PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT between SOUTHERN UNION COMPANY and UGI CORPORATION Dated as of January 26, 2006
Exhibit
10.1
EXECUTION
COPY
between
SOUTHERN
UNION COMPANY
and
UGI
CORPORATION
Dated
as of January 26, 2006
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page | |
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS |
1
|
Section
1.1. Certain Defined
Terms
|
1
|
Section
1.2. Other Defined Terms
|
9
|
ARTICLE II. PURCHASE AND SALE |
11
|
Section
2.1. Purchase and Sale of Assets and
Stock
|
11
|
Section
2.2. Assumed
Liabilities
|
11
|
Section
2.3. Retained
Liabilities
|
12
|
Section
2.4. Condition on Assignment or Assumption of Contracts and
Rights
|
13
|
Section
2.5. Settlement of Intercompany
Accounts
|
13
|
ARTICLE III. PURCHASE PRICE |
13
|
Section
3.1. Purchase
Price
|
13
|
Section
3.2. Adjustment to Estimated Purchase
Price
|
14
|
ARTICLE IV. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER |
15
|
Section
4.1. Organization, Existence and Qualification
|
15
|
Section
4.2. Authority Relative to this Agreement and Binding
Effect
|
15
|
Section
4.3. Governmental and Other Required
Consents
|
16
|
Section
4.4. Availability of
Funds
|
16
|
Section
4.5.
Filings
|
16
|
Section
4.6.
Brokers
|
16
|
Section
4.7.
Litigation
|
16
|
Section
4.8. Independent
Investigation
|
16
|
Section
4.9. Investment Intent; Investment Experience; Restricted
Securities
|
17
|
Section
4.10.
PUHCA
|
17
|
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER |
17
|
Section
5.1. Organization, Existence and
Qualification
|
17
|
Section
5.2. Authority Relative to this Agreement and Binding
Effect
|
18
|
Section
5.3. Governmental and Other Required
Consents
|
18
|
Section
5.4. Capitalization of the Subsidiaries; Title to
Stock
|
18
|
Section
5.5. Title to Assets;
Encumbrances
|
19
|
Section
5.6. Financial
Statements
|
19
|
Section
5.7. Compliance with Legal Requirements; Governmental
Permits
|
20
|
Section
5.8. Legal Proceedings; Outstanding
Orders
|
20
|
Section
5.9. Taxes
|
20
|
Section
5.10. Intellectual
Property
|
21
|
Section
5.11. Personal
Property
|
21
|
Section
5.12. Material
Contracts
|
21
|
Section
5.13. Employee Benefit Matters
|
21
|
Section
5.14. Environmental
Matters
|
22
|
Section
5.15. Absence of Certain Changes or
Events
|
23
|
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-
Page
|
|
Section
5.16. Regulatory Matters
|
23 |
Section
5.17.
Brokers
|
24 |
Section
5.18.
Disclaimer
|
24 |
Section
5.19.
Insurance
|
24 |
Section
5.20. Absence of Undisclosed
Liabilities
|
25 |
Section
5.21. Sufficiency of
Assets
|
25 |
Section
5.22.
PUHCA
|
25 |
ARTICLE VI. COVENANTS | 25 |
Section
6.1. Covenants of
Seller
|
25 |
Section
6.2. Covenants of
Buyer
|
27 |
Section
6.3. Governmental
Filings
|
28 |
Section
6.4. Seller
Marks
|
29 |
Section
6.5. Acknowledgment by
Buyer
|
30 |
Section
6.6. Transition
Plan
|
30 |
Section
6.7. Purchase of Leased
Assets
|
31 |
Section
6.8. Meter
Reading
|
31 |
Section
6.9.
Insurance
|
31 |
Section
6.10. Xxxx of
Loss
|
32 |
Section
6.11. Rate
Matters
|
33 |
Section
6.12. Outstanding Payments and Bank
Accounts
|
33 |
Section
6.13. Preparation of Audited Financial Statements of the
Business
|
33 |
Section
6.14. Collective Bargaining
Agreement
|
34 |
ARTICLE VII. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT | 34 |
Section
7.1. Seller’s Conditions Precedent to
Closing
|
34 |
Section
7.2. Buyer’s Conditions Precedent to
Closing
|
35 |
|
|
ARTICLE VIII. CLOSING | 36 |
Section
8.1.
Closing
|
36 |
ARTICLE IX. TERMINATION | 37 |
Section
9.1. Termination
Rights
|
37 |
Section
9.2. Limitation on Right to Terminate; Effect of
Termination
|
38 |
ARTICLE X. EMPLOYEE MATTERS | 38 |
Section
10.1. Employee
Agreement
|
38 |
|
|
ARTICLE XI. TAX MATTERS | 38 |
Section
11.1. Purchase Price
Allocation
|
38 |
Section
11.2. Cooperation with Respect to Like-Kind
Exchange
|
39 |
Section
11.3. Transaction
Taxes
|
39 |
Section
11.4. Real and Personal Property
Taxes
|
40 |
Section
11.5. Other
Taxes
|
40 |
Section
11.6. Straddle
Period
|
40 |
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-
Page
|
|
Section
11.7. Cooperation on Tax Matters
|
41 |
ARTICLE XII. INDEMNIFICATION | 41 |
Section
12.1. Indemnification by
Seller
|
41 |
Section
12.2. Indemnification by
Buyer
|
42 |
Section
12.3. Limitations on Seller’s
Liability
|
42 |
Section
12.4. Limitation on Buyer’s
Liability
|
44 |
Section
12.5. Claims
Procedure
|
44 |
Section
12.6. Exclusive
Remedy
|
45 |
Section
12.7. Waiver and
Release
|
45 |
ARTICLE XIII. GENERAL PROVISIONS | 46 |
Section
13.1.
Expenses
|
46 |
Section
13.2.
Notices
|
46 |
Section
13.3.
Assignment
|
47 |
Section
13.4. Successor
Bound
|
47 |
Section
13.5. Governing Law
|
47 |
Section
13.6.
Cooperation
|
47 |
Section
13.7. Construction of
Agreement
|
48 |
Section
13.8.
Publicity
|
48 |
Section
13.9.
Waiver
|
48 |
Section
13.10. Parties in
Interest
|
49 |
Section
13.11. Section and Paragraph
Headings
|
49 |
Section
13.12.
Amendment
|
49 |
Section
13.13. Entire
Agreement
|
49 |
Section
13.14.
Counterparts
|
49 |
Section
13.15.
Severability
|
49 |
Section
13.16. Consent to
Jurisdiction
|
50 |
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LIST
OF EXHIBITS
Exhibit
6.6 Transition
Services
Exhibit
10.1 Employee
Agreement
LIST
OF SCHEDULES
Schedule
1.1(a)
Base Statement
Schedule
1.1(b)
Certain Excluded Assets
Schedule
2.2
Assumed Proceedings
Schedule
2.3(b) Other Matters
Schedule
4.3 Buyer’s
Governmental and Other Required Consents
Schedule
5.2 Seller’s
Authority
Schedule
5.3 Seller’s
Governmental and Other Required Consents
Schedule
5.5
Encumbrances
Schedule
5.6 Financial
Statements
Schedule
5.7 Compliance with
Legal Requirements; Governmental Permits
Schedule
5.8 Legal
Proceedings; Outstanding Orders
Schedule
5.9 Taxes
Schedule
5.10
Intellectual Property
Schedule
5.12
Material Contracts
Schedule
5.13
Employee Matters
Schedule
5.14
Environmental Matters
Schedule
5.15 Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
Schedule
5.16
Regulatory Matters
Schedule
5.17
Brokers
Schedule
5.19
Seller’s Insurance
Schedule
5.20 Absence of
Undisclosed Liabilities
Schedule
5.21 Sufficiency
of Assets
Schedule
6.1
Conduct of the Business Prior to the Closing Date
Schedule
6.2(c) Seller Guarantees and Surety
Instruments
Schedule
6.7
Leased Assets
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iv -
This
PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of
the 26th day of January, 2006, by and between SOUTHERN UNION COMPANY,
a Delaware corporation (“Seller”), and UGI CORPORATION, a Pennsylvania
corporation (“Buyer”). Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings
ascribed to them in Article I, unless otherwise provided.
W
I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS,
Seller or the Subsidiary owns all of the Assets and
Seller owns all of the capital stock of the Subsidiary; and
WHEREAS,
Buyer desires to purchase, and Seller desires to sell,
the Assets owned by Seller and the capital stock of the Subsidiary, subject
in
all respects to the provisions of this Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and other good
and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I.
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1. |
Certain
Defined Terms.
|
For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the
meanings specified or referred to in this Article I (such definitions to
be
equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined):
“Affiliates”
or
“Affiliated
Entities”
— shall have the following meaning: entities
shall be deemed “Affiliated” as to each other to the extent (i) one of the
entities directly or indirectly controls the other, or the direct or indirect
control of one of the entities is exercised by the officers, directors,
stockholders, or partners of the other entity (whether or not such persons
exercise such control in their capacities as officers, directors, stockholders,
or partners) or (ii) is deemed to be an Affiliate under existing statutes
or
regulations of the SEC.
“Assets”
— means all of the
assets, property and interests of every type and description, real, personal
or
mixed, tangible and intangible, owned by Seller, directly or indirectly through
the Subsidiary, and relating primarily to the Business, other than the Excluded
Assets.
“Assumed
Environmental
Liabilities” — means all Environmental
Liabilities of Seller or the Subsidiary relating to the Business or the Assets,
whether arising or relating to the period before or after the Closing, other
than the Retained Environmental Liabilities.
“Base
Statement” — means the statement as to the Working
Capital of the Business as of September 30, 2005 set forth in Schedule
1.1(a).
-
-
“Business”—
means
the Business conducted in Pennsylvania
by Seller and the Subsidiary (other than the business conducted by PEI Power
Corporation and Seller’s corporate and shared service activities conducted in
Pennsylvania), including:
(a) the
regulated and non-regulated gas distribution business conducted in Pennsylvania
by Seller through PG Energy and the provision of related
services and products and the engagement in related activities, including
agreements as to appliances and other equipment in Pennsylvania by Seller
through PG Energy; and
(b) all
activities conducted by PG Energy Services, Inc., including the equipment
servicing business.
“Business
Day” — means any day that is not a Saturday,
Sunday or other day on which banks in New York City are
authorized or required by law to close.
“CERCLA”
—
means
the Comprehensive Environmental Response
Compensation and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. section 9601 et seq.), as
amended.
“Claim
Notice” — means a written notice of a claim given
by a party seeking indemnification pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
that
specifies in reasonable detail the nature of the Losses and the estimated
amount
of such Losses.
“Confidentiality
Agreement” — means that certain
confidentiality agreement dated as of January 13, 2006, between Buyer and
Seller.
“Consent”
—
means
any approval, consent, ratification,
waiver, clearance or other authorization from any Person.
“Contract”
—
means
any agreement, contract, document,
instrument, obligation, promise or undertaking (whether written or oral)
that is
legally binding, including Easements.
“Current
Assets”— means the current Assets (other than
Excluded Assets) of the Business as reflected in the categories set forth
on the
Base Statement as of the relevant date of determination and prepared in
accordance with Schedule 1.1(a).
“Current
Liabilities” — means the current Assumed
Liabilities of the Business as reflected in the categories set forth on the
Base
Statement as of the relevant date of determination and prepared in accordance
with Schedule 1.1(a).
“Easements”
—
means
all easements, rights of way,
permits, licenses, prescriptive rights and other ways of necessity, whether
or
not of record, relating to real property.
“Encumbrance”
—
means
any charge, adverse claim, lien,
option, encumbrance, mortgage, pledge or security interest.
“Environmental
Claim” — means any
and all written administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands,
demand letters, claims, liens, investigations, proceedings or notices of
noncompliance or violation by any third party (including any Governmental
Body)
alleging potential liability (including, without limitation, potential liability
for enforcement,
-
-
investigatory
costs, damages, Losses, contribution,
indemnification, cost recovery, compensation, injunctive relief, cleanup
costs,
governmental resource costs, removal costs, remedial costs, natural resources
damages, property damages, personal injuries or penalties) arising out of,
based
on or resulting from (a) the presence, or Release or threatened Release into
the
environment, of any Hazardous Materials at any location operated, leased
or
managed by Seller or the Subsidiary; (b) any violation of any Environmental
Law; or (c) one or more Releases of the same or substantially the same Hazardous
Material, from or at the same location regardless of whether such Releases
resulted from the same event or from multiple events over time.
“Environmental
Law” — means any Order or Legal
Requirement, and any judicial and administrative interpretation thereof and
related policies, guidelines and standards, relating to pollution or protection
of human health or the environment or natural resources, including those
relating to (a) emissions, discharges, Releases or threatened Releases of
Hazardous Material into the environment (including ambient air, surface water,
groundwater or land), and (b) the manufacture, processing, distribution,
use,
treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Material,
each
as in effect as of the date of determination.
“Environmental
Liability”— means any liability,
responsibility or obligation arising out of or relating to:
(c) the
presence of any Hazardous Material in the fixtures, structures, soils,
groundwater, surface water or air on, under or about or emanating from the
assets and properties currently or formerly used, operated, owned, leased,
controlled, possessed, occupied or maintained by a Person (including
predecessors-in-interest to such Person) and any such Hazardous Material
emanating to adjoining or other properties;
(d) the
use, generation, production, manufacture, treatment, storage, disposal, Release,
threatened Release, discharge, spillage, loss, seepage or filtration of
Hazardous Materials by a Person (including predecessors-in-interest to such
Person) or its employees, agents or contractors from, on, under or about
the
assets or properties currently or formerly used, operated, owned, leased,
controlled, possessed, occupied or maintained by such Person (including
predecessors-in-interest to such Person) or the presence therein or thereunder
of any underground or above-ground tanks for the storage of fuel, oil, gasoline
and/or other petroleum products or by-products or other Hazardous
Material;
(e) the
violation or noncompliance or alleged violation or noncompliance by a Person
(including predecessors-in-interest to such Person) or its employees, agents
or
contractors of any Environmental Law arising from or related to its or their
conduct, actions or operations or the former or current use, operation,
ownership, lease, possession, control, occupancy, maintenance or condition
of
any of the former or current Assets or properties of such Person (including
predecessors-in-interest to such Person);
(f) the
failure by a Person or its employees, agents, or contractors to have obtained
or
maintained in effect any certificate, permit or authorization required by
any
Environmental Law as a result of its or their conduct, actions or operations
or
the use, operation, ownership, lease, control, possession, occupancy,
maintenance or condition of such Person’s assets or properties;
(g) any
and all Proceedings arising out of any of the above-described matters, including
Proceedings by Governmental Bodies for enforcement, investigation, monitoring,
cleanup, containment, removal, treatment, response, restoration, remedial
or
other actions or damages and Proceedings by any third party seeking damages,
contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive
relief;
and
(h) any
and all remedial work and other corrective action (including investigation
or
monitoring of site conditions, or any clean-up, containment, treatment,
response, restoration or removal) taken by, or the costs of which are imposed
upon, a Person arising from any of the above-described matters.
“ERISA”
—
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended, or any successor law, and regulations and rules
issued
pursuant to that act or any successor law.
“Excluded
Assets” — means the following assets, each of
which shall be excluded from the Assets, and not acquired by Buyer, at Closing:
(i) assets
of Seller located outside of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (none of which
relate primarily to the Business) and assets, all of which are described
in
Schedule 1.1(b), that Seller uses in both the Business and in Seller’s
other businesses (including, without limitation, the business conducted by
PEI
Power Corporation and Seller’s corporate and shared services activities
conducted in Pennsylvania), which includes Contracts regarding the procurement
of services or goods by Seller for use in both the Business and in Seller’s
other businesses;
(j) cash
and cash equivalents (including cash held by the Subsidiary), other than
xxxxx
cash held locally for the benefit of the Business;
(k) except
as otherwise set forth in the Employee Agreement, assets attributable to
or
related to an Employee Plan of Seller;
(l) the
stock record and minute books of Seller, duplicate copies of all books and
records transferred to Buyer, and all records prepared in connection with
the
sale of the Business (including bids received from third parties and analyses
relating to the Business);
(m) assets
disposed of by Seller or the Subsidiary after the date of this Agreement
to the
extent such dispositions are not prohibited by this Agreement or are approved
by
Buyer pursuant to Section 6.1;
(n) rights
to refunds of Taxes for periods prior to the Closing Date payable with respect
to the Business, assets, properties or operations of Seller or any member
of any
affiliated group of which any of them is a member;
(o) accounts
owing, by and among Seller and its Affiliates, including the Subsidiary;
(p) all
deferred tax assets or collectibles;
(q) any
insurance policy, bond, letter of credit or other similar item, and any cash
surrender value in regard thereto;
(r) the
Seller Marks and the XX Xxxxx;
(s) all
of the capital stock of PEI Power Corporation and all of the assets of PEI
Power
Corporation;
(t) the
Real Property and office building located at 000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx,
XX; and
(u) the
other assets listed in Schedule 1.1(a).
“Final
Order” — means an action by a Governmental Body as to which (i) no request
for stay of the action is pending, no such stay is in effect and if any time
period is permitted by statute or regulation for filing any request for such
stay, such time period has passed, (ii) no petition for rehearing,
reconsideration or application for review of the action is pending and the
time
for filing any such petition or application has passed, (iii) such Governmental
Body does not have the action under reconsideration on its own motion and
the
time in which such reconsideration is permitted has passed, and (iv) no appeal
to a court or a request for stay by a court of the Governmental Body’s action is
pending or in effect and the deadline for filing any such appeal or request
has
passed.
“GAAP”
—
means
generally accepted United States
accounting principles, applied on a consistent basis.
“Good
Utility Practices” — means any of the practices,
methods and activities approved by a significant portion of the gas distribution
industry as good practices applicable to operations of similar design, size
and
capacity or any of the practices, methods or activities which, in the exercise
of reasonable judgment by an operator of a gas distribution business in light
of
the facts known at the time the decision was made, could have been expected
to
accomplish the desired result at a reasonable cost consistent with good business
practices, reliability, safety, expedition and applicable law. Good Utility
Practices are not intended to be limited to the optimal practices, methods
or
acts to the exclusion of all others, but rather to be practices, methods
or acts
generally accepted in the gas distribution industry.
“Governmental
Body” — means any of the following that
possesses competent jurisdiction:
(v) federal,
state, county, local, municipal or other governmental body;
(w) governmental
or quasi-governmental authority of any nature (including any governmental
agency, branch, department, official or entity and any court or other tribunal);
or
(x) any
governmental body entitled to exercise any administrative, executive, judicial,
legislative, police, regulatory or taxing authority or power of any
nature.
(y) “Hazardous
Material”— means any waste or other chemical, material or substance that is
listed, defined, designated, or classified as, or otherwise determined to
be,
hazardous, radioactive, toxic, or a pollutant or a contaminant, or words
of
similar import, under or pursuant to any Environmental Law, including any
admixture or solution thereof, and specifically including oil, natural gas,
petroleum and all derivatives thereof or synthetic substitutes therefor,
asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, any flammable substances or
explosives, any radioactive materials, any toxic wastes of substances, urea
formaldehyde foam insulation, toluene or polychlorinated biphenyls.
“HSR
Act” — means the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, or any successor law, and regulations
and
rules issued by the U.S. Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission
pursuant to that act or any successor law.
“IRC”
—
means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
“IRS”
—
means
the Internal Revenue Service or any
successor agency.
