurrence, fact, condition or change has a disproportionate effect on the Company Group compared to other participants in the industries in which the Company Group conducts its businesses (in which case, only the incremental disproportionate adverse effect may be taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred).
“Material Contracts” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.09(a).
“Material Customers” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.15(a).
“Material Suppliers” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.15(b).
“Multiemployer Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.20(c).
“October 2022 Debenture Amount” means any amounts outstanding under that certain Secured Debenture Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2022, by and between the Parent and YA II PN.
“Parent” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Permits” means all permits, licenses, franchises, approvals, authorizations, registrations, certificates, variances and similar rights obtained, or required to be obtained, from Governmental Authorities.
“Permitted Encumbrances” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.10(a).
“Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, Governmental Authority, unincorporated organization, trust, association or other entity.
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“Platform Agreements” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.12(h).
“Post-Closing Tax Period” means any taxable period beginning after the Closing Date and, with respect to any taxable period beginning before and ending after the Closing Date, the portion of such taxable period beginning after the Closing Date.
“Post-Closing Taxes” means Taxes of the Company Group for any Post-Closing Tax Period.
“Pre-Closing Tax Period” means any taxable period ending on or before the Closing Date and, with respect to any taxable period beginning before and ending after the Closing Date, the portion of such taxable period ending on and including the Closing Date.
“Pre-Closing Taxes” means Taxes of the Company Group for any Pre-Closing Tax Period.
“Purchase Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02.
“Qualified Benefit Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.20(c).
“Real Property” means the real property owned, leased or subleased by the Company Group, together with all buildings, structures and facilities located thereon.
“Release” means any actual or threatened release, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, abandonment, disposing or allowing to escape or migrate into or through the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air (indoor or outdoor), surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata or within any building, structure, facility or fixture).
“Representative” means, with respect to any Person, any and all directors, officers, employees, consultants, financial advisors, counsel, accountants and other agents of such Person.
“Restricted Business” means the provision of real estate title, title insurance and escrow services.
“Restricted Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.06(a).
“Section 338(h)(10) Election” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.05(a).
“Secured Loans” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.11.
“Seller” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Seller Party” and “Seller Parties” have the meanings set forth in the preamble.
“Seller Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03.
“Shares” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Single Employer Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.20(c).
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“Straddle Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04.
"Subsidiary” and “Subsidiaries” means each Person in which the Company Group owns any shares or other ownership interests.
“Taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other income, gross receipts, sales, use, production, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, registration, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, unemployment, estimated, excise, severance, environmental, stamp, occupation, premium, property (real or personal), real property gains, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest, additions or penalties with respect thereto and any interest in respect of such additions or penalties.
“Tax Claim” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.06.
“Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, information return or statement or other document relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof.
“Territory” means The United States of America.
“Third Party Claim” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.05(a).
“Transaction Expenses” means all fees and expenses incurred by the Company Group or the Seller Parties at or prior to the Closing in connection with the preparation, negotiation and execution of this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents, and the performance and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including any management transaction payments, change of control expenses and employment retention bonuses).
“Union” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.21(b).
“WARN Act” means the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, and similar state, local and foreign laws related to plant closings, relocations, mass layoffs and employment losses.
“YA II PN” means YA II PN, LTD., a Cayman Islands exempt limited company (an Affiliate of Buyer)
ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE
Section 2.01 Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, at the Closing, Seller shall sell to Buyer, and Buyer shall purchase from Seller, the Shares, free and clear of all Encumbrances, for the consideration specified in Section 2.02.
Section 2.02 Purchase Price. The aggregate purchase price for the Shares shall be Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000) (the “Purchase Price”).
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Section 2.03 Transactions to be Effected at the Closing.
(a) | At the Closing, Buyer shall deliver to the Seller Parties: |
(i) the Purchase Price minus (1) the October 2022 Debenture Amount, minus (2) the March 2023 Note Amount, minus (3) the April 2023 Note Amount, and minus (4) any withheld amounts pursuant to Section 2.05, if any (the “Closing Date Payment”), by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated in writing by Seller to Buyer no later than two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date; and
(ii) the Ancillary Documents and all other agreements, documents, instruments or certificates required to be delivered by Buyer at or prior to the Closing pursuant to Section 7.03 of this Agreement.
(b) | [RESERVED] |
(c) | At the Closing, the Seller Parties shall deliver to Buyer: |
(i) stock certificates evidencing the Shares, free and clear of all Encumbrances, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by stock powers or other instruments of transfer duly executed in blank, with all required stock transfer tax stamps affixed thereto;
(ii) proof, reasonably satisfactory to the Buyer (in its sole discretion), that any Indebtedness between any Company Group entity on the one hand and the Seller Parties (or any of their Affiliates other than the Company Group) on the other hand has been converted into, and will be treated by the appropriate Seller Party for all purposes as, a capital contribution by such Seller Party to the applicable Company Group entity; and
(iii) the Ancillary Documents and all other agreements, documents, instruments or certificates required to be delivered by Seller Parties at or prior to the Closing pursuant to Section 7.02 of this Agreement.
Section 2.04 Closing. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the purchase and sale of the Shares contemplated hereby shall take place at a closing (the "Closing") to be held no later than two (2) Business Days after the last of the conditions to Closing set forth in ARTICLE VII have been satisfied or waived (other than conditions which, by their nature, are to be satisfied on the Closing Date), remotely by exchange of documents and signatures (or their electronic counterparts), or at such other time or on such other date or at such other place as Seller Parties and Xxxxx may mutually agree upon in writing (the day on which the Closing takes place being the "Closing Date").
Section 2.05 Withholding Tax. Buyer and the Company shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Purchase Price all Taxes that Buyer and the Company may be required to deduct and withhold under any provision of Tax Law. All such withheld amounts shall be treated as delivered to Seller hereunder.
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ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER PARTIES
Except as set forth in the correspondingly numbered Section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Seller Parties, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to Buyer that the statements contained in this ARTICLE III are true and correct as of the date hereof.
Section 3.01 Organization and Authority of Seller Parties.
(a) Parent is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of Nevada. Parent has full corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which Parent is a party, to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery by Parent of this Agreement and any Ancillary Document to which Parent is a party, the performance by Parent of its obligations hereunder and thereunder, and the consummation by Parent of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of Parent. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Xxxxxx, and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Xxxxxx and Buyer) this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Parent enforceable against Parent in accordance with its terms. When each other Ancillary Document to which Parent is or will be a party has been duly executed and delivered by Xxxxxx (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by each other party thereto), such Ancillary Document will constitute a legal and binding obligation of Parent enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
(b) Seller is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of Delaware. Seller has full corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which Seller is a party, to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery by Seller of this Agreement and any Ancillary Document to which Seller is a party, the performance by Seller of its obligations hereunder and thereunder, and the consummation by Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of Seller. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Seller, and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Xxxxxx and Buyer) this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Seller enforceable against Seller in accordance with its terms. When each other Ancillary Document to which Seller is or will be a party has been duly executed and delivered by Seller (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by each other party thereto), such Ancillary Document will constitute a legal and binding obligation of Seller enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
Section 3.02 Organization, Authority and Qualification of the Company. The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of Delaware and has full corporate power and authority to own, operate or lease the properties and assets now owned, operated or leased by it and to carry on its business as it has been and is currently conducted. Section 3.02 of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth each jurisdiction in which the Company is licensed or qualified to do business, and the Company is duly licensed or qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the properties owned or leased by it or the operation of its business as currently conducted makes such licensing or qualification necessary. All corporate actions taken by the Company in connection with this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents will be duly authorized on or prior to the Closing.
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Section 3.03 Capitalization.1
(a) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 4,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 (“Common Stock”), of which 1,000 shares are issued and outstanding and constitute the Shares, and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value
$0.001, of which no shares are issued and outstanding. All of the Shares have been duly authorized, are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and are owned of record and beneficially by Seller, free and clear of all Encumbrances. Upon consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, Buyer shall own all of the Shares, free and clear of all Encumbrances.
(b) All of the Shares were issued in compliance with applicable Laws. None of the Shares were issued in violation of any agreement, arrangement or commitment to which Seller or the Company is a party or is subject to or in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any Person.
(c) There are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character relating to the capital stock of the Company or obligating Seller or the Company to issue or sell any shares of capital stock of, or any other interest in, the Company. The Company does not have outstanding or authorized any stock appreciation, phantom stock, profit participation or similar rights. There are no voting trusts, stockholder agreements, proxies or other agreements or understandings in effect with respect to the voting or transfer of any of the Shares.
Section 3.04 Subsidiaries. Section 3.04 of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth a complete list of the Company’s Subsidiaries.
Section 3.05 No Conflicts; Consents. The execution, delivery and performance by the Seller Parties of this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which it is a party, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, do not and will not: (a) conflict with or result in a violation or breach of, or default under, any provision of the certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents of Seller Parties or any Company Group entity; (b) conflict with or result in a violation or breach of any provision of any Law or Governmental Order applicable to Seller Parties or any Company Group entity; (c) except as set forth in Section 3.05 of the Disclosure Schedules, require the consent, notice or other action by any Person under, conflict with, result in a violation or breach of, constitute a default or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under, result in the acceleration of or create in any party the right to accelerate, terminate, modify or cancel any Contract to which Seller Parties or any Company Group entity is a party or by which Seller Parties or any Company Group entity is bound or to which any of their respective properties and assets are subject (including any Material Contract) or any Permit affecting the properties, assets or business of any Company Group entity; or (d) result in the creation or imposition of any Encumbrance other than Permitted Encumbrances on any properties or assets of any Company Group entity. No consent, approval, Permit, Governmental Order, declaration or filing with, or notice to, any Governmental Authority is required by or with respect to Seller Parties or any Company Group entity in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
1 DLA NTD: Information to be provided by Seller or Parent.
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Section 3.06 Financial Statements. Complete copies of the Company Group's audited financial statements consisting of the balance sheet of the Company Group as at December 31 in each of the years 2020, 2021, and 2022 and the related statements of income and retained earnings, stockholders' equity and cash flow for the years then ended (the “Audited Financial Statements”), and unaudited financial statements consisting of the balance sheet of the Company Group as at March 31, 2023 and the related statements of income and retained earnings, stockholders' equity and cash flow for the three -month period then ended (the “Interim Financial Statements” and together with the Audited Financial Statements, the “Financial Statements”) have been delivered to Buyer. The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the period involved, subject, in the case of the Interim Financial Statements, to normal and recurring year-end adjustments (the effect of which will not be materially adverse) and the absence of notes (that, if presented, would not differ materially from those presented in the Audited Financial Statements). The Financial Statements are based on the books and records of the Company Group, and fairly present the financial condition of the Company Group as of the respective dates they were prepared and the results of the operations of the Company Group for the periods indicated. The balance sheet of the Company Group as of December 31, 2022, is referred to herein as the “Balance Sheet” and the date thereof as the “Balance Sheet Date” and the balance sheet of the Company Group as of March 31, 2023 is referred to herein as the “Interim Balance Sheet” and the date thereof as the “Interim Balance Sheet Date”. The Company Group maintains a standard system of accounting established and administered in accordance with GAAP.
Section 3.07 Undisclosed Liabilities. The Company Group has no liabilities, obligations or commitments of any nature whatsoever, asserted or unasserted, known or unknown, absolute or contingent, accrued or unaccrued, matured or unmatured or otherwise (“Liabilities”), except (a) those which are adequately reflected or reserved against in the Balance Sheet as of the Balance Sheet Date, and (b) those which have been incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since the Balance Sheet Date and which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material in amount.
