ANNEX A: ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Exhibit 2.1
A-1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||||
ARTICLE I | A-5 | |||||||
1.1
|
Defined Terms | A-5 | ||||||
1.2
|
Other Defined Terms | A-10 | ||||||
ARTICLE II | A-11 | |||||||
2.1
|
Transfer of Assets | A-11 | ||||||
2.2
|
Assumption of Liabilities | A-11 | ||||||
2.3
|
Excluded Liabilities | A-11 | ||||||
2.4
|
Purchase Price | A-12 | ||||||
2.5
|
Closing Balance Sheet | A-12 | ||||||
2.6
|
Prorations | A-12 | ||||||
2.7
|
Closing Costs; Transfer Taxes and Fees | A-13 | ||||||
ARTICLE III | A-14 | |||||||
3.1
|
Closing | A-14 | ||||||
3.2
|
Conveyances at Closing | A-14 | ||||||
ARTICLE IV | A-15 | |||||||
4.1
|
Organization of Seller | A-15 | ||||||
4.2
|
Subsidiaries | A-15 | ||||||
4.3
|
Authorization | A-15 | ||||||
4.4
|
Absence of Certain Changes or Events | A-16 | ||||||
4.5
|
Assets | A-17 | ||||||
4.6
|
Facilities | A-17 | ||||||
4.7
|
Contracts and Commitments | A-18 | ||||||
4.8
|
Permits | A-19 | ||||||
4.9
|
No Conflict or Violation | A-19 | ||||||
4.10
|
Financial Statements | A-19 | ||||||
4.11
|
Books and Records | A-19 | ||||||
4.12
|
Litigation | A-19 | ||||||
4.13
|
Labor Matters | A-20 | ||||||
4.14
|
Liabilities | A-20 | ||||||
4.15
|
Compliance with Law | A-20 | ||||||
4.16
|
No Brokers | A-20 | ||||||
4.17
|
No Other Agreements to Sell the Assets | A-20 | ||||||
4.18
|
Proprietary Rights | A-20 | ||||||
4.19
|
Transactions with Certain Persons | A-21 | ||||||
4.20
|
Tax Matters | A-21 | ||||||
4.21
|
Insurance | A-22 | ||||||
4.22
|
Inventory | A-22 | ||||||
4.23
|
Purchase Commitments and Outstanding Bids | A-22 | ||||||
4.24
|
Payments | A-22 | ||||||
4.25
|
Customers, Distributors and Suppliers | X-00 |
X-0
Page | ||||||||
4.26
|
Compliance With Environmental Laws | A-23 | ||||||
4.27
|
Banking Relationships | A-24 | ||||||
4.28
|
Accounts Receivable | A-24 | ||||||
ARTICLE V | A-25 | |||||||
5.1
|
Organization of Buyer | A-25 | ||||||
5.2
|
Authorization | A-25 | ||||||
5.3
|
No Conflict or Violation | A-25 | ||||||
5.4
|
Consents and Approvals | A-25 | ||||||
5.5
|
No Brokers | A-25 | ||||||
ARTICLE VI | A-25 | |||||||
6.1
|
Further Assurances | A-25 | ||||||
6.2
|
No Solicitation | A-26 | ||||||
6.3
|
Notification of Certain Matters | A-27 | ||||||
6.4
|
Investigation by Buyer | A-27 | ||||||
6.5
|
Conduct of Business | A-28 | ||||||
6.6
|
Employee Matters | A-29 | ||||||
6.7
|
Subsidiary Transfer | A-29 | ||||||
ARTICLE VII | A-29 | |||||||
7.1
|
Representations, Warranties and Covenants | A-29 | ||||||
7.2
|
Consents; Regulatory Compliance and Approval | A-30 | ||||||
7.3
|
No Actions or Court Orders | A-30 | ||||||
7.4
|
Opinion of Counsel | A-30 | ||||||
7.5
|
Certificates | A-30 | ||||||
7.6
|
Corporate Documents | A-31 | ||||||
7.7
|
Assumption Document | A-31 | ||||||
7.8
|
Ancillary Agreements | A-31 | ||||||
ARTICLE VIII | A-31 | |||||||
8.1
|
Representations, Warranties and Covenants | A-31 | ||||||
8.2
|
Consents; Regulatory Compliance and Approval | A-31 | ||||||
8.3
|
No Actions or Court Orders | A-31 | ||||||
8.4
|
Opinion of Counsel | A-31 | ||||||
8.5
|
Certificates | A-32 | ||||||
8.6
|
Material Changes | A-32 | ||||||
8.7
|
Corporate Documents | A-32 | ||||||
8.8
|
Conveyancing Documents; Release of Encumbrances | A-32 | ||||||
8.9
|
Permits | A-32 | ||||||
8.10
|
Other Agreements | A-32 | ||||||
ARTICLE IX | A-32 | |||||||
9.1
|
Risk of Loss | A-32 | ||||||
9.2
|
Consents to Assignment | X-00 | ||||||
X-0
Page | ||||||||
ARTICLE X | A-33 | |||||||
10.1
|
Collection of Accounts Receivable and Letters of Credit | A-33 | ||||||
10.2
|
Books and Records; Tax Matters | A-33 | ||||||
10.3
|
Survival of Representations, Etc. | A-34 | ||||||
10.4
|
Indemnifications | A-34 | ||||||
10.5
|
Bulk Sales | A-35 | ||||||
10.6
|
Covenant Not to Compete | A-36 | ||||||
10.7
|
Taxes | A-36 | ||||||
ARTICLE XI | A-36 | |||||||
11.1
|
Termination | A-36 | ||||||
ARTICLE XII | A-37 | |||||||
12.1
|
Assignment | A-37 | ||||||
12.2
|
Notices | A-38 | ||||||
12.3
|
Choice of Law | A-38 | ||||||
12.4
|
Entire Agreement; Amendments and Waivers | A-38 | ||||||
12.5
|
Multiple Counterparts | A-38 | ||||||
12.6
|
Expenses | A-38 | ||||||
12.7
|
Invalidity | A-38 | ||||||
12.8
|
Titles; Gender | A-39 | ||||||
12.9
|
Public Statements and Press Releases | A-39 | ||||||
12.10
|
Cumulative Remedies | A-39 | ||||||
12.11
|
Service of Process, Consent to Jurisdiction | A-39 | ||||||
12.12
|
Attorneys’ Fees | X-00 |
X-0
XXXXX
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This Asset Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 14, 2006
(the “Agreement”) is entered into by and between
BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC., a Delaware corporation, with
offices at 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
(“Buyer”), and CIPHERGEN BIOSYSTEMS, INC., a
Delaware corporation, with offices at 0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 (“Seller”).
RECITALS
A. WHEREAS, Seller owns certain assets which it uses in the
conduct of the Business (as defined below); and
B. WHEREAS, Buyer desires to purchase from Seller, and
Seller desires to sell to Buyer, such assets upon the terms and
subject to the conditions of this Agreement.
AGREEMENT
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the respective covenants and
promises contained herein and for other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which is hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Defined Terms. As used
herein, the terms below shall have the following meanings. Any
of such terms, unless the context otherwise requires, may be
used in the singular or plural, depending upon the reference.
“Action” shall mean any action, claim, suit,
litigation, proceeding, labor dispute, arbitral action,
governmental audit, inquiry, criminal prosecution, investigation
or unfair labor practice charge or complaint.
“affiliate” shall have the meaning set forth in
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules
and regulations thereunder.
“Ancillary Agreements” shall mean the
Indemnification Escrow Agreement, Sublease Agreement, Cross
License Agreement, Transition Services Agreement, Stock Purchase
Agreement and Manufacture and Supply Agreement, substantially in
the forms attached hereto as Exhibits I, J, K, L, M and N
respectively.