“Knowledge”
—
means
with respect to Seller, the actual
knowledge of any of Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Seller’s Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer, Xxxxxxx X. German, Seller’s Senior Vice President, Utility
Operations, Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, President and Chief Operating Officer of PG
Energy, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Executive Vice President, Operations and
Engineering Services of PG Energy, Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Director-Human Resources
of
PG Energy, Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Vice President-Customer Service of PG Energy,
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Vice President & Controller of PG Energy, and Xxxxx Xxxxx,
Jr., Vice President, Gas Supply and Marketing of PG Energy.
“Legal
Requirement” — means any federal, state, county,
local, municipal, foreign, international, multinational or other administrative
Order, constitution, law, ordinance, adopted code, principle of common law,
regulation, rule, directive, approval, notice, tariff, franchise agreement,
statute or treaty.
“Losses”
—
means
all claims, losses, liabilities, causes
of action, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, involving theories
of negligence or strict liability and including court costs and reasonable
attorneys’ fees and disbursements in connection therewith).
“Material
Adverse Effect” — means an occurrence or
condition that (alone or together with other similar occurrences or conditions)
has, or is reasonably likely to have, a material adverse effect on the business,
operation, financial condition or results of operations of the Business taken
as
a whole. For purposes of this Agreement, an occurrence or condition shall
not
constitute a Material Adverse Effect if it arises from general business,
economic or financial market conditions, from conditions generally affecting
the
industries in which the Business operates, or from the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.
“Material
Contract” — means a Contract relating primarily
to the Business that involves a total commitment by or to any party thereto
of
at least $250,000 on an annual basis and that cannot be terminated by Seller
or
the Subsidiary upon 90 days’ notice or less without penalty to Seller or the
Subsidiary.
“Order”
—
means
any award, decision, injunction,
judgment, order, writ, decree, ruling,
-
-
subpoena,
or verdict entered, issued, made, or rendered by any
court, administrative agency, other Governmental Body, or by any arbitrator,
each of which possesses competent jurisdiction.
“Organizational
Documents” — means the articles or
certificate of incorporation and the bylaws of a corporation or the comparable
organizational and governing documents of other Persons.
“PCBs”
—
means
polychlorinated biphenyls.
“Permitted
Encumbrances” — means any of the
following:
(z) mechanics’,
carriers’, workers’ and other similar liens arising in the ordinary course of
business, which in the aggregate are not substantial in amount and do not
interfere with the present use of the Assets to which they apply;
(aa) liens
for current Taxes and assessments not yet due and payable or for Taxes the
validity of which is being contested in good faith;
(bb) usual
and customary non-monetary real property Encumbrances, covenants, imperfections
in title, Easements, restrictions and other title matters (whether or not
the
same are recorded) that do not materially interfere with the operation of
that
portion of the Business currently conducted on such real property;
(cc) Encumbrances
securing the payment or performance of any of the Assumed Liabilities;
(dd) all
applicable zoning ordinances and land use restrictions;
(ee) with
respect to any Asset that consists of a leasehold or other possessory interest
in real property, all Encumbrances, covenants, imperfections in title,
Easements, restrictions and other title matters (whether or not the same
are
recorded) to which the underlying fee estate in such real property is subject
that do not currently materially interfere with the operation of that portion
of
the Business currently conducted on such real property; and
(ff) any
other Encumbrances, Contracts, obligations, defects or irregularities of
any
kind whatsoever affecting the Assets or the Stock that, individually or in
the
aggregate, are not such as are reasonably likely to have an adverse financial
impact of more than $750,000 on the Business that are not terminated, released
or waived on or before the Closing Date.
“Person”
—
means
any individual, corporation (including
any nonprofit corporation), general or limited partnership, limited liability
company, joint venture, estate, trust, association, organization or Governmental
Body.
“PG
Energy” — means PG Energy,
a division of Seller.
“XX
Xxxxx”— means “PG
Energy,” “PG Energy Services” and “PG,” either alone or in combination with
other words and all marks, trade dress, logos, monograms, domain names and
other
source identifiers similar to any of the foregoing or embodying any of the
foregoing alone
-
-
or
in combination with other words, and any corporate, entity or
trade names incorporating any of the foregoing.
“Proceeding”
—
means
any claim, action, arbitration,
hearing, audit, litigation or suit commenced, brought, conducted, or heard
by or
before, or otherwise involving, any Governmental Body or arbitrator.
“Real
Property” — means all real property owned or leased
by Seller or the Subsidiary in the operation of the Business, together with
all
interests in real property (including Easements) used or held for use by
Seller
or the Subsidiary in the operation of the Business.
“Related
Documents” — means any Contract provided for in
this Agreement to be entered into by one or more of the parties hereto in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
the
Employee Agreement, the transition agreement contemplated by Section 6.6,
special warranty deeds or quitclaim deeds (with each interest in Real Property
owned by Seller to be conveyed to Buyer with a special warranty deed to the
extent Seller was provided with a special warranty deed when it acquired
such
Real Property interest and each interest in Real Property owned by Seller
to be
conveyed to Buyer with a quitclaim deed to the extent Seller was provided
with a
quitclaim deed when it acquired such Real Property interest), quitclaim blanket
easement assignments (one easement assignment document per county or applicable
jurisdiction; Seller shall not be obligated to provide a conveyance document
for
each individual easement), conveyances, motor vehicle certificates of title
and
special assignment and assumption instruments.
“Release”
—
means
any presence, emission, dispersal,
disposal, spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, depositing, pumping,
pouring, escaping, leaching, dumping, releasing or migration into the indoor
or
outdoor environment (including the abandonment or disposal of any barrels,
containers or other closed receptacles containing any Hazardous Materials),
or
in, into or from any facility, including the movement of any Hazardous Materials
through the air, soil, surface water, groundwater or property.
“Representative”
—
means
with respect to a particular
Person, any director, officer, employee, agent, consultant, advisor, or other
representative of such Person, including legal counsel, accountants and
financial advisors.
“Retained
Environmental Liabilities” —
means all Environmental Liabilities of Seller or the Subsidiary arising out
of
or relating to operations or activities unrelated to the Business or conducted
outside of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during the period prior to the
Closing.
“Retained
Indebtedness”
— means the First Mortgage Bonds due 2019,
issued by Seller pursuant to the First Mortgage Bonds Indenture of Mortgage
and
Deed of Trust dated as of March 15, 1946 (as successor to PG Energy, Inc.,
formerly Pennsylvania Gas and Water Company, and originally, Scranton-Spring
Brook Water Service Company) to Guaranty Trust Company of New York.
“SEC”
—
means
the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission or any successor agency.
-
-
“Settlement
Interest”— means, with respect to any payment
required to be made pursuant to Section 3.2(c) (a “Settlement Payment”), the sum
of accrued interest on the amount of such Settlement Payment, calculated
at the
Settlement Rate as from time to time in effect, for the period from the Closing
Date to and including the date upon which such Settlement Payment is made
(calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in a year of
365
or 366 days, as the case may be).
“Settlement
Rate”— means, on
any date, with respect to the Settlement Payment, the “target” federal funds
rate reported in the “Money Rates” section of the Eastern Edition of The Wall
Street Journal published for such date. In the event The Wall Street Journal
ceases publication of such federal funds rate or fails on any particular
date to
publish such federal funds rate, the Settlement Rate shall instead refer
to the
rate for the last transaction in overnight federal funds arranged prior to
such
date by XX Xxxxxx Xxxxx.
“Stock”—
means
all of the capital stock of the
Subsidiary.
“Subsidiary”—
means
PG Energy Services Inc., a
Pennsylvania corporation.
“Tax”
—
means
any tax (including any income tax, capital
gains tax, value-added tax, sales and use tax, franchise tax, payroll tax,
withholding tax or property tax), levy, assessment, tariff, duty (including
any
customs duty), deficiency, franchise fee or payment, payroll tax, utility
tax,
gross receipts tax or other fee or payment, and any related charge or amount
(including any fine, penalty, interest or addition to tax), imposed, assessed
or
collected by or under the authority of any Governmental Body.
“Tax
Return” — means any return (including any
information return), report, statement, schedule, notice, form, or other
document or information filed with or submitted to, or required to be filed
with
or submitted to, any Governmental Body in connection with the determination,
assessment, collection, or payment of any Tax or in connection with the
administration, implementation, or enforcement of or compliance with any
Legal
Requirement relating to any Tax.
“Threatened”
—
shall
have the following meaning: a claim,
dispute, or other matter will be deemed to have been “Threatened” if any demand
or statement has been made in writing or any notice has been given in writing,
and Seller has Knowledge of the same.
“Working
Capital”— means the amount by which Current
Assets exceeds Current Liabilities as of the relevant date of determination,
determined in accordance with Schedule 1.1(a).
“Working
Capital Target”— means $67,500,000.
Section 1.2. |
Other
Defined Terms.
|
In
addition to the terms defined in Section 1.1, certain other
terms are defined elsewhere in this Agreement as indicated below and, whenever
such terms are used in this Agreement, they shall have their respective defined
meanings.
-
-
Term Section
Agreement Recitals
Allocation
11.1
Antitrust
Authorities 6.3
Assumed
Liabilities 2.2
Audited
Financials 6.13
Balance
Sheet 5.6
Buyer
Indemnitees 12.1
Buyer’s
Pension Plan Employee Agreement
CBA 6.14
Xxxxxxxx 12.1(d)
Closing 8.1
Closing
Date 8.1
Closing
Statement 3.2(a)
CPA
Firm 3.2(b)
Deductible
12.3(c)
Employee Employee
Agreement
Employee
Agreement 10.1
Employee
Plans 5.13(a)
Environmental
Permits 5.14(a)(ii)
Estimated
Purchase Price 3.1
Final
Closing Statement 3.2(b)
Final
Purchase Price 3.1
Financial
Statements 5.6
Indemnified
Party 12.5(a)
Indemnifying
Party 12.5(a)
Large
Volume Meters 6.8
Leased
Assets 6.7
Main
Extension Agreement 12.1(d)
Non-Transferred
Employees Employee Agreement
Non-Transferred
Terminated Employees Employee Agreement
Notice
Period 12.5(a)
Objection 3.2(b)
PA
PUC 6.11
Pre-Closing
Tax Period 11.5
PUHCA
1935 4.10
PUHCA
2005 4.10
Purchase
Price 3.1
XXXXX 11.4
Retained
Liabilities 2.3
Review
Period 3.2(b)
Seller
Indemnitees 12.2
Seller
Marks 6.4
Seller’s
Pension Plan Employee Agreement
Seller’s
401(k) Plan Employee Agreement
Settlement
Payment 1.1
Straddle
Period 11.6
-
-
Transaction
Taxes 11.3
Transportation
Agreement 12.1(d)
Upset
Date 9.1(e)
ARTICLE
II.
PURCHASE
AND SALE
Section 2.1. |
Purchase
and Sale of Assets and
Stock.
|
Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, at
the Closing, Seller shall sell, transfer, assign, convey and deliver to Buyer,
and Buyer shall purchase and accept delivery from Seller, all of the Assets
owned directly by Seller and all of the Stock.
Section 2.2. |
Assumed
Liabilities.
|
In
further consideration for the sale of the Assets and the Stock,
at the Closing, and subject to the other terms and conditions of this Agreement,
Buyer will satisfy Buyer’s obligations under the Employee Agreement and will
assume and agree to pay, perform and discharge when due, or cause the Subsidiary
to pay, perform and discharge when due, all liabilities and obligations,
of
every kind or nature, arising out of or relating to:
(a) the
ownership of the Assets and the conduct or operation of the Business prior
to
the Closing Date, other than the Retained Liabilities;
(b) the
ownership or use of the Assets by Buyer or the Subsidiary or the conduct
or
operation of the Business by Buyer or the Subsidiary, in each case on and
after
the Closing Date, including all liabilities, responsibilities and obligations
relating to or arising from the following:
(i) performance
of the Contracts included in the Assets and assigned to Buyer at Closing
or
retained by the Subsidiary, except that Buyer shall not assume any liabilities
or obligations for any breach or default by Seller or the Subsidiary under
any
such Contract occurring or arising prior to the Closing Date;
(ii) customer
advances, customer deposits and construction advances, unperformed service
obligations, Easement relocation obligations, and engineering and construction
required to complete scheduled construction, construction work in progress,
and
other capital expenditure projects, in each case relating to the Business
and
outstanding on or arising after the Closing Date;
(iii) the
Assumed Environmental Liabilities;
(iv) Taxes
for periods on and after the Closing Date to the extent Buyer is legally
obligated to pay such Taxes in accordance with Article XI; and
(v) Proceedings
based on conduct, actions, inaction, facts, circumstances or conditions arising
or occurring on or after the Closing Date, Proceedings described in Schedule
2.2, Proceedings arising from or related to any other Assumed Liability;
and
(vi) obligations
and liabilities of Buyer and its Affiliates under the Employee Agreement.
The
liabilities, responsibilities and obligations to be assumed by
Buyer or retained by the Subsidiary pursuant to this Section 2.2 are hereinafter
collectively referred to as the “Assumed Liabilities.” Subject to the other
terms and conditions of this Agreement, Buyer, for itself and each of its
Affiliates (including the Subsidiary upon Closing), hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally waives and releases Seller from all Assumed Liabilities and
all
liabilities or obligations relating to the Business or the Assets to the
extent
arising from events or occurrences on or after the Closing Date or to the
extent
otherwise relating to the period after the Closing. Notwithstanding anything
in
this Section 2.2 to the contrary, Assumed Liabilities shall not include any
liabilities, responsibilities or obligations expressly stated to be Retained
Liabilities pursuant to Section 2.3.
Section 2.3. |
Retained
Liabilities.
|
Buyer
shall not assume, and Seller shall retain and pay, perform
and discharge when due, all of the liabilities and obligations, of every
kind
and nature, relating to or arising from the following (collectively, the
“Retained Liabilities”):
(a) all
obligations of Seller or the Subsidiary with respect to any indebtedness
for
money borrowed by Seller or the Subsidiary (including items due to Seller’s
Affiliates), including, without limitation, the Retained Indebtedness and
payment obligations arising on or after the Closing Date relating to the
Business under any equipment or vehicle lease or under any line extension
Contracts or similar construction arrangements, it being understood and agreed
that such leases, Contracts and similar arrangements do not create indebtedness
for money borrowed;
(b) Taxes
for periods prior to the Closing Date to the extent Seller or the Subsidiary
is
legally obligated to pay such Taxes in accordance with Article XI;
(c) Excluded
Assets and all liabilities or obligations of Seller and its Affiliates related
to their businesses other than the Business;
(d) Retained
Environmental Liabilities;
(e) Proceedings
involving Seller, the Subsidiary, any of the Assets or the Business based
on
conduct (including Seller’s or the Subsidiary's performance under any Contract
included among the Assets), action, inaction, facts, circumstances or conditions
arising or occurring before the Closing Date, but expressly excluding any
such
liabilities or obligations for Proceedings relating to Assumed Liabilities
(including Proceedings described in Section 2.2(b)(v)), and all liabilities
or obligations relating to the matter set forth on Schedule 2.3(b);
and
(f) obligations
and liabilities of Seller and its Affiliates under the Employee Agreement.
Seller,
for itself and each of its Affiliates, hereby irrevocably
and unconditionally waives and releases Buyer and each of its Affiliates
from
all Retained Liabilities.
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-
1
Condition
on Assignment or Assumption of Contracts and
Rights.
Anything
in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, this
Agreement shall not constitute an agreement to assign or assume any Contract
or
any claim or right or any benefit arising thereunder or resulting therefrom
if
an attempted assignment or assumption thereof, without the Consent of a third
party thereto, would constitute a breach thereof. Any transfer or assignment
to
Buyer by Seller of any property or property rights or any Contract that requires
the Consent of any third party shall be made subject to such Consent being
obtained. If such Consent is not obtained, or if an attempted assignment
thereof
would be ineffective or would affect the rights of Seller thereunder such
that
Buyer would not in fact receive all such rights, Seller will cooperate with
Buyer in any arrangement, including an operating or other services agreement
if
reasonably required by Buyer, reasonably designed to provide for Buyer, at
Seller’s cost, the benefits under any such Contract or rights including, without
limitation, enforcement for the benefit of Buyer of any and all rights of
Seller
against a third party or Governmental Body thereto arising out of the breach
or
cancellation by such third party or Governmental Body or otherwise. To the
extent that Buyer does receive all of the benefits of any such Contract or
rights pursuant to the preceding sentence, such Contract shall be a Contract
deemed to have been assigned or transferred to Buyer pursuant to Section
2.2(b)(i). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Seller shall not be obligated
(although Buyer is permitted at its expense) to provide any arrangement or
effect any assignment pursuant to this Section 2.4 (i) that results in an
out-of-pocket cost or expenditure by Seller, or exposure to or continuation
of
liability to Seller, resulting from such arrangements and assignments, that
would be reasonably estimated to be in excess of $350,000, in the aggregate,
except as otherwise expressly provided for by this Agreement, or (ii) where
Seller has continuing liability or exposure due to any third party’s failure to
release Seller as a result of such third party’s unwillingness to accept Buyer
as assignee; provided, however, that if Buyer, at Buyer's option, indemnifies
Seller from such continuing liability or exposure on terms and conditions
reasonably satisfactory to Seller, then Seller shall provide an arrangement
or
assignment of the Contract to Buyer.
Section 2.4. |
Settlement
of Intercompany Accounts.
|
At
or prior to the Closing, Seller shall cause all intercompany
payables, receivables and loans between PG Energy and the Subsidiary, on
the one
hand, and Seller and its Affiliates (other than PG Energy and the Subsidiary),
on the other hand, to be settled or cancelled.
ARTICLE
III.
PURCHASE
PRICE
Section
3.1. Purchase
Price. Subject to the terms and conditions of
this Agreement, the aggregate purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) for the
Assets owned directly by Seller and for the Stock shall be an amount equal
to
FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTY MILLION DOLLARS ($580,000,000) in cash
(the “Estimated Purchase Price”), as adjusted in accordance with Section 3.2 (as
so adjusted, the “Final Purchase Price”), plus
the assumption by Buyer at Closing of the Assumed
Liabilities.
Section 3.2. |
Adjustment
to Estimated Purchase
Price.
|
(a) Within
90 days following the Closing Date, Seller shall prepare and deliver
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2
to
Buyer a statement (the “Closing Statement”), utilizing the same
accounting methods, policies, practices, procedures and adjustments as were
used
in the preparation of the Base Statement (and otherwise in accordance with
GAAP,
with such exceptions to GAAP as indicated on Schedule 1.1(a)) and
shall set forth in reasonable detail the amount of Working Capital of the
Business as of 12:01 a.m. on the Closing Date (as well as the adjustments
contemplated in Section 6.8), and a calculation of the adjustment to the
Estimated Purchase Price that is payable based upon the difference between
the
Working Capital Target and the Working Capital in the Closing Statement.
Buyer
agrees, at no cost to Seller, to give Seller and its authorized representatives
reasonable access to such employees, officers and other facilities and such
books and records of Buyer and the Subsidiaries as are reasonably necessary
to
allow Seller and its authorized representatives to prepare the Closing
Statement. The Closing Statement shall be prepared in accordance with
Schedule 1.1(a). The Base Statement was prepared using the same
accounting methods, policies, practices, procedures and adjustments as were
used
in the preparation of the Financial Statements and otherwise in accordance
with
GAAP (and with such exceptions to GAAP as indicated on Schedule
1.1(a)).