Section 3.08 Absence of Certain Changes, Events and Conditions. Since the Balance Sheet Date, and other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, there has not been, with respect to any Company Group entity, any:
(a) event, occurrence or development that has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;
(b) amendment of the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Company Group entity;
(c) | split, combination or reclassification of any shares of its capital stock; |
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(d) issuance, sale or other disposition of any of its capital stock, or grant of any options, warrants or other rights to purchase or obtain (including upon conversion, exchange or exercise) any of its capital stock;
(e) declaration or payment of any dividends or distributions on or in respect of any of its capital stock or redemption, purchase or acquisition of its capital stock;
(f) material change in any method of accounting or accounting practice of the Company Group, except as required by GAAP or as disclosed in the notes to the Financial Statements;
(g) change in the Company Group 's cash management practices and its policies, practices and procedures with respect to collection of accounts receivable, establishment of reserves for uncollectible accounts, accrual of accounts receivable, inventory control, prepayment of expenses, payment of trade accounts payable, accrual of other expenses, deferral of revenue and acceptance of customer deposits;
(h) | entry into any Contract that would constitute a Material Contract; |
(i) incurrence, assumption or guarantee of any indebtedness for borrowed money except unsecured current obligations and Liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(j) transfer, assignment, sale or other disposition of any of the assets shown or reflected in the Balance Sheet or cancellation of any debts or entitlements;
(k) transfer or assignment of or grant of any license or sublicense under or with respect to any Company Intellectual Property or Company IP Agreements;
(l) abandonment or lapse of or failure to maintain in full force and effect any Company IP Registration, or failure to take or maintain reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality or value of any Trade Secrets included in the Company Intellectual Property;
(m) material damage, destruction or loss (whether or not covered by insurance) to its property;
(n) | any capital investment in, or any loan to, any other Person; |
(o) acceleration, termination, material modification to or cancellation of any material Contract (including, but not limited to, any Material Contract) to which any Company Group entity is a party or by which it is bound;
(p) | any material capital expenditures; |
(q) imposition of any Encumbrance upon any of the Company Group properties, capital stock or assets, tangible or intangible;
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(r) (i) grant of any bonuses, whether monetary or otherwise, or increase in any wages, salary, severance, pension or other compensation or benefits in respect of its current or former employees, officers, directors, independent contractors or consultants, other than as provided for in any written agreements or required by applicable Law, (ii) change in the terms of employment for any employee or any termination of any employees for which the aggregate costs and expenses exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000), or (iii) action to accelerate the vesting or payment of any compensation or benefit for any current or former employee, officer, director, independent contractor or consultant;
(s) hiring or promoting any person as or to (as the case may be) an officer or hiring or promoting any employee below officer except to fill a vacancy in the ordinary course of business;
(t) adoption, modification or termination of any: (i) employment, severance, retention or other agreement with any current or former employee, officer, director, independent contractor or consultant, (ii) Benefit Plan or (iii) collective bargaining or other agreement with a Union, in each case whether written or oral;
(u) any loan to (or forgiveness of any loan to), or entry into any other transaction with, any of its stockholders or current or former directors, officers and employees;
(v) entry into a new line of business or abandonment or discontinuance of existing lines of business;
(w) adoption of any plan of merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or dissolution or filing of a petition in bankruptcy under any provisions of federal or state bankruptcy Law or consent to the filing of any bankruptcy petition against it under any similar Law;
(x) purchase, lease or other acquisition of the right to own, use or lease any property or assets for an amount in excess of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000), individually (in the case of a lease, per annum), except for purchases of inventory or supplies in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(y) acquisition by merger or consolidation with, or by purchase of a substantial portion of the assets or stock of, or by any other manner, any business or any Person or any division thereof;
(z) action by the Company Group to make, change or rescind any Tax election, amend any Tax Return or take any position on any Tax Return, take any action, omit to take any action or enter into any other transaction that would have the effect of increasing the Tax liability or reducing any Tax asset of Buyer in respect of any Post-Closing Tax Period; or
(aa) any Contract to do any of the foregoing, or any action or omission that would result in any of the foregoing.
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Section 3.09 Material Contracts.
(a) Section 3.09(a) of the Disclosure Schedules lists each of the following Contracts of the Company Group (such Contracts, together with all Contracts concerning the occupancy, management or operation of any Real Property (including without limitation, brokerage contracts) listed or otherwise disclosed in Section 3.10(b) of the Disclosure Schedules and all Company IP Agreements set forth in Section 3.12(b) of the Disclosure Schedules, being “Material Contracts”):
(i) each Contract of the Company Group involving aggregate consideration in excess of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) and which, in each case, cannot be cancelled by the Company Group without penalty or without more than ninety (90) days' notice;
(ii) all Contracts that require the Company Group to purchase its total requirements of any product or service from a third party or that contain “take or pay” provisions;
(iii) all Contracts that provide for the indemnification by the Company Group of any Person or the assumption of any Tax, environmental or other Liability of any Person;
(iv) all Contracts that relate to the acquisition or disposition of any business, a material amount of stock or assets of any other Person or any real property (whether by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets or otherwise);
(v) all broker, distributor, dealer, manufacturer's representative, franchise, agency, sales promotion, market research, marketing consulting and advertising Contracts to whichanyCompany Group entity is a party;
(vi) all employment agreements and Contracts with independent contractors or consultants (or similar arrangements) to which any Company Group entity is a party and which are not cancellable without material penalty or without more than ninety (90) days' notice;
(vii) except for Contracts relating to trade payables, all Contracts relating to indebtedness (including, without limitation, guarantees) of the Company Group;
(viii) all Contracts with any Governmental Authority to which the Company Group is a party (“Government Contracts”);
(ix) all Contracts that limit or purport to limit the ability of any Company Group entity to compete in any line of business or with any Person or in any geographic area or during any period of time;
(x) any Contracts to which any Company Group entity is a party that provide for any joint venture, partnership or similar arrangement by any Company Group entity;
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(xi) all Contracts between or among any Company Group entity on the one hand and a Seller Party or any Affiliate of a Seller Party (other than a Company Group Entity) on the other hand;
(xii) all collective bargaining agreements or Contracts with any Union to which any Company Group entity is a party; and
(xiii) any other Contract that is material to the Company Group and not previously disclosed pursuant to this Section 3.09.
(b) Each Material Contract is valid and binding on the Company Group in accordance with its terms and is in full force and effect. None of the Company Group or, to Seller's Knowledge, any other party thereto is in breach of or default under (or is alleged to be in breach of or default under), or has provided or received any notice of any intention to terminate, any Material Contract. No event or circumstance has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute an event of default under any Material Contract or result in a termination thereof or would cause or permit the acceleration or other changes of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit thereunder. Complete and correct copies of each Material Contract (including all modifications, amendments and supplements thereto and waivers thereunder) have been made available to Buyer.
Section 3.10 Title to Assets; Real Property.
(a) Each Company Group entity has good and valid (and, in the case of owned Real Property, good and marketable fee simple) title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all Real Property and personal property and other assets reflected in the Audited Financial Statements or acquired after the Balance Sheet Date, other than properties and assets sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since the Balance Sheet Date. All such properties and assets (including leasehold interests) are free and clear of Encumbrances except for the following (collectively referred to as “Permitted Encumbrances”):
(i) | those items set forth in Section 3.10(a) of the Disclosure Schedules; |
(ii) | liens for Taxes not yet due and payable; |
(iii) mechanics, carriers', workmen's, repairmen's or other like liens arising or incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or amounts that are not delinquent and which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the business of the Company;
(iv) easements, rights of way, zoning ordinances and other similar encumbrances affecting Real Property which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the business of the Company Group; or
(v) other than with respect to owned Real Property, liens arising under original purchase price conditional sales contracts and equipment leases with third parties entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the business of the Company Group.
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(b) Section 3.10(b) of the Disclosure Schedules lists (i) the street address of each parcel of Real Property; (ii) if such property is leased or subleased by the Company Group, the landlord under the lease, the rental amount currently being paid, and the expiration of the term of such lease or sublease for each leased or subleased property; and (iii) the current use of such property. With respect to owned Real Property, Seller has delivered or made available to Buyer true, complete and correct copies of the deeds and other instruments (as recorded) by which the Company Group acquired such Real Property, and copies of all title insurance policies, opinions, abstracts and surveys in the possession of Seller or the Company Group and relating to the Real Property. With respect to leased Real Property, Seller has delivered or made available to Buyer true, complete and correct copies of any leases affecting the Real Property. No Company Group entity is a sublessor or grantor under any sublease or other instrument granting to any other Person any right to the possession, lease, occupancy or enjoyment of any leased Real Property. The use and operation of the Real Property in the conduct of the Company Group's business do not violate in any material respect any Law, covenant, condition, restriction, easement, license, permit or agreement. No material improvements constituting a part of the Real Property encroach on real property owned or leased by a Person other than the Company Group. There are no Actions pending nor, to the Seller's Knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Real Property or any portion thereof or interest therein in the nature or in lieu of condemnation or eminent domain proceedings.
Section 3.11 Condition and Sufficiency of Assets. The buildings, plants, structures, furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, vehicles and other items of tangible personal property of the Company Group are structurally sound, are in good operating condition and repair, and are adequate for the uses to which they are being put, and none of such buildings, plants, structures, furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, vehicles and other items of tangible personal property is in need of maintenance or repairs except for ordinary, routine maintenance and repairs that are not material in nature or cost. The buildings, plants, structures, furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, vehicles and other items of tangible personal property currently owned or leased by the Company Group, together with all other properties and assets of the Company Group, are sufficient for the continued conduct of the Company Group 's business after the Closing in substantially the same manner as conducted prior to the Closing and constitute all of the rights, property and assets necessary to conduct the business of the Company Group as currently conducted.
Section 3.12 Intellectual Property.
(a) Section 3.12(a) of the Disclosure Schedules contains a correct, current, and complete list of: (i) all Company IP Registrations, specifying as to each, as applicable: the title, mark, or design; the record owner and inventor(s), if any; the jurisdiction by or in which it has been issued, registered, or filed; the patent, registration, or application serial number; the issue, registration, or filing date; and the current status (ii) all unregistered Trademarks included in the Company Intellectual Property;(iii) all proprietary Software of the Company; and (iv) all other Company Intellectual Property used or held for use in the Company's business as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted.
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(b) Section 3.12(b) of the Disclosure Schedules contains a correct, current, and complete list of all Company IP Agreements, specifying for each the date, title, and parties thereto, and separately identifying the Company IP Agreements: (i) under which the Company Group is a licensor or otherwise grants to any Person any right or interest relating to any Company Intellectual Property; (ii) under which the Company Group is a licensee or otherwise granted any right or interest relating to the Intellectual Property of any Person; and (iii) which otherwise relate to the Company Group 's ownership or use of Intellectual Property, in each case identifying the Intellectual Property covered by such Company IP Agreement. Seller has provided Buyer with true and complete copies (or in the case of any oral agreements, a complete and correct written description) of all Company IP Agreements, including all modifications, amendments and supplements thereto and waivers thereunder. Each Company IP Agreement is valid and binding on the Company Group in accordance with its terms and is in full force and effect. Neither the Company Group nor any other party thereto is, or is alleged to be, in breach of or default under, or has provided or received any notice of breach of, default under, or intention to terminate (including by non-renewal), any Company IP Agreement.
(c) The Company Group is the sole and exclusive legal and beneficial, and with respect to the Company IP Registrations, record, owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the Company Intellectual Property, and has the valid and enforceable right to use all other Intellectual Property used or held for use in or necessary for the conduct of the Company's business as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted, in each case, free and clear of Encumbrances other than Permitted Encumbrances. The Company Group has entered into binding, valid and enforceable, written Contracts with each current and former employee and independent contractor who is or was involved in or has contributed to the invention, creation, or development of any Intellectual Property during the course of employment or engagement with the Company Group whereby such employee or independent contractor (i) acknowledges the Company's exclusive ownership of all Intellectual Property invented, created, or developed by such employee or independent contractor within the scope of his or her employment or engagement with the Company Group; (ii) grants to the Company Group a present, irrevocable assignment of any ownership interest such employee or independent contractor may have in or to such Intellectual Property, to the extent such Intellectual Property does not constitute a “work made for hire” under applicable Law; and (iii) irrevocably waives any right or interest, including any moral rights, regarding any such Intellectual Property, to the extent permitted by applicable Law. Seller has provided Buyer with true and complete copies of all such Contracts. All assignments and other instruments necessary to establish, record, and perfect the Company Group 's ownership interest in the Company IP Registrations have been validly executed, delivered, and filed with the relevant Governmental Authorities and authorized registrars.
(d) Neither the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder, will result in the loss or impairment of, or require the consent of any other Person in respect of, the Company Group 's right to own or use any Company Intellectual Property or Licensed Intellectual Property.
(e) All of the Company Intellectual Property and Licensed Intellectual Property are valid and enforceable, and all Company IP Registrations are subsisting and in full force and effect. The Company Group has taken all necessary steps to maintain and enforce the Company Intellectual Property and Licensed Intellectual Property and to preserve the confidentiality of all Trade Secrets included in the Company Intellectual Property, including by requiring all Persons having access thereto to execute binding, written non-disclosure agreements. All required filings and fees related to the Company IP Registrations have been timely submitted with and paid to the relevant Governmental Authorities and authorized registrars. Seller has provided Buyer with true and complete copies of all file histories, documents, certificates, office actions, correspondence, assignments, and other instruments relating to the Company IP Registrations.
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(f) The conduct of the Company Group 's business as currently and formerly conducted and as proposed to be conducted, including the use of the Company Intellectual Property and Licensed Intellectual Property in connection therewith, and the products, processes and services of the Company have not infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, and will not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate, the Intellectual Property or other rights of any Person. No Person has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated any Company Intellectual Property or Licensed Intellectual Property.
(g) There are no Actions (including any opposition, cancellation, revocation, review, or other proceeding), whether settled, pending, or threatened (including in the form of offers to obtain a license): (i) alleging any infringement, misappropriation, or other violation by the Company Group of the Intellectual Property of any Person; (ii) challenging the validity, enforceability, registrability, patentability, or ownership of any Company Intellectual Property or Licensed Intellectual Property or the Company Group 's right, title, or interest in or to any Company Intellectual Property or Licensed Intellectual Property; or (iii) by the Company Group or by the owner of any Licensed Intellectual Property alleging any infringement, misappropriation, or other violation by any Person of the Company Intellectual Property or such Licensed Intellectual Property. Neither the Seller Parties nor the Company Group is aware of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any such Action. The Company Group is not subject to any outstanding or prospective Governmental Order (including any motion or petition therefor) that does or could reasonably be expected to restrict or impair the use of any Company Intellectual Property or Licensed Intellectual Property.