“Assets” shall mean all of Seller’s right,
title and interest in and to the properties, assets and rights
owned by Seller, whether tangible, intangible, real or personal,
which represent all of the properties, assets and rights used or
held for use in connection with the Business or generated in the
conduct or operation of the Business, including without
limitation:
(a) all Contract Rights;
(b) all Leases;
(c) all Leasehold Estates;
(d) all Leasehold Improvements;
(e) all Fixtures and Equipment;
(f) all Inventory;
(g) all Books and Records;
(h) all Proprietary Rights relating to the Business;
(i) to the extent transferable, all Permits;
(j) all computers and software principally used in
connection with the Business;
A-5
(k) all Insurance Policies, to the extent assignable;
(l) all accounts and notes receivable (whether current or
noncurrent), refunds, deposits, prepayments or prepaid expenses
(including without limitation any prepaid insurance premiums) of
Seller relating to the Business;
(m) all available supplies, sales literature, promotional
literature, customer, supplier and distributor lists, art work,
display units, telephone and fax numbers and purchasing records
related to the Business;
(n) all rights under or pursuant to all warranties,
representations and guarantees made by suppliers in connection
with the Assets or services furnished to Seller pertaining to
the Business or affecting the Assets, to the extent such
warranties, representations and guarantees are
assignable; and
(o) all claims, causes of action, choses in action, rights
of recovery and rights of set-off of any kind, against any
person or entity pertaining to the Business, including without
limitation any liens, security interests, pledges or other
rights to payment or to enforce payment in connection with
products delivered by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date;
but excluding therefrom the Excluded Assets.
“Balance Sheet” shall mean the consolidated
balance sheet of Seller at the date indicated thereon, together
with the notes thereon.
“Books and Records” shall mean (a) all
records and lists of Seller pertaining to the Assets or the
Business, (b) all records and lists pertaining to the
Business, including customers, suppliers or personnel of Seller,
(c) all product, business and marketing plans of Seller
pertaining to the Assets or the Business and (d) all books,
ledgers, files, reports, plans, drawings and operating records
of every kind maintained by Seller relating to the Assets or the
Business, but excluding in each case the originals of
Seller’s minute books, stock books and tax returns.
“Business” shall mean the Seller’s
business commonly referred to as its “tools” business,
which is comprised of the development, manufacture and sale of
ProteinChip systems, arrays, readers, software and related
accessories and services.
“Closing Date” shall mean the date that is two
(2) business days following the satisfaction or waiver of
the conditions to closing of the parties set forth in
Articles VII and VIII hereof, or such other date as Buyer
and Seller shall mutually agree upon.
“Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
“Confidentiality Agreement” shall mean that
certain Confidentiality Agreement dated as of the date hereof by
and between Seller and Buyer.
“Contract” shall mean any agreement, contract,
note, loan, evidence of indebtedness, purchase, order, letter of
credit, indenture, security or pledge agreement, franchise
agreement, undertaking, practice, covenant not to compete,
employment agreement, license, instrument, obligation or
commitment to which Seller is a party or is bound and which
relates to the Business or the Assets, whether oral or written,
but excluding all Leases.
“Contract Rights” shall mean all of
Seller’s rights and obligations under the Contracts listed
on Schedule 4.7 and under any Contracts not so listed which
Buyer and Seller agree in writing that Buyer shall accept and
assume.
“Copyrights” shall mean registered copyrights,
copyright applications and unregistered copyrights.
“Court Order” shall mean any judgment,
decision, consent decree, injunction, ruling or order of any
federal, state or local court or governmental agency, department
or authority that is binding on any person or its property under
applicable law.
“Default” shall mean (a) a breach of or
default under any Contract or Lease, (b) the occurrence of
an event that with the passage of time or the giving of notice
or both would constitute a breach of or default under any
Contract or Lease, or (c) the occurrence of an event that
with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice or
both would give rise to a right of termination, renegotiation or
acceleration under any Contract or Lease.
A-6
“Disclosure Schedule” shall mean a schedule
executed and delivered by Seller to Buyer as of the date hereof
which sets forth the exceptions to the representations and
warranties contained in Article IV hereof and certain other
information called for by this Agreement. Unless otherwise
specified, each reference in this Agreement to any numbered
schedule is a reference to that numbered schedule which is
included in the Disclosure Schedule.
“Encumbrance” shall mean any claim, lien,
pledge, option, charge, easement, security interest, deed of
trust, mortgage,
right-of-way,
encroachment, building or use restriction, conditional sales
agreement, encumbrance or other right of third parties, whether
voluntarily incurred or arising by operation of law, and
includes, without limitation, any agreement to give any of the
foregoing in the future, and any contingent sale or other title
retention agreement or lease in the nature thereof.
“Excluded Assets,” notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, shall mean the following assets of
Seller which are not to be acquired by Buyer hereunder:
(a) Inventory identified as excluded assets on
Schedule 4.22;
(b) all cash and cash equivalents held by Seller as of the
Closing Date;
(c) all Permits, to the extent not transferable; and
(d) all claims, causes of action, choses in action, rights
of recovery and rights of set-off of any kind against any person
or entity arising out of or relating to the Assets to the extent
related to the Excluded Liabilities.
“Facilities” shall mean all plants, offices,
manufacturing facilities, stores, warehouses, improvements,
administration buildings, and all real property and related
facilities which are identified or listed on
Exhibit A attached hereto.
“Facility Leases” shall mean all of the leases
of Facilities listed on Schedule 4.7.
“Financial Statements” shall mean the Year-End
Financial Statements and the Interim Financial Statements.
“Fixtures and Equipment” shall mean all of the
furniture, fixtures, furnishings, machinery, automobiles,
trucks, spare parts, supplies, equipment, tooling, molds,
patterns, dies and other tangible personal property owned by
Seller and used in connection with the Business, wherever
located and including any such Fixtures and Equipment in the
possession of any of Seller’s suppliers, including all
warranty rights with respect thereto.
“Former Facility” shall mean each plant,
office, manufacturing facility, store, warehouse, improvement,
administrative building and all real property and related
facilities which was owned, leased or operated by Seller at any
time prior to the date hereof, but excluding any Facilities.
“Insurance Policies” shall mean the insurance
policies related to the Assets listed on Schedule 4.21.
“Interim Balance Sheet” shall mean the
unaudited Balance Sheet dated the Interim Balance Sheet Date.
“Interim Balance Sheet Date” shall mean
June 30, 2006.
“Interim Financial Statements” shall mean the
Interim Balance Sheet and the unaudited consolidated statements
of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash
flow for the period ended on the Interim Balance Sheet Date.
“Inventory” shall mean all of Seller’s
inventory held for resale and all of Seller’s raw
materials, work in process, finished products, wrapping, supply
and packaging items and similar items used or held for use in
connection with the Business, in each case wherever the same may
be located.
“Leased Real Property” shall mean all leased
property described in the Facility Leases.
“Leasehold Estates” shall mean all of
Seller’s rights and obligations as lessee under the Leases.
“Leasehold Improvements” shall mean all
leasehold improvements situated in or on the Leased Real
Property and owned by Seller.
A-7
“Leases” shall mean all of the existing leases
with respect to the personal or real property of Seller listed
on Schedule 4.7, and leases with respect to the personal
and real property of Seller which are not required to be listed
on Schedule 4.7.
“Liabilities” shall mean any direct or indirect
liability, indebtedness, obligation, commitment, expense, claim,
deficiency, guaranty or endorsement of or by any person of any
type, whether accrued, absolute, contingent, matured, unmatured
or other.