(b) Following
its receipt from Seller of the Closing Statement, Buyer shall have 15 Business
Days to review the Closing Statement and to inform Seller in writing of any
disagreement (the “Objection”) that it may have with the Closing Statement,
which objection shall specify in reasonable detail Buyer’s disagreement with the
Closing Statement. If Seller does not receive the Objection within such
15-Business Day period, the amount of Working Capital set forth on the Closing
Statement delivered pursuant to Section 3.2(a) shall be deemed to have been
accepted by Buyer and shall become binding upon Buyer. If Buyer does timely
deliver an Objection to Seller, Seller shall then have 15 Business Days from
the
date of receipt of such Objection (the “Review Period”) to review and respond to
the Objection. Buyer and Seller shall attempt in good faith to resolve any
disagreements with respect to the determination of the Working Capital of
the
Business as of the Closing Date or the amount of the adjustment to the Estimated
Purchase Price. If they are unable to resolve all of their disagreements
with
respect to the determination of Working Capital of the Business as of the
Closing Date or the amount of the adjustment to the Estimated Purchase Price
within 15 Business Days following the expiration of Seller’s Review Period, they
may refer, at the option of either Buyer or Seller, their differences to
Ernst
& Young, or if Ernst & Young declines to accept such engagement, another
internationally recognized firm of independent public accountants selected
jointly by Buyer and Seller, which accountants shall determine, only with
respect to the disagreements so submitted, whether and to what extent, if
any,
the amount of Working Capital of the Business as of the Closing Date set
forth
in the Closing Statement requires adjustment. If Buyer and Seller are unable
to
so select the independent public accountants within 15 Business Days of Ernst
& Young declining to accept such engagement, either Buyer or Seller may
thereafter request that the American Arbitration Association make such selection
(as applicable, Ernst & Young, the firm selected by Buyer and Seller or the
firm selected by the American Arbitration Association is herein referred
to as
the “CPA Firm”). Buyer and Seller shall direct the CPA Firm to use its
reasonable best efforts to render its determination within 30 days after
the
issue is first submitted to the CPA Firm. The CPA Firm’s determination shall be
conclusive and binding upon Buyer and Seller. The fees and disbursements
of the
CPA Firm shall be shared equally by Buyer and Seller. Buyer and Seller shall
make readily available to the CPA Firm all relevant books and records relating
to the Closing Statement and all other items reasonably requested by the
CPA
Firm. The Closing Statement as agreed to by Buyer and Seller or as determined
by
the CPA Firm shall be referred to as the “Final Closing Statement.”
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3
In
the event of a positive difference between Working Capital on
the Final Closing Statement from the Working Capital Target, Buyer shall
pay to
Seller in cash the amount of such difference, plus the Settlement Interest
thereon. In the event of a negative difference between the Working Capital
Target from the Working Capital on the Final Closing Statement, Seller shall
pay
to Buyer in cash the amount of such difference, plus the Settlement Interest
thereon. All amounts payable under this Section 3.2(c) shall be paid within
five
Business Days of the determination of the Final Closing Statement by wire
transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account in the United States
of America designated in writing by the recipient not less than one Business
Day
before such payment.
ARTICLE
IV.
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER
Section 4.1. |
Organization,
Existence and
Qualification.
|
Buyer
is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing, and in
good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with full
corporate power and authority to conduct its business as it is now being
conducted, to own or use the properties and assets that it purports to own
or
use, to perform its obligations under all Contracts to which it is a party,
and
to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Related Documents to which
Buyer
is a party. Buyer is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation
and
is in good standing under the laws of each state in which the failure to
be so
qualified or in good standing would materially adversely affect the business
or
properties of Buyer or Buyer’s ability to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby.
Section 4.2. |
Authority
Relative to this Agreement and Binding
Effect.
|
The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
Related Documents by Buyer have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
Related Documents by Buyer will not result in (a) any conflict with or breach
or
violation of or default under the Organizational Documents of Buyer, (b)
a
violation or breach of any term or provision of, or constitute a default
or
accelerate the performance required under, any indenture, mortgage, deed
of
trust, security agreement, loan agreement, or material Contract to which
Buyer
is a party or by which its assets are bound, whether with or without notice
or
the passage of time or both, or (c) a violation of any Order of any Governmental
Body. This Agreement constitutes, and the Related Documents to be executed
by
Buyer when executed and delivered will constitute, valid and binding obligations
of Buyer, enforceable against Buyer in accordance with their respective terms,
except as such enforceability may be limited by (i) bankruptcy or similar
laws
from time to time in effect affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights
generally or (ii) the availability of equitable remedies generally.
Section 4.3. |
Governmental
and Other Required
Consents.
|
Except
for those Consents described in Schedule 4.3, no
Consent of any Governmental Body or third party is required to be obtained
by
Buyer in connection with the execution and delivery by Buyer of this Agreement
or the Related Documents or the consummation by Buyer of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or the Related Documents. Buyer has no
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4
knowledge
of any facts or circumstances relating to Buyer or its
Affiliates that reasonably would be likely to preclude or prolong either
(i) the
receipt of such required consents or (ii) consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement in accordance with its terms.
Section 4.4. |
Availability
of Funds.
|
Buyer
will have available on the Closing Date sufficient funds to
enable it to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.5. |
Filings.
|
No
statement furnished by Buyer for inclusion in any filing with
any Governmental Body in connection with obtaining such Governmental Body’s
Consent for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
will contain, as of the date such information is so provided, any untrue
statement of a material fact or will omit to state, as of the date such
information is so provided, any material fact that is necessary to make the
statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
Section 4.6. |
Brokers.
|
Except
for Credit Suisse First Boston, no broker or finder has
acted for or on behalf of Buyer or any Affiliate of Buyer in connection with
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No broker
or
finder is entitled to any brokerage or finder’s fee, or to any commission, or to
any other compensation based in any way on agreements, arrangements or
understandings made by or on behalf of Buyer or any Affiliate of Buyer for
which
Seller or any Affiliate of Seller has or will have any liability or obligation
(contingent or otherwise).
Section 4.7. |
Litigation.
|
There
are no pending or, to the knowledge of Buyer, threatened
Proceedings by any Person against Buyer that would reasonably be expected
to
have a material adverse effect on the ability of Buyer to perform or comply
with
its obligations under this Agreement and the Related Documents to which Buyer
will be a party or the consummation of the transfer of the Assets and Stock
to
Buyer and the assumption of the Assumed Liabilities by Buyer.
Section 4.8. |
Independent
Investigation.
|
Buyer
is knowledgeable about the businesses engaged in by Seller
through PG Energy and the Subsidiary and of the usual and customary practices
of
companies engaged in businesses similar to the Business and has had access
to
the Assets, the officers and employees of Seller, and the books, records
and
files of Seller relating to the Business and the Assets. In making the decision
to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby, Buyer has relied solely on the basis of its own independent due
diligence investigation of the Business and upon the representations and
warranties made in Article V.
Section 4.9. |
Investment
Intent; Investment Experience; Restricted
Securities.
|
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-
5
Buyer
is acquiring the Stock for its own account for investment
and not with a view to, or for sale or other disposition in connection with,
any
distribution of all or any part thereof in violation of federal or state
securities law. In acquiring the Stock, Buyer is not offering or selling,
and
will not offer or sell, for Seller in connection with any distribution of
the
Stock, and Buyer does not have a participation and will not participate in
any
such undertaking or in any underwriting of such an undertaking except in
compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws. Buyer acknowledges
that it is able to fend for itself, can bear the economic risk of its investment
in the Stock, and has such knowledge and experience in financial and business
matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment
in the Stock. Buyer is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in
Regulation D under the Securities Act. Buyer understands that the Stock has
not
been registered pursuant to the Securities Act or any applicable state
securities laws, that the Stock will be characterized as “restricted securities”
under federal securities laws and that under such laws and applicable
regulations the Stock cannot be sold or otherwise disposed of without
registration under the Securities Act or an exemption therefrom.
Section 4.10. |
PUHCA.
|
Buyer
is exempt from registration as a “holding company” as
defined in, and is not otherwise subject to, the Public Utility Holding Company
Act of 1935, as amended (“PUHCA 1935”), except for Section 9(a)(2) thereof.
Buyer will be a “holding company” under the Public Utility Holding Company Act
of 2005 (“PUHCA 2005”) but is eligible to obtain a waiver of the accounting,
record-retention and filing requirements thereof. The execution and delivery
of
this Agreement by Buyer does not and will not violate any provision of PUHCA
1935 or PUHCA 2005 or any rules or regulations thereunder pertaining to
Buyer.
ARTICLE
V.
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER
Section 5.1. |
Organization,
Existence and
Qualification.
|
Each
of Seller and the Subsidiary is a corporation duly
incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its
respective jurisdiction of incorporation, with full corporate power and
authority to conduct the portion of the Business conducted by it as it is
now
being conducted, to own or use its portion of the Assets and to perform its
obligations under all Contracts to which it is a party. Seller has full
corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and the
Related Documents to which Seller is a party. Each of Seller and the Subsidiary
is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and each other
state
in which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would have a
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.2. |
Authority
Relative to this Agreement and Binding
Effect.
|
The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
Related Documents by Seller have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate
action. Except as set forth in Schedule 5.2, the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement and the Related Documents by Seller will not
result in (a) any conflict with or breach or violation of or default
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6
under
the Organizational Documents of Seller or the Subsidiary,
(b) a violation or breach of any term or provision of, or constitute a default
or accelerate the performance required under, any indenture, mortgage, deed
of
trust, security agreement, loan agreement, or Material Contract to which
Seller
or the Subsidiary is a party or by which any of the Assets are bound, whether
with or without notice or the passage of time or both, or (c) a violation
of any
Order of any Governmental Body, except for such exceptions to the foregoing
clauses (b) and (c) that, individually or in the aggregate, would not be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect or that will be cured,
waived or otherwise remedied on or prior to the Closing Date. This Agreement
constitutes, and the Related Documents to be executed by Seller when executed
and delivered will constitute, valid and binding obligations of Seller,
enforceable against Seller in accordance with their respective terms, except
as
enforceability may be limited by (i) bankruptcy or similar laws from time
to
time in effect affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or (ii)
the availability of equitable remedies generally.
Section 5.3. |
Governmental
and Other Required
Consents.
|
Except
as set forth in Schedule 5.3, no Consent of any
Governmental Body or third party is required to be obtained by Seller or
the
Subsidiary in connection with the execution and delivery by Seller of this
Agreement or the Related Documents or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or the Related Documents, other than any Consent
the failure of which to be obtained would not be reasonably likely to have
a
Material Adverse Effect. Seller has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances
relating to Seller, any Subsidiary or their Affiliates that reasonably would
be
likely to preclude or prolong either (i) the receipt of such required consents
or (ii) consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in
accordance with its terms.
Section 5.4. |
Capitalization
of the Subsidiaries; Title to
Stock.
|
(a) Seller
owns all of the issued and outstanding shares of the capital stock of the
Subsidiary, free and clear of any Encumbrances except Permitted Encumbrances,
and all of such shares are duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive rights. The
Subsidiary does not have, and is not bound by, any outstanding subscriptions,
options, warrants, calls, commitments or agreements of any character calling
for
the purchase or issuance of any security of such Subsidiary, including any
securities representing the right to purchase or otherwise receive any shares
of
capital stock or any other equity security of such Subsidiary. The Subsidiary
is
not required to acquire by any means, directly or indirectly, any capital
stock,
voting rights, equity interests or investments in another Person, which would
constitute a material acquisition or investment for the Business.
(b) The
Subsidiary does not have any direct or indirect interest in any other
Person.
Section 5.5. |
Title
to Assets;
Encumbrances.
|
Seller
or the Subsidiary has good and indefeasible title to the
Assets reflected in the Financial Statements except those that in the aggregate
are not material to the Business and those disposed of since the date of
the
Financial Statements in the ordinary course of business or otherwise disposed
of
in accordance with this Agreement. None of the Assets are subject to any
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7
Encumbrance
except (a) Encumbrances described in Schedule
5.5 and (b) Permitted Encumbrances. Except as set
forth in Schedule 5.5, Seller or the Subsidiary owns or possesses all
Easements necessary to conduct the Business as now being conducted without
any
known conflict with the rights of others, in each case except to the extent
that
the failure to own or possess such Easements would not have a Material Adverse
Effect. Except in cases that individually or in the aggregate are not reasonably
likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) Seller or the Subsidiary
enjoys peaceful and undisturbed possession under all material leases of Real
Property, and (ii) to Seller’s Knowledge, all such leases are valid and
subsisting and in full force and effect.
Section 5.6. |
Financial
Statements.
|
(a) Schedule
5.6 sets forth the unaudited combined statement of assets and liabilities
of
the Business as of September 30, 2005 (the “Balance Sheet”) and the unaudited
combined statement of profit of the Business for the nine-month period ended
September 30, 2005 (collectively, the “Financial
Statements”). Except as set forth in Schedule 5.6,
the Financial Statements have been prepared on a pre-tax basis consistent
with
Seller’s consolidated audited financial statements as of, and for its fiscal
year ended, December 31, 2004, which Seller financial statements were prepared,
in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP. Except as set forth in
Schedule 5.6, the Balance Sheet presents fairly in all material respects
the combined financial condition of the Business as of its date and the
statement of profit included in the Financial Statements presents fairly
in all
material respects the combined results of operations of the Business for
the
period covered thereby. The books and records of Seller and the Subsidiary
from
which the Financial Statements were derived were complete and accurate in
all
material respects at the time of such preparation.
(b) Seller
and the Subsidiary maintain a system of internal accounting controls with
respect to the Business sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that
(i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or
specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted
only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and
(iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing
assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect
to
any differences.
(c) Seller
has established, maintains and evaluates controls and procedures with respect
to
the Business that are designed to ensure that material information relating
to
the Business is made known to Seller’s Chief Executive Officer and its Chief
Financial Officer by others in the Business, and such controls and procedures
are effective to perform the functions for which they were established.
Section 5.7. |
Compliance
with Legal Requirements; Governmental
Permits.
|
Except
as relates to tax matters (which are provided for in
Section 5.9), employee benefit matters (which are provided for in Section
5.13)
or environmental matters (which are provided for in Section 5.14) and except
as
set forth in Schedule 5.7, to Seller’s Knowledge: (a) neither Seller nor
the Subsidiary is in violation of any Legal Requirement or Order that is
applicable to it that is material to the conduct or operation of the Business,
or to the ownership or use of any of
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8
the
Assets, in either case taken as a whole; and (b) Seller or the
Subsidiary possesses all permits, licenses, and authorizations from Governmental
Bodies required by any applicable Legal Requirement or Order material to
the
operation of the Business substantially in the manner in which it is currently
being conducted by Seller and the Subsidiary, taken as a whole.
Section 5.8. |
Legal
Proceedings; Outstanding
Orders.
|
Except
as set forth in Schedule 5.8, as of the date of this
Agreement, there is no pending or Threatened Proceeding (a) that has been
commenced against Seller or the Subsidiary that is reasonably likely to have
an
adverse financial effect on the Business of more than $400,000 or (b) that
challenges, or that may have the effect of preventing, delaying, making illegal
or otherwise interfering with, the transactions contemplated hereby. Except
as
disclosed in Schedule 5.8, as of the date of this Agreement, there are no
outstanding Orders against Seller or the Subsidiary that relate to or arise
out
of the conduct of the Business or the ownership, condition or operation of
the
Business or the Assets (other than any Order relating to rates, tariffs and
similar matters arising in the ordinary course of business) which individually
or in the aggregate would have an adverse financial effect on the Business
of
more than $400,000.
Section 5.9. |
Taxes.
|
Seller
or the Subsidiary has filed all United States federal,
state and local income Tax Returns required to be filed by Seller or the
Subsidiary or requests for extensions to file such Tax Returns have been
timely
filed, and Seller or the Subsidiary has paid and discharged or made adequate
provision for all Taxes (other than Retained Liabilities) except where failure
to so file, pay, discharge or make adequate provision for are not, individually
or in the aggregate, reasonably likely to have a material impact on the
Business. There are no pending audits, other examinations, or Threatened
Proceedings relating to any Tax matters of the Subsidiary or relating to
the
Business except as set forth in Schedule 5.9. There are no Tax liens
on the Assets or the assets of the Subsidiary. As of the date of this Agreement,
neither Seller (with respect to the Business) nor the Subsidiary has granted
any
waiver of any statute of limitations, or any extension of a period for the
assessment of, any Tax except as set forth in Schedule 5.9. As of the
Closing Date, neither the Subsidiary nor the Seller (but only to the extent
secured by the Business or the Assets) will be a party to, be bound by or
have
any obligation under any Tax sharing agreement or similar agreement or
arrangement pursuant to which the Subsidiary or Seller has assumed an obligation
to satisfy any Tax obligations of another person or entity. Up to and including
the Closing Date, Subsidiary has not carried on its business and other
activities in such a way that would result in the recognition by Subsidiary
of
liabilities for Taxes after the Closing Date as result of such activities
(for
example, Subsidiary has not engaged in a Code Section 355 transaction and
has
not engaged in any activity or accounting practice that is a “reportable
transaction” as defined in Treas. Reg. Section 1.6011-4). The only
representations and warranties given in respect of tax matters are those
contained in Section 5.9 and none of the other representations and warranties
shall be deemed to constitute, directly or indirectly, a representation or
warranty in respect of tax matters.
Section 5.10. |
Intellectual
Property.
|
Except
as set forth on Schedule 5.10, Seller and the
Subsidiary possesses or has adequate rights to use all trademarks, trade
names,
patents, service marks, brand marks, brand names,
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9
computer
programs, databases, industrial designs and copyrights
necessary for the operation of the Business in the manner in which it is
currently being conducted by Seller or the Subsidiary, except for the failure
to
possess or have adequate rights to use such properties that would not have
a
Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.10, Seller has
no Knowledge of (a) any infringement or claimed infringement by Seller or
the
Subsidiary of any patent, trademark, service xxxx or copyright of others
or (b)
any infringement of any patent, trademark, service xxxx or copyright owned
by or
under license to Seller or the Subsidiary except for any such infringements
of
the type described in clause (a) or (b) that are not, individually or in
the
aggregate, reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.11. |
Personal
Property.
|
Except
for such exceptions as are not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, the machinery
and equipment included among the Assets are in normal operating condition
and in
a state of reasonable maintenance and repair and are suitable in all material
respects for the purposes for which they are now being used in the conduct
of
the Business.
Section 5.12. |
Material
Contracts.
|
Schedule
5.12 contains a complete list of all Material
Contracts. Except as described in Schedule 5.12, all of the Material
Contracts are in full force and effect as of the date hereof and, to Seller’s
Knowledge, there are no defaults under any such Contracts except for any
failure
to be in full force and effect and for any default that, individually or
in the
aggregate, will not have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.13. |
Employee
Benefit
Matters.
|
(a) Schedule
5.13 lists (i) each “Employee Benefit Plan,” as such term is defined in
Section 3(3) of ERISA, that is covered by any provision of ERISA and that
is
maintained by Seller for the benefit of the Employees and each other material
fringe benefit plan, policy or arrangement currently maintained by Seller
for
the benefit of the Employees that provides for pension, deferred compensation,
bonuses, severance, employee insurance coverage or similar employee benefits
(collectively, the “Employee Plans”); and (ii) each collective bargaining, union
or other employee association agreement, employment agreement and other material
agreement, policy or arrangement maintained by Seller for the Employees.
Seller
has made available to Buyer copies of all documents setting forth the terms
of
such plans, policies, agreements and arrangements, or summaries of any such
plans, policies, agreements and arrangements not otherwise in writing.
(b) Seller’s
Pension Plan and Seller’s 401(k) Plan are the only Employee Plans that are
intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the IRC.