(h) Section 3.12(h) of the Disclosure Schedules contains a correct, current, and complete list of all social media accounts used in the Company Group 's business. The Company Group has complied with all terms of use, terms of service, and other Contracts and all associated policies and guidelines relating to its use of any social media platforms, sites, or services (collectively, “Platform Agreements”). There are no Actions, whether settled, pending, or threatened, alleging any (A) breach or other violation of any Platform Agreement by the Company; or (B) defamation, violation of publicity rights of any Person, or any other violation by the Company Group in connection with its use of social media.
(i) All Company IT Systems are in good working condition and are sufficient for the operation of the Company Group 's business as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted. In the past two (2) years, there has been no malfunction, failure, continued substandard performance, denial-of-service, or other cyber incident, including any cyberattack, or other impairment of the Company IT Systems. The Company Group has taken all commercially reasonable steps to safeguard the confidentiality, availability, security, and integrity of the Company IT Systems, including implementing and maintaining appropriate backup, disaster recovery, and Software and hardware support arrangements.
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(j) The Company Group has complied with all applicable Laws and all internal or publicly posted policies, notices, and statements concerning the collection, use, processing, storage, transfer, and security of personal information in the conduct of the Company Group 's business. In the past two (2) years, the Company Group has not (i) experienced any actual, alleged, or suspected data breach or other security incident involving personal information in its possession or control or (ii) been subject to or received any written notice of any audit, investigation, complaint, or other Action by any Governmental Authority or other Person concerning the Company Group 's collection, use, processing, storage, transfer, or protection of personal information or actual, alleged, or suspected violation of any applicable Law concerning privacy, data security, or data breach notification, and there are no facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any such Action.
Section 3.13 [RESERVED].
Section 3.14 Accounts Receivable. The accounts receivable reflected on the Interim Balance Sheet and the accounts receivable arising after the date thereof (a) have arisen from bona fide transactions entered into by the Company Group involving the sale of goods or the rendering of services in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (b) constitute only valid, undisputed claims of the Company Group not subject to claims of set-off or other defenses or counterclaims other than normal cash discounts accrued in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; and (c) subject to a reserve for bad debts shown on the Interim Balance Sheet or, with respect to accounts receivable arising after the Interim Balance Sheet Date, on the accounting records of the Company Group, are collectible in full within ninety (90) days after billing. The reserve for bad debts shown on the Interim Balance Sheet or, with respect to accounts receivable arising after the Interim Balance Sheet Date, on the accounting records of the Company Group have been determined in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of disclosures normally made in footnotes.
Section 3.15 Customers and Suppliers.
(a) Section 3.15(a) of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth (i) each customer who has paid aggregate consideration to the Company Group for goods or services rendered in an amount greater than or equal to One Hundred Thousand Dollars $100,000 for each of the two (2) most recent fiscal years (collectively, the “Material Customers”); and (ii) the amount of consideration paid by each Material Customer during such periods. The Company Group has not received any notice, and has no reason to believe, that any of its Material Customers has ceased, or intends to cease after the Closing, to use its goods or services or to otherwise terminate or materially reduce its relationship with the Company Group.
(b) Section 3.15(b) of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth (i) each supplier to whom the Company Group has paid consideration for goods or services rendered in an amount greater than or equal to One Hundred Thousand Dollars $100,000 for each of the two (2) most recent fiscal years (collectively, the “Material Suppliers”); and (ii) the amount of purchases from each Material Supplier during such periods. The Company Group has not received any notice, and has no reason to believe, that any of its Material Suppliers has ceased, or intends to cease, to supply goods or services to the Company Group or to otherwise terminate or materially reduce its relationship with the Company Group.
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Section 3.16 Insurance. Section 3.16 of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth a true and complete list of all current policies or binders of fire, liability, product liability, umbrella liability, real and personal property, workers' compensation, vehicular, directors' and officers' liability, fiduciary liability and other casualty and property insurance maintained by the Seller Parties or their Affiliates (including the Company Group) and relating to the assets, business, operations, employees, officers and directors of the Company Group (collectively, the “Insurance Policies”) and true and complete copies of such Insurance Policies have been made available to Buyer. Such Insurance Policies are in full force and effect and shall remain in full force and effect following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Neither the Seller Parties nor any of their Affiliates (including the Company Group) has received any written notice of cancellation of, premium increase with respect to, or alteration of coverage under, any of such Insurance Policies. All premiums due on such Insurance Policies have either been paid or, if due and payable prior to Closing, will be paid prior to Closing in accordance with the payment terms of each Insurance Policy. The Insurance Policies do not provide for any retrospective premium adjustment or other experience-based liability on the part of the Company Group. All such Insurance Policies (a) are valid and binding in accordance with their terms; (b) are provided by carriers who are financially solvent; and (c) have not been subject to any lapse in coverage. There are no claims related to the business of the Company Group pending under any such Insurance Policies as to which coverage has been questioned, denied or disputed or in respect of which there is an outstanding reservation of rights. None of the Seller Parties or any of their Affiliates (including the Company Group) is in default under, or has otherwise failed to comply with, in any material respect, any provision contained in any such Insurance Policy. The Insurance Policies are of the type and in the amounts customarily carried by Persons conducting a business similar to the Company Group and are sufficient for compliance with all applicable Laws and Contracts to which any Company Group entity is a party or by which it is bound.
Section 3.17 Legal Proceedings; Governmental Orders.
(a) There are no Actions pending or, to Seller's Knowledge, threatened (a) against or by the Company Group affecting any of its properties or assets (or by or against Seller Party or any Affiliate thereof and relating to the Company Group); or (b) against or by the Company Group, any Seller Party or any Affiliate of Seller that challenges or seeks to prevent, enjoin or otherwise delay the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No event has occurred or circumstances exist that may give rise to, or serve as a basis for, any such Action.
(b) There are no outstanding Governmental Orders and no unsatisfied judgments, penalties or awards against or affecting the Company Group or any of its properties or assets.
Section 3.18 Compliance With Laws; Permits.
(a) The Company Group has complied, and is now complying, with all Laws applicable to it or its business, properties or assets.
(b) All Permits required for the Company Group to conduct its business have been obtained by it and are valid and in full force and effect. All fees and charges with respect to such Permits as of the date hereof have been paid in full. Section 3.18(b) of the Disclosure Schedules lists all current Permits issued to the Company Group, including the names of the Permits and their respective dates of issuance and expiration. No event has occurred that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would reasonably be expected to result in the revocation, suspension, lapse or limitation of any Permit set forth in Section 3.18(b) of the Disclosure Schedules.
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Section 3.19 Environmental Matters.
(a) The Company Group is currently and has been in compliance with all Environmental Laws and has not, and the Seller Parties has not, received from any Person any: (i) Environmental Notice or Environmental Claim; or (ii) written request for information pursuant to Environmental Law, which, in each case, either remains pending or unresolved, or is the source of ongoing obligations or requirements as of the Closing Date.
(b) The Company Group has obtained and is in material compliance with all Environmental Permits (each of which is disclosed in Section 3.19(b) of the Disclosure Schedules) necessary for the ownership, lease, operation or use of the business or assets of the Company Group and all such Environmental Permits are in full force and effect and shall be maintained in full force and effect by the Seller Parties through the Closing Date in accordance with Environmental Law, and neither the Seller Parties nor the Company Group is aware of any condition, event or circumstance that might prevent or impede, after the Closing Date, the ownership, lease, operation or use of the business or assets of the Company Group as currently carried out. With respect to any such Environmental Permits, the Seller Parties have undertaken, or will undertake prior to the Closing Date, all measures necessary to facilitate transferability of the same, and neither the Company Group nor the Seller Parties are aware of any condition, event or circumstance that might prevent or impede the transferability of the same, nor have they received any Environmental Notice or written communication regarding any material adverse change in the status or terms and conditions of the same.
(c) No real property currently or formerly owned, operated or leased by the Company Group is listed on, or has been proposed for listing on, the National Priorities List (or CERCLIS) under CERCLA, or any similar state list.
(d) There has been no Release of Hazardous Materials in contravention of Environmental Law with respect to the business or assets of the Company Group or any real property currently or formerly owned, operated or leased by the Company Group, and neither the Company Group nor the Seller Parties have received an Environmental Notice that any real property currently or formerly owned, operated or leased in connection with the business of the Company Group (including soils, groundwater, surface water, buildings and other structure located on any such real property) has been contaminated with any Hazardous Material which could reasonably be expected to result in an Environmental Claim against, or a violation of Environmental Law or term of any Environmental Permit by, the Seller Parties or the Company Group.
(e) Section 3.19(e) of the Disclosure Schedules contains a complete and accurate list of all active or abandoned aboveground or underground storage tanks owned or operated by the Company Group.
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(f) Section 3.19(f) of the Disclosure Schedules contains a complete and accurate list of all off-site Hazardous Materials treatment, storage, or disposal facilities or locations used by the Company Group or the Seller Parties and any predecessors as to which the Company Group or the Seller Parties may retain liability, and none of these facilities or locations has been placed or proposed for placement on the National Priorities List (or CERCLIS) under CERCLA, or any similar state list, and neither the Seller Parties nor the Company Group has received any Environmental Notice regarding potential liabilities with respect to such off-site Hazardous Materials treatment, storage, or disposal facilities or locations used by the Company Group or the Seller Parties.
(g) Neither the Seller Parties nor the Company Group has retained or assumed, by contract or operation of Law, any liabilities or obligations of third parties under Environmental Law.
(h) The Seller Parties have provided or otherwise made available to Buyer and listed in Section 3.19(h) of the Disclosure Schedules: (i) any and all environmental reports, studies, audits, records, sampling data, site assessments, risk assessments, economic models and other similar documents with respect to the business or assets of the Company Group or any currently or formerly owned, operated or leased real property which are in the possession or control of the Seller Parties or Company Group related to compliance with Environmental Laws, Environmental Claims or an Environmental Notice or the Release of Hazardous Materials; and (ii) any and all material documents concerning planned or anticipated capital expenditures required to reduce, offset, limit or otherwise control pollution and/or emissions, manage waste or otherwise ensure compliance with current or future Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, costs of remediation, pollution control equipment and operational changes).
(i) Neither the Seller Parties nor the Company Group is aware of or reasonably anticipates, as of the Closing Date, any condition, event or circumstance concerning the Release or regulation of Hazardous Materials that might, after the Closing Date, prevent, impede or materially increase the costs associated with the ownership, lease, operation, performance or use of the business or assets of the Company Group as currently carried out.
Section 3.20 Employee Benefit Matters.
(a) Section 3.20(a) of the Disclosure Schedules contains a true and complete list of each pension, benefit, retirement, compensation, employment, consulting, profit-sharing, deferred compensation, incentive, bonus, performance award, phantom equity, stock or stock- based, change in control, retention, severance, vacation, paid time off (PTO), medical, vision, dental, disability, welfare, Code Section 125 cafeteria, fringe benefit and other similar agreement, plan, policy, program or arrangement (and any amendments thereto), in each case whether or not reduced to writing and whether funded or unfunded, including each “employee benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, whether or not tax-qualified and whether or not subject to ERISA, which is or has been maintained, sponsored, contributed to, or required to be contributed to by the Company Group for the benefit of any current or former employee, officer, director, retiree, independent contractor or consultant of the Company Group or any spouse or dependent of such individual, or under which the Company Group or any of its ERISA Affiliates has or may have any Liability, or with respect to which Buyer or any of its Affiliates would reasonably be expected to have any Liability, contingent or otherwise (as listed on Section 3.20(a) of the Disclosure Schedules, each, a “Benefit Plan”). The Company Group has separately identified in Section 3.20(a) of the Disclosure Schedules each Benefit Plan that contains a change in control provision, if any.
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(b) With respect to each Benefit Plan, the Seller Parties have made available to Buyer accurate, current and complete copies of each of the following: (i) where the Benefit Plan has been reduced to writing, the plan document together with all amendments; (ii) where the Benefit Plan has not been reduced to writing, a written summary of all material plan terms; (iii) where applicable, copies of any trust agreements or other funding arrangements, custodial agreements, insurance policies and contracts, administration agreements and similar agreements, and investment management or investment advisory agreements, now in effect or required in the future as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise; (iv) copies of any summary plan descriptions, summaries of material modifications, summaries of benefits and coverage, COBRA communications, employee handbooks and any other written communications (or a description of any oral communications) relating to any Benefit Plan; (v) in the case of any Benefit Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, a copy of the most recent determination, opinion or advisory letter from the Internal Revenue Service and any legal opinions issued thereafter with respect to such Benefit Plan’s continued qualification; (vi) in the case of any Benefit Plan for which a Form 5500 must be filed, a copy of the two most recently filed Forms 5500, with all corresponding schedules and financial statements attached; (vii) actuarial valuations and reports related to any Benefit Plans with respect to the two most recently completed plan years; (viii) the most recent nondiscrimination tests performed under the Code; and (ix) copies of material notices, letters or other correspondence from the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or other Governmental Authority relating to the Benefit Plan.