“Material Adverse Effect” shall mean with
respect to the Business or the Assets any effect or change which
is materially adverse to the operations, results of operations,
Liabilities or financial condition of operations of the Business
and/or the
Assets taken as a whole, or on the ability of Seller to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; provided,
however, that none of the following (individually or in
combination) shall be deemed to constitute, or shall be taken
into account in determining whether there has been, a Material
Adverse Effect or change: (1) any adverse effect to the
extent resulting from conditions generally affecting any
industry or industry sector in which Seller operates or
competes; (2) any adverse effect to the extent resulting
from changes or developments generally affecting the
U.S. or global economy; (3) any adverse effect to the
extent resulting from the announcement, execution or delivery of
this Agreement or the pendency or consummation of the
transactions set forth herein.
“Mortgages” shall mean all deeds of trust,
mortgages or other debt encumbrances on Owned Real Property.
“Ordinary Course of Business” shall mean the
ordinary course of the Business and consistent with
Seller’s past practice.
“Owned Real Property” shall mean all real
property owned in fee by Seller, including without limitation
all rights, easements and privileges appertaining or relating
thereto, all buildings, fixtures, and improvements located
thereon and all Facilities thereon, if any.
“Patents” shall mean all U.S. and foreign
patents and patent applications and registered design and
registered design applications (including any division,
continuation, or
continuation-in-part,
reexamination, or reissue thereof).
“Permits” shall mean all licenses, permits,
franchises, approvals, authorizations, consents or orders of, or
filings with, any governmental authority, whether foreign,
federal, state or local, or any other person, necessary or
desirable for the present conduct of, or relating to the current
operation of, the Business.
“Proprietary Rights” shall mean all of
Seller’s Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks, technology rights
and licenses, computer software (including without limitation
any source or object codes therefor or documentation relating
thereto), trade secrets, franchises, know-how, inventions,
designs, specifications, plans, drawings and intellectual
property rights relating to the Business.
“Regulations” shall mean any laws, statutes,
ordinances, regulations, rules, notice requirements, court
decisions, agency guidelines, principles of law and orders of
any foreign, federal, state or local government and any other
governmental department or agency, including without limitation
Environmental Laws, energy, motor vehicle safety, public
utility, zoning, building and health codes, occupational safety
and health and laws respecting employment practices, employee
documentation, terms and conditions of employment and wages and
hours.
“Representative” shall mean any officer,
director, principal, attorney, agent, employee or other
representative of a party.
“Subsidiary” shall mean (a) any
corporation in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with
Seller if each of the corporations other than the last
corporation in the unbroken chain then owns stock possessing 50%
or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of
stock in one of the other corporations in such chain,
(b) any partnership in which Seller is a general partner,
or (c) any partnership in which Seller possesses a 50% or
greater interest in the total capital or total income of such
partnership.
“Superior Proposal” shall mean a Proposed
Acquisition Transaction that is reasonably capable of being
consummated, taking into account all legal, financial,
regulatory, timing, and similar aspects of, and conditions to,
the proposal, the likelihood of obtaining necessary financing
and the corporation, partnership, person or other entity
A-8
or group making the proposal, and, which, if consummated, would
result in a transaction more favorable to the Company’s
stockholders from a financial point of view than the
transactions contemplated hereby.
“Tax” shall mean any federal, state, local,
foreign or other tax, levy, impost, fee, assessment or other
government charge, including without limitation income,
estimated income, business, occupation, franchise, property,
payroll, personal property, sales, transfer, use, employment,
commercial rent, occupancy, franchise or withholding taxes, and
any premium, including without limitation interest, penalties
and additions in connection therewith.
“Trademarks” shall mean registered trademarks,
registered service marks, trademark and service xxxx
applications and unregistered trademarks and service marks.
“Warrants” shall mean (a) agreements,
rights to subscribe (including any preemptive rights), options,
warrants, calls, commitments or rights of any character to
purchase or otherwise acquire any common stock or other
securities of Seller, and (b) outstanding securities of
Seller that are convertible into or exchangeable for capital
shares or other securities of Seller.
“Year-End Financial Statements” shall mean the
audited Balance Sheets dated December 31, 2004 and
December 31, 2005, and the related audited consolidated
statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity
and cash flow for the year ended 2005.
A-9
1.2 Other Defined Terms. The
following terms shall have the meanings defined for such terms
in the Sections set forth below:
Term
|
Section | |
Assumed Liabilities
|
2.2 | |
Assumption Documents
|
3.2(c) | |
Bulk Sales Act
|
10.6 | |
Buyer’s Share of Property
Taxes
|
2.4(d) | |
Claim
|
10.4(d) | |
Claim Notice
|
10.4(d) | |
Closing
|
3.1 | |
Closing Balance Sheet
|
2.5 | |
Consultant
|
6.4(b)(i) | |
Cross License Agreement
|
3.2(d) | |
Damages
|
10.4(a) | |
Employee Plan
|
2.3(a) | |
Environmental Conditions
|
4.28(a) | |
Environmental Laws
|
4.28(a) | |
Escrow Account
|
2.4(b) | |
Escrow Agent
|
2.4(b) | |
Escrow Amount
|
2.4(b) | |
Escrow Indemnification Agreement
|
10.5 | |
Excluded Liabilities
|
2.3 | |
Hazardous Substance
|
4.28(a) | |
Holdback Amount
|
2.4(c) | |
Manufacture and Supply Agreement
|
3.2(g) | |
Permitted Encumbrances
|
4.6(a) | |
Property Taxes
|
2.6(d) | |
Proposed Acquisition Transaction
|
6.2(a) | |
Purchase Price
|
2.4(a) | |
Release
|
4.28(a) | |
Rehired Employees
|
6.6(a) | |
Seldi Patent
|
2.4(c) | |
Seller’s Share of Property
Taxes
|
2.6(d) | |
Stock Purchase Agreement
|
3.2(f) | |
Straddle Period
|
2.6(d) | |
Sublease Agreement
|
3.2(c) | |
Term
|
10.6(b) | |
Transfer Taxes
|
2.7(b) | |
Transition Services Agreement
|
3.2(e) |
A-10
ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS
2.1 Transfer of Assets. Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, at the
Closing, Seller will sell, convey, transfer, assign and deliver
to Buyer, and Buyer will acquire from Seller, the Assets, free
and clear of all Encumbrances.
2.2 Assumption of
Liabilities. Upon the terms and subject to
the conditions contained herein, at the Closing, Buyer shall
assume the following, and only the following, Liabilities of
Seller (the “Assumed Liabilities”): (a) the
following Liabilities of Seller specifically set forth on the
Closing Balance Sheet solely to the extent relating to the
Business and incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business as of
the Closing Date: (i) accounts payable, (ii) accrued
liabilities, (iii) deferred revenue (current), and
(iv) deferred revenue (long term), and (b) all
Liabilities accruing, arising out of, or relating to events or
occurrences happening after the Closing Date under (i) the
Contracts and Leases listed on Schedule 4.7, or under
Contracts or Leases which are not listed on Schedule 4.7
but which Buyer and Seller agree in writing that Buyer shall
accept and assume, but not including any Liability for any
Default under any such Contract occurring on or prior to the
Closing Date and (ii) under the Contract Rights, including
without limitation all service and warranty obligations relating
to the Contract Rights arising in the Ordinary Course of
Business.