(c) The
Subsidiary does not employ any Employees or any other individuals and does
not
currently maintain any Employee Plan.
(d) To
the Seller’s Knowledge, each Employee Benefit Plan maintained by Seller for the
benefit of the Employees has been established and administered in all material
respects in accordance with its terms and the applicable provisions of ERISA
and
the IRC.
(e) The
only representations and warranties given in respect of employee benefit
matters
are those contained in this Section 5.13 and none of the other representations
and warranties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to constitute,
directly or indirectly, a representation or warranty in respect of employee
benefit matters.
Section 5.14. |
Environmental
Matters.
|
(a) Except
as set forth in Schedule 5.14:
(i) Compliance.
Each of Seller and the Subsidiary is in compliance with all Environmental
Laws
applicable to the Assets or the Business except where the failure to be in
compliance with such Environmental Laws would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have an adverse financial effect on the Business of more than
$400,000. Neither Seller nor the Subsidiary has received any written
communication that alleges that either Seller or the Subsidiary is not in
compliance with applicable Environmental Laws related to the Assets or the
Business except for any such written communications relating to matters that
would not, individually or in the aggregate, have an adverse financial effect
on
the Business of more than $400,000. To the Knowledge of Seller, neither Seller
nor the Subsidiary have used any waste disposal site, or otherwise disposed
of,
or transported, or arranged for the transportation of, any Hazardous Materials
to any location in violation in any material respect of any Environmental
Law
that relates to the Assets or the Business.
(ii) Environmental
Permits. Seller and the Subsidiary have obtained or applied for all
environmental, health and safety permits and authorizations (collectively,
the
“Environmental Permits”) necessary for the construction of their facilities or
the conduct of their present operations related to the Assets or the Business,
and all such permits are in good standing or, where applicable, a renewal
application has been timely filed and is pending agency approval, and each
of
Seller and the Subsidiary is in compliance with all terms and conditions
of its
respective Environmental Permits related to the Assets or the Business, in
each
case except where the failure to obtain or apply or be in compliance with
such
Environmental Permits or the requirement to make any expenditure in connection
with such Environmental Permits would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have an adverse financial effect on the Business of more than $400,000.
(iii) Environmental
Claims. To the Knowledge of Seller, there is no Environmental Claim related
to the Assets or the Business pending (x) against Seller or the Subsidiary,
(y)
against any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim
Seller
or the Subsidiary has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation
of law, or (z) against any real or personal property or operations that Seller
or the Subsidiary owns, leases or manages, in whole or in part, which, in
the
cases of (x), (y) or (z) would reasonably be expected to have, in the aggregate,
an adverse financial effect on the Business of more than $400,000.
(iv) Releases.
Seller has no Knowledge of any Releases of any Hazardous Material related
to the
Assets or the Business and its assets, properties and operations that would
reasonably be expected to form the basis of any Environmental Claim against
Seller or the Subsidiary, or against any person or entity whose liability
for
any Environmental Claim Seller or the Subsidiary has retained or assumed
either
contractually or by operation of law, except for Releases of Hazardous
Materials, the liability for which would not reasonably be
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10
expected
to have, in the aggregate, an adverse financial effect on
the Business of more than $400,000, or would not constitute an Assumed
Liability.
(v) Predecessors.
Seller has no Knowledge, with respect to any predecessor of Seller or any
Subsidiaries, of any Environmental Claim or Environmental Liability related
to
the Assets pending or threatened, or of any Release of Hazardous Materials
that
would reasonably be expected to form the basis of any Environmental Claim
or
Environmental Liability related to the Assets, that would reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(vi) Disclosure.
Seller has no Knowledge of any material facts related to the Assets that
Seller
reasonably believes would form the basis of an Environmental Claim or
Environmental Liability (i) arising from the failure to have the necessary
pollution control equipment currently required or known to be required in
the
future by applicable Environmental Laws or (ii) relating to current remediation
activities or remediation activities known to be required in the future,
in
either case that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) The
only representations and warranties given in respect of environmental matters
and compliance with and liability under Environmental Laws are those contained
in this Section 5.14 and none of the other representations and warranties
shall
be deemed to constitute, directly or indirectly, a representation or warranty
in
respect of environmental matters and compliance with and liability under
Environmental Laws.
Section 5.15. |
Absence
of Certain Changes or
Events.
|
Except
(a) as set forth in Schedule 5.15, (b) for any
intercompany receivables or payables that will be paid, cancelled or offset
prior to Closing as contemplated in Section 2.5 and (c) any actions taken
by
Seller or the Subsidiary that would be permitted by Section 6.1(a), since
September 30, 2005, the Business has been conducted in the ordinary course,
except in connection with any process relating to a sale of the Business,
including entering into this Agreement. Since September 30, 2005, there has
not
been any event or condition, or series of events or conditions, occurring
outside the normal course of business affecting the Assets that either (i)
has
resulted in, or (ii) to Seller’s Knowledge, will result in, a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 5.16. |
Regulatory
Matters.
|
(a) Schedule
5.16 sets forth all of the currently pending rate filings relating to the
Business heretofore made by Seller before any Governmental Body and each
other
currently pending rate Proceeding of any Governmental Body (other than
Proceedings that also affect other Persons engaged in a business similar
to the
Business such as generic or industry-wide Proceedings) that is reasonably
likely
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) All
currently effective material filings relating to the Business heretofore
made by
Seller or the Subsidiary with any Governmental Body were made in material
compliance with Legal Requirements then applicable thereto and the information
contained therein was true and correct in all material respects as of the
respective dates of such filings.
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11
(c) Seller
has certificates of public convenience from the Pennsylvania Public Utility
Commission (“PA PUC”) or is otherwise legally entitled to provide service in all
areas (a) where it currently provides service to its customers as part of
the Business or (b) as identified on its tariff.
Section 5.17. |
Brokers.
|
Except
as set forth on Schedule 5.17, no broker or finder
has acted for or on behalf of Seller or any Affiliate of Seller in connection
with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No
broker or finder is entitled to any brokerage or finder’s fee, or to any
commission, or to any other compensation based in any way on agreements,
arrangements or understandings made by or on behalf of Seller or any Affiliate
of Seller for which Buyer has or will have any liability or obligation
(contingent or otherwise).
Section 5.18. |
Disclaimer.
|
Except
as otherwise expressly set forth in this Article V, Seller
expressly disclaims any representations or warranties of any kind or nature,
express or implied, as to the condition, value or quality of the assets or
properties currently or formerly used, operated, owned, leased, controlled,
possessed, occupied or maintained by Seller or the Subsidiary, and Seller
SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY,
USAGE,
SUITABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO SUCH ASSETS
OR
PROPERTIES, OR ANY PART THEREOF, OR AS TO THE WORKMANSHIP THEREOF, OR THE
ABSENCE OF ANY DEFECTS THEREIN, WHETHER LATENT OR PATENT, IT BEING UNDERSTOOD
THAT SUCH ASSETS AND PROPERTIES ARE BEING ACQUIRED, “AS IS, WHERE IS” ON THE
CLOSING DATE, AND IN THEIR PRESENT CONDITION, WITH ALL FAULTS AND THAT BUYER
SHALL RELY ON ITS OWN EXAMINATION AND INVESTIGATION THEREOF.
Section 5.19. |
Insurance.
|
(a) Schedule
5.19 sets forth a true and complete list of all current policies of property
and casualty insurance, insuring the properties, assets, employees and/or
operations of the Business (collectively, the “Policies”). All premiums payable
under such Policies have been paid in a timely manner and Seller and the
Subsidiary have complied in all material respects with the terms and conditions
of all such Policies.
(b) All
material Policies are in full force and effect. Neither Seller nor the
Subsidiary is in material default under any provisions of the Policies, and
there is no claim by Seller or the Subsidiary or any other Person pending
under
any of the Policies as to which coverage has been questioned, denied or disputed
by the underwriters or issuers of such Policies.
Section 5.20. |
Absence
of Undisclosed
Liabilities.
|
Except
as disclosed on Schedule 5.20, neither Seller nor
the Subsidiary has any indebtedness or liability, absolute or contingent,
related to the Assets or the Business of a nature
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12
required
by GAAP to be reflected in a consolidated corporate
balance sheet relating to the Business, except liabilities, obligations or
contingencies that (a) are accrued or reserved against in the Financial
Statements or reflected in the notes thereto, (b) were incurred or accrued
in
the ordinary course of business (including liens of current taxes and
assessments not in default) since September 30, 2005, or (c) to Seller’s
Knowledge, would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate,
to have an adverse financial effect on the Business of more than
$1,000,000.
Section 5.21. |
Sufficiency
of
Assets.
|
Except
as set forth on Schedule 5.21, the Assets include
all assets, properties and rights necessary for the operation of the Business
consistent with past practice and as currently operated.
Section 5.22. |
PUHCA.
|
Seller
is not a “holding company” as defined in the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended (“PUHCA 1935”), or the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 2005 (“PUHCA 2005”). The execution and delivery of this
Agreement by Seller does not and will not violate any provision of PUHCA
1935 or
PUHCA 2005 or any rules or regulations thereunder pertaining to Seller.
ARTICLE
VI.
COVENANTS
Section 6.1. |
Covenants
of
Seller.
|
Seller
agrees to observe and perform the following covenants and
agreements:
(a) Conduct
of the Business Prior to the Closing Date. With respect to the Business,
except (x) as contemplated in this Agreement or in Schedule 6.1,
(y) as required by any Legal Requirement or Order or (z) as otherwise
expressly consented to in writing by Buyer, which consent will not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed, prior to the Closing, Seller will, with
respect to the Business, and will cause the Subsidiary to:
(i) not
make or permit any material change in the general nature of the Business;
(ii) maintain
the Business in the ordinary course of business consistent with Good Utility
Practices, and maintain the Assets in their present condition, reasonable
wear
and tear excepted, subject to retirements in the ordinary course of
business;
(iii) not
enter into, assign, amend, renew or extend, any material transaction or Material
Contract other than in the ordinary course of business, provided that such
ordinary course exception shall not be applicable to any (A) collective
bargaining agreement (as to which Section 6.14 shall apply) or (B) release
or
assignment of any natural gas supply, pipeline transportation or storage
Contract for a term of more than one month unless there is a Legal Requirement
to the contrary;
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13
(iv) not
purchase, sell, lease, dispose of or otherwise transfer or make any Contract
for
the purchase, sale, lease, disposition or transfer of, or subject to any
Encumbrance (other than a Permitted Encumbrance), any material Assets other
than
in the ordinary course of business;
(v) not
hire any new employee unless such employee is a bona fide replacement for
either
a presently-filled position or a vacancy in an authorized position with the
Business;
(vi) not
make any unbudgeted capital expenditure or capital expenditure commitment
in
excess of $500,000 in the aggregate except in the event of
service interruption, emergency or casualty loss;
(vii) comply
in all material respects with all applicable material Legal Requirements
and
Orders, including without limitation those relating to the filing of reports
and
the payment of Taxes due to be paid prior to the Closing, other than those
contested in good faith;
(viii) except
in the ordinary course of business or in accordance with the terms of any
existing Contract, Employee Plan or collective bargaining agreement, not
grant
any material increase or change in total compensation or benefits (taken
as a
whole) to any of the Transferred Employees or enter into any employment,
severance or similar Contract with any Person or amend any such existing
Contracts to increase any amounts payable thereunder or benefits provided
thereunder;
(ix) not
terminate any Material Contract except in the case of a breach of such Contract
by the other party thereto;
(x) not
create, incur, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable with respect
to any
indebtedness for money borrowed other than in the ordinary course of business
(it being understood and agreed that customer advances, customer deposits
and
construction advances do not create indebtedness for money borrowed), except
pursuant to advances made by Seller to the Business or to the Subsidiary;
(xi) not
amend the Organizational Documents of the Subsidiary;
(xii) not
make any change in the stock ownership of the Subsidiary and not grant, issue,
sell, dispose of, pledge or otherwise encumber any interest in the Subsidiary;
and
(xiii) not
make any commitment to take any of the actions prohibited by this Section
6.1(a).
(b) Access
to the Business, Assets and Records; Updating Information.
(i) From
and after the date hereof and until the Closing Date, Seller shall permit
Buyer
and its Representatives to have, on reasonable notice and at reasonable times,
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14
reasonable
access to all properties, employees, offices and books,
papers and records to the extent that they reasonably relate to the ownership,
operation, obligations and liabilities of the Business, the Subsidiary and
the
Assets; provided, however, that such access shall not unreasonably
interfere with the operation of the Business; and provided, further,
that Buyer hereby agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Seller from
and
against all Losses arising out of or relating to Buyer’s access provided
pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(i). Without limiting the application of the
Confidentiality Agreement, all documents or information furnished by Seller
or
obtained by Buyer hereunder shall be subject to the Confidentiality
Agreement.
(ii) Seller
will notify Buyer as promptly as practicable of any significant change in
the
ordinary course of business for the Business and of any material Proceedings
(Threatened or pending) involving or affecting the Business or the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, of any unbudgeted capital expenditure or
commitment in excess of $100,000, individually, or $500,000 in the aggregate,
and shall use reasonable efforts to keep Buyer fully informed of such
events.
(c) Consents.
Subject to Section 2.4(b), Seller will use its commercially reasonable efforts
and act diligently to obtain all necessary Consents required to consummate
the
transactions contemplated hereby in a timely manner, including any Consent
required under any Legal Requirement or Contract applicable to the Business
and
all Consents listed in Schedule 5.3.
Section 6.2. |
Covenants
of
Buyer.
|
Buyer
agrees to observe and perform the following covenants and
agreements:
(a) Consents.
Buyer will use its commercially reasonable efforts and act diligently to
assist
Seller in obtaining all necessary Consents required to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby in a timely manner, including any Consent
required under any Legal Requirement or Contract applicable to the Business,
and
all Consents listed in Schedule 5.3, and will use its commercially
reasonable efforts and act diligently to obtain all Consents described in
Section 4.3 in a timely manner.
(b) Access
to Information. After Closing, Buyer will, and will cause its
Representatives to, afford to Seller, including its Representatives, reasonable
access to all books, records, files and documents related to the Business
in
order to permit Seller to prepare and file its Tax Returns and to prepare
for
and participate in any investigation with respect thereto, to prepare for
and
participate in any other investigation and defend any Proceedings relating
to or
involving Seller, the Subsidiary or the Business for which Seller may be
responsible, to discharge its obligations under this Agreement and the other
Related Documents to which it is a party and for other reasonable purposes
and
will afford Seller reasonable assistance in connection therewith. Buyer will
cause such records to be maintained for not less than seven years from the
Closing Date and will not dispose of such records without first offering
in
writing to deliver them to Seller; provided, however, that in the event
that Buyer transfers all or a portion of the Business to any third party
during
such period, Buyer may transfer to such third party all or a portion of the
books, records, files and documents related thereof, provided such third
party
transferee expressly assumes in writing the obligations of Buyer under this
Section 6.2(b). In addition, on and after the Closing Date, at Seller’s request,
Buyer shall make available to Seller
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15
and
its Affiliates, employees, representatives and agents, those
employees of Buyer requested by Seller in connection with any Proceeding,
including to provide testimony, to be deposed, to act as witnesses and to
assist
counsel; provided, however, that (i) such access to such employees
shall not unreasonably interfere with the normal conduct of the operations
of
Buyer and (ii) Seller shall reimburse Buyer for the out-of-pocket costs
reasonably incurred by Buyer in making such employees available to Seller.
(c) Seller
Guarantees and Surety Instruments. Buyer shall use its commercially
reasonable efforts to assist Seller in obtaining full and complete releases
on
the guarantees, letters of credit, bonds and other surety instruments provided
by Seller in connection with the Business or for the benefit of the Subsidiary,
all of which have been listed by Seller on Schedule 6.2(c). For
purposes of this Section 6.2(c), commercially reasonable efforts shall include:
(i) Buyer’s assumption of the Contracts on the terms set forth in this
Agreement; and (ii) an obligation on the part of Buyer to provide a
guaranty, letter of credit, bond or other surety instrument at Closing to
the
extent required by any Contract assumed by Buyer or retained by the Subsidiary
at Closing and, in general, no later than 90 days after the Closing Date
but
effective as of the Closing Date, an equivalent surety instrument to be
substituted for any surety instrument provided by Seller to any beneficiary
in
connection with the Business or for the benefit of the Subsidiary. Buyer
shall
indemnify, defend and hold harmless Seller and its Affiliates for any and
all
Losses (in each case without deduction or set off) incurred on account of
Seller’s guarantees, letters of credit, bonds and other surety instruments on or
after the Closing Date insofar as such Losses relate to events occurring
on or
after Closing.
Section 6.3. |
Governmental
Filings.
|
(a) HSR
Act Filing. Buyer and Seller shall make an appropriate filing of a
Notification and Report Form pursuant to the HSR Act with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby within ten Business Days following the
execution of this Agreement. Buyer and Seller shall supply as promptly as
practicable any additional information or documentary material that may be
requested pursuant to the HSR Act and shall take all other actions necessary
to
cause the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting periods under
the
HSR Act as soon as practicable. Buyer and Seller shall comply substantially
with
any additional requests for information, including requests for production
of
documents and production of witnesses for interviews or depositions, made
by the
Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice, the United
States
Federal Trade Commission or the antitrust or competition law authorities
of any
other jurisdiction (the “Antitrust Authorities”) and take all other reasonable
actions to obtain clearance from the Antitrust Authorities, or if such clearance
cannot be obtained, to reach an agreement, settlement, consent providing
for
divestiture, a “hold separate” agreement, contractual undertakings with third
parties or any other relief with the concerned Antitrust Authority in order
to
permit the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Buyer shall exercise its commercially reasonable efforts, and Seller shall
cooperate fully with Buyer, to prevent the entry in any Proceeding brought
by an
Antitrust Authority or any Governmental Body of an Order that would prohibit,
make unlawful or delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by this
Agreement. Seller shall not oppose any efforts of Buyer, including Buyer’s
proffer of consent to any Order, to complete lawfully the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, and shall cooperate in good faith with Buyer
and
the Antitrust Authorities to the same effect.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither party shall be
required to agree to any divestiture of or material restriction on, a material
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16
business,
a material asset or a material group of related assets
that, in any such case, is owned or operated by it or any of its
Affiliates.
(b) Other
Regulatory Filings. Buyer and Seller will, as soon as reasonably practicable
following the execution of this Agreement, but no later than fifteen Business
Days thereafter with respect to the joint application to the Pennsylvania
Public
Utility Commission, prepare and file with each Governmental Body requests
for
such Consents as may be necessary for the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Buyer
and
Seller will diligently pursue such Consents and will cooperate with each
other
in seeking such Consents. To such end, the parties agree to make available
the
personnel and other resources of their respective organizations in order
to
obtain all such Consents. Each party will promptly inform the other party
of any
communication received by such party from, or given by such party to, any
Governmental Body from which any such Consent is required and of any material
communication received or given in connection with any Proceeding by a private
party, in each case regarding any of the transactions contemplated hereby,
and
will permit the other party to review any communication given by it to, and
consult with each other in advance of any meeting or conference with, any
such
Governmental Body or, in connection with any Proceeding by a private party,
with
such other Person, and to the extent permitted by such Governmental Body
or
other Person, give the other party the opportunity to attend and to participate
in such meetings and conferences. Neither party shall take any action in
connection with obtaining any Consent from any Governmental Body that is
intended to create, allocate, or shift to the other party any liability arising
from the obtaining of such Consent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither
party
shall be required to agree to any divestiture of or material restriction
on, a
material business, a material asset or a material group of related assets
that,
in any such case, is owned or operated by it or any of its Affiliates.