(c) Except as set forth in Section 3.20(c) of the Disclosure Schedules, each Benefit Plan and any related trust (other than any multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA (each a “Multiemployer Plan”)) has been established, administered and maintained in accordance with its terms and in compliance with all applicable Laws (including ERISA and, the Code and any applicable local Laws). Each Benefit Plan that is intended to be qualified within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the Code (a “Qualified Benefit Plan”) is so qualified and received a favorable and current determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to the most recent five year filing cycle, or with respect to a prototype or volume submitter plan, can rely on an opinion letter from the Internal Revenue Service to the prototype plan or volume submitter plan sponsor, to the effect that such Qualified Benefit Plan is so qualified and that the plan and the trust related thereto are exempt from federal income taxes under Sections 401(a) and 501(a), respectively, of the Code, and nothing has occurred that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the qualified status of any Qualified Benefit Plan. Nothing has occurred with respect to any Benefit Plan that has subjected or could reasonably be expected to subject the Company Group or any of its ERISA Affiliates or, with respect to any period on or after the Closing Date, Buyer or any of its Affiliates, to a penalty under Section 502 of ERISA or to tax or penalty under Sections 4975 or 4980H of the Code.
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No pension plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) which is subject to minimum funding requirements, including any multiple employer plan, (each, a “Single Employer Plan”) in which employees of the Company Group or any ERISA Affiliate participate or have participated has an “accumulated funding deficiency”, whether or not waived, or is subject to a lien for unpaid contributions under Section 303(k) of ERISA or Section 430(k) of the Code. No Single Employer Plan covering employees of the Company Group which is a defined benefit plan has an “adjusted funding target attainment percentage,” as defined in Section 436 of the Code, less than 80%. All benefits, contributions and premiums relating to each Benefit Plan have been timely paid in accordance with the terms of such Benefit Plan and all applicable Laws and accounting principles, and all benefits accrued under any unfunded Benefit Plan have been paid, accrued or otherwise adequately reserved to the extent required by, and in accordance with, GAAP.
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has (i) incurred or reasonably expects to incur, either directly or indirectly, any material Liability under Title I or Title IV of ERISA or related provisions of the Code or applicable local Law relating to employee benefit plans; (ii) failed to timely pay premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; (iii) withdrawn from any Benefit Plan; (iv) engaged in any transaction which would give rise to liability under Section 4069 or Section 4212(c) of ERISA; (v) incurred taxes under Section 4971 of the Code with respect to any Single Employer Plan; or (vi) participated in a multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWA).
(e) With respect to each Benefit Plan (i) except as set forth in Section 3.20(e) of the Disclosure Schedules, no such plan is a Multiemployer Plan, and (A) all contributions required to be paid by the Company or its ERISA Affiliates have been timely paid to the applicable Multiemployer Plan; (B) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any withdrawal liability under Title IV of ERISA which remains unsatisfied, and (C) a complete withdrawal from all such Multiemployer Plans at the Effective Time would not result in any material liability to the Company Group and no Multiemployer Plan is in critical, endangered or seriously endangered status or has suffered a mass withdrawal; (ii) except as set forth in Section 3.20(e) of the Disclosure Schedules, no such plan is a “multiple employer plan” within the meaning of Section 413(c) of the Code or a “multiple employer welfare arrangement” (as defined in Section 3(40) of ERISA); (iii) no Action has been initiated by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation to terminate any such plan or to appoint a trustee for any such plan; (iv) no such plan or the plan of any ERISA Affiliate maintained or contributed to within the last six (6) years is a Single Employer Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA; and (v) no “reportable event,” as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA, with respect to which the reporting requirement has not been waived has occurred with respect to any such plan.
(f) Each Benefit Plan can be amended, terminated or otherwise discontinued after the Closing in accordance with its terms, without material liabilities to Buyer, the Company Group or any of their Affiliates other than ordinary administrative expenses typically incurred in a termination event. The Company Group has no commitment or obligation and has not made any representations to any employee, officer, director, independent contractor or consultant, whether or not legally binding, to adopt, amend, modify or terminate any Benefit Plan or any collective bargaining agreement, in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise.
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(g) Except as set forth in Section 3.20(g) of the Disclosure Schedules and other than as required under Sections 601 to 608 of ERISA or other applicable Law, no Benefit Plan provides post-termination or retiree health benefits to any individual for any reason, and neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has any Liability to provide post-termination or retiree health benefits to any individual or ever represented, promised or contracted to any individual that such individual would be provided with post-termination or retiree health benefits.
(h) There is no pending or, to Seller's Knowledge, threatened Action relating to a Benefit Plan (other than routine claims for benefits), and no Benefit Plan has within the three
(3) years prior to the date hereof been the subject of an examination or audit by a Governmental Authority or the subject of an application or filing under or is a participant in, an amnesty, voluntary compliance, self-correction or similar program sponsored by any Governmental Authority.
(i) There has been no amendment to, announcement by the Seller Parties, the Company or any of their Affiliates relating to, or change in employee participation or coverage under, any Benefit Plan or collective bargaining agreement that would increase the annual expense of maintaining such plan above the level of the expense incurred for the most recently completed fiscal year (other than on a de minimis basis) with respect to any director, officer, employee, independent contractor or consultant, as applicable. None of the Seller Parties, the Company, nor any of their Affiliates has any commitment or obligation or has made any representations to any director, officer, employee, independent contractor or consultant, whether or not legally binding, to adopt, amend, modify or terminate any Benefit Plan or any collective bargaining agreement.
(j) Each Benefit Plan that is subject to Section 409A of the Code has been administered in compliance with its terms and the operational and documentary requirements of Section 409A of the Code and all applicable regulatory guidance (including notices, rulings and proposed and final regulations) thereunder. The Company Group does not have any obligation to gross up, indemnify or otherwise reimburse any individual for any excise taxes, interest or penalties incurred pursuant to Section 409A of the Code.
(k) Each individual who is classified by the Company Group as an independent contractor has been properly classified for purposes of participation and benefit accrual under each Benefit Plan.
(l) Neither the execution of this Agreement nor any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will (either alone or upon the occurrence of any additional or subsequent events): (i) entitle any current or former director, officer, employee, independent contractor or consultant of the Company Group to severance pay or any other payment; (ii) accelerate the time of payment, funding or vesting, or increase the amount of compensation (including stock- based compensation) due to any such individual; (iii) limit or restrict the right of the Company Group to merge, amend, or terminate any Benefit Plan; (iv) increase the amount payable under or result in any other material obligation pursuant to any Benefit Plan; (v) result in “excess parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G(b) of the Code; or (vi) require a “gross-up” or other payment to any “disqualified individual” within the meaning of Section 280G(c) of the Code.
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Section 3.21 Employment Matters.
(a) Section 3.21(a) of the Disclosure Schedules contains a list of all persons who are employees, independent contractors or consultants of the Company Group as of the date hereof, including any employee who is on a leave of absence of any nature, paid or unpaid, authorized or unauthorized, and sets forth for each such individual the following: (i) name; (ii) title or position (including whether full-time or part-time); (iii) hire or retention date; (iv) current annual base compensation rate or contract fee; (v) commission, bonus or other incentive-based compensation; and (vi) a description of the fringe benefits provided to each such individual as of the date hereof. As of the date hereof, all compensation, including wages, commissions, bonuses, fees and other compensation, payable to all employees, independent contractors or consultants of the Company Group for services performed on or prior to the date hereof have been paid in full (or accrued in full on the audited balance sheet) and there are no outstanding agreements, understandings or commitments of the Company Group with respect to any compensation, commissions, bonuses or fees.
(b) The Company Group is not, and has not been for the past five (5) years, a party to, bound by, or negotiating any collective bargaining agreement or other Contract with a union, works council or labor organization (collectively, “Union”), and there is not, and has not been for the past five (5) years, any Union representing or purporting to represent any employee of the Company Group, and no Union or group of employees is seeking or has sought to organize employees for the purpose of collective bargaining. There has never been, nor has there been any threat of, any strike, slowdown, work stoppage, lockout, concerted refusal to work overtime or other similar labor disruption or dispute affecting the Company Group or any of its employees. No Company Group entity has any duty to bargain with any Union.
(c) The Company Group is and has been in compliance with all applicable Laws pertaining to employment and employment practices, including all Laws relating to labor relations, equal employment opportunities, fair employment practices, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, reasonable accommodation, disability rights or benefits, immigration, wages, hours, overtime compensation, child labor, hiring, promotion and termination of employees, working conditions, meal and break periods, privacy, health and safety, workers' compensation, leaves of absence, paid sick leave and unemployment insurance. All individuals characterized and treated by the Company Group as independent contractors or consultants are properly treated as independent contractors under all applicable Laws. All employees of the Company Group classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state and local wage and hour laws are properly classified. The Company Group is in compliance with and has complied with all immigration laws, including Form I-9 requirements and any applicable mandatory E-Verify obligations. There are no Actions against the Company Group pending, or to the Seller's Knowledge, threatened to be brought or filed, by or with any Governmental Authority or arbitrator in connection with the employment of any current or former applicant, employee, consultant, volunteer, intern or independent contractor of the Company Group, including, without limitation, any charge, investigation or claim relating to unfair labor practices, equal employment opportunities, fair employment practices, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, reasonable accommodation, disability rights or benefits, immigration, wages, hours, overtime compensation, employee classification, child labor, hiring, promotion and termination of employees, working conditions, meal and break periods, privacy, health and safety, workers' compensation, leaves of absence, paid sick leave, unemployment insurance or any other employment related matter arising under applicable Laws.
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(d) The Company Group has complied with the WARN Act, and it has no plans to undertake any action that would trigger the WARN Act.
Section 3.22 Taxes.
(a) All Tax Returns required to be filed on or before the Closing Date by the Company Group have been, or will be, timely filed. Such Tax Returns are, or will be, true, complete and correct in all respects. All Taxes due and owing by the Company Group (whether or not shown on any Tax Return) have been, or will be, timely paid.
(b) The Company Group has withheld and paid each Tax required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, customer, shareholder or other party, and complied with all information reporting and backup withholding provisions of applicable Law.
(c) No claim has been made by any taxing authority in any jurisdiction where the Company Group does not file Tax Returns that it is, or may be, subject to Tax by that jurisdiction.
(d) No extensions or waivers of statutes of limitations have been given or requested with respect to any Taxes of the Company Group.
(e) The amount of the Company Group 's Liability for unpaid Taxes does not, in the aggregate, exceed the amount of accruals for Taxes (excluding reserves for deferred Taxes) reflected on the Financial Statements. The amount of the Company Group 's Liability for unpaid Taxes for all periods following the end of the recent period covered by the Financial Statements shall not, in the aggregate, exceed the amount of accruals for Taxes (excluding reserves for deferred Taxes) as adjusted for the passage of time in accordance with the past custom and practice of the Company Group (and which accruals shall not exceed comparable amounts incurred in similar periods in prior years).
(f) | Section 3.22(f) of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth: |
(i) the taxable years of the Company Group as to which the applicable statutes of limitations on the assessment and collection of Taxes have not expired;
(ii) those years for which examinations by the taxing authorities have been completed; and
(iii) those taxable years for which examinations by taxing authorities are presently being conducted.
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(g) All deficiencies asserted, or assessments made, against the Company Group as a result of any examinations by any taxing authority have been fully paid.
(h) No Company Group entity is a party to any Action by any taxing authority. There are no pending or threatened Actions by any taxing authority.
(i) Seller has delivered to Buyer copies of all federal, state, local and foreign income, franchise and similar Tax Returns, examination reports, and statements of deficiencies assessed against, or agreed to by, the Company Group for all Tax periods ending after January 1, 2019.
(j) There are no Encumbrances for Taxes (other than for current Taxes not yet due and payable) upon the assets of the Company Group.
(k) The Company Group is not a party to, or bound by, any Tax indemnity, Tax sharing or Tax allocation agreement.
(l) No private letter rulings, technical advice memoranda or similar agreement or rulings have been requested, entered into or issued by any taxing authority with respect to the Company Group.
(m) The Company Group has not been a member of an affiliated, combined, consolidated or unitary Tax group for Tax purposes. The Company Group has no Liability for Taxes of any Person (other than the Company Group) under Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 (or any corresponding provision of state, local or foreign Law), as transferee or successor, by contract or otherwise.
(n) The Company Group will not be required to include any item of income in, or exclude any item or deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period or portion thereof ending after the Closing Date as a result of:
(i) any change in a method of accounting under Section 481 of the Code (or any comparable provision of state, local or foreign Tax Laws), or use of an improper method of accounting, for a taxable period ending on or prior to the Closing Date;
(ii) an installment sale or open transaction occurring on or prior to the Closing Date;
(iii) a prepaid amount received on or before the Closing Date;
(iv) any closing agreement under Section 7121 of the Code, or similar provision of state, local or foreign Law; or
(v) any election under Section 108(i) of the Code.
(o) Seller is not a “foreign person” as that term is used in Treasury Regulations Section 1.1445-2. No Company Group entity is, nor have they been, a United States real property holding corporation (as defined in Section 897(c)(2) of the Code) during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(a) of the Code.