2.3 Excluded
Liabilities. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, except for the Assumed Liabilities
expressly specified in Section 2.2, Buyer shall not assume,
or otherwise be responsible for, any Liabilities of Seller,
whether liquidated or unliquidated, or known or unknown, whether
arising out of occurrences prior to, at or after the date hereof
(“Excluded Liabilities”), which Excluded Liabilities
include, without limitation:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.6, any
Liability to or in respect of any employees or former employees
of Seller including without limitation (i) any employment
agreement, whether or not written, between Seller and any
person, (ii) any Liability under any employee benefit plan
(within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) (an “Employee
Plan”) at any time maintained, contributed to or required
to be contributed to by or with respect to Seller under which
Seller may incur Liability, or any contributions, benefits or
Liabilities therefor, or any Liability with respect to
Seller’s withdrawal or partial withdrawal from or
termination of any Employee Plan and (iii) any claim of an
unfair labor practice, or any claim under any state unemployment
compensation or worker’s compensation law or regulation or
under any federal or state employment discrimination law or
regulation, which shall have been asserted on or prior to the
Closing Date or is based on acts or omissions which occurred on
or prior to the Closing Date;
(b) Any Liability of Seller in respect of any Tax (except
as provided for in this Agreement);
(c) Any Liability arising from any injury to or death of
any person or damage to or destruction of any property, whether
based on negligence, breach of warranty, strict liability,
enterprise liability or any other legal or equitable theory
arising from defects in products manufactured or from services
performed by or on behalf of Seller or any other person or
entity on or prior to the Closing Date;
(d) Any Liability of Seller arising out of or related to
any Action against Seller or any Action which adversely affects
the Assets and which shall have been asserted on or prior to the
Closing Date or to the extent the basis of which shall have
arisen on or prior to the Closing Date, including, without
limitation, the litigation between Health Discovery and Seller
(Health Discovery Corporation v. Ciphergen Biosystems,
Inc. Case
No. 2:06-cv-00260-TJW
(U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, Marshall
Division);
(e) Any Liability of Seller resulting from entering into,
performing its obligations pursuant to or consummating the
transactions contemplated by, this Agreement (including without
limitation any Liability of Seller pursuant to Article X
hereof); and
(f) Any Liability related to any Former Facility.
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2.4 Purchase Price.
(a) Purchase Price. At the Closing, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth herein, Buyer shall pay to
Seller for the sale, transfer, assignment, conveyance and
delivery of the Assets, the aggregate amount of Twenty Million
Dollars ($20,000,000) (the “Purchase Price”) less the
Escrow Amount and the Holdback Amount, by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to an account designated by Seller
and shall assume the Assumed Liabilities pursuant to this
Agreement. The Purchase Price shall be allocated among the
Assets in the manner required by Section 1060 of the Code
and regulations thereunder. Buyer will provide the allocation to
the Seller within thirty (30) calendar days after the Buyer
receives the Closing Balance Sheet from the Seller. If Seller
does not object to the allocation it shall be attached hereto as
Exhibit B. If Seller disagrees with the allocation, Seller
shall notify Buyer of such disagreement in writing specifying in
detail the particulars of such disagreement within fifteen
(15) business days after Seller’s receipt of the
allocation. Buyer and Seller shall use their best efforts for a
period of thirty (30) calendar days after Buyer’s
delivery of such notice (or such longer period as Buyer and
Seller shall mutually agree upon) to resolve any disagreements
raised by Buyer with respect to the calculation of the
allocation. If, at the end of such period, Buyer and Seller are
unable to resolve such disagreements, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
and Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors of
Seller and Buyer, respectively, shall jointly select a third
independent auditor of recognized national standing to resolve
any remaining disagreements. The determination by such third
independent auditor shall be final, binding and conclusive on
the parties. Buyer and Seller shall use their best efforts to
cause such third independent auditor to make its determination
within thirty (30) calendar days of accepting its
selection. Buyer and Seller agree to each prepare and file on a
timely basis with the Internal Revenue Service substantially
identical initial and supplemental Internal Revenue Service
Forms 8594 “Asset Acquisition Statements Under
Section 1060” consistent with such allocation.
(b) The “Escrow Amount” shall be an amount equal
to Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000), which Buyer, at the
Closing, shall, pursuant to the Escrow Indemnification
Agreement, deliver to the Escrow Agent named therein, pending
the determination of Seller’s indemnification obligations,
if any, as set forth in Section 10.4.. The Escrow
Indemnification Agreement shall instruct the Escrow Agent to
close the escrow established pursuant to the terms of that
agreement and this Agreement and to disburse funds as specified
therein and herein to Buyer
and/or
Seller, as appropriate. The parties agree and acknowledge that
the Escrow Amount shall not be Buyer’s exclusive method of
receiving indemnification from Seller pursuant to Article X.
(c) The “Holdback Amount” shall be an amount
equal to Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000), which Buyer shall
retain until the issuance of a Reexamination Certificate of
U.S. Patent No. 6,734,022 (the “Seldi
Patent”), confirming the patentability of all of the claims
as originally issued in such patent, or claims of equivalent
scope.
2.5 Closing Balance
Sheet. On or before the Closing Date, Seller
shall prepare and deliver to Buyer a Balance Sheet dated the
Closing Date (the “Closing Balance Sheet”).The Closing
Balance Sheet shall be prepared by Seller’s personnel in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, as
applied in preparation of the Interim Balance Sheet, and shall
fairly and accurately present the consolidated assets,
Liabilities (including reserves) and financial position of
Seller, as of the Closing Date. The Closing Balance Sheet shall
be accompanied by reasonably detailed schedules indicating which
assets set forth thereon are Assets or Excluded Assets, which
Liabilities set forth thereon are Assumed Liabilities or
Excluded Liabilities and a calculation of the Net Book Value.
2.6 Prorations.
(a) Interest. On the Closing Date,
or as promptly as practicable following the Closing Date, but in
no event later than sixty (60) calendar days thereafter,
all prepaid interest and interest payable with respect to any
interest bearing obligations assumed by Buyer hereunder shall be
prorated between Buyer and Seller as of the Closing Date.
(b) Utilities. On the Closing
Date, or as promptly as practicable following the Closing Date,
but in no event later than sixty (60) calendar days
thereafter, the water, gas, electricity and other utilities,
common area maintenance reimbursements to lessors, local
business or other license fees, merchants’ association dues
and other similar periodic charges payable with respect to the
Assets or the Business shall be prorated between
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Buyer and Seller effective as of the Closing Date. To the extent
practicable, utility meter readings for the Facilities shall be
determined as of the Closing Date. All such prorations shall be
based upon the most recent available assessed value of any
Facility prior to the Closing Date.
(c) Rents. Seller shall pay all
rent under the Leases through the end of the calendar month in
which the Closing Date occurs, and Buyer shall reimburse Seller
for such rent accrued from the Closing Date through the end of
such month as part of the post-Closing proration. Payments of
percentage rent, if any, due under the provisions of the Leases
shall be adjusted to the Closing Date as follows. Buyer shall
pay any percentage rent due for periods expiring after the
Closing Date, and Seller shall be responsible for that portion
of such percentage rent paid by Buyer and due under the Leases
based on sales from the commencement of the current lease year
through the Closing Date, and Buyer shall be responsible for
that portion due under the Lease based on sales from and after
the Closing Date. Within ninety (90) calendar days after
the Closing Date, Seller will furnish to Buyer records which
evidence the gross sales of Seller at each Facility to the
extent necessary to enable Buyer to comply with the percentage
rent provision of each Lease. Buyer shall provide to Seller,
within thirty (30) calendar days before the annual
settlement of percentage rent under any Lease for the partial
year in which Seller was operating such Facility, a statement
showing the manner of computation of all percentage rent due
under each Lease for such year. Any reimbursement due Buyer from
Seller in respect of its pro rata share of percentage rent shall
be paid within fifteen (15) calendar days after written
demand therefor by Buyer.