Section 6.4. |
Seller
Marks.
|
Within
180 days after the Closing Date, Buyer shall cease using
any names, marks, trade names, trademarks and corporate symbols and logos
incorporating “Southern Union”, “Southern,” “SU,” and “SUG,” (collectively and
together with all other names, marks, trade names, trademarks and corporate
symbols and logos owned by Seller or any of its Affiliates other than the
XX
Xxxxx, the “Seller Marks”). shall use commercially reasonable efforts to remove
from the Assets any and all Seller Marks and shall amend the relevant
Organizational Documents of the Subsidiary to change the name of the Subsidiary
to a name that does not include any Seller Xxxx or any name or term confusingly
similar to any Seller Xxxx. Thereafter, Buyer shall not use any Seller Xxxx
or
any name or term confusingly similar to any Seller Xxxx in connection with
the
sale of any products or services, in the corporate or doing business name
of any
of its Affiliates or otherwise in the conduct of its or any of its Affiliates’
businesses or operations. In the event that Buyer breaches this Section 6.4,
Seller shall be entitled to specific performance of this Section 6.4 and
to
injunctive relief against further violations, as well as any other remedies
at
law or in equity available to Seller.
Section 6.5. |
Acknowledgment
by
Buyer.
|
In
order to induce Seller to enter into and perform this Agreement
and the Related Documents, Buyer acknowledges and agrees with Seller as
follows:
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17
THE
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES SET FORTH IN ARTICLE V OF THIS
AGREEMENT CONSTITUTE THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
OF
SELLER TO BUYER IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND
BY
THE RELATED DOCUMENTS, AND THERE ARE NO REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, COVENANTS,
UNDERSTANDINGS OR AGREEMENTS, ORAL OR WRITTEN, IN RELATION THERETO BETWEEN
THE
PARTIES OTHER THAN THOSE INCORPORATED HEREIN AND THEREIN. EXCEPT FOR THE
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN ARTICLE V OF THIS
AGREEMENT, BUYER DISCLAIMS RELIANCE ON ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES,
EITHER
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, BY OR ON BEHALF OF SELLER OR ITS AFFILIATES OR
REPRESENTATIVES. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, BUYER
ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SECTIONS 5.7, 5.11, 5.14
AND
5.21, THERE ARE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF SELLER WITH RESPECT TO
THE
CONDITION OF THE ASSETS, COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND ENVIRONMENTAL
PERMITS OR THE PRESENCE OR RELEASES OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IN THE FIXTURES,
SOILS, GROUNDWATER, SURFACE WATER OR AIR ON, UNDER OR ABOUT OR EMANATING
FROM
ANY OF THE PROPERTIES OR ASSETS OF SELLER OR THE SUBSIDIARY.
Section 6.6. |
Transition
Plan.
|
Within
15 days after the execution date of this Agreement, Buyer
shall deliver to Seller a list of its proposed representatives to a joint
transition team, which shall include individuals with expertise from various
functional specialties associated or involved in providing billing, payroll
and
other support services provided to the Business by any automated or manual
process using facilities or employees that are not included among the Assets
or
Transferred Employees. Seller will add its representatives to such team within
15 days after receipt of Buyer’s list. Such team will be responsible for
preparing as soon as reasonably practicable after the execution date of this
Agreement, and timely implementing, a transition plan that will identify
and
describe substantially all of the various transition activities that the
parties
will cause to occur before and after the Closing and any other transfer of
control matters that any party reasonably believes should be addressed in
such
transition plan, including the matters set forth on Exhibit 6.6. Buyer
and Seller shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to cause their
Representatives on such transition team to cooperate in good faith and take
all
reasonable steps necessary to develop a mutually acceptable transition plan
by
no later than 60 days after the date of this Agreement. The terms and conditions
governing such transition activities will be more fully set forth in a
transition agreement reasonably satisfactory to the parties, including the
matters set forth on Exhibit 6.6, to be executed and delivered by Buyer
and Seller at the Closing.
Section 6.7. |
Purchase
of Leased
Assets.
|
Buyer
and Seller shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
arrange for Buyer, on the Closing Date, to enter into new lease agreements
covering the equipment listed on Schedule 6.7 and leased by the lessors
to Seller and/or the Subsidiary as identified on Schedule 6.7 (the
“Leased Assets”), or if unable to do so, then for Buyer to purchase any Leased
Assets directly from any such lessor on, or promptly after, the Closing Date
upon Buyer’s payment directly to any lessor of the purchase price for any of the
Leased Assets under the applicable lease. In either
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18
case,
Buyer shall be responsible for, and shall pay any related
transfer, registration, sales tax and similar fees, including expenses of
counsel, if any, associated with any such lease arrangement or any transfer
arising therefrom.
Section 6.8. |
Meter
Reading.
|
On
and prior to the Closing Date, Seller shall read the customer
meters in their normal cycle and in due course render the related bills to
its
customers served by the Business. Seller shall also read each transportation
customer meter (collectively, “Large Volume Meters”) on the day immediately
preceding the Closing Date. Seller shall provide Buyer with the last meter
reading from each of the Large Volume Meters made on the day immediately
preceding the Closing Date as soon as practicable after the Closing Date.
After
the Closing Date, Buyer shall read the customer meters for their first time,
in
the normal cycle, and in due course render bills for service during the period
between Seller’s last reading in the normal cycle and Buyer’s first reading in
the normal cycle to the customers. Buyer shall determine the volume of gas
sold
by Seller prior to the Closing Date through Large Volume Meters by Seller’s
meter readings on the day immediately preceding Closing Date. Buyer shall
determine by allocation the volumes of gas sold by Seller through all meters
other than Large Volume Meters, prior to the Closing Date, and the gas sold
by
Seller, on and after the Closing Date and prior to its first meter reading
through meters without charts. Such allocation shall be consistent with Seller’s
past practices for unbilled revenues. Once such determinations have been
made by
Buyer, the estimated amounts of accounts receivable and earned but unbilled
revenue and any other related payables or liabilities shall be adjusted based
upon such determinations for purposes of the Working Capital adjustment.
Section 6.9. |
Insurance.
|
(a) At
Buyer’s request, Seller agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to assert
and diligently pursue all rights to insurance coverage under the Policies
(other
than with respect to Xxxxxxx’x Compensation and punitive damage policies) and
any other past insurance policies of Seller relating to the Business or the
Assets (such insurance policies shall collectively be referred to herein
as the
“Insurance Policies”) with respect to insured claims asserted prior to the
Closing for matters included in the Assumed Liabilities pursuant to Section
2.2(b)(v). Seller shall remit to Buyer all insurance proceeds obtained after
Closing with respect to such insured claims. Furthermore, Seller agrees to
use
commercially reasonable efforts to negotiate with each of its insurance
companies in order to provide Buyer the benefit of the coverage under the
policies for all claims asserted on or after the Closing Date and to cooperate
with Buyer with any efforts to obtain “tail” coverage, at Buyer’s sole cost,
with respect to any “claims made policies.” Notwithstanding anything herein to
the contrary, any recovery of insurance proceeds by Buyer shall be net of
all
Seller’s cost and expenses. Seller shall give access to Buyer to all of the
non-privileged information relating to these matters and shall consult with
Buyer on the progress thereof from time to time.
(b) After
the Closing, Buyers shall be responsible for, and neither Seller nor any
of its
Affiliates shall have any responsibility for, the payment of any deductible
amounts or underlying limits attributable to the Insurance Policies. Buyer
acknowledges that certain of the Insurance Policies may require Seller or
any of
its Affiliates to provide an indemnity to the insurance carrier for deductible
amounts and to provide collateral to secure such indemnity
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19
obligations.
Buyer shall enter into an indemnification agreement
in form mutually acceptable to Buyer and Seller wherein Buyer agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless Seller or any of its Affiliates (as applicable)
for
any and all of the costs of maintaining such collateral and for any charges
made
against such collateral or indemnification payments in connection with claims
arising or alleged to arise from the operations of the Business required
to be
paid by Seller of any of its Affiliates (as applicable) under or with respect
to
such Insurance Policies from and after the Closing Date.
(c) Seller
makes no representation or warranty with respect to the applicability, validity
or adequacy of any Insurance Policies, and Seller shall not be responsible
to
Buyer or any of its Affiliates for the failure of any insurer to pay under
such
Insurance Policy.
(d) Nothing
in this Agreement is intended to provide or shall be construed as providing
a
benefit or release to any insurer or claims service organization of any
obligation under any Insurance Policy. Nothing herein shall be construed
as
creating or permitting any insurer or claims service organization the right
of
subrogation against Seller or Buyer or any of their Affiliates in respect
of
payments made by one to the other under any Insurance Policy.
Section 6.10. |
Risk
of
Loss.
|
The
risk of any loss, damage, impairment, confiscation or
condemnation of any of the Assets from any cause whatsoever shall be borne
by
Seller at all times prior to the Closing, and by Buyer at all times thereafter.
If any such loss, damage, impairment, confiscation or condemnation occurs,
Seller shall apply the proceeds of any insurance policy, judgment or award
with
respect thereto to impair, replace or restore the Assets as soon as possible
to
their prior condition; provided, however, anything contained in this Agreement
to the contrary notwithstanding, Seller shall not be obligated to expend
sums in
excess of the proceeds of any insurance policy, judgment or award with respect
to any loss, damage, impairment, confiscation or condemnation of any of the
Assets in order to repair, replace or restore such Assets to their prior
condition. The provisions of this Section 6.10 shall apply in the event
(“Casualty Event”) of any damage or destruction to the Assets which would result
in the nonoccurrence of a condition precedent to Buyer's obligation to
consummate this Agreement. If a Casualty Event shall occur, Buyer at its
option,
may proceed to close this Agreement on the Closing Date, in which event Seller
shall pay or assign to Buyer the proceeds from any insurance policies covering
Assets subject to the Casualty Event to the extent such proceeds are received
by
or payable to Seller and have not been used in or committed to the restoration
or replacement of Assets subject to the Casualty Event as of the Closing
Date.
Section 6.11. |
Rate
Matters.
|
Seller
has advised
Buyer that Seller intends, except to the extent otherwise mutually agreed
to by
Seller and Buyer, to file a rate case with the PA PUC on or about March 15,
2006. Seller agrees to prosecute diligently such rate case without regard
to the
pendency of this transaction to pursue the full amount to which Seller shall
be
lawfully entitled. Without limiting the provisions of Section 6.1(b), Seller
shall give Buyer access to all information relating to the rate case and
shall
permit Buyer to consult with Seller and its counsel on the progress thereof
from
time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Seller shall have discretion
to
conduct such proceeding in the manner consistent with the foregoing standards,
but Seller shall not settle or
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20
compromise
such proceeding without the prior written consent of
Buyer, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.
Section 6.12. |
Outstanding
Payments and Bank
Accounts.
|
(a) Notwithstanding
anything contained herein to the contrary, (a) all of the bank accounts and
lock
boxes of Seller used in or in connection with the Business shall be considered
“Assets” for the purposes of this Agreement and shall be transferred to Buyer at
the Closing, (b) any checks that are in the possession of Seller at the Closing
that relate to accounts receivable (or any other asset) included in the Assets
shall be transferred to Buyer at the Closing and (c) any checks that are
in the
possession of Seller at the Closing that relate to accounts receivable (or
any
other asset) not included in the Assets shall be retained by Seller.
(b) From
and after the Closing, (a) if Seller or any of its Affiliates receives or
collects any funds relating to any accounts receivable (or any other asset)
included in the Assets, Seller or its Affiliates shall remit any such amounts
to
Buyer as promptly as practicable but no later than ten (10) days after Seller
or
any of its Affiliates receives such sum, and (b) Seller and its Affiliates
shall
promptly forward all mail, remittance, receipts or other mailings received
by
any of them relating to the Business to Buyer.
Section 6.13. |
Preparation
of Audited Financial Statements of the
Business.
|
If
requested by
Buyer, Seller shall prepare and deliver to Buyer audited consolidated balance
sheets of the Business as of December 31, 2004 and 2005 and audited consolidated
statements of income and cash flows of the Business for the 12-month period
ended June 30, 2004, the 6-month period ended December 31, 2004 and the 12-month
period ended December 31, 2005 (such audited balance sheets and statements
of
income and cash flows, the “Audited Financials”). If so requested, Seller shall
use commercially reasonable efforts to deliver the Audited Financials to
Buyer
by the later of (i) the Closing Date or (ii) September 30, 2006. The Audited
Financials shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP, and shall be accompanied
by the unqualified opinion of the auditors of the Business. Seller shall
consult
with Buyer on a regular basis regarding the preparation of the Audited
Financials, and Buyer shall reimburse Seller for the auditing fees and expenses
of Seller’s external auditor relating to the preparation of the Audited
Financials. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) Buyer shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to seek a waiver from the SEC to minimize or reduce, to
the
extent practicable, its obligation to provide such Audited Financials in
connection with its public filings or offerings and (ii) Seller’s requirement to
deliver such Audited Financial Statements shall not be a condition to
Closing.
Section 6.14. |
Collective
Bargaining
Agreement.
|
Seller
has advised Buyer that Seller intends to negotiate a
renewal or extension of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between PG Energy
and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, AFL-CIO, Scranton and
Carbondale Operating Areas, including Mid Valley Local Union #2244 (the “CBA”).
Seller agrees to negotiate such renewal or extension diligently to achieve
commercially reasonable terms and conditions consistent with past practice.
Seller shall give Buyer access to all information relating to the CBA renewal
or
extension and shall permit Buyer to consult with Seller and its counsel on
the
progress thereof from time to time. Notwithstanding the
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21
foregoing,
Seller shall have discretion to conduct such
negotiations in the manner consistent with the foregoing standards, but Seller
shall not enter into such renewal or extension without the prior written
consent
of Buyer, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.
ARTICLE
VII.
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
Section 7.1. |
Seller’s
Conditions Precedent to
Closing.
|
The
obligation of Seller to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to fulfillment at or prior
to
the Closing of the following conditions:
(a) Representations
and Warranties True as of the Closing Date. Buyer’s representations and
warranties in this Agreement shall have been true and correct in all material
respects as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct in
all
material respects as of the Closing Date as if made on the Closing Date,
subject
to changes expressly contemplated and permitted by this Agreement, except
that
representations and warranties made as of, or in respect of, only a specified
date or period shall be true and correct in all material respects as of,
or in
respect of, such date or period.
(b) Compliance
with Agreements. The covenants, agreements and conditions required by this
Agreement and the Employee Agreement to be performed and complied with by
Buyer
shall have been performed and complied with in all material respects prior
to or
at the Closing Date.
(c) Certificate.
Buyer shall execute and deliver to Seller a certificate of an authorized
officer
of Buyer, dated the Closing Date, stating that the conditions specified in
Sections 7.1(a) and 7.1(b) of this Agreement have been satisfied.
(d) Governmental
Approvals and Other Consents. Seller shall have obtained all Consents of
Governmental Bodies (or the Consent of the appropriate Governmental Body
shall
be able to be deemed to have been received in accordance with the applicable
Legal Requirement) by Final Order and other Persons that are required in
order
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to transfer the Assets
and the Stock to Buyer without Seller incurring material liability under
any
Legal Requirement, Order or Contract.
(e) HSR
Act. The applicable waiting period under the HSR Act with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby shall have expired or have been
terminated.
(f) Injunctions.
On the Closing Date, there shall be no Orders that operate to restrain, enjoin
or otherwise prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this
Agreement.
(g) Documents.
Buyer shall have delivered or shall stand ready to deliver all the certificates,
instruments, Contracts and other documents specified to be delivered by it
hereunder on or before the Closing Date, including pursuant to Section 8.1,
and
shall have taken such actions as Seller may have requested pursuant to Section
11.2.
Section 7.2. |
Buyer’s
Conditions Precedent to
Closing.
|
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22
The
obligation of Buyer to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to fulfillment at or prior
to
the Closing of the following conditions:
(a) Representations
and Warranties True as of the Closing Date. Seller’s representations and
warranties in this Agreement shall have been true and correct in all material
respects as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct in
all
material respects as of the Closing Date as if made on the Closing Date,
subject
to changes expressly contemplated and permitted by this Agreement, except
(i)
that representations and warranties made as of, or in respect of, only a
specified date or period shall be true and correct in all material respects
as
of, or in respect of, such date or period, (ii) in the case of representations
and warranties that are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect,
which representations and warranties shall have been when made, and shall
be on
the Closing Date, true and correct in all respects, and (iii) to the extent
that
any failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct
as
aforesaid when taken in the aggregate would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) Compliance
with Agreements. The covenants, agreements and conditions required by this
Agreement or the Employee Agreement to be performed and complied with by
Seller
shall have been performed and complied with in all material respects prior
to or
at the Closing Date, except where the failure to so perform or comply when
taken
in the aggregate would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Certificate.
Seller shall execute and deliver to Buyer a certificate of an authorized
officer
of Seller, dated the Closing Date, stating that the conditions specified
in
Sections 7.2(a) and 7.2(b) of this Agreement have been satisfied.
(d) Governmental
Approvals and Other Consents. Seller shall have obtained all Consents of
Governmental Bodies (or the Consent of the appropriate Governmental Body
shall
be able to be deemed to have been received in accordance with the applicable
Legal Requirement) by Final Order and other Persons that are required in
order
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby other than those the failure
of which to be obtained would not have a Material Adverse Effect, which Consents
of Governmental Bodies shall contain no condition which could reasonably
be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the Assets or the Business
or the
Buyer or any of its Affiliates.
(e) HSR
Act. The applicable waiting period under the HSR Act with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby shall have expired or have been
terminated.
(f) Injunctions.
On the Closing Date, there shall be no Orders that operate to restrain, enjoin
or otherwise prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this
Agreement.
(g) Documents.
Seller shall have delivered or shall stand ready to deliver all of the
certificates, instruments, Contracts and other documents specified to be
delivered by it hereunder, including pursuant to Section 8.1.
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23
(h) No
Material Adverse Effect. No occurrence or condition (alone or together with
other occurrences or conditions) giving rise to a Material Adverse Effect
shall
have occurred since the date of this Agreement.
(i) Retained
Indebtedness Encumbrances. All Encumbrances on the Assets or the Business
relating to the Retained Indebtedness shall have been terminated or otherwise
released in a manner reasonably acceptable to Buyer.
ARTICLE
VIII.
CLOSING
Section 8.1. |
Closing.
|
The
closing of the purchase and sale of the Assets (the “Closing”)
will take place at the offices of Xxxxxxxxxx and Xxxxx, L.L.P., 0000
Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxxx, X.X. 00000, on the fifth
business day after the date on which the conditions specified in Sections
7.1
and 7.2 (excluding conditions that, by their terms, cannot be satisfied until
the Closing) are satisfied or waived, unless another time, date and place
is
agreed to in writing by the parties; provided, however, that neither
Seller nor Buyer shall be required to close the transactions contemplated
by
this Agreement until all conditions to the obligations of Seller or Buyer,
as
the case may be, shall have been satisfied or waived in accordance with the
provisions of Article VII. The date of the Closing is referred to in this
Agreement as the “Closing Date.” The transactions to be consummated on the
Closing Date shall be deemed to have been consummated as of 12:01 a.m., local
time, on the Closing Date. At the Closing, the following events shall occur,
each event being deemed to have occurred simultaneously with the other
events.
(a) Xxxx
of Sale. Seller and Buyer shall execute and deliver a xxxx of sale and
assignment and assumption agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the
parties.