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(p) No Company Group entity has been a “distributing corporation” or a “controlled corporation” in connection with a distribution described in Section 355 of the Code.
(q) No Company Group entity is, and they have not been, a party to, or a promoter of, a “reportable transaction” within the meaning of Section 6707A(c)(1) of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011 4(b).
(r) There is currently no limitation on the utilization of net operating losses, capital losses, built-in losses, tax credits or similar items of the Company Group under Sections 269, 382, 383, 384 or 1502 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder (and comparable provisions of state, local or foreign Law).
(s) Section 3.22(s) of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth all foreign jurisdictions in which the Company Group is subject to Tax, is engaged in business or has a permanent establishment. The Company Group has not entered into a gain recognition agreement pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.367(a)-8. The Company Group has not transferred an intangible the transfer of which would be subject to the rules of Section 367(d) of the Code.
(t) No property owned by the Company Group is (i) required to be treated as being owned by another person pursuant to the so-called “safe harbor lease” provisions of former Section 168(f)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, (ii) subject to Section 168(g)(1)(A) of the Code, or (iii) subject to a disqualified leaseback or long-term agreement as defined in Section 467 of the Code.
Section 3.23 Books and Records. The minute books and stock record books of the Company Group, all of which have been made available to Buyer, are complete and correct and have been maintained in accordance with sound business practices. The minute books of the Company Group entities contain accurate and complete records of all meetings, and actions taken by written consent of, the stockholders, the board of directors and any committees of the board of directors of the Company Group, and no meeting, or action taken by written consent, of any such stockholders, board of directors or committee has been held for which minutes have not been prepared and are not contained in such minute books. At the Closing, all of those books and records will be in the possession of the Company Group.
Section 3.24 Brokers. No broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder's or other fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Ancillary Document based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Seller Parties.
Section 3.25 Full Disclosure. No representation or warranty by the Seller Parties in this Agreement and no statement contained in the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement or any certificate or other document furnished or to be furnished to Buyer pursuant to this Agreement contains any untrue statement of a material fact, or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances in which they are made, not misleading.
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ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER
Buyer represents and warrants to the Seller Parties that the statements contained in this ARTICLE IV are true and correct as of the date hereof.
Section 4.01 Organization and Authority of Buyer. Buyer is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the state of Delaware. Buyer has full limited liability company power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which Xxxxx is a part, to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery by Buyer of this Agreement and any Ancillary Document to which Xxxxx is a party, the performance by Xxxxx of its obligations hereunder and thereunder and the consummation by Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all requisite limited liability company action on the part of Buyer. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Xxxxx, and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Seller Parties) this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Buyer enforceable against Buyer in accordance with its terms. When each Ancillary Document to which Buyer is or will be a party has been duly executed and delivered by Xxxxx (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by each other party thereto), such Ancillary Document will constitute a legal and binding obligation of Buyer enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
Section 4.02 No Conflicts; Consents. The execution, delivery and performance by Buyer of this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which it is a party, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, do not and will not: (a) conflict with or result in a violation or breach of, or default under, any provision of the certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents of Buyer; (b) conflict with or result in a violation or breach of any provision of any Law or Governmental Order applicable to Buyer; or (c) require the consent, notice or other action by any Person under any Contract to which Buyer is a party. No consent, approval, Permit, Governmental Order, declaration or filing with, or notice to, any Governmental Authority is required by or with respect to Buyer in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and such consents, approvals, Permits, Governmental Orders, declarations, filings or notices which, in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.03 Investment Purpose. Buyer is acquiring the Shares solely for its own account for investment purposes and not with a view to, or for offer or sale in connection with, any distribution thereof. Buyer acknowledges that the Shares are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and that the Shares may not be transferred or sold except pursuant to the registration provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or pursuant to an applicable exemption therefrom and subject to state securities laws and regulations, as applicable.
Section 4.04 Brokers. No broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder's or other fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Document based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Buyer.
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Section 4.05 Sufficiency of Funds. Buyer has sufficient cash on hand or other sources of immediately available funds to enable it to make payment of the Purchase Price and consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.06 Legal Proceedings. There are no Actions pending or, to Xxxxx's knowledge, threatened against or by Buyer or any Affiliate of Buyer that challenge or seek to prevent, enjoin or otherwise delay the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No event has occurred or circumstances exist that may give rise or serve as a basis for any such Action.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS
Section 5.01 Conduct of Business Prior to the Closing. From the date hereof until the Closing, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or consented to in writing by Buyer (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), the Seller Parties shall, and shall cause the Company Group to, (x) conduct the business of the Company Group in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; and (y) use reasonable best efforts to maintain and preserve intact the current organization, business and franchise of the Company Group and to preserve the rights, franchises, goodwill and relationships of its employees, customers, lenders, suppliers, regulators and others having business relationships with the Company Group. Without limiting the foregoing, from the date hereof until the Closing Date, the Seller Parties shall:
(a) | not, and shall cause that none of their Affiliates (including Parent): |
(i) enter into, create, incur, assume, guarantee or suffer to exist any indebtedness for borrowed money of any kind (other than the Secured Loans), including, but not limited to, a guarantee, on or with respect to any of its property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom,
(ii) enter into, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Encumbrance of any kind, on or with respect to any of its capital stock, property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom other than the Secured Loans,
(iii) amend its charter documents or other organizational documents, including, without limitation, its certificate of incorporation and bylaws,
(iv) make any payments in respect of any related party debt,
(v) enter into or agree to enter into any debenture, note, instrument, contract, financing arrangements, or other transaction (other than the Secured Loans) that allows the holder of such instrument or counterparty to such transaction to acquire any Shares, or receive payments based on the price of the Shares, based on a price that varies or changes based on the market price of the Shares,
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(vi) issue, sell or otherwise dispose any capital stock, or grant any options, warrants or other rights to purchase or obtain (including upon conversion, exchange or exercise) any capital stock,
(vii) declare or pay any dividends or distribution on or in respect of the Shares or redeem, repurchase or acquire its Shares,
(viii) adopt any plan of merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or dissolution or file a petition in bankruptcy under any provisions of federal or state bankruptcy law or consent to the filings of any bankruptcy petition against it under any similar law,
(ix) acquire by merger or consolidation with, or by purchase of a substantial portion of the assets or stock of, or by any other manner, any business or any Person or any division thereof,
(x) split, combine or reclassify any Shares,
(xi) otherwise transfer any funds (including any funds received under the Secured Loans) or other assets from Seller or any Company Group entity to any Seller Party or any Affiliate of a Seller Party without the prior express written consent of the Buyer;
(b) cause that (i) the board of directors, board of managers, or other similar management structure for the Seller shall consist solely of Xxxx English, Xxxx Xxxxxx and Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, (ii) the board of directors, board of managers, or other similar management structure for each Company Group entity shall consist solely of Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx (or any combination thereof), and (iii) none of the officers of the Company Group entities are removed or replaced.
(c) | cause the Company Group to preserve and maintain all of its Permits; |
(d) | cause the Company Group to pay its debts, Taxes and other obligations when due; |
(e) cause the Company Group to maintain the properties and assets owned, operated or used by the Company Group in the same condition as they were on the date of this Agreement, subject to reasonable wear and tear;
(f) cause the Company Group to continue in full force and effect without modification all Insurance Policies, except as required by applicable Law;
(g) cause the Company Group to defend and protect its properties and assets from infringement or usurpation;
(h) cause the Company Group to perform all of its obligations under all Contracts relating to or affecting its properties, assets or business;
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(i) cause the Company Group to maintain its books and records in accordance with past practice;
(j) cause the Company Group to comply in all material respects with all applicable Laws; and
(k) cause the Company Group not to take or permit any action that would cause any of the changes, events or conditions described in Section 3.08 to occur.
Section 5.02 Access to Information. From the date hereof until the Closing, the Seller Parties shall, and shall cause the Company Group to, (a) afford Buyer and its Representatives full and free access to and the right to inspect all of the Real Property, properties, assets, premises, books and records, Contracts and other documents and data related to the Company Group; (b) furnish Buyer and its Representatives with such financial, operating and other data and information related to the Company Group as Buyer or any of its Representatives may reasonably request; and (c) instruct the Representatives of the Seller Parties and the Company Group to cooperate with Buyer in its investigation of the Company Group. Any investigation pursuant to this Section 5.02 shall be conducted in such manner as not to interfere unreasonably with the conduct of the business of Seller or the Company Group. No investigation by Buyer or other information received by Buyer shall operate as a waiver or otherwise affect any representation, warranty or agreement given or made by the Seller Parties in this Agreement.
Section 5.03 Notice of Certain Events.
(a) From the date hereof until the Closing, the Seller Parties shall promptly notify Buyer in writing of:
(i) any fact, circumstance, event or action the existence, occurrence or taking of which (A) has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (B) has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, any representation or warranty made by the Seller Parties hereunder not being true and correct or (C) has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, the failure of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7.02 to be satisfied;
(ii) any notice or other communication from any Person alleging that the consent of such Person is or may be required in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(iii) any notice or other communication from any Governmental Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and
(iv) any Actions commenced or, to Seller's Knowledge, threatened against, relating to or involving or otherwise affecting the Seller Parties or the Company that, if pending on the date of this Agreement, would have been required to have been disclosed pursuant to Section 3.17 or that relates to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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(b) Buyer's receipt of information pursuant to this Section 5.03 shall not operate as a waiver or otherwise affect any representation, warranty or agreement given or made by the Seller Parties in this Agreement (including Section 8.02 and Section 9.01(b)) and shall not be deemed to amend or supplement the Disclosure Schedules.
Section 5.04 Resignations. Seller shall deliver to Buyer a written resignation from Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, effective as of the Closing Date, resigning any and all positions with any Company Group entity.
Section 5.05 Confidentiality. From and after the Closing, the Seller Parties shall, and shall cause their Affiliates to, hold, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its or their respective Representatives to hold, in confidence any and all information, whether written or oral, concerning the Company Group, except to the extent that the Seller Parties can show that such information (a) is generally available to and known by the public through no fault of the Seller Parties, any of their Affiliates or their respective Representatives; or (b) is lawfully acquired by the Seller Parties, any of their Affiliates or their respective Representatives from and after the Closing from sources which are not prohibited from disclosing such information by a legal, contractual or fiduciary obligation. If the Seller Parties or any of thier Affiliates or their respective Representatives are compelled to disclose any information by judicial or administrative process or by other requirements of Law, the Seller Parties shall promptly notify Buyer in writing and shall disclose only that portion of such information which such Seller Party is advised by its counsel in writing is legally required to be disclosed, provided that the Seller Parties shall use reasonable best efforts to obtain an appropriate protective order or other reasonable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded such information.
Section 5.06 Non-Competition; Non-Solicitation.
(a) For a period of two (2) years commencing on the Closing Date (the “Restricted Period”), the Seller Parties shall not, and shall not permit any of their Affiliates to, directly or indirectly, (i) engage in or assist others in engaging in the Restricted Business in the Territory; (ii) have an interest in any Person that engages directly or indirectly in the Restricted Business in the Territory in any capacity, including as a partner, shareholder, member, employee, principal, agent, trustee or consultant; or (iii) intentionally interfere in any material respect with the business relationships (whether formed prior to or after the date of this Agreement) between the Company Group and customers or suppliers of the Company Group. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Seller Parties may own, directly or indirectly, solely as an investment, securities of any Person traded on any national securities exchange if the Seller Parties is not a controlling Person of, or a member of a group which controls, such Person and does not, directly or indirectly, own 5% or more of any class of securities of such Person.
(b) During the Restricted Period, the Seller Parties shall not, and shall not permit any of their Affiliates to, directly or indirectly, hire or solicit any employee of the Company Group or encourage any such employee to leave such employment or hire any such employee who has left such employment, except pursuant to a general solicitation which is not directed specifically to any such employees; provided, that nothing in this Section 5.06(b) shall prevent the Seller Parties or any of their Affiliates from hiring (i) any employee whose employment has been terminated by the Company Group or Buyer or (ii) after one hundred and eighty (180) days from the date of termination of employment, any employee whose employment has been terminated by the employee.
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(c) During the Restricted Period, the Seller Parties shall not, and shall not permit any of their Affiliates to, directly or indirectly, solicit or entice, or attempt to solicit or entice, any clients or customers of the Company Group or potential clients or customers of the Company Group for purposes of diverting their business or services from the Company Group.
(d) The Seller Parties acknowledge that a breach or threatened breach of this Section 5.06 would give rise to irreparable harm to Buyer, for which monetary damages would not be an adequate remedy, and hereby agrees that in the event of a breach or a threatened breach by the Seller Parties of any such obligations, Buyer shall, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies that may be available to it in respect of such breach, be entitled to equitable relief, including a temporary restraining order, an injunction, specific performance and any other relief that may be available from a court of competent jurisdiction (without any requirement to post bond).