(d) Taxes. Any real or
personal property taxes applicable to the Assets or the Business
(“Property Taxes”) for a taxable period that includes
but does not end on the Closing Date (a “Straddle
Period”) shall be paid by the Buyer or the Seller as
required by applicable law. The portion of such Property Taxes
for which the Seller is liable under this Agreement (the
“Seller’s Share of Property Taxes”) shall be
equal to the amount of such Property Taxes multiplied by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in such
Straddle Period that includes and ends on the Closing Date and
the denominator of which is the number of days in such Straddle
Period. The portion of such Property Taxes for which the Buyer
is liable under this Agreement shall be equal to the balance of
such Property Taxes (the “Buyer’s Share of Property
Taxes”). To the extent the Seller has paid any such
Property Taxes prior to the Closing Date, the Buyer shall make a
payment to the Seller on the Closing Date equal to the
Buyer’s Share of Property Taxes. Following the payment of
any such Property Taxes by the Seller after the Closing Date,
the Buyer shall, upon request, promptly pay to the Seller an
amount equal to the Buyer’s Share of Property Taxes.
Following the payment of any such Property Taxes by the Buyer
after the Closing Date, the Seller shall, upon request, promptly
pay to the Buyer an amount equal to the Seller’s Share of
Property Taxes. The party required by law to file a tax return
with respect to Straddle Period Taxes shall do so within the
time period prescribed by law
2.7 Closing Costs; Transfer Taxes.
(a) Seller shall pay the fees and costs of recording or
filing all applicable conveyancing instruments described in
Section 3.2(a). Seller shall pay all costs of applying for
new Permits and obtaining the transfer of existing Permits which
may be lawfully transferred.
(b) Buyer shall promptly pay all applicable sales, use,
value added, goods and services, filing, recording,
registration, stamp, documentary and other similar taxes and
fees (together with any interest or penalties) (collectively
“Transfer Taxes”) that are payable in connection with
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. To the extent
that Seller is required to pay any such Transfer Taxes under
applicable law, Buyer shall reimburse Seller for such Transfer
Taxes within three (3) days of receiving notice from Seller
of such payment. Buyer and Seller shall use their commercially
reasonable efforts to avail themselves of any and all available
exemptions or other opportunities to reduce or eliminate any
such Transfer Taxes. Such cooperation shall include, without
limitation, (i) the delivery of appropriate resale
certificates by Buyer to Seller, (ii) the parties hereto
obtaining applicable exemption certificates, and
(iii) Seller transferring the Assets to Buyer by remote
electronic transmission or other reasonable means of
transferring assets capable of being so transferred in other
than tangible form.
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ARTICLE III
CLOSING
3.1 Closing. The Closing of
the transactions contemplated herein (the “Closing”)
shall be held at 10:00 a.m. local time on the Closing Date
at the offices of Buyer, 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, unless the parties hereto otherwise agree.
3.2 Conveyances at Closing.
(a) Instruments and Possession.
To effect the sale and transfer referred to in Section 2.1
hereof, Seller will, at the Closing, execute and deliver to
Buyer:
(i) one or more bills of sale, in the form attached hereto
as Exhibit C, conveying in the aggregate all of
Seller’s owned personal property included in the Assets;
(ii) subject to Sections 9.2, Assignments of Lease in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit D with respect
to the Leases;
(iv) subject to Sections 9.2, Assignments of Contract
Rights, each in the form of Exhibit E attached
hereto, with respect to the Contract Rights;
(v) Assignments of Patents and Trademarks and other
Proprietary Rights each in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit F, in recordable form to the extent
necessary to assign such rights;; and
(vi) such other instruments as shall be reasonably
requested by Buyer to vest in Buyer title in and to the Assets
in accordance with the provisions hereof.
(b) Assumption Document. Upon the
terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, at the
Closing Buyer shall deliver to Seller an instrument of
assumption substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit G, evidencing Buyer’s assumption,
pursuant to Section 2.2, of the Assumed Liabilities (the
“Assumption Document”).
(c) Sublease Agreement. Upon the
terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, at the
Closing, Seller and Buyer shall execute and deliver a sublease
substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit J, pursuant to which Seller will sublease to
Buyer certain portions of its Facilities for use by Buyer in the
operation of the Business (the “Sublease
Agreement”).
(d) Cross License Agreement. Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, at the
Closing, Seller and Buyer shall execute and deliver a cross
license agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit K, pursuant to which Buyer will grant back
to Seller from the Proprietary Rights an exclusive license to
certain intellectual property for use by Seller in connection
with its activities in the Clinical Diagnostics Market (as that
term is defined in such cross license agreement) and Seller will
grant back to Buyer a non-exclusive license to certain
intellectual property not included in the Proprietary Rights for
use in connection with the Business (the “Cross License
Agreement”).
(e) Transition Services
Agreement. Upon the terms and subject to the
conditions contained herein, at the Closing, Seller and Buyer
shall execute and deliver a transition services agreement
substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit L (the “Transition Services
Agreement”).
(f) Stock Purchase Agreement. Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, at the
Closing, Seller and Buyer shall execute and deliver a stock
purchase agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit M, pursuant to which Buyer will purchase
shares of Common Stock of Seller for a total purchase price of
Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000) on the terms set forth
therein (the “Stock Purchase Agreement”).
(g) Manufacture and Supply
Agreement. Upon the terms and subject to the
conditions stated herein, at the Closing, Seller and Buyer shall
execute and deliver a manufacture and supply agreement
substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit N (the “Manufacture and Supply
Agreement”).
(h) Form of Instruments. To the
extent that the form of any document to be delivered hereunder
is not attached as an exhibit hereto, such documents shall be in
form and substance, and shall be executed and delivered in a
manner reasonably satisfactory to Buyer and Seller.
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(i) Certificates; Opinions. Buyer
and Seller shall deliver the certificates, opinions of counsel
and other matters described in Articles VII and VIII.
(j) Consents. Subject to
Sections 9.2, Seller shall deliver all Permits and any
other third party consents required for the valid transfer of
the Assets as contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER
Seller hereby represents and warrants to Buyer as follows,
except as otherwise set forth on the Disclosure Schedule, which
representations and warranties are (i) as of the date
hereof, true and correct, and (ii) will be true and correct
in all material respects at and as of the Closing Date, other
than such failures to be true and correct that individually or
in the aggregate would not have a Material Adverse Effect,
except with respect to a representation
and/or
warranty that is itself qualified by materiality, in which case
such representation
and/or
warranty will be true and correct in all respects as of the
Closing Date:
4.1 Organization of
Seller. Seller is a corporation duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of the State of Delaware with full corporate power and authority
to conduct the Business as it is presently being conducted and
to own and lease its properties and assets. Seller is duly
qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction where the character of its
properties owned or leased or the nature of its activities make
such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so
qualified or in good standing would not have a Material Adverse
Effect on the Assets or the Business. Copies of the Certificate
of Incorporation and Bylaws of Seller, and all amendments
thereto, heretofore delivered to Buyer are accurate and complete
as of the date hereof. Schedule 4.1 contains a true,
correct and complete list of all jurisdictions in which Seller
is qualified to do business as a foreign corporation.