(b) Stock
Certificates; Resignations; FIRPTA. Seller shall deliver to Buyer: (i) the
certificates representing the Stock, duly and validly endorsed to or registered
in the name of Buyer or its nominees or accompanied by separate stock powers
duly and validly executed by Seller, (ii) letters of resignation, effective
as
of the Closing Date, from each director and each officer of the Subsidiary
and
(iii) a certification of its non-foreign status as set forth in
Section 1445 of the IRC and the Treasury regulations promulgated
thereunder.
(c) Payment
of Estimated Purchase Price. Buyer will pay to Seller an amount equal to the
Estimated Purchase Price by wire transfer, in lawful money of the United
States
of America in immediately available funds, to such account as Seller shall
have
designated by notice to Buyer.
(d) Other
Related Documents. To the extent consistent with the other provisions of
this Agreement, Seller (or the appropriate Affiliate of Seller) and Buyer
shall
execute and deliver such other Related Documents and shall obtain and deliver
such other certificates reasonably requested by a party that are necessary
in
order to satisfy any applicable Legal Requirements relating to the transfer
of
the Assets or the Stock to Buyer or the assumption
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24
of
the Assumed Liabilities by Buyer; provided, however,
that nothing in this clause (d) shall obligate Seller or any Affiliate of
Seller
to execute or deliver any document that affects, in a manner adverse to Seller,
Seller’s liability to Buyer as expressed herein.
ARTICLE
IX.
TERMINATION
Section 9.1. |
Termination
Rights.
|
This
Agreement may be terminated in its entirety at any time prior
to the Closing:
(a) By
the mutual written agreement of Seller and Buyer;
(b) By
Buyer, on the one hand, or Seller, on the other hand, in writing if there
shall
be in effect a nonappealable Order prohibiting, enjoining or restricting
the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) By
Buyer, upon the breach in any material respect of any of the representations
and
warranties of Seller contained herein or the failure by Seller to perform
and
comply in any material respect with any of the agreements and obligations
required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by Seller, provided
that all such breaches or failures are reasonably likely to result in a Material
Adverse Effect and are not cured or otherwise addressed by Seller in a manner
reasonably acceptable to Buyer within 30 days of Seller’s receipt of a written
notice from Buyer that such breaches or failures have occurred (or significant
efforts have not been commenced to cure such misrepresentations or breaches
if
they are susceptible to cure but not capable of being cured within such 30
days);
(d) By
Seller, upon the breach in any material respect of any of the representations
and warranties of Buyer contained herein or the failure by Buyer to perform
and
comply in any material respect with any of the agreements and obligations
required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by Buyer, provided
that such breach or failure is not cured or otherwise addressed by Buyer
in a
manner reasonably acceptable to Seller within 30 days of Buyer’s receipt of a
written notice from Seller that such a breach or failure has occurred (or
significant efforts have not been commenced to cure such misrepresentation
or
breach if it is susceptible to cure but not capable of being cured within
such
30 days);
(e) By
either party in writing if the Closing has not occurred by August 25, 2006
(the
“Upset Date”); provided, however, that the right to terminate this
Agreement under this Section 9.1(e) will not be available to any party that
is
in material breach of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements
contained herein; and provided further that in the event either party's
conditions precedent to Closing set forth in Sections 7.1(d) or 7.1(e) or
Sections 7.2(d) or 7.2(e) have not been satisfied prior to the Upset Date
but
are reasonably capable of being satisfied thereafter, then either party may
request from the other up to four extensions of thirty days each following
written notice to the other; or
(f) By
Seller, if at Closing Buyer fails to make the payments required to be made
by
Buyer at Closing.
Section 9.2. |
Limitation
on Right to Terminate; Effect of
Termination.
|
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25
(a) A
party shall not be allowed to exercise any right of termination pursuant
to
Section 9.1 if the event giving rise to the termination right shall be due
to
the willful failure of such party seeking to terminate this Agreement to
perform
or observe in any material respect any of the covenants or agreements hereunder
to be performed or observed by such party.
(b) If
this Agreement is terminated as permitted under Section 9.1, such termination
shall be without liability of or to any party to this Agreement, or any
shareholder or Representative of such party; provided, however, that if
such termination shall result from the willful failure of any party to fulfill
a
condition to the performance of any other party or to perform a covenant
of this
Agreement or from a material and willful breach by any party to this Agreement
(it being understood that the failure to cure a breach shall not, by itself,
be
a willful breach of this Agreement), then such party shall (subject to the
last
sentence of this Section 9.2(b)) be fully liable for any and all damages
sustained or incurred by the other party. If prior to Closing either party
to
this Agreement resorts to legal proceedings to enforce this Agreement, the
prevailing party in such proceedings shall be entitled to recover all costs
incurred by such party including reasonable attorney’s fees, in addition to any
other relief to which such party may be entitled; provided, however,
and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in no event
shall either party be entitled to receive any punitive, exemplary, special,
remote, speculative, indirect or consequential damages (including any damages
on
account of lost profits or opportunities).
ARTICLE
X.
EMPLOYEE
MATTERS
Section 10.1. |
Employee
Agreement.
|
The
parties have addressed the transfer of employees and employee
benefit matters in a separate agreement, entitled Employee Agreement, executed
and delivered of even date herewith, the terms and provisions of which agreement
are incorporated into this Agreement as if fully set forth herein and a copy
of
which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 (the “Employee
Agreement”).
ARTICLE
XI.
TAX
MATTERS
Section 11.1. |
Purchase
Price
Allocation.
|
Within
180 days after the Closing Date, Buyer and Seller shall use
their good faith efforts to agree upon the allocation (the “Allocation”) of the
Purchase Price to the individual assets or classes of assets within the meaning
of Section 1060 of the IRC. If Buyer and Seller agree to such Allocation,
Buyer
and Seller covenant and agree that (a) the values assigned to the assets
by the
parties’ mutual agreement shall be conclusive and final for all purposes, and
(b) neither Buyer nor Seller will take any position before any Governmental
Body
or in any Proceeding that is in any way inconsistent with such Allocation.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Buyer and Seller cannot agree to an
Allocation, Buyer and Seller covenant and agree to file, and to cause their
respective Affiliates to file, all Tax Returns and schedules thereto (including,
for example, amended returns, claims for refund, and those returns and forms
required under Section 1060 of
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26
the
IRC and any Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder)
consistent with each of such party’s good faith Allocations, unless otherwise
required because of a change in any Legal Requirement.
Section 11.2. |
Cooperation
with Respect to Like-Kind
Exchange.
|
Buyer
agrees that Seller may, at Seller’s election prior to the
Closing Date, direct that all or a portion of the Purchase Price be delivered
to
a “qualified intermediary” (as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.1031(k)
- (g)(4)) in order to enable Seller’s relinquishment of the Assets to qualify as
part of a like-kind exchange of property covered by Section 1031 of the IRC.
If
Seller so elects, Buyer shall cooperate with Seller (but without being required
to incur any out-of-pocket costs in the course thereof) in connection with
Seller’s efforts to effect such like-kind exchange, which cooperation shall
include, without limitation, taking such actions as Seller requests in order
to
enable Seller to qualify such transfer as part of a like-kind exchange of
property covered by Section 1031 of the IRC (including any actions required
to
facilitate the use of a “qualified intermediary”), and Buyer agrees that Seller
may assign all or part of its rights and delegate all or part of its obligations
under this Agreement to a person or entity acting as a qualified intermediary
to
qualify the transfer of the Assets as part of a like-kind exchange of property
covered by Section 1031 of the IRC. Buyer and Seller agree in good faith
to use
reasonable efforts to coordinate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
with any other transactions engaged in by either Buyer or Seller; provided
that
such efforts are not required to include an unreasonable delay in the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 11.3. |
Transaction
Taxes.
|
All
transfer, documentary, recording, notarial, sales, use,
registration, stamp and other similar taxes, fees and expenses (including,
but
not limited to, all applicable stock transfer, real estate transfer or gains
Taxes and including any penalties, interest and additions to such tax)
(“Transaction Taxes”) incurred in connection with this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby shall be borne by Buyer, to the extent that
Buyer is legally obligated to pay such Transaction Taxes, and shall be borne
by
Seller, to the extent Seller is legally obligated to pay such Transaction
Taxes,
regardless of whether the tax authority seeks to collect such Taxes from
Seller
or Buyer. Buyer and Seller shall cooperate in timely making and filing all
Tax
Returns as may be required to comply with the provisions of laws relating
to
such Transaction Taxes. Seller shall prepare all tax filings related to any
Transaction Taxes. Fifteen days prior to making such filings, Seller shall
provide to Buyer Seller’s work papers for Buyer’s review and approval. Ten days
prior to the filing date, Buyer shall provide to Seller approval of such
work
papers. Buyer shall also be responsible for (a) administering the payment
of such Transaction Taxes, (b) defending or pursuing any proceedings related
thereto and (c) paying any expenses related thereto. Seller shall give prompt
written notice to Buyer of any proposed adjustment or assessment of any
Transaction Taxes with respect to the transaction, or of any examination
of said
transaction in a sales, use, transfer or similar tax audit. In any proceedings,
whether formal or informal, Seller shall permit Buyer to participate and
control
the defense of such proceeding and shall take all actions and execute all
documents required to allow such participation. Seller shall not negotiate
a
settlement or compromise of any Transaction Taxes without the prior written
consent of Buyer, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed.
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Section 11.4. |
Real
and Personal Property
Taxes.
|
All
real (including public utility realty tax) and personal
property Taxes and assessments arising with respect to the Assets and the
assets
of Subsidiary, and including for this purpose the Pennsylvania Utility Real
Property Tax (“XXXXX”) and any similar utility Taxes of any other jurisdiction
shall be prorated between Buyer and Seller based on the relative periods
of time
the Assets were owned by each respective party or their respective Affiliates
during the fiscal period for which such Taxes are imposed by the applicable
taxing jurisdiction (as such fiscal period is or may be reflected on the
xxxx
rendered by such taxing jurisdiction, but in the case of Taxes imposed based
on
the specific day of ownership of assets, a fiscal period shall be deemed
to be
the 365 day period ending with such date). Upon receipt by Buyer of the tax
xxxx, invoice or other statement regarding such real and personal property
Taxes, Buyer shall calculate the pro rata share of such tax xxxx,
invoice or other statement attributable to Buyer and Seller. Buyer then shall
forward, as soon as practicable, to Seller a copy of such tax xxxx, invoice
or
statement along with the supporting documentation relating to the calculation
of
the pro rata share to Seller. Seller then shall forward to Buyer
payment in immediately available funds of its pro rata share of such
Taxes as soon as practicable in advance of the due date of the tax xxxx,
invoice
or statement and in time to avoid the incurrence of penalties or interest.
Upon
its receipt of such payment, Buyer will pay the full amount of the tax xxxx,
invoice or statement to the applicable taxing authority. In the event Seller
first receives a tax xxxx, invoice or statement relating to the Assets from
a
taxing authority, Seller shall immediately forward such tax xxxx, invoice
or
statement to Buyer.
Section 11.5. |
Other
Taxes.
|
Except
as otherwise provided in Sections 11.3 and 11.4, Seller
shall be responsible for (i) all Taxes (or the non-payment thereof) of Seller
and its Subsidiary for all taxable periods ending on or before the Closing
Date
and the portion through the end of the Closing Date for any taxable period
that
includes (but does not end on) the Closing Date (“Pre-Closing Tax Period”), (ii)
all Taxes of any member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary
group of which Seller or any its Subsidiary (or any predecessor of any of
the
foregoing) is or was a member on or prior to the Closing Date, including
pursuant to Treasury Regulation §1.1502-6 or any analogous or similar state,
local, or foreign law or regulation, (iii) any and all Taxes of any Person
(other than Seller and its Subsidiary) imposed on Seller or its Subsidiary
as a
transferee or successor, by contract or pursuant to any law, rule, or
regulation, which Taxes relate to an event or transaction occurring on or
before
the Closing, and (iv) any Taxes of Seller that do not relate to the Business
or
the Assets purchased pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 11.6. |
Straddle
Period.
|
In
the case of any taxable period that includes (but does not end
on) the Closing Date (a “Straddle Period”), the amount of any Taxes based on or
measured by income or receipts of Seller and its Subsidiary for the Pre-Closing
Tax Period shall be determined based on an interim closing of the books as
of
the close of business on the Closing Date (and for such purpose, the taxable
period of any partnership or other pass-through entity in which Seller or
its
Subsidiary holds a beneficial interest shall be deemed to terminate at such
time) and the amount of other
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28
Taxes
of Seller and its Subsidiary for a Straddle Period that
relates to the Pre-Closing Tax Period shall be deemed to be the amount of
such
Tax for the entire taxable period multiplied by a fraction the numerator
of
which is the number of days in the taxable period ending on the Closing Date
and
the denominator of which is the number of days in such Straddle Period.
Section 11.7. |
Cooperation
on Tax
Matters.
|
Buyer,
the Seller and its Subsidiary shall cooperate fully, as and
to the extent reasonably requested by the other Party, in connection with
the
filing of Tax Returns pursuant to this Article XI and any audit, litigation
or
other proceeding with respect to Taxes. Such cooperation shall include the
retention and (upon the other Party's request) the provision of records and
information that are reasonably relevant to any such audit, litigation or
other
proceeding and making employees available on a mutually convenient basis
to
provide additional information and explanation of any material provided
hereunder.
ARTICLE
XII.
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 12.1. |
Indemnification
by
Seller.
|
From
and after Closing and subject to the other provisions of this
Article XII, Seller shall indemnify and hold harmless Buyer, its
Representatives, Affiliates, successors and permitted assigns (collectively,
the
“Buyer Indemnitees”) from and against any and all Losses actually incurred by a
Buyer Indemnitee, and directly resulting from:
(a) any
representations and warranties made by Seller in this Agreement not being
true
and correct when made or when required by this Agreement to be true and correct,
or any breach or default by Seller in the performance of its covenants,
agreements, or obligations under this Agreement or the Employee Agreement
required to be performed prior to Closing;
(b) any
breach or default by Seller in the performance of its covenants, agreements,
or
obligations under this Agreement or the Employee Agreement required to be
performed after Closing;
(c) Seller’s
failure to perform or satisfy any of the Retained Liabilities and all
liabilities associated with the Excluded Assets; and
(d) any
amount required to be reimbursed by the Business to Xxxxxxxx Development
Company, Inc. (“Xxxxxxxx”) pursuant to the third paragraph in Section 4.1 of the
Gas Main Extension Deposit Agreement, dated November 22, 2005, between Xxxxxxxx
and the Business (the “Main Extension Agreement”) (and any similar successor
provision thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Seller shall not be liable
to
the Business for any liabilities or losses under this Section 12.1(d) for
any
reimbursements of Project Costs pursuant to the third paragraph in Section
4.1
of the Main Extension Agreement caused by the action or inaction or the
Business’s or Business’ failure to deliver landfill gas in breach of the Firm
Transportation Agreement (the “Transportation Agreement”) between the Business
and PEI Power Corporation.
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Section 12.2. |
Indemnification
by
Buyer.
|
From
and after Closing and subject to the other provisions of this
Article XII, Buyer shall indemnify and hold harmless Seller, its
Representatives, Affiliates, successors and permitted assigns (collectively,
the
“Seller Indemnitees”) from and against any and all Losses actually incurred by a
Seller Indemnitee, and directly resulting from:
(a) any
representations and warranties made by Buyer in this Agreement not being
true
and correct when made or when required by this Agreement to be true and correct,
or any breach or default by Buyer in the performance of its covenants,
agreements, or obligations under this Agreement or the Employee Agreement
required to be performed prior to Closing;
(b) any
breach or default by Buyer in the performance of its covenants, agreements,
or
obligations under this Agreement or the Employee Agreement required to be
performed after Closing; and
(c) the
Assumed Liabilities.
Section 12.3. |
Limitations
on Seller’s
Liability.
|
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the
liability of Seller under this Agreement and any documents delivered in
connection herewith or contemplated hereby shall be limited as follows:
(a) IN
NO EVENT SHALL SELLER BE LIABLE TO THE BUYER INDEMNITEES FOR ANY EXEMPLARY,
PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, REMOTE OR SPECULATIVE DAMAGES;
provided, however, that if Buyer is held liable to a third party for
any of such damages and Seller is obligated to indemnify Buyer for the matter
that gave rise to such damages, then Seller shall be liable for, and obligated
to reimburse Buyer for, such damages.
(b) Except
as provided below, the representations and warranties of Seller set forth
in
this Agreement shall survive the Closing until the first anniversary of the
Closing Date; provided however, that (i) the representations and
warranties set forth in Section 5.2 (Authority Relative to this Agreement
and
Binding Effect), Section 5.5 (Title to Assets; Encumbrances), and Section
5.17
(Brokers) shall survive indefinitely, and (ii) representations and warranties
set forth in Section 5.9 (Taxes) shall survive for a period equal to the
applicable statute of limitations for the taxable year for each Tax. The
other
terms of this Agreement and the agreements delivered in connection herewith
shall survive the Closing. All representations and warranties, covenants
and
agreements of Seller under this Agreement and the indemnities granted by
Seller
in Section 12.1 shall terminate at 5:00 p.m., East Coast time, on the
applicable survival termination date set forth above; provided,
however, that such indemnities shall survive with respect only to any
specific matter that is the subject of a proper Claim Notice delivered in
good
faith in compliance with the requirements of this Section 12.3 until the
earlier
to occur of (i) the date on which a final nonappealable resolution of the
matter described in such Claim Notice has been reached, including the
determination of all related Losses, if any, regardless of when such Losses
are
finally determined or (ii) the date on which the matter described in such
Claim Notice has
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30
otherwise
reached final resolution, including the determination of
all related Losses, if any, regardless of when such Losses are finally
determined. In no event shall any amounts be recovered from Seller under
Section
12.1 or otherwise for any matter for which a Claim Notice is not delivered
to
Seller prior to the close of business on the applicable expiration date set
forth above.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in no event shall Seller indemnify
the Buyer Indemnitees, or be otherwise liable in any way whatsoever to the
Buyer
Indemnitees, for any Losses otherwise subject to indemnification by Seller
pursuant to Section 12.1(a) (determined after giving effect to the other
provisions of this Section 12.3) until the Buyer Indemnitees have incurred
Losses otherwise indemnifiable pursuant to Section 12.1(a) that in the aggregate
exceed Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($8,500,000) (the
“Deductible”), after which Seller shall then be liable for all Losses incurred
by the Buyer Indemnitees that are indemnifiable pursuant to Section 12.1(a)
in
excess of such amount up to the maximum amount set forth in Section 12.3(d).
Losses subject to indemnification by Seller pursuant to Section 12.1(a) relating
to any single breach or series of related breaches by Seller shall not
constitute Losses, and therefore shall not be applied toward the Deductible
or
be indemnifiable hereunder, unless such Losses relating to any single breach
or
series of related breaches exceed $50,000. For the purposes of calculating
the
Deductible, none of the dollar limitations or Material Adverse Effect
qualifiers contained in the representations and warranties
of Article V shall be included in calculating Losses that comprise the
Deductible.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in no event shall Seller indemnify
the Buyer Indemnitees, or be otherwise liable in any way whatsoever to the
Buyer
Indemnitees, for any Losses otherwise subject to indemnification by Seller
(determined after giving effect to the other provisions of this Section 12.3)
that in the aggregate exceed Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000).