(e) | The Seller Parties acknowledge that the restrictions contained in this Section |
5.06 are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate interests of Buyer and constitute a material inducement to Buyer to enter into this Agreement and consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In the event that any covenant contained in this Section 5.06 should ever be adjudicated to exceed the time, geographic, product or service, or other limitations permitted by applicable Law in any jurisdiction, then any court is expressly empowered to reform such covenant, and such covenant shall be deemed reformed, in such jurisdiction to the maximum time, geographic, product or service, or other limitations permitted by applicable Law. The covenants contained in this Section 5.06 and each provision hereof are severable and distinct covenants and provisions. The invalidity or unenforceability of any such covenant or provision as written shall not invalidate or render unenforceable the remaining covenants or provisions hereof, and any such invalidity or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such covenant or provision in any other jurisdiction.
Section 5.07 Governmental Approvals and Consents.
(a) Each party hereto shall, as promptly as possible, (i) make, or cause or be made, all filings and submissions required under any Law applicable to such party or any of its Affiliates; and (ii) use reasonable best efforts to obtain, or cause to be obtained, all consents, authorizations, orders and approvals from all Governmental Authorities that may be or become necessary for its execution and delivery of this Agreement and the performance of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents. Each party shall cooperate fully with the other party and its Affiliates in promptly seeking to obtain all such consents, authorizations, orders and approvals. The parties hereto shall not willfully take any action that will have the effect of delaying, impairing or impeding the receipt of any required consents, authorizations, orders and approvals.
(b) The Seller Parties and Buyer shall use reasonable best efforts to give all notices to, and obtain all consents from, all third parties that are described in Section 3.05 of the Disclosure Schedules.
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(c) Without limiting the generality of the parties' undertakings pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) above, each of the parties hereto shall use all reasonable best efforts to:
(i) respond to any inquiries by any Governmental Authority regarding antitrust or other matters with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Document;
(ii) avoid the imposition of any order or the taking of any action that would restrain, alter or enjoin the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Document; and
(iii) in the event any Governmental Order adversely affecting the ability of the parties to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Document has been issued, to have such Governmental Order vacated or lifted.
(d) If any consent, approval or authorization necessary to preserve any right or benefit under any Contract to which a Company Group entity is a party is not obtained prior to the Closing, the Seller Parties shall, subsequent to the Closing, cooperate with Buyer and such Company Group entity in attempting to obtain such consent, approval or authorization as promptly thereafter as practicable. If such consent, approval or authorization cannot be obtained, the Seller Parties shall use their reasonable best efforts to provide the Company Group with the rights and benefits of the affected Contract for the term thereof, and, if the Seller Parties provide such rights and benefits, the Company Group shall assume all obligations and burdens thereunder.
Section 5.08 Books and Records.
(a) In order to facilitate the resolution of any claims made against or incurred by the Seller Parties prior to the Closing, or for any other reasonable purpose, for a period of three (3) years after the Closing, Buyer shall:
(i) retain the books and records (including personnel files) of the Company Group relating to periods prior to the Closing in a manner reasonably consistent with the prior practices of the Company Group; and
(ii) upon reasonable notice, afford the Representatives of the Seller Parties reasonable access (including the right to make, at the Seller Parties' expense, photocopies), during normal business hours, to such books and records;
provided, however, that any books and records related to Tax matters shall be retained pursuant to the periods set forth in ARTICLE VI.
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(b) In order to facilitate the resolution of any claims made by or against or incurred by Buyer or the Company Group after the Closing, or for any other reasonable purpose, for a period of three (3) years following the Closing, Seller shall:
(i) retain the books and records (including personnel files) of Seller which relate to the Company Group and its operations for periods prior to the Closing; and
(ii) upon reasonable notice, afford the Representatives of Buyer or the Company Group reasonable access (including the right to make, at Buyer's expense, photocopies), during normal business hours, to such books and records;
provided, however, that any books and records related to Tax matters shall be retained pursuant to the periods set forth in ARTICLE VI.
(c) Neither Buyer nor the Seller Parties shall be obligated to provide any other party with access to any books or records (including personnel files) pursuant to this Section 5.08 where such access would violate any Law.
Section 5.09 Closing Conditions From the date hereof until the Closing, each party hereto shall, and the Seller Parties shall cause the Company Group to, use reasonable best efforts to take such actions as are necessary to expeditiously satisfy the closing conditions set forth in ARTICLE VII hereof, including the preparation and delivery of the Disclosure Schedules as promptly as possible (but no later than five (5) after the date hereof).
Section 5.10 Public Announcements. Unless otherwise required by applicable Law or stock exchange requirements (based upon the reasonable advice of counsel), no party to this Agreement shall make any public announcements in respect of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or otherwise communicate with any news media without the prior written consent of the other party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), and the parties shall cooperate as to the timing and contents of any such announcement.
Section 5.11 Funding of Capital. From the date hereof until the Closing, the Buyer may, at its sole discretion, provide, or cause one of its Affiliates to provide, funds to the Company and/or any Subsidiaries of the Company by means of one or more secured loans (collectively, the “Secured Loans”).
Section 5.12 Further Assurances. Following the Closing, each of the parties hereto shall, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to, execute and deliver such additional documents, instruments, conveyances and assurances and take such further actions as may be reasonably required to carry out the provisions hereof and give effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE VI
TAX MATTERS
Section 6.01 Tax Covenants.
(a) Without the prior written consent of Buyer, the Seller Parties (and, prior to the Closing, the Company, their Affiliates and their respective Representatives) shall not, to the extent it may affect, or relate to, the Company Group, make, change or rescind any Tax election, amend any Tax Return or take any position on any Tax Return, take any action, omit to take any action or enter into any other transaction that would have the effect of increasing the Tax liability or reducing any Tax asset of Buyer or the Company Group in respect of any Post- Closing Tax Period. The Seller Parties agree that Buyer is to have no liability for any Tax resulting from any action of the Seller Parties, the Company, their Affiliates or any of their respective Representatives, and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Buyer (and, after the Closing Date, the Company Group) against any such Tax or reduction of any Tax asset.
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(b) All transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration, value added and other such Taxes and fees (including any penalties and interest) incurred in connection with this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents (including any real property transfer Tax and any other similar Tax) shall be borne and paid by Seller when due. Seller shall, at its own expense, timely file any Tax Return or other document with respect to such Taxes or fees (and Buyer shall cooperate with respect thereto as necessary).
(c) Buyer shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, all Tax Returns required to be filed by the Company Group after the Closing Date with respect to a Pre-Closing Tax Period. Any such Tax Return shall be prepared in a manner consistent with past practice (unless otherwise required by Law) and without a change of any election or any accounting method and shall be submitted by Buyer to Seller (together with schedules, statements and, to the extent requested by Seller, supporting documentation) at least forty-five (45) days prior to the due date (including extensions) of such Tax Return. If Seller objects to any item on any such Tax Return, it shall, within ten (10) days after delivery of such Tax Return, notify Buyer in writing that it so objects, specifying with particularity any such item and stating the specific factual or legal basis for any such objection. If a notice of objection shall be duly delivered, Buyer and Seller shall negotiate in good faith and use their reasonable best efforts to resolve such items. If Buyer and Seller are unable to reach such agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by Xxxxx of such notice, the disputed items shall be resolved by the Independent Accountant and any determination by the Independent Accountant shall be final. The Independent Accountant shall resolve any disputed items within twenty (20) days of having the item referred to it pursuant to such procedures as it may require. If the Independent Accountant is unable to resolve any disputed items before the due date for such Tax Return, the Tax Return shall be filed as prepared by Xxxxx and then amended to reflect the Independent Accountant's resolution. The costs, fees and expenses of the Independent Accountant shall be borne equally by Xxxxx and Seller. The preparation and filing of any Tax Return of the Company Group that does not relate to a Pre-Closing Tax Period shall be exclusively within the control of Buyer.
Section 6.02 Termination of Existing Tax Sharing Agreements. Any and all existing Tax sharing agreements (whether written or not) binding upon the Company Group shall be terminated as of the Closing Date. After such date none of the Company Group, the Seller Parties nor any of Seller's Affiliates and their respective Representatives shall have any further rights or liabilities thereunder.
Section 6.03 Tax Indemnification. The Seller Parties shall indemnify the Company Group, Buyer, and each Buyer Indemnitee and hold them harmless from and against (a) any Loss attributable to any breach of or inaccuracy in any representation or warranty made in Section 3.22; (b) any Loss attributable to any breach or violation of, or failure to fully perform, any covenant, agreement, undertaking or obligation in ARTICLE VI; (c) all Taxes of the Company Group or relating to the business of the Company Group for all Pre-Closing Tax Periods; (d) all Taxes of any member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group of which the Company Group (or any predecessor of the Company Group) is or was a member on or prior to the Closing Date by reason of a liability under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 or any comparable provisions of foreign, state or local Law; and (e) any and all Taxes of any person imposed on the Company Group arising under the principles of transferee or successor liability or by contract, relating to an event or transaction occurring before the Closing Date. In each of the above cases, together with any out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including attorneys' and accountants' fees) incurred in connection therewith, the Seller Parties shall reimburse Buyer for any Taxes of the Company Group that are the responsibility of the Seller Parties pursuant to this Section 6.03 within ten (10) Business Days after payment of such Taxes by Buyer or the Company Group.
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Section 6.04 Straddle Period. In the case of Taxes that are payable with respect to a taxable period that begins before and ends after the Closing Date (each such period, a “Straddle Period”), the portion of any such Taxes that are treated as Pre-Closing Taxes for purposes of this Agreement shall be:
(a) in the case of Taxes (i) based upon, or related to, income, receipts, profits, wages, capital or net worth, (ii) imposed in connection with the sale, transfer or assignment of property, or (iii) required to be withheld, deemed equal to the amount which would be payable if the taxable year ended with the Closing Date; and
(b) in the case of other Taxes, deemed to be the amount of such Taxes for the entire period multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days in the period ending on the Closing Date and the denominator of which is the number of days in the entire period.
Section 6.05 Section 338(h)(10) Election.
(a) Election. At Buyer's option, the Company and the Seller Parties shall join with Xxxxx in making a timely election under Section 338(h)(10) of the Code (and any corresponding election under state, local, and foreign Law) with respect to the purchase and sale of the Shares of the Company hereunder (collectively, a “Section 338(h)(10) Election”). The Seller Parties shall pay any Tax attributable to the making of the Section 338(h)(10) Election and the Seller Parties shall indemnify Buyer and the Company Group against any adverse consequences arising out of any failure to pay any such Taxes.
(b) Allocation of Purchase Price. If a Section 338(h)(10) Election is made, the Seller Parties and Buyer agree that the Purchase Price and the Liabilities of the Company Group (plus other relevant items) shall be allocated among the assets of the Company Group for all purposes (including Tax and financial accounting) as shown on the allocation schedule (the “Allocation Schedule”). A draft of the Allocation Schedule shall be prepared by the Seller Parties and delivered to Buyer within sixty (60) days following the Closing Date for its approval. If Buyer notifies the Seller Parties in writing that Buyer objects to one or more items reflected in the Allocation Schedule, the Seller Parties and Buyer shall negotiate in good faith to resolve such dispute; provided, however, that if the Seller Parties and Buyer are unable to resolve any dispute with respect to the Allocation Schedule within thirty (30) days following the Closing Date, such dispute shall be resolved by the Independent Accountant. The fees and expenses of such accounting firm shall be borne equally by the Seller Parties and Buyer. Buyer, the Company Group and the Seller Parties shall file all Tax Returns (including amended returns and claims for refund) and information reports in a manner consistent with the Allocation Schedule.
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Section 6.06 Contests. Buyer agrees to give written notice to the Seller Parties of the receipt of any written notice by the Company Group, Buyer or any of Buyer's Affiliates which involves the assertion of any claim, or the commencement of any Action, in respect of which an indemnity may be sought by Buyer pursuant to this ARTICLE VI (a “Tax Claim”); provided, that failure to comply with this provision shall not affect Xxxxx's right to indemnification hereunder. Buyer shall control the contest or resolution of any Tax Claim; provided, however, that Xxxxx shall obtain the prior written consent of the Seller Parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) before entering into any settlement of a claim or ceasing to defend such claim; and, provided further, that the Seller Parties shall be entitled to participate in the defense of such claim and to employ counsel of its choice for such purpose, the fees and expenses of which separate counsel shall be borne solely by the Seller Parties.
Section 6.07 Cooperation and Exchange of Information. The Seller Parties and Buyer shall provide each other with such cooperation and information as either of them reasonably may request of the other in filing any Tax Return pursuant to this ARTICLE VI or in connection with any audit or other proceeding in respect of Taxes of the Company Group. Such cooperation and information shall include providing copies of relevant Tax Returns or portions thereof, together with accompanying schedules, related work papers and documents relating to rulings or other determinations by tax authorities. Each of the Seller Parties and Buyer shall retain all Tax Returns, schedules and work papers, records and other documents in its possession relating to Tax matters of the Company Group for any taxable period beginning before the Closing Date until the expiration of the statute of limitations of the taxable periods to which such Tax Returns and other documents relate, without regard to extensions except to the extent notified by the other party in writing of such extensions for the respective Tax periods. Prior to transferring, destroying or discarding any Tax Returns, schedules and work papers, records and other documents in its possession relating to Tax matters of the Company Group for any taxable period beginning before the Closing Date, the Seller Parties or Buyer (as the case may be) shall provide the other party with reasonable written notice and offer the other party the opportunity to take custody of such materials.