4.2 Subsidiaries. Except as
set forth in Schedule 4.2, Seller does not have any
Subsidiaries which are used by Seller in the conduct of the
Business or which own any of the Assets. Seller has no direct or
indirect stock or other equity or ownership interest (whether
controlling or not) in any corporation, association,
partnership, joint venture or other entity which are used by
Seller in the conduct of the Business or which own any of the
Assets. Each of the Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 4.2, is
a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing (or appropriately recognized as legally in existence
and active under the laws of its jurisdiction) under the laws of
the jurisdiction identified on Schedule 4.2, has the
requisite power and authority to conduct its business as it is
presently being conducted and to own and lease its properties
and Assets, to permit Seller to enter into this Agreement, to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to perform
its obligations hereunder. No other corporate proceedings on the
part of any Subsidiary are necessary to authorize this Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby. Schedule 4.2
contains a true, correct and complete list of all jurisdictions
in which each Subsidiary is qualified to do business as a
foreign corporation. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.2,
each of the Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 4.2 is duly
qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction where the character of its
properties owned or leased or the nature of its activities make
such qualification necessary, expect where the failure to be so
qualified or in good standing would not have a Material Adverse
Effect on such Subsidiary. Copies of the Certificate or Articles
of Incorporation and Bylaws (and/or similar incorporation
documents under the relevant law of any Subsidiary) of each
Subsidiary heretofore delivered to Buyer are accurate and
complete. Schedule 4.2 sets forth a description of all of
the issued and outstanding equity securities of each of the
Subsidiaries. Seller owns of record and beneficially all of the
issued and outstanding capital or other stock of each Subsidiary
listed on Schedule 4.2 free and clear of any Encumbrances,
except as set forth on Schedule 4.2. There are no Warrants
with respect to the equity securities of any Subsidiary listed
on Schedule 4.2.
4.3 Authorization. Seller
has all requisite power and authority, and has taken all
corporate action necessary, to execute and deliver this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and to perform its
obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery
of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements by Seller and the
consummation by Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby have been duly approved by the boards of directors
and shareholders of and Seller. No other corporate proceedings
on the part of Seller are necessary to authorize this Agreement
and the Ancillary
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Agreements and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Seller
and is, and upon execution and delivery of the Ancillary
Agreements will be, legal, valid and binding obligations of
Seller enforceable against them in accordance with its terms.
4.4 Absence of Certain Changes or
Events. Since the Interim Balance Sheet Date,
there has not been any:
(a) change in the financial condition, working capital,
shareholders’ equity, assets, Liabilities, reserves,
revenues, income, earnings, prospects or Business of Seller,
which individually or in the aggregate would have a Material
Adverse Effect;
(b) change in accounting methods, principles or practices
by Seller affecting the Assets, its Liabilities or the Business;
(c) revaluation by Seller of any of the Assets, including
without limitation writing down the value of inventory or
writing off notes or accounts receivable;
(d) damage, destruction or loss (whether or not covered by
insurance) adversely affecting the Assets or the Business;
(e) cancellation of any indebtedness or waiver or release
of any right or claim of Seller relating to its activities or
properties which had or will have a Material Adverse Effect on
the Assets or the Business;
(f) declaration, setting aside, or payment of dividends or
distributions by Seller in respect of its shares or any
redemption, purchase or other acquisition of any of
Seller’s securities;
(g) adverse change in employee relations which has or is
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
productivity, the financial condition, results of operations or
Business of Seller or the relationships between the employees of
Seller and the management of Seller;
(h) amendment, cancellation or termination of any Contract,
commitment, agreement, Lease, transaction or Permit relating to
the Assets or the Business or entry into any Contract,
commitment, agreement, Lease, transaction or Permit which is not
in the Ordinary Course of Business, including without limitation
any employment or consulting agreements;
(i) mortgage, pledge or other encumbrance of any Assets,
except purchase money mortgages arising in the Ordinary Course
of Business;
(j) sale, assignment or transfer of any of the Assets,
other than in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(k) incurrence by Seller of Liabilities, except Liabilities
incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business, or increase or
change in any assumptions underlying or methods of calculating,
any doubtful account contingency or other reserves of Seller;
(l) payment, discharge or satisfaction of any Liabilities
of Seller other than the payment, discharge or satisfaction in
the Ordinary Course of Business of Liabilities set forth or
reserved for on the Interim Financial Statements or incurred in
the Ordinary Course of Business;
(m) capital expenditure by Seller, the execution of any
Lease by Seller or the incurring of any obligation by Seller to
make any capital expenditure or execute any Lease, in amounts in
excess of $25,000 in the aggregate, other than such transactions
with are in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(n) failure to pay or satisfy when due any Liability of
Seller, except where the failure would not have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Assets or the Business;
(o) failure of Seller to carry on diligently the Business
in the Ordinary Course of Business so as to keep available to
Buyer the services of Seller’s employees, and to preserve
for Buyer the Assets and the Business and the goodwill of
Seller’s suppliers, customers, distributors and others
having business relations with it;
(p) disposition or lapsing of any Proprietary Rights or any
disposition or disclosure to any person of any Proprietary
Rights not theretofore a matter of public knowledge;
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(q) existence of any other event or condition which in any
one case or in the aggregate has or might reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Business;
(r) agreement by Seller to do any of the things described
in the preceding clauses (a) through (q) other than as
expressly provided for herein;
(s) increase in the rate of compensation payable or to
become payable to any of the Rehired Employees (as defined in
Section 6.6), including without limitation the making of
any loan to, or the payment, grant or accrual of any bonus,
incentive compensation, service award or other similar benefit
to, any such person, or the addition to, modification of, or
contribution to any Employee Plan, arrangement, or practice
described in the Disclosure Schedule.
4.5 Assets. Excluding the
Leased Real Property, Seller has and will transfer good and
marketable title to the Assets and upon the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, Buyer will acquire good and
marketable title to all of the Assets, free and clear of any
Encumbrances. The Assets include all assets necessary for the
conduct or operation of the Business as the Business has been
conducted by Seller in the twelve (12) months prior to the
date of this Agreement on a commercially reasonable basis.
Schedule 4.5 contains accurate lists and summary
descriptions of all tangible Assets where the value of an
individual item exceeds $10,000 or where an aggregate of similar
items exceeds $20,000. All tangible assets and properties which
are part of the Assets are in good operating condition and
repair and are usable in the Ordinary Course of Business and
conform in all material respects to all applicable Regulations
(including Environmental Laws) relating to their construction,
use and operation.
4.6 Facilities. Schedule 4.6
contains a complete and accurate list of all Owned Real Property
used in connection with the Business
and/or the
Assets.
(a) Actions. There are no pending
or, to the best knowledge of Seller, threatened condemnation
proceedings or other Actions relating to any Facility.
(b) Leases or Other
Agreements. Except for Facility Leases listed
on Schedule 4.7, there are no leases, subleases, licenses,
occupancy agreements, options, rights, concessions or other
agreements or arrangements, written or oral, granting to any
person the right to purchase, use or occupy any Facility, or any
real property in connection with the Business or any portion
thereof or interest in any such Facility or real property.
(c) Facility Leases and Leased Real
Property. With respect to each Facility
Lease, Seller has and will have at the Closing an unencumbered
interest in the Leasehold Estate. Seller enjoys peaceful and
undisturbed possession of all the Leased Real Property, subject
to the rights of the fee owners.
(d) Certificate of Occupancy. All
Facilities have received all required approvals of governmental
authorities (including without limitation Permits and a
certificate of occupancy or other similar certificate permitting
lawful occupancy of the Facilities) required in connection with
the operation thereof and have been operated and maintained in
all material respects in accordance with applicable Regulations.
(f) Utilities. All Facilities are
supplied with utilities (including without limitation water,
sewage, disposal, electricity, gas and telephone) and other
services necessary for the operation of such Facilities as
currently operated, and there is no condition which would
reasonably he expected to result in the termination of the
present access from any Facility to such utility services.