(e) Seller
shall have no liability for any claim or Loss (i) that would be covered by
insurance maintained by or for the benefit of Buyer or any Affiliate of Buyer
(including any such insurance coverage applicable to the Business the benefit
of
which Buyer would realize if Buyer were to maintain insurance coverage as
is
customary for the industry in which the Business is conducted consistent
with
the coverage described in Schedule 5.19) or for which Buyer otherwise
recovers payments in respect of such Loss from any other source(s) (whether
in a
lump sum or stream of payments) or (ii) that is the type normally recoverable
by
the Business through rates and is in fact substantially recovered by Buyer
through rates, provided that Buyer shall have made a good faith effort to
recover any such claim or loss through rates and that such recovery is not
indeterminable due to the terms of any rate settlement agreed to by Buyer,
or is
otherwise recovered by Buyer through rates. No cost or expense relating to
any
such claim or Loss that is actually recovered on the basis of the foregoing
shall be included in determining the extent of Losses suffered by the Buyer
Indemnitees for purposes of Section 12.3(c) or Section 12.3(d). Buyer agrees
to
use its commercially reasonable efforts to give timely and effective written
notice to the appropriate insurance carrier(s) of any occurrence or
circumstances that, in the judgment of Buyer consistent with its customary
risk
management practices, appear likely to give rise to a claim against Buyer
that
is likely to involve one or more insurance policies of Buyer. Any such notice
shall be given in good faith by Buyer without regard to the possibility of
indemnification payments by Seller under Section 12.1, and shall be processed
by
Buyer in good faith and in a manner consistent with its risk management
practices involving claims for which
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31
no
third party contractual indemnification is available. Buyer
agrees that (x) if it is entitled to receive payment from Seller for a
Loss, and (y) if Buyer has obtained insurance that may cover the claim or
matter giving rise to such Loss, then (z) such insurance shall be primary
coverage and Buyer will make a claim under such insurance (if such claim
can be
made in good faith) before enforcing its right to receive payment from Seller.
If at any time subsequent to the receipt by a Buyer Indemnitee of an indemnity
payment from Seller hereunder, such Buyer Indemnitee (or any Affiliate thereof)
receives any recovery, settlement or other similar payment with respect to
the
Loss for which it receives such indemnity payment, such Buyer Indemnitee
shall
promptly pay to Seller an amount equal to the amount of such recovery, less
any
expense incurred by such Buyer Indemnitee (or its Affiliates) in connection
with
such recovery, but in no event shall any such payment exceed the amount of
such
indemnity payment.
(f) Notwithstanding
any language contained in any Related Document (including deeds and other
conveyance documents relating to the Real Property), the representations
and
warranties of Seller set forth in this Agreement will not be merged into
any
such Related Document and the indemnification obligations of Seller, and
the
limitations on such obligations, set forth in this Agreement shall control.
No
provision set forth in any such Related Document shall be deemed to enlarge,
alter or amend the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
Section 12.4. |
Limitation
on Buyer’s
Liability.
|
IN
NO EVENT SHALL BUYER BE LIABLE TO THE SELLER INDEMNITEES FOR
ANY EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, REMOTE OR SPECULATIVE
DAMAGES; provided, however, that if Seller is held liable to a third
party for any of such damages and Buyer is obligated to indemnify Seller
for the
matter that gave rise to such damages, then Buyer shall be liable for, and
obligated to reimburse Seller for, such damages.
Section 12.5. |
Claims
Procedure.
|
(a) All
claims for indemnification under Section 12.1 or 12.2, or any other provision
of
this Agreement except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement,
shall
be asserted and resolved pursuant to this Article XII. Any Person claiming
indemnification hereunder is referred to as the “Indemnified Party” and any
Person against whom such claims are asserted hereunder is hereinafter referred
to as the “Indemnifying Party.” In the event that any Losses are asserted
against or sought to be collected from or threatened to be sought from an
Indemnified Party by a third party, including a Governmental Body, said
Indemnified Party shall with reasonable promptness provide to the Indemnifying
Party a Claim Notice. The Indemnifying Party shall not be obligated to indemnify
the Indemnified Party with respect to any such Losses if the Indemnified
Party
fails to notify the Indemnifying Party thereof in accordance with the provisions
of this Agreement in reasonably sufficient time so that the Indemnifying
Party’s
ability to defend against the Losses is not prejudiced. The Indemnifying
Party
shall have 30 days from the personal delivery or receipt of the Claim Notice
(the “Notice Period”) to notify the Indemnified Party (i) whether or not it
disputes the liability of the Indemnifying Party to the Indemnified Party
hereunder with respect to such Losses and/or (ii) whether or not it
desires, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, to defend
the
Indemnified Party against such Losses; provided, however, that any
Indemnified Party is hereby authorized prior to and during the Notice Period
to
file any motion, answer or other pleading that it shall deem necessary
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32
or
appropriate to protect its interests or those of the
Indemnifying Party (and of which it shall have given notice and opportunity
to
comment to the Indemnifying Party) and not prejudicial to the Indemnifying
Party. In the event that the Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified
Party
within the Notice Period that it desires to defend the Indemnified Party
against
such Losses, the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to defend all
appropriate proceedings, and with counsel of its own choosing, which proceedings
shall be promptly settled or prosecuted by them to a final conclusion. If
the
Indemnified Party desires to participate in, but not control, any such defense
or settlement it may do so at its sole cost and expense. If requested by
the
Indemnifying Party, the Indemnified Party agrees to cooperate with the
Indemnifying Party and its counsel in contesting any Losses that the
Indemnifying Party elects to contest or, if appropriate and related to the
claim
in question, in making any counterclaim against the Person asserting the
third
party Losses, or any cross-complaint against any Person. No claim may be
settled
or otherwise compromised without the prior written consent of the Indemnifying
Party.
(b) The
Indemnified Party shall provide reasonable assistance to the Indemnifying
Party
and provide access to its books, records and personnel as the Indemnifying
Party
reasonably requests in connection with the investigation or defense of the
Losses. The Indemnifying Party shall promptly upon receipt of reasonable
supporting documentation reimburse the Indemnified Party for out-of-pocket
costs
and expenses incurred by the latter in providing the requested assistance.
(c) With
regard to third party claims for which Buyer or Seller is entitled to
indemnification under Section 12.1 or 12.2, such indemnification shall be
paid
by the Indemnifying Party upon (i) the entry of an Order against the Indemnified
Party and the expiration of any applicable appeal period or (ii) a settlement
with the consent of the Indemnifying Party, provided that no such consent
need
be obtained if the Indemnifying Party fails to respond to the Claim Notice
as
provided in Section 12.5(a). Notwithstanding the foregoing but subject to
Section 12.5(a), and provided that there is no dispute as to the applicability
of indemnification, expenses of counsel to the Indemnified Party shall be
reimbursed on a current basis by the Indemnifying Party as if such expenses
are
a liability of the Indemnifying Party.
Section 12.6. |
Exclusive
Remedy.
|
Except
as otherwise provided in Sections 3.2(b), 6.4 or 9.2, the
rights, remedies and obligations of the Buyer Indemnitees and the Seller
Indemnitees set forth in this Article XII will be the exclusive rights, remedies
and obligations of such Persons after the Closing with respect to all
post-Closing claims relating to this Agreement, the events giving rise to
this
Agreement and the transactions provided for herein or contemplated hereby
or
thereby. No Proceeding for termination or rescission, or claiming repudiation,
of this Agreement may be brought or maintained by either party against the
other
following the Closing Date no matter how severe, grave or fundamental any
breach, default or nonperformance may be by one party. Accordingly, the parties
hereby expressly waive and forego any and all rights they may possess to
bring
any such Proceeding.
-
-
33
Section 12.7. |
Waiver
and
Release.
|
Buyer,
on behalf of itself and each other Buyer Indemnitee, hereby
forever waives, relieves, releases and discharges the Seller Indemnitees
and
their successors and assigns from any and all rights, liabilities, Proceedings
(including future Proceedings) and Losses of any Buyer Indemnitee, whether
known
or unknown at the Closing Date, which any Buyer Indemnitee has or incurs,
or may
in the future have or incur, arising out of or related to any Assumed
Liability.
ARTICLE
XIII.
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
Section 13.1. |
Expenses.
|
Except
as otherwise specifically provided herein, each party will
pay all costs and expenses of its performance of and compliance with this
Agreement, provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained herein, Buyer will pay the filing fees associated with
the
HSR Act.
Section 13.2. |
Notices.
|
All
notices, requests and other communications hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be deemed to have been given upon receipt if either
(a)
personally delivered with written acknowledgment of such receipt, (b) sent
by
prepaid first class mail, and registered or certified and a return receipt
requested, as of the date such receipt indicates by signature, (c) sent by
overnight delivery via a nationally recognized carrier with written
acknowledgment of such receipt or (d) by facsimile with, and as of the date
of,
completed transmission being acknowledged:
If
to Seller, to:
Southern
Union Company
0000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, SVP and CFO
Telecopier:
(000) 000-0000
with
a copy (which shall not constitute notice),
to:
Southern
Union Company
0000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, SVP and Associate General
Counsel
Telecopier:
(000) 000-0000
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-
34
and
a copy (which shall not constitute notice)
to:
Xxxxxxxxxx
and Xxxxx, L.L.P.
0000
Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx,
X.X. 00000
Attention:
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esquire
Telecopier:
(000) 000-0000
If
to Buyer, to:
UGI
Corporation
000
Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxx
xx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Vice
President and General Counsel
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
with
a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx & Bockius LLP
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
or
at such other address or number as shall be given in writing by
a party to the other party.
Section 13.3. |
Assignment.
|
This
Agreement may not be assigned, by operation of law or
otherwise, by any party hereto without the prior written consent of the other
party hereto, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld; provided,
however, in the event of any such assignment by a party by operation of law
without the consent of the other party as required above, such other party
may
consent to such assignment after it has occurred and, in such event, this
Agreement and all the provisions hereof shall be binding upon the Person
receiving such assignment by operation of law. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(a) Seller may assign all or part of its rights or delegate all or part of
its
duties under this Agreement, without the prior written consent of Buyer,
to a
qualified intermediary chosen by Seller to structure all or part of the
transactions contemplated hereby as a like-kind exchange of property covered
by
Section 1031 of the IRC and (b) Buyer may assign all or part of its rights,
but
not its obligations, under this Agreement to a wholly owned subsidiary.
Section 13.4. |
Successor
Bound.
|
Subject
to the provisions of Section 13.3, this Agreement shall be
binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors and permitted assigns.
-
-
35
Section 13.5. |
Governing
Law.
|
The
validity, performance, and enforcement of this Agreement and
all Related Documents, unless expressly provided to the contrary, shall be
governed by the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to the
principles of conflicts of law of such state.
Section 13.6. |
Cooperation.
|
Each
of the parties hereto agrees to use its commercially
reasonable efforts to take or cause to be taken all action, and to do or
cause
to be done all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable laws,
regulations or otherwise, to consummate and to make effective the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including the timely performance of all actions
and things contemplated by this Agreement to be taken or done by each of
the
parties hereto.
Section 13.7. |
Construction
of
Agreement.
|
The
terms and provisions of this Agreement represent the results
of negotiations between Buyer and Seller, each of which has been represented
by
counsel of its own choosing, and neither of which has acted under duress
or
compulsion, whether legal, economic or otherwise. Accordingly, the terms
and
provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted and construed in accordance
with their usual and customary meanings, and Buyer and Seller hereby waive
the
application in connection with the interpretation and construction of this
Agreement of any rule of law to the effect that ambiguous or conflicting
terms
or provisions contained in this Agreement shall be interpreted or construed
against the party whose attorney prepared the executed draft or any earlier
draft of this Agreement. It is understood and agreed that neither the
specification of any dollar amount in the representations and warranties
contained in this Agreement nor the inclusion of any specific item in the
Schedules or Exhibits is intended to imply that such amounts or higher or
lower
amounts, or the items so included or other items, are or are not material,
and
none of the parties shall use the fact of the setting of such amounts or
the
fact of any inclusion of any such item in the Schedules or Exhibits in any
dispute or controversy between the parties as to whether any obligation,
item or
matter is or is not material for purposes hereof. The word “including” in this
Agreement shall mean including without limitation. Words in the singular
shall
be held to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall
be
held to include the other genders as the context requires. The terms “hereof,”
“herein,” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise
stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole (including all
of the
Schedules and Exhibits hereto) and not to any particular provision of this
Agreement, and Article, Section, paragraph, Exhibit and Schedule references
are
to the Articles, Sections, paragraphs, Exhibits and Schedules to this Agreement
unless otherwise specified.
Section 13.8. |
Publicity.
|
Neither
party hereto shall issue, make or cause the publication of
any press release or other announcement with respect to this Agreement or
the
transactions contemplated hereby, or otherwise make any disclosures relating
thereto, without the consent of the other party, such consent not to be
unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided, however, that such consent
shall not be required where such release or announcement is required by
applicable law or the rules or
-
-
36
regulations
of a securities exchange, in which event the party so
required to issue such release or announcement shall endeavor, wherever
possible, to furnish an advance copy of the proposed release to the other
party.
Section 13.9. |
Waiver.
|
Except
as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, neither
the failure nor any delay on the part of any party to exercise any right,
power
or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single
or partial exercise or waiver of any such right, power or privilege preclude
any
other or further exercise thereof, or the exercise of any other right, power
or
privilege available to each party at law or in equity.
Section 13.10. |
Parties
in
Interest.
|
This
Agreement (including the documents and instruments referred
to herein) is not intended to confer upon any Person, other than the parties
hereto and their successors and permitted assigns, any rights or remedies
hereunder provided, however, that the indemnification provisions in Article
XII
shall inure to the benefit of the Buyer Indemnitees and the Seller Indemnitees
as provided therein.
Section 13.11. |
Section
and Paragraph
Headings.
|
The
section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are for
reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.
Section 13.12. |
Amendment.
|
This
Agreement may be amended only by an instrument in writing
executed by the parties hereto.
Section 13.13. |
Entire
Agreement.
|
This
Agreement, the Exhibits and Schedules hereto and the
documents specifically referred to herein and the Confidentiality Agreement
constitute the entire agreement, understanding, representations and warranties
of the parties hereto, and supersede all prior agreements, both written and
oral, between Buyer and Seller. All Exhibits and Schedules annexed hereto
or
referred to herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement
as if set forth in full herein. Disclosure of any fact or item in any Schedule
referenced by a particular paragraph or Section in this Agreement shall,
should
the existence of the fact or item or its contents be relevant to any other
paragraph or Section, be deemed to be disclosed with respect to that other
paragraph or Section whether or not any explicit cross-reference appears
therein; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, no disclosures
shall be deemed to be disclosed on Schedule 5.20 except for such
disclosures explicitly set forth thereon or explicitly incorporated by reference
into Schedule 5.20.
Section 13.14. |
Counterparts.
|
This
Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.
-
-
37
Section 13.15. |
Severability.
|
If
any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law or public policy,
all
other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain
in
full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the
transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially
adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision
is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall
negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original
intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the
end
that transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the greatest extent
possible.
Section 13.16. |
Consent
to
Jurisdiction.
|
The
parties hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in the Borough
of Manhattan and the federal courts of the United States of America located
in
the Southern District of the State of New York over any dispute arising out
of
or relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby,
and each party irrevocably agrees that all claims in respect of such dispute
or
proceeding shall be heard and determined in such courts. The parties hereby
irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any
objection which they may now or hereafter have to the venue of any dispute
arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions
contemplated hereby brought in such court or any defense of inconvenient
forum
for the maintenance of such dispute. Each party agrees that a judgment in
any
such dispute may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment
or
in any other manner provided by applicable law.
[signature
page to follow]
-
-
38
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this
Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized officers
as of
the date first written above.
SOUTHERN
UNION COMPANY
By: /s/
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Senior
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
UGI
CORPORATION
By: /s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice
President and General Counsel
EMPLOYEE
AGREEMENT
This
EMPLOYEE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is made as of the 26th
day of
January, 2006, by and between SOUTHERN UNION COMPANY, a Delaware corporation
(“Seller”), and UGI CORPORATION, a Pennsylvania corporation
(“Buyer”).
W
I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS,
Seller is engaged in the Business;
WHEREAS,
Seller and Buyer have entered into the Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated
as of
January 26, 2006 (the “Sale Agreement”), in which this Agreement is incorporated
by reference; and
WHEREAS,
Buyer intends to cause an Affiliate to offer employment to all persons
who are
employed in the Business and to assume responsibility for certain employee
benefits upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the respective covenants, representations
and
warranties
herein contained, the parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
Section
1.1 General.
Capitalized
terms used in this Agreement (including Schedules to this Agreement) not
defined
herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Sale Agreement.
For
purposes of this Agreement (including Schedules to this Agreement), the
following terms shall have the meanings set forth below.
“Base
Compensation” shall
mean an Employee’s base hourly wages or base salary, as applicable.
“COBRA”
shall
mean the continuation coverage requirements for group health plans under
Title X
of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended,
and
as codified in IRC Section 4980B and ERISA Sections 601-608.
“Continuation
Period” shall
mean the one-year period following the Closing Date.
“Employee”
shall
mean a person who is a full-time or part-time employee of Seller, whether
or not
covered by a collective bargaining agreement, whose responsibilities pertain
primarily to the Business on the Closing Date, including an employee who
is not
actively at work on the Closing Date because the employee is on workers’
compensation, on an approved leave of absence (including an approved leave
of
absence with a legal or contractual right to reinstatement, military leave,
maternity leave, or leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993)
or
absent due to vacation, disability, illness or other similar circumstance
except
that a
--
person
who is absent due to, and who is on, long-term disability shall not be
deemed to
be an “Employee” hereunder where such person is unable to perform the essential
functions of his or her job, with or without reasonable accommodation (or
otherwise consistent with applicable Legal Requirements). A preliminary
list of
Employees, as of January 26, 2006, is set forth in Schedule 1.1.
“For
Cause” shall
mean (1) the commission by the Transferred Employee of a criminal or other
act
that causes or is reasonably likely to cause substantial economic damage
to
Buyer or substantial injury to the business reputation of Buyer, (2) the
commission by the Transferred Employee of an act of fraud, theft or financial
dishonesty in the performance of the Transferred Employee’s duties on behalf of
Buyer, (3) the continuing failure or continuing refusal of the Transferred
Employee to satisfactorily perform the duties of the Transferred Employee
to
Buyer, (4) the material disregard or violation by the Transferred Employee
of
the legal rights of any employees of the Buyer or of the Buyer’s written
policies regarding harassment or discrimination, or (5) any other conduct
materially detrimental to the Buyer’s business.
“Former
Employee” shall
mean a person who was formerly employed by Seller whose responsibilities
pertained primarily to the Business and who is not an Employee on the Closing
Date.
“Liabilities”
shall
mean any direct or indirect liability (whether absolute, accrued or unaccrued,
fixed or unfixed, xxxxxx or inchoate, secured or unsecured, liquidated
or
unliquidated, matured or unmatured, known or unknown, contingent or otherwise),
indebtedness, obligation, expense, claim, charge, cause of action, deficiency,
guarantee or endorsement of or by a party, including those arising under
any
applicable law or action, under any award of any court, administrative
agency,
tribunal or arbitrator, and under any contract or undertaking.
“Transferred
Employee”
shall
mean an Employee who accepts Buyer’s offer of employment pursuant to Section 2.3
and commences employment with Buyer or its Affiliate.
Section 1.2 Terms
Defined Elsewhere.
For
purposes of this Agreement (including Schedules to this Agreement), the
following terms have the meanings set forth in the sections
indicated.