Section 6.08 Tax Treatment of Indemnification Payments. Any indemnification payments pursuant to this ARTICLE VI shall be treated as an adjustment to the Purchase Price by the parties for Tax purposes, unless otherwise required by Law.
Section 6.09 Payments to Buyer. Any amounts payable to Buyer pursuant to this ARTICLE VI shall be satisfied from the Seller Parties.
Section 6.10 Survival. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the provisions of Section 3.22 and this ARTICLE VI shall survive for the full period of all applicable statutes of limitations (giving effect to any waiver, mitigation or extension thereof) plus sixty (60) days.
Section 6.11 Overlap. To the extent that any obligation or responsibility pursuant to ARTICLE VIII may overlap with an obligation or responsibility pursuant to this ARTICLE VI, the provisions of this ARTICLE VI shall govern.
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ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
Section 7.01 Conditions to Obligations of All Parties. The obligations of each party to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions:
(a) No Governmental Authority shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Governmental Order which is in effect and has the effect of making the transactions contemplated by this Agreement illegal, otherwise restraining or prohibiting consummation of such transactions or causing any of the transactions contemplated hereunder to be rescinded following completion thereof.
(b) The Seller Parties shall have received all consents, authorizations, orders and approvals from the Governmental Authorities referred to in Section 3.05, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Buyer, and no such consent, authorization, order and approval shall have been revoked.
Section 7.02 Conditions to Obligations of Buyer. The obligations of Buyer to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment or Xxxxx's waiver, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions:
(a) Other than the representations and warranties of the Seller Parties contained in Section 3.01, Section 3.02, Section 3.03, Section 3.06 and Section 3.24, the representations and warranties of the Seller Parties contained in this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents and any certificate or other writing delivered pursuant hereto shall be true and correct in all respects (in the case of any representation or warranty qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect) or in all material respects (in the case of any representation or warranty not qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect) on and as of the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though made at and as of such date (except those representations and warranties that address matters only as of a specified date, the accuracy of which shall be determined as of that specified date in all respects). The representations and warranties of the Seller Parties contained in Section 3.01, Section 3.02, Section 3.03, Section 3.06 and Section 3.24 shall be true and correct in all respects on and as of the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though made at and as of such date (except those representations and warranties that address matters only as of a specified date, the accuracy of which shall be determined as of that specified date in all respects).
(b) The Seller Parties shall have duly performed and complied in all material respects with all agreements, covenants and conditions required by this Agreement and each of the Ancillary Documents to be performed or complied with by it prior to or on the Closing Date; provided, that, with respect to agreements, covenants and conditions that are qualified by materiality, the Seller Parties shall have performed such agreements, covenants and conditions, as so qualified, in all respects.
(c) No Action shall have been commenced against Buyer, the Seller Parties or the Company Group, which would prevent the Closing. No injunction or restraining order shall have been issued by any Governmental Authority, and be in effect, which restrains or prohibits any transaction contemplated hereby.
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(d) All approvals, consents and waivers that are listed on Section 3.05 of the Disclosure Schedules shall have been received, and executed counterparts thereof shall have been delivered to Buyer at or prior to the Closing.
(e) From the date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect, nor shall any event or events have occurred that, individually or in the aggregate, with or without the lapse of time, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(f) The Ancillary Documents shall have been executed and delivered by the Seller Parties party thereto and true and complete copies thereof shall have been delivered to Buyer.
(g) Xxxxx shall have received the resignations of Xxx Xxxxxxxxx pursuant to Section 5.04.
(h) | At least three (3) Business Days before Closing, Seller shall have delivered to |
Buyer the Closing Indebtedness Certificate and the Closing Transaction Expenses Certificate.
(i) Seller shall have delivered to Buyer a good standing certificate (or its equivalent) for each Company Group entity from the secretary of state or similar Governmental Authority of the jurisdiction under the Laws in which such Company Group entity is organized.
(j) Seller shall have delivered to Buyer an updated draft of the Disclosure Schedules, as of the Closing Date, in form and substance acceptable to the Buyer, in the Buyer’s sole discretion.
(k) Seller shall have delivered to Buyer a certificate pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.1445-2(b) that Seller is not a foreign person within the meaning of Section 1445 of the Code.
(l) Seller shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to Buyer stock certificates evidencing the Shares, free and clear of Encumbrances, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by stock powers or other instruments of transfer duly executed in blank and with all required stock transfer tax stamps affixed.
(m) Xxxxx shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by a duly authorized officer of each of the Seller Parties, that each of the conditions set forth in Section 7.02(a) and Section 7.02(b) have been satisfied.
(n) Buyer shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary (or equivalent officer) of Seller certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of all resolutions adopted by the board of directors of Seller authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and that all such resolutions are in full force and effect and are all the resolutions adopted in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
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(o) Xxxxx shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary (or equivalent officer) of the Seller Parties certifying the names and signatures of the officers of the Seller Parties authorized to sign this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents and the other documents to be delivered hereunder and thereunder.
(p) The Seller Parties shall have delivered to Buyer such other documents or instruments as Buyer reasonably requests and are reasonably necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 7.03 Conditions to Obligations of the Seller Parties. The obligations of the Seller Parties to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment or the Seller Parties 's waiver, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions:
(a) Other than the representations and warranties of Buyer contained in Section 4.01 and Section 4.04, the representations and warranties of Buyer contained in this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents and any certificate or other writing delivered pursuant hereto shall be true and correct in all respects (in the case of any representation or warranty qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect) or in all material respects (in the case of any representation or warranty not qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect) on and as of the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though made at and as of such date (except those representations and warranties that address matters only as of a specified date, the accuracy of which shall be determined as of that specified date in all respects). The representations and warranties of Buyer contained in Section 4.01 and Section 4.04 shall be true and correct in all respects on and as of the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though made at and as of such date.
(b) Buyer shall have duly performed and complied in all material respects with all agreements, covenants and conditions required by this Agreement and each of the Ancillary Documents to be performed or complied with by it prior to or on the Closing Date.
(c) No injunction or restraining order shall have been issued by any Governmental Authority, and be in effect, which restrains or prohibits any material transaction contemplated hereby.
(d) All approvals, consents and waivers that are listed on Section 4.02 of the Disclosure Schedules shall have been received, and executed counterparts thereof shall have been delivered to Seller at or prior to the Closing.
(e) The Ancillary Documents shall have been executed and delivered by the Buyer and true and complete copies thereof shall have been delivered to Seller.
(f) Buyer shall have delivered to Seller cash in an amount equal to the Closing Date Payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds, to an account or accounts designated at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date by the Seller Parties in a written notice to Buyer.
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(g) Seller shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by a duly authorized officer of Buyer, that each of the conditions set forth in Section 7.03(a) and Section 7.03(b) have been satisfied.
(h) Seller shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary (or equivalent officer) of Buyer certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of all resolutions adopted by the board of directors of Buyer authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and that all such resolutions are in full force and effect and are all the resolutions adopted in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
(i) Seller shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary (or equivalent officer) of Buyer certifying the names and signatures of the officers of Buyer authorized to sign this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents and the other documents to be delivered hereunder and thereunder.
(j) Buyer shall have delivered to the Seller Parties such other documents or instruments as the Seller Parties reasonably requests and are reasonably necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 8.01 Survival. Subject to the limitations and other provisions of this Agreement, the representations and warranties contained herein (other than any representations or warranties contained in Section 3.22 which are subject to ARTICLE VI) shall survive the Closing and shall remain in full force and effect until the date that is two (2) years from the Closing Date; provided, that the representations and warranties in Section 3.01, Section 3.02, Section 3.03, Section 3.04, Section 3.24, Section 4.01 and Section 4.04 shall survive indefinitely. All covenants and agreements of the parties contained herein (other than any covenants or agreements contained in ARTICLE VI which are subject to ARTICLE VI) shall survive the Closing indefinitely or for the period explicitly specified therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any claims asserted in good faith with reasonable specificity (to the extent known at such time) and in writing by notice from the non-breaching party to the breaching party prior to the expiration date of the applicable survival period shall not thereafter be barred by the expiration of the relevant representation or warranty and such claims shall survive until finally resolved.
Section 8.02 Indemnification By Seller Parties. Subject to the other terms and conditions of this ARTICLE VIII, the Seller Parties shall indemnify and defend each of Buyer and its Affiliates (including the Company Group) and their respective Representatives (collectively, the “Buyer Indemnitees”) against, and shall hold each of them harmless from and against, and shall pay and reimburse each of them for, any and all Losses incurred or sustained by, or imposed upon, the Buyer Indemnitees based upon, arising out of, with respect to or by reason of:
(a) any inaccuracy in or breach of any of the representations or warranties of the Seller Parties contained in this Agreement or in any certificate or instrument delivered by or on behalf of the Seller Parties pursuant to this Agreement (other than in respect of Section 3.22, it being understood that the sole remedy for any such inaccuracy in or breach thereof shall be pursuant to ARTICLE VI), as of the date such representation or warranty was made or as if such representation or warranty was made on and as of the Closing Date (except for representations and warranties that expressly relate to a specified date, the inaccuracy in or breach of which will be determined with reference to such specified date);
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(b) any breach or non-fulfillment of any covenant, agreement or obligation to be performed by the Seller Parties pursuant to this Agreement (other than any breach or violation of, or failure to fully perform, any covenant, agreement, undertaking or obligation in ARTICLE VI, it being understood that the sole remedy for any such breach, violation or failure shall be pursuant to ARTICLE VI); or
(c) any Transaction Expenses or Indebtedness of the Company Group outstanding as of the Closing to the extent not deducted from the Purchase Price in the determination of the Closing Date Payment.
Section 8.03 Indemnification By Buyer. Subject to the other terms and conditions of this ARTICLE VIII, Xxxxx shall indemnify and defend each of the Seller Parties and their Affiliates and their respective Representatives (collectively, the “Seller Indemnitees”) against, and shall hold each of them harmless from and against, and shall pay and reimburse each of them for, any and all Losses incurred or sustained by, or imposed upon, the Seller Indemnitees based upon, arising out of, with respect to or by reason of:
(a) any inaccuracy in or breach of any of the representations or warranties of Buyer contained in this Agreement or in any certificate or instrument delivered by or on behalf of Buyer pursuant to this Agreement, as of the date such representation or warranty was made or as if such representation or warranty was made on and as of the Closing Date (except for representations and warranties that expressly relate to a specified date, the inaccuracy in or breach of which will be determined with reference to such specified date); or
(b) any breach or non-fulfillment of any covenant, agreement or obligation to be performed by Buyer pursuant to this Agreement (other than ARTICLE VI, it being understood that the sole remedy for any such breach thereof shall be pursuant to ARTICLE VI).
Section 8.04 Certain Limitations. The indemnification provided for in Section 8.02 and Section 8.03 shall be subject to the following limitations:
(a) The aggregate amount of all Losses for which Buyer shall be liable pursuant to Section 8.03(a) shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the Purchase Price.
(b) For purposes of this ARTICLE VIII, any inaccuracy in or breach of any representation or warranty shall be determined without regard to any materiality, Material Adverse Effect or other similar qualification contained in or otherwise applicable to such representation or warranty.
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Section 8.05 Indemnification Procedures. The party making a claim under this ARTICLE VIII is referred to as the “Indemnified Party”, and the party against whom such claims are asserted under this ARTICLE VIII is referred to as the “Indemnifying Party”.
(a) Third Party Claims. If any Indemnified Party receives notice of the assertion or commencement of any Action made or brought by any Person who is not a party to this Agreement or an Affiliate of a party to this Agreement or a Representative of the foregoing (a “Third Party Claim”) against such Indemnified Party with respect to which the Indemnifying Party is obligated to provide indemnification under this Agreement, the Indemnified Party shall give the Indemnifying Party reasonably prompt written notice thereof, but in any event not later than thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of such notice of such Third Party Claim. The failure to give such prompt written notice shall not, however, relieve the Indemnifying Party of its indemnification obligations, except and only to the extent that the Indemnifying Party forfeits rights or defenses by reason of such failure. Such notice by the Indemnified Party shall describe the Third Party Claim in reasonable detail, shall include copies of all material written evidence thereof and shall indicate the estimated amount, if reasonably practicable, of the Loss that has been or may be sustained by the Indemnified Party. The Indemnifying Party shall have the right to participate in, or by giving written notice to the Indemnified Party, to assume the defense of any Third Party Claim at the Indemnifying Party's expense and by the Indemnifying Party's own counsel, and the Indemnified Party shall cooperate in good faith in such defense; provided, that if the Indemnifying Party is the Seller Parties, such Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to defend or direct the defense of any such Third Party Claim that (x) is asserted directly by or on behalf of a Person that is a supplier or customer of the Company Group, or (y) seeks an injunction or other equitable relief against the Indemnified Party. In the event that the Indemnifying Party assumes the defense of any Third Party Claim, subject to Section 8.05(b), it shall have the right to take such action as it deems necessary to avoid, dispute, defend, appeal or make counterclaims pertaining to any such Third Party Claim in the name and on behalf of the Indemnified Party. The Indemnified Party shall have the right to participate in the defense of any Third Party Claim with counsel selected by it subject to the Indemnifying Party's right to control the defense thereof. The fees and disbursements of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnified Party, provided, that if in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Indemnified Party, (A) there are legal defenses available to an Indemnified Party that are different from or additional to those available to the Indemnifying Party; or (B) there exists a conflict of interest between the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party that cannot be waived, the Indemnifying Party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Indemnified Party in each jurisdiction for which the Indemnified Party determines counsel is required. If the Indemnifying Party elects not to compromise or defend such Third Party Claim, fails to promptly notify the Indemnified Party in writing of its election to defend as provided in this Agreement, or fails to diligently prosecute the defense of such Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party may, subject to Section 8.05(b), pay, compromise, defend such Third Party Claim and seek indemnification for any and all Losses based upon, arising from or relating to such Third Party Claim. the Seller Parties and Buyer shall cooperate with each other in all reasonable respects in connection with the defense of any Third Party Claim, including making available (subject to the provisions of Section 5.05) records relating to such Third Party Claim and furnishing, without expense (other than reimbursement of actual out-of-pocket expenses) to the defending party, management employees of the non-defending party as may be reasonably necessary for the preparation of the defense of such Third Party Claim.