(g) Improvements, Fixtures and
Equipment. To the Seller’s knowledge,
the improvements constructed on the Facilities, including
without limitation all Leasehold Improvements, and all Fixtures
and Equipment and other tangible assets owned, leased or used by
Seller at the Facilities are (i) insured to the extent and
in a manner customary in the industry, (ii) structurally
sound with no known material defects, (iii) in good
operating condition and repair, subject to ordinary wear and
tear, (iv) not in need of maintenance, repair or correction
except for ordinary routine maintenance and repair, the cost of
which would not be material, (v) sufficient for the
operation of the Business as presently conducted and
(vi) in conformity , in all material respects, with all
applicable Regulations.
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(h) No Special Assessment. Seller
has not received notice of any special assessment relating to
any Facility or any portion thereof and there is no pending or
threatened special assessment.
4.7 Contracts and Commitments.
(a) Contracts. Schedule 4.7
sets forth a complete and accurate list of all Contracts of the
following categories:
(i) Contracts not made in the Ordinary Course of Business
involving payments in excess of $25,000;
(ii) Employment contracts and severance agreements,
including without limitation Contracts (A) to employ or
terminate executive officers or other personnel and other
contracts with present or former officers, directors or
shareholders of Seller or (B) that will result in the
payment by, or the creation of any Liability to pay on behalf of
Buyer or Seller any severance, termination, “golden
parachute,” or other similar payments to any present or
former personnel following termination of employment or
otherwise as a result of the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement;
(iii) Labor or union contracts;
(iv) Distribution, franchise, license, technical
assistance, sales, commission, consulting, agency or advertising
contracts related to the Assets or the Business, excluding
agreements entered into by Seller in the Ordinary Course of
Business to purchasers of its products;
(v) Options with respect to any property, real or personal,
whether Seller shall be the grantor or grantee thereunder;
(vi) Contracts involving future expenditures or
Liabilities, actual or potential, in excess of $25,000 or
otherwise material to the Business or the Assets;
(vii) Contracts or commitments relating to commission
arrangements with others;
(viii) Promissory notes, loans, agreements, indentures,
evidences of indebtedness, letters of credit, guarantees, or
other instruments relating to an obligation to pay money,
individually in excess of or in the aggregate in excess of
$25,000, whether Seller shall be the borrower, lender or
guarantor thereunder or whereby any Assets are pledged
(excluding credit provided by Seller in the Ordinary Course of
Business to purchasers of its products);
(ix) Contracts containing covenants limiting the freedom of
Seller or any officer, director, shareholder or affiliate of
Seller, to engage in any line of business or compete with any
person;
(x) Any Contract with the United States, state or local
government or any agency or department thereof;
(xi) Leases of real property;
(xii) Leases of personal property not cancelable (without
Liability) within thirty (30) calendar days.
Seller has delivered to Buyer true, correct and complete copies
of all of the Contracts listed on Schedule 4.7, including
all amendments and supplements thereto.
(b) Absence of Defaults. All of
the Contracts and Leases to which Seller is party or by which it
or any of the Assets is bound or affected are valid, binding and
enforceable in accordance with their terms. Seller has
fulfilled, or taken all action necessary to enable it to fulfill
when due, all of its material obligations under each of such
Contracts and Leases, except where the failure to do so,
individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material
Adverse Effect. To Seller’s knowledge, parties to such
Contracts and Leases have complied in all material respects with
the provisions thereof, no party is in Default thereunder and no
notice of any claim of Default has been given to Seller, except
where noncompliance, individually or in the aggregate, would not
have a Material Adverse Effect. To Seller’s knowledge, the
products and services called for by any unfinished Contract can
be supplied in accordance with the terms of such Contract,
including time specifications, and any unfinished Contract will
upon performance by Seller not result in a loss to Seller. With
respect to any Leases, Seller has not received any notice of
cancellation or termination under any option or right reserved
to the lessor, or any notice of Default, thereunder.
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(c) Product Warranty. Seller has
committed no act or failed to take an action, which could
reasonably be expected to result in, and there has been no
occurrence which could reasonably be expected to give rise to,
product liability or Liability for breach of warranty (whether
covered by insurance or not) on the part of Seller, with respect
to products designed, manufactured, assembled, repaired,
maintained, delivered or installed or services rendered prior to
or on the Closing Date, which in the aggregate would be in
excess of the amount reserved for warranty claims on the Interim
Balance Sheet.
4.8 Permits. (a) Schedule 4.8
sets forth a complete list of all material Permits used in the
operation of the Business or otherwise held by Seller. Seller
has, and at all times has had, all Permits required under any
Regulation (including Environmental Laws) in the operation of
its Business or in the ownership of the Assets, and owns or
possesses such Permits free and clear of all Encumbrances.
Seller is not in Default, nor has it received any notice of any
claim of Default, with respect to any such Permit, except where
such Default or series of Defaults would not have a Material
Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise governed by law, all such
Permits are renewable by their terms or in the Ordinary Course
of Business without the need to comply with any special
qualification procedures or to pay any amounts other than
routine filing fees and except as set forth on
Schedule 4.8, will not be adversely affected by the
completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
No present or former shareholder, director, officer or employee
of Seller or any affiliate thereof, or any other person, firm,
corporation or other entity, owns or has any proprietary,
financial or other interest (direct or indirect) in any Permit
which Seller owns, possesses or uses.
(b) Except as disclosed on Schedule 4.8 hereto, no
notice to, declaration, filing or registration with, or Permit
from, any domestic or foreign governmental or regulatory body or
authority, or any other person or entity, is required to be made
or obtained by Seller in connection with the execution, delivery
or performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
4.9 No Conflict or
Violation. Neither the execution, delivery or
performance of this Agreement nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, nor compliance by Seller with
any of the provisions hereof, will (a) violate or conflict
with any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws
of Seller, (b) violate, conflict with, or result in or
constitute a Default under, or result in the termination of, or
accelerate the performance required by, or result in a right of
termination or acceleration under, or result in the creation of
any Encumbrance upon any of the Assets under, any of the terms,
conditions or provisions of any Contract, Lease or Permit,
(i) to which Seller is a party or (ii) by which the
Assets are bound, (c) violate any Regulation or Court
Order, (d) impose any Encumbrance on the Assets or the
Business.
4.10 Financial
Statements. Seller has heretofore delivered
to Buyer the Financial Statements. The Financial Statements
(a) are in accordance with the books and records of Seller,
(b) have been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout
the periods covered thereby and (c) fairly and accurately
present the consolidated assets, Liabilities (including all
reserves) and financial position of Seller as of the respective
dates thereof and the consolidated results of operations and
changes in cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in
the case of the Interim Financial Statements, to normal year-end
adjustments). The Year-End Financial Statements have been
examined by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent certified
public accountants, whose report thereon is included with such
Year-End Financial Statements. At the respective dates of the
Financial Statements, there were no Liabilities of Seller,
which, in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, should have been set forth or reserved for in the
Financial Statements or the notes thereto, which are not set
forth or reserved for in the Financial Statements or the notes
thereto.