Term Section
Absent
Employee………………………2.3(a)
Absent
Employee’s Start Date…………2.3(a)
Agreement
Preamble
Buyer
Preamble
Buyer’s
401(k) Plan 3.2
Buyer’s
Pension Plan …………………….3.1
Pennsylvania
VEBAs……………………..4.6(c)
Post-Retirement
Benefits…………………4.6(a)
--
Sale
Agreement …………………………. Preamble
Seller Preamble
Seller’s
401(k) Plan 3.2
Seller’s
Flex Plan………………………….. 4.5
Seller’s
Pension Plan 3.1
WARN
Act……………………………… . 7.3(a)
ARTICLE
II
EMPLOYEES
Section
2.1 Employee
List.
As soon
as administratively feasible following the execution of the Sale Agreement,
Seller shall provide to Buyer an updated list, as of the date of the Sale
Agreement, of Employees originally provided to Buyer in Schedule 1.1, which
shall consist not only of the names, but also (to the extent permitted
by
applicable Legal Requirements) job titles, job locations, Base Compensation,
dates of hire, and union or non-union status, of all Employees. Seller
shall
provide Buyer with a revised Schedule 1.1, updated as of the Closing Date,
within ten (10) days following the Closing Date.
Section
2.2 Collective
Bargaining Agreements. Except
as
otherwise provided in Section 4.6, the Collective Bargaining Agreement
between
PG Energy and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, AFL-CIO,
Scranton
and Carbondale Operating Areas, including Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx #0000,
and the
Collective Bargaining Agreement between PG Energy and Utility Workers Union
of
America, AFL-CIO, Local Unions #406, 407, 408 and 529, shall be binding
on
Buyer, and Buyer shall assume and agree to perform all obligations of PG
Energy
thereunder relating to the period on and after the Closing Date.
Section
2.3 Offers
of Employment to Employees
(a)
At
least thirty (30) days prior to the anticipated Closing Date, Buyer shall
offer
employment to all Employees (including Employees who are not actively at
work on
the Closing Date because the Employee is on workers’ compensation, on an
approved leave of absence (including an approved leave of absence with
a legal
or contractual right to reinstatement, military leave, maternity leave,
or leave
under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993) or absent due to vacation,
disability, illness or other similar circumstance (each, an “Absent Employee”)),
effective as of 12:01 a.m. on the Closing Date (except as provided in the
following sentence), with at least the same level of Base Compensation
as was in
effect for each such Employee immediately prior to the Closing Date. The
offer
to an Absent Employee shall be made for employment effective as of the
expiration of the approved leave of absence or the Absent Employee’s other
return from workers’ compensation, vacation, disability, illness or other
similar circumstance provided that such offer of employment shall remain
open no
later than (1) one hundred eighty (180) days following the Closing Date
or (2)
such longer period as may be consistent with applicable Legal Requirements
(as
to each Absent Employee, the “Absent Employee’s Start Date”). An Absent Employee
who does not return to work after the expiration of an approved leave of
absence
or otherwise under the preceding sentence shall not be considered a Transferred
Employee hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties
--
agree
that the Employee listed in Schedule 2.3(a) may have the opportunity to
continue
employment with Seller; provided that Buyer shall have reasonable access
to the
Employee listed in Schedule 2.3(a) prior to and after the Closing
Date.
(b)
Buyer
shall notify Seller of the Employees’ responses to Buyer’s offers of employment
under this Section 2.3 as soon as administratively feasible after receiving
each
Employee’s response. Buyer and Seller shall cooperate fully to facilitate the
preparation of Buyer’s offers of employment and such offers shall include the
language set forth in Schedule 2.3(b) or similar language reasonably acceptable
to Buyer and Seller.
Section
2.4 Employment
of Transferred Employees
(a)
Buyer
shall employ, as of 12:01 a.m. on the Closing Date, all of the Employees
who
accept Buyer’s offer of employment, except that each Absent Employee shall be
deemed employed by Buyer as of 12:01 a.m. on the Absent Employee’s Start
Date.
(b)
In
the event that (1) on the Closing Date or during the Continuation Period,
the
employment of a Transferred Employee (other than a Transferred Employee
covered
by a collective bargaining agreement) is terminated, other than For Cause,
or
(2) during the Continuation Period, Buyer fails to provide a Transferred
Employee (other than a Transferred Employee covered by a collective bargaining
agreement) with at least the same level of Base Compensation as was in
effect
immediately prior to the Closing Date, then Buyer shall be responsible
for and
shall pay to such Transferred Employee, in a lump sum payment, not later
than
sixty (60) days following the date of the Transferred Employee’s termination of
employment, the following severance benefit: two weeks of the Employee’s Base
Compensation at termination of employment for each full or partial year
of
service, measured from the Transferred Employee’s date of hire reflected in
Schedule 1.1, not to exceed fifty-two (52) weeks of such Base Compensation;
provided, however, that in no event shall such severance benefit be less
than
six (6) weeks of such Base Compensation. The costs incurred, directly or
indirectly, in connection with the termination of employment of any Transferred
Employee on or after the Closing Date shall be borne exclusively by Buyer.
The
foregoing sets forth Buyer’s sole obligation for severance payable to any
Employee in connection with the Business and the transactions contemplated
by
the Sale Agreement.
Section
2.5 Leaves
of Absence.
Buyer
and its Affiliates shall honor all terms and conditions of leaves of absence
that have been granted by Seller to an Employee, including leaves that
are
scheduled to commence on or after the Closing Date. As soon as administratively
feasible following execution of the Sale Agreement, Seller shall provide
to
Buyer a list reflecting the Employees that have been granted a leave of
absence
and all of the terms and conditions associated therewith.
Section
2.6 Prior
Service Credit.
On and
after the Closing Date, for each Transferred Employee, Buyer and its Affiliates
shall recognize, for eligibility, vesting and vacation accrual purposes,
under
employee benefit and employment-related plans and programs of Buyer and
its
Affiliates, such Transferred Employee’s service, as recognized under Seller’s
--
Pension
Plan, prior to the Closing Date. On and after the Closing Date, for each
Transferred Employee who, as of the Closing Date, is covered by a collective
bargaining agreement, Buyer and its Affiliates shall recognize, for benefit
accrual purposes under Buyer’s Pension Plan, such Transferred Employee’s
service, as recognized under Seller’s Pension Plan, prior to the Closing Date.
Section
2.7 Vacation.
Buyer
shall permit each Transferred Employee to carry forward and to receive
paid time
off for all vacation days (including sick days and personal days) accrued
prior
to the Closing Date. As soon as administratively feasible following execution
of
the Sale Agreement, Seller shall provide to Buyer a list reflecting the
paid
time off balances standing to the credit of each Transferred Employee as
of the
date of the Sale Agreement. Seller shall provide Buyer with a revised list,
updated as of the Closing Date, within ten (10) days following the Closing
Date.
ARTICLE
III
PENSION,
401(k) AND NONQUALIFIED PLANS
Section
3.1 Pension
Plans. Seller
has no defined benefit plan that covers the Employees and that is intended
to be
a qualified plan other than the Employees’ Retirement Plan of Southern Union
Company Pennsylvania Division (“Seller’s Pension Plan”). Following the Closing
Date, Seller shall retain sponsorship of, and all assets (held in trust),
liabilities and obligations under, Seller’s Pension Plan. Effective as of the
Closing Date, all Transferred Employees shall become fully vested in their
accrued benefits, determined as of the Closing Date, under Seller’s Pension
Plan, and shall not accrue additional benefits under Seller’s Pension Plan. In
addition to Buyer’s satisfaction of its other obligations under the collective
bargaining agreements referred to in Section 2.2, Buyer shall cause an
existing
Buyer-sponsored defined benefit plan, or in the alternative, Buyer shall
establish a defined benefit plan (in either case, “Buyer’s Pension Plan”), to
cover Transferred Employees who are covered by a collective bargaining
agreement, shall credit benefit accrual service recognized under Seller’s
Pension Plan as of the Closing Date as benefit accrual service under Buyer’s
Pension Plan, and shall reduce each covered Transferred Employee’s accrued
benefit under Buyer’s Pension Plan by the Transferred Employee’s accrued
benefit, determined as of the Closing Date under Seller’s Pension Plan. As soon
as administratively feasible following the Closing Date, Seller shall provide
to
Buyer a list that sets forth the accrued benefit under Seller’s Pension Plan, as
of the Closing Date, of each Transferred Employee who is covered by a collective
bargaining agreement.
Section
3.2 401(k)
Plans.
Seller
has no defined contribution plan that covers the Employees and that is
intended
to be a qualified plan other than the Southern Union Savings Plan, which
includes a qualified cash or deferred arrangement under IRC Section 401(k)
(“Seller’s 401(k) Plan”). As of the Closing Date, Seller shall vest the
Transferred Employees in their account balances under Seller’s 401(k) Plan. If
the Transferred Employees will be eligible to participate in a defined
contribution plan maintained by Buyer ("Buyer’s 401(k) Plan"), immediately
following the Closing Date, Buyer shall take all actions necessary to ensure
that Buyer’s 401(k) Plan accepts from any Transferred Employee a rollover or
direct rollover of all of his or her account balance under Seller’s 401(k) Plan,
including his or her loan balances and related loan documentation; provided
that
a Transferred Employee shall only be permitted to roll
--
over
his
or her loan balances and related loan documentation if the Transferred
Employee
makes a rollover or direct rollover of all of his or her account balance
under
Seller’s 401(k) Plan. If the Transferred Employees will be eligible to
participate in Buyer’s 401(k) Plan, the trustee or recordkeeper of Seller’s
401(k) Plan shall transfer to the trustee or recordkeeper of Buyer’s 401(k) Plan
any loan documentation for loans to be rolled over or transferred to Buyer’s
401(k) Plan. The Transferred Employees shall not be required to roll over,
or
otherwise transfer, their account balances under Seller’s 401(k) Plan to Buyer’s
401(k) Plan.
Section
3.3 Nonqualified
Plans.
Seller
shall comply fully with, and Buyer shall assume no liability or responsibility
whatsoever with respect to the Southern Union Company Supplemental Deferred
Compensation Plan, which is a nonqualified pension plan maintained by
Seller.
ARTICLE
IV
OTHER
BENEFITS
Section
4.1 Welfare
Benefit Plans. Except
as
provided in Section 4.6, coverage of all Transferred Employees under each
Employee Plan which is an “employee welfare benefit plan” within the meaning of
Section 3(1) of ERISA to which Seller or any Affiliate of Seller is a party
or
by which any of them is bound, shall cease as of the Closing Date, subject
to
the health coverage continuation rights as are required to be provided
by Seller
under COBRA attributable to a “qualifying event” (as defined in
COBRA).
Section
4.2 COBRA.
On and
after the Closing Date, Buyer shall provide continuation coverage required
under
COBRA to all eligible Transferred Employees.
Section
4.3 Individuals
on Long-Term Disability. Any
individual who, as of the Closing Date, is eligible for long-term disability
benefits shall be covered under Seller’s long-term disability plan and any other
applicable Seller benefit plans for which the individual is eligible. In
addition, any Employee who, as of the Closing Date, is absent due to short-term
disability, who does not become a Transferred Employee, and who becomes
eligible
for long-term disability benefits under Seller’s long-term disability plan after
the Closing Date shall be covered under Seller’s long-term disability plan.
Buyer shall have no Liabilities with respect to any individual described
under
this Section 4.3.
Section
4.4 Workers’
Compensation. With
respect to occurrences relating to Employees prior to the Closing Date,
workers’
compensation benefits shall be subject to Seller’s workers’ compensation
policies, programs and plans, and Seller shall bear sole financial
responsibility with respect to such benefits. With respect to occurrences
relating to Transferred Employees on or after the Closing Date, workers’
compensation benefits shall be subject to Buyer’s workers’ compensation
policies, programs and plans, and Buyer shall bear sole financial responsibility
with respect to such benefits.
Section
4.5 Flexible
Spending Accounts.
As soon
as administratively feasible after the Closing Date, Seller shall transfer
to
Buyer’s flexible benefits plan, in cash, any health care and dependent care
balances standing to the credit of Transferred Employees under
the
Southern
--
Union
Company Flexible Benefit Plan (“Seller’s Flex Plan”) as of the day immediately
preceding the Closing Date, and Buyer shall reimburse Transferred
Employees for
all
eligible health and dependent care expenses submitted on or after the Closing
Date. As soon as administratively feasible after the Closing Date, Seller
shall
provide to Buyer a list of those Transferred Employees who
have
participated in the health or dependent care reimbursement accounts under
Seller’s Flex Plan, together with their elections made prior to the Closing Date
with respect to such accounts, and balances standing to their credit as
of the
day immediately prior to the Closing Date.
Section
4.6 Post-Retirement
Benefit Plans
(a)
Post-retirement health and life insurance benefits available to Employees
and
Former Employees (“Post-Retirement Benefits”) are described in the document
entitled “The Southern Union Company Postretirement Medical and Death Benefits
for PG Energy Employees Application of Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards Nos. 106 and 132(R) to the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2005,” a
draft copy of which Seller has provided to Buyer. Following the Closing
Date,
Seller shall retain responsibility for all liabilities and obligations
of
Seller, if any, to provide Post-Retirement Benefits to Former Employees,
Employees who are not Transferred Employees, and those Transferred Employees
who, as of the Closing Date, have attained age fifty-five (55) and completed
twenty (20) years of vesting service under Seller’s Pension Plan.
.
(b)
Following the Closing Date, Buyer shall assume responsibility for all
liabilities and obligations of Seller, if any, to provide Post-Retirement
Benefits to those Transferred Employees who, as of the Closing Date, have
not
attained age fifty-five (55) and completed twenty (20) years of vesting
service
under Seller’s Pension Plan. Nothing herein is intended to confer upon any
person any right to Post-Retirement Benefits to which he or she is not
otherwise
entitled.
(c)
Following the Closing Date, Seller shall retain the “Pennsylvania VEBAs,” as
defined in the following sentence, and the assets held therein shall be
applied,
in accordance with the terms of the Pennsylvania VEBAs, for the benefit
of the
Former Employees, the Employees who are not Transferred Employees, and
those
Transferred Employees who, as of the Closing Date, have attained age fifty-five
(55) and completed twenty (20) years of vesting service under Seller’s Pension
Plan. The “Pennsylvania VEBAs” are the Pennsylvania Enterprises, Inc. Employees’
Life Insurance Benefits Trust - Union (PG Energy Life VEBA Union), the
Pennsylvania Enterprises, Inc. Employees’ Life Insurance Benefits Trust -
Non-Union (PG Energy Life VEBA Non-Union), the Pennsylvania Enterprises,
Inc.
Employees’ Medical Insurance Benefits Trust - Union (PG Energy Medical VEBA
Union), and the Pennsylvania Enterprises, Inc. Employees’ Medical Insurance
Benefits Trust - Non-Union (PG Energy Medical VEBA Non-Union).
ARTICLE
V
LIABILITIES
Except
as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, Buyer, for itself and its Affiliates,
assumes and agrees to pay, perform, fulfill and discharge when due all
Liabilities, including
--
litigation
costs, with respect to a Transferred Employee or a dependent or beneficiary
of a
Transferred Employee relating to, arising out of or resulting from employment
in
connection with the Business prior to, on or after the Closing Date. Anything
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, Seller retains and shall pay, perform,
fulfill and discharge all Liabilities with respect to Former Employees
and
Employees who are not Transferred Employees.
ARTICLE
VI
RECORDS
AND INFORMATION
Section
6.1 Records.
On or
soon after the Closing Date, Seller shall deliver to Buyer, to the extent
permitted by applicable Legal Requirements, all personnel files and records
in
its possession relating to the Transferred Employees, including active
contracts, litigation files, annual reviews, grievances and any other
information that is part of the personnel file of a Transferred Employee.
Prior
to the Closing Date, subject to applicable Legal Requirements, Seller shall
provide Buyer with reasonable access to information and records in its
possession relating to the Transferred Employees. Subject to applicable
Legal
Requirements, from and after the Closing Date, all such files and records
shall
be the property of Buyer, provided, that Seller may copy such files and
records
prior to transferring them to Buyer.
Section
6.2 Access
to Information.
From and
after the Closing Date, Buyer shall afford to Seller reasonable and timely
access and duplicating rights, during normal business hours and upon reasonable
advance notice, to the personnel files and records in the possession or
control
of Buyer, insofar as such access is reasonably required for a reasonable
business purpose, subject to applicable Legal Requirements. Without limiting
the
foregoing, information may be requested under this Section 6.2 for audit,
accounting, claims, litigation and tax purposes, as well as for purposes
of
fulfilling disclosure and reporting obligations.
Section
6.3 Confidentiality.
Buyer
and its Affiliates shall preserve the confidentiality, in accordance with
all
applicable Legal Requirements, of all information contained in the personnel
files and records obtained from Seller pursuant to this Agreement.
ARTICLE
VII
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
Section
7.1 Cooperative
Actions. Seller
and Buyer shall cooperate with each other in carrying out, implementing
and
defending the terms of this Agreement, including cooperating with each
other
with respect to any claims or litigation challenging any of the terms of
this
Agreement. Seller and Buyer agree to good faith mutual cooperation in any
investigation, inquiry or litigation which jointly involves them or in
which a
party makes a reasonable request for cooperation. Each party will make
its
employees available on a reasonable basis to give testimony and assistance
in
connection with any lawsuit, dispute, investigation or proceeding involving
the
other party; provided, however, that such other party shall pay for all
out-of-pocket costs incurred in connection with providing such testimony
and
assistance. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, each party
will pay
all costs and expenses of its performance of and compliance with this
Agreement.
--
Section
7.2 Parties
in Interest. No
provision of this Agreement shall confer upon any person, other than the
parties
hereto, their Affiliates, successors and permitted assigns, any rights
or
remedies hereunder, including any rights or remedies with respect to the
employment, compensation, benefits or other terms and conditions of employment
of any person. Except as otherwise provided herein, no provision of this
Agreement shall be construed to create any right or accelerate any entitlement
to any compensation or benefit on the part of any Employee.
Section
7.3 WARN Act.
(a)
On or
before the Closing Date, Seller shall provide a list of the name and site
of
employment of any and all employees of Seller who have experienced, or
who will
experience, an employment loss or layoff (as defined by the Worker Adjustment
and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 or any similar applicable state
or local
law requiring notice to employees in the event of a closing or layoff (the
“WARN
Act”)) within ninety (90) days prior to the Closing Date. Seller shall update
this list up to and including the Closing Date.
(b)
For a
period of ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, Buyer shall not engage
in any
conduct which would result in an employment loss or layoff for a sufficient
number of employees of Buyer which, if aggregated with any such conduct
on the
part of Seller prior to the Closing Date, would trigger the WARN
Act.
Section
7.4 Satisfaction
of Liabilities by Affiliate.
Obligations of Buyer hereunder may be satisfied by an Affiliate of
Buyer.
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of this page intentionally left blank]
--
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
the
parties have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by their
duly
authorized officers as of the date first written above.
SOUTHERN
UNION COMPANY
By:
/s/
Xxxxx X. Edwards________________
Name:
Xxxxx
X. Edwards________________
Title:
Senior
Executive Vice President & CFO
UGI
CORPORATION
By:
/s/
Xxxxxx X. Knauss________________
Name:
Xxxxxx
X. Knauss________________
Title:
Vice
President & General Counsel_____
[Signature
page to Employee Agreement between
Southern
Union Company and UGI Corporation]
--
LIST
OF
SCHEDULES
Schedule
1.1
Employees
Schedule
2.3(a) Employee
who may have Opportunity to
Continue Employment with Seller
Schedule
2.3(b) Employment
Offers