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(b) Settlement of Third Party Claims. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Indemnifying Party shall not enter into settlement of any Third Party Claim without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, except as provided in this Section 8.05(b). If a firm offer is made to settle a Third Party Claim without leading to liability or the creation of a financial or other obligation on the part of the Indemnified Party and provides, in customary form, for the unconditional release of each Indemnified Party from all liabilities and obligations in connection with such Third Party Claim and the Indemnifying Party desires to accept and agree to such offer, the Indemnifying Party shall give written notice to that effect to the Indemnified Party. If the Indemnified Party fails to consent to such firm offer within ten (10) days after its receipt of such notice, the Indemnified Party may continue to contest or defend such Third Party Claim and in such event, the maximum liability of the Indemnifying Party as to such Third Party Claim shall not exceed the amount of such settlement offer. If the Indemnified Party fails to consent to such firm offer and also fails to assume defense of such Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party may settle the Third Party Claim upon the terms set forth in such firm offer to settle such Third Party Claim. If the Indemnified Party has assumed the defense pursuant to Section 8.05(a), it shall not agree to any settlement without the written consent of the Indemnifying Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).
(c) Direct Claims. Any Action by an Indemnified Party on account of a Loss which does not result from a Third Party Claim (a “Direct Claim”) shall be asserted by the Indemnified Party giving the Indemnifying Party reasonably prompt written notice thereof, but in any event not later than thirty (30) days after the Indemnified Party becomes aware of such Direct Claim. The failure to give such prompt written notice shall not, however, relieve the Indemnifying Party of its indemnification obligations, except and only to the extent that the Indemnifying Party forfeits rights or defenses by reason of such failure. Such notice by the Indemnified Party shall describe the Direct Claim in reasonable detail, shall include copies of all material written evidence thereof and shall indicate the estimated amount, if reasonably practicable, of the Loss that has been or may be sustained by the Indemnified Party. The Indemnifying Party shall have thirty (30) days after its receipt of such notice to respond in writing to such Direct Claim. The Indemnified Party shall allow the Indemnifying Party and its professional advisors to investigate the matter or circumstance alleged to give rise to the Direct Claim, and whether and to what extent any amount is payable in respect of the Direct Claim and the Indemnified Party shall assist the Indemnifying Party's investigation by giving such information and assistance (including access to the Company Group 's premises and personnel and the right to examine and copy any accounts, documents or records) as the Indemnifying Party or any of its professional advisors may reasonably request. If the Indemnifying Party does not so respond within such thirty (30) day period, the Indemnifying Party shall be deemed to have rejected such claim, in which case the Indemnified Party shall be free to pursue such remedies as may be available to the Indemnified Party on the terms and subject to the provisions of this Agreement.
(d) Tax Claims. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the control of any claim, assertion, event or proceeding in respect of Taxes of the Company Group (including, but not limited to, any such claim in respect of a breach of the representations and warranties in Section 3.22 hereof or any breach or violation of or failure to fully perform any covenant, agreement, undertaking or obligation in ARTICLE VI) shall be governed exclusively by ARTICLE VI hereof.
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Section 8.06 Payments.
(a) Once a Loss is agreed to by the Indemnifying Party or finally adjudicated to be payable pursuant to this ARTICLE VIII, the Indemnifying Party shall satisfy its obligations within fifteen (15) Business Days of such final, non-appealable adjudication by wire transfer of immediately available funds. The parties hereto agree that should an Indemnifying Party not make full payment of any such obligations within such fifteen (15) Business Day period, any amount payable shall accrue interest from and including the date of agreement of the Indemnifying Party or final, non-appealable adjudication to the date such payment has been made at a rate per annum equal to fifteen percent (15%). Such interest shall be calculated daily on the basis of a 365-day year and the actual number of days elapsed.
(b) Any Losses payable to a Buyer Indemnitee pursuant to this ARTICLE VIII shall be satisfied from the Seller Parties.
Section 8.07 Tax Treatment of Indemnification Payments. All indemnification payments made under this Agreement shall be treated by the parties as an adjustment to the Purchase Price for Tax purposes, unless otherwise required by Law.
Section 8.08 Effect of Investigation. The representations, warranties and covenants of the Indemnifying Party, and the Indemnified Party's right to indemnification with respect thereto, shall not be affected or deemed waived by reason of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Party (including by any of its Representatives) or by reason of the fact that the Indemnified Party or any of its Representatives knew or should have known that any such representation or warranty is, was or might be inaccurate or by reason of the Indemnified Party's waiver of any condition set forth in Section 7.02 or Section 7.03, as the case may be.
Section 8.09 Exclusive Remedies. Subject to Section 5.06 and Section 10.11, the parties acknowledge and agree that their sole and exclusive remedy with respect to any and all claims (other than claims arising from fraud, criminal activity or willful misconduct on the part of a party hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) for any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant, agreement or obligation set forth herein or otherwise relating to the subject matter of this Agreement, shall be pursuant to the indemnification provisions set forth in ARTICLE VI and this ARTICLE VIII. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted under Law, any and all rights, claims and causes of action for any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant, agreement or obligation set forth herein or otherwise relating to the subject matter of this Agreement it may have against the other parties hereto and their Affiliates and each of their respective Representatives arising under or based upon any Law, except pursuant to the indemnification provisions set forth in ARTICLE VI and this ARTICLE VIII. Nothing in this Section 8.09 shall limit any Person's right to seek and obtain any equitable relief to which any Person shall be entitled or to seek any remedy on account of any party's fraudulent, criminal or intentional misconduct.
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ARTICLE IX
TERMINATION
Section 9.01 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing:
(a) | by the mutual written consent of the Seller Parties and Xxxxx; |
(b) | by Buyer by written notice to the Seller Parties if: |
(i) there has been a breach, inaccuracy in or failure to perform any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement made by the Seller Parties pursuant to this Agreement that would give rise to the failure of any of the conditions specified in ARTICLE VII and such breach, inaccuracy or failure has not been cured by the Seller Parties within ten (10) days of the Seller Parties' receipt of written notice of such breach from Buyer; or
(ii) any of the conditions set forth in Section 7.01 or Section 7.02 shall not have been, or if it becomes apparent that any of such conditions will not be, fulfilled by August 1, 2023, unless such failure shall be due to the failure of Buyer to perform or comply with any of the covenants, agreements or conditions hereof to be performed or complied with by it prior to the Closing;
(iii) there shall be any Law that makes consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement illegal or otherwise prohibited; or
(iv) any Governmental Authority shall have issued a Governmental Order restraining or enjoining the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and such Governmental Order shall have become final and non-appealable.
Section 9.02 Effect of Termination. In the event of the termination of this Agreement in accordance with this Article, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and there shall be no liability on the part of any party hereto except:
(a) the October 2022 Debenture Amount, the March 2023 Note Amount, the April 2023 Note Amount, and the Secured Loans (including any fees or expenses thereunder) shall be immediately due and payable;
(b) | as set forth in this ARTICLE IX and Section 5.05 and ARTICLE X hereof; and |
(c) that nothing herein shall relieve any party hereto from liability for any willful breach of any provision hereof.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.01 Expenses. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all costs and expenses, including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel, financial advisors and accountants, incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses, whether or not the Closing shall have occurred .
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Section 10.02 Notices. All notices, requests, consents, claims, demands, waivers and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (a) when delivered by hand (with written confirmation of receipt); (b) when received by the addressee if sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier (receipt requested); (c) on the date sent by facsimile or e-mail of a PDF document (with confirmation of transmission) if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and on the next Business Day if sent after normal business hours of the recipient or (d) on the third day after the date mailed, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. Such communications must be sent to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 10.02):
If to the Seller Parties: | Ideanomics, Inc. |
0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx #0000 | |
New York, NY 10018 | |
Telephone: 000-000-0000 | |
Attention: Chief Executive Officer | |
E-Mail: xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx | |
If to Buyer: | YA II PN, Ltd. |
0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Mountainside, NJ 07092 | |
Email: Xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx | |
with a copy to: | DLA Piper, LLP 0000 0xx Xxx. |
New York, NY 10020 | |
E-mail: xxxxx.xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx | |
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx |
Section 10.03 Interpretation. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) the words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; (b) the word “or” is not exclusive; and (c) the words “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereto” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole. Unless the context otherwise requires, references herein: (x) to Articles, Sections, Disclosure Schedules and Exhibits mean the Articles and Sections of, and Disclosure Schedules and Exhibits attached to, this Agreement; (y) to an agreement, instrument or other document means such agreement, instrument or other document as amended, supplemented and modified from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions thereof and (z) to a statute means such statute as amended from time to time and includes any successor legislation thereto and any regulations promulgated thereunder. This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction or interpretation against the party drafting an instrument or causing any instrument to be drafted. The Disclosure Schedules and Exhibits referred to herein shall be construed with, and as an integral part of, this Agreement to the same extent as if they were set forth verbatim herein.
Section 10.04 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement.
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Section 10.05 Severability. If any term or provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other term or provision of this Agreement or invalidate or render unenforceable such term or provision in any other jurisdiction. Except as provided in Section 5.06(e), upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.
Section 10.06 Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Ancillary Documents constitute the sole and entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement with respect to the subject matter contained herein and therein, and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings and agreements, both written and oral, with respect to such subject matter. In the event of any inconsistency between the statements in the body of this Agreement and those in the Ancillary Documents, the Exhibits and Disclosure Schedules (other than an exception expressly set forth as such in the Disclosure Schedules), the statements in the body of this Agreement will control.
Section 10.07 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Neither party may assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed; provided, however, that prior to the Closing Date, Buyer may, without the prior written consent of the Seller Parties, assign all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to one or more of its direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries or third-party investors.
Section 10.08 No Third-party Beneficiaries. Except as provided in Section 6.03 and ARTICLE VIII, this Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person or entity any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.
Section 10.09 Amendment and Modification; Waiver. This Agreement may only be amended, modified or supplemented by an agreement in writing signed by each party hereto. No waiver by any party of any of the provisions hereof shall be effective unless explicitly set forth in writing and signed by the party so waiving. No waiver by any party shall operate or be construed as a waiver in respect of any failure, breach or default not expressly identified by such written waiver, whether of a similar or different character, and whether occurring before or after that waiver. No failure to exercise, or delay in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege arising from this Agreement shall operate or be construed as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.
Section 10.10 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.
(a) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction).
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(b) ANY LEGAL SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR BASED UPON THIS AGREEMENT, THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY MAY BE INSTITUTED IN THE FEDERAL COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN EACH CASE LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK, AND EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING. SERVICE OF PROCESS, SUMMONS, NOTICE OR OTHER DOCUMENT BY MAIL TO SUCH PARTY'S ADDRESS SET FORTH HEREIN SHALL BE EFFECTIVE SERVICE OF PROCESS FOR ANY SUIT, ACTION OR OTHER PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT. THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR ANY PROCEEDING IN SUCH COURTS AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVE AND AGREE NOT TO PLEAD OR CLAIM IN ANY SUCH COURT THAT ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM.
(c) EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES AND, THEREFORE, EACH SUCH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LEGAL ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, THE ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (A) NO REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER IN THE EVENT OF A LEGAL ACTION, (B) SUCH PARTY HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER, (C) SUCH PARTY MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY, AND (D) SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 10.10(c).
Section 10.11 Specific Performance. The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that the parties shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms hereof, in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity.
Section 10.12 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same agreement. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, e-mail or other means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.
IDEANOMICS INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxx Xxxx | |
Name: | Xxx Xxxx | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
TIMIOS HOLDINGS CORP. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Title: | President |
TIMIOS ACQUISITION, LLC | ||
By: | [ILLEGIBLE] | |
Name: | [ILLEGIBLE] | |
Title: | [ILLEGIBLE] |
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