4.11 Books and
Records. Seller has made and kept (and given
Buyer access to) Books and Records and accounts, which, in
reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the activities
of Seller. Seller has not engaged in any transaction, maintained
any bank account or used any corporate funds except for
transactions, bank accounts and funds which have been and are
reflected in the normally maintained books and records of Seller
4.12 Litigation. Except as
set forth on Schedule 4.12, there are no Actions pending,
or to the best of Seller’s knowledge, threatened or
anticipated (a) against, related to or affecting
(i) Seller, the Business or the Assets (including with
respect to Environmental Laws), (ii) any officers or
directors of Seller as such, or (iii) any shareholder of
Seller in such shareholder’s capacity as a shareholder of
Seller, (b) seeking to delay, limit or enjoin the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (c) that
involve the risk of criminal liability, or (d) in which
Seller is a plaintiff, including any derivative suits brought by
or on behalf of Seller. Seller is not in Default with respect to
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or subject to any Court Order, and there are no unsatisfied
judgments against Seller, the Business or the Assets. There is
not a reasonable likelihood of an adverse determination of any
pending Actions. There are no Court Orders or agreements with,
or liens by, any governmental authority or quasi-governmental
entity relating to any Environmental Law which regulate,
obligate, bind or in any way affect Seller or any Facility or
Former Facility.
4.13 Labor Matters. Seller
is not a party to any labor agreement with respect to its
employees with any labor organization, union, group or
association and there are no employee unions (nor any other
similar labor or employee organizations) under local statutes,
custom or practice. Seller has not experienced any attempt by
organized labor or its representatives to make Seller conform to
demands of organized labor relating to its employees or to enter
into a binding agreement with organized labor that would cover
the employees of Seller. There is no labor strike or labor
disturbance pending or, to the best of Seller’s knowledge,
threatened against Seller nor is any grievance currently being
asserted, and Seller has not experienced a work stoppage or
other labor difficulty, and is not and has not engaged in any
unfair labor practice. Without limiting the foregoing, Seller is
in compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of
1986 and maintains a current
Form I-9,
as required by such Act, in the personnel file of each employee
hired after November 9, 1986. Schedule 4.13 sets forth
the names and current annual salary rates or current hourly
wages of all present employees of Seller related to the Business
whose annual cash compensation for the 2005 fiscal year exceeds
$35,000, and also sets forth the earnings for each of such
employees for the 2004 calendar year.
4.14 Liabilities. Other than
Excluded Liabilities, Seller has no Liabilities due or to become
due, except (a) Liabilities which are set forth or reserved
for on the Interim Balance Sheet, which have not been paid or
discharged since the Interim Balance Sheet Date,
(b) Liabilities arising in the Ordinary Course of Business
under Contracts, Leases, Permits and other business arrangements
described in the Disclosure Schedule (and under those Contracts,
Leases and Permits which are not required to be disclosed on the
Disclosure Schedule) and (c) Liabilities incurred since the
Interim Balance Sheet Date in the Ordinary Course of Business
and in accordance with this Agreement (none of which relates to
any Default under any Contract or Lease, breach of warranty,
tort, infringement or violation of any Regulation or Court Order
or arose out of any Action) and none of which, individually or
in the aggregate, has or would have a Material Adverse Effect on
the Business or the Assets.
4.15 Compliance with
Law. Seller and the conduct of the Business
have not violated and are in compliance with all Regulations and
Court Orders relating to the Assets or the Business or
operations of Seller. Seller has not received any notice to the
effect that, or otherwise been advised that, it is not in
compliance with any such Regulations or Court Orders, and Seller
has no reason to anticipate that any existing circumstances are
likely to result in violations of any of the foregoing.
4.16 No Brokers. Neither
Seller nor any of its respective officers, directors, employees,
shareholders or affiliates have employed or made any agreement
with any broker, finder or similar agent or any person or firm
which will result in the obligation of Buyer or any of its
affiliates to pay any finder’s fee, brokerage fees or
commission or similar payment in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby.
4.17 No Other Agreements to Sell the
Assets. Neither Seller nor any of its
respective officers, directors, shareholders or affiliates have
any commitment or legal obligation, absolute or contingent, to
any other person or firm other than the Buyer to sell, assign,
transfer or effect a sale of any of the Assets (other than
inventory in the Ordinary Course of Business), to sell or effect
a sale of the capital stock of Seller, to effect any merger,
consolidation, liquidation, dissolution or other reorganization
of Seller, or to enter into any agreement or cause the entering
into of an agreement with respect to any of the foregoing.
4.18 Proprietary Rights.
(a) Proprietary
Rights. Schedule 4.18 lists all of
Seller’s Proprietary Rights. Schedule 4.18 also sets
forth: (i) for each Patent, the number, normal expiration
date and subject matter for each country in which such Patent
has been issued, or, if applicable, the application number, date
of filing and subject matter for each country, (ii) for
each Trademark, the application serial number or registration
number, the class of goods covered and the expiration date for
each country in which a Trademark has been registered and
(iii) for each Copyright, the number and date of filing for
each country in which a Copyright has been filed. The
Proprietary Rights listed in the Disclosure Schedule are all
those used by Seller in connection with the Business. True and
correct copies of all Patents (including all pending
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applications) owned, controlled, created or used by or on behalf
of Seller or in which Seller has any interest whatsoever have
been provided to Buyer.
(b) Royalties and Licenses. Except
as set forth in Schedule 4.18, Seller does not have any
obligation to compensate any person for the use of any such
Proprietary Rights nor has Seller granted to any person any
license, option or other rights to use in any manner any of its
Proprietary Rights, whether requiring the payment of royalties
or not (except as provided by Seller in the Ordinary Course of
Business to purchasers of its products) .
(c) Ownership and Protection of Proprietary
Rights. Seller owns or has a valid right to
use each of the Proprietary Rights, and the Proprietary Rights
will not cease to be valid rights of Seller by reason of the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. All of the
pending Patent applications have been duly filed. Seller has not
received any notice of invalidity or infringement of any rights
of others with respect to such Trademarks. Seller has taken all
reasonable and prudent steps to protect the Proprietary Rights
from infringement by any other person. No other person
(i) has the right to use any of Seller’s Trademarks on
the goods on which they are now being used either in identical
form or in such near resemblance thereto as to be likely, when
applied to the goods of any such person, to cause confusion with
such Trademarks or to cause a mistake or to deceive,
(ii) has notified Seller that it is claiming any ownership
of or right to use such Proprietary Rights, or (iii) to the
best of Seller’s knowledge, is infringing upon any such
Proprietary Rights in any way. Seller’s use of the
Proprietary Rights does not and will not conflict with, infringe
upon or otherwise violate the valid rights of any third party,
and no Action has been instituted against or notices received by
Seller that are presently outstanding alleging that
Seller’s use of the Proprietary Rights infringes upon or
otherwise violates any rights of a third party in or to such
Proprietary Rights. There are not, and it is reasonably expected
that after the Closing there will not be, any restrictions on
Seller’s, or Buyer’s, as the case may be, right to
sell products manufactured by Seller or Buyer, as the case may
be, in connection with the Business.
4.19 Transactions with Certain
Persons. No officer, director or employee of
Seller nor, to Seller’s knowledge, any member of any such
person’s immediate family is presently, or within the past
three (3) years has been, a party to any transaction with
Seller, including without limitation, any material contract,
agreement or other arrangement (a) providing for the
furnishing of services by, (b) providing for the rental of
real or personal property from, or (c) otherwise requiring
payments to (other than for services as officers, directors or
employees of Seller) any such person or corporation,
partnership, trust or other entity in which any such person has
an interest as a shareholder, officer, director, trustee or
partner.
4.20 Tax Matters.
(a) Filing of Tax Returns. To the
extent that failure to do so would adversely affect the Assets
or the Business, Seller has timely filed with the appropriate
taxing authorities all material returns in respect of Taxes
required to be filed through the date hereof and will timely
file any such returns required to be filed on or prior to the
Closing Date, and such returns are complete and accurate in all
material respects.
(b) Payment of Taxes. To the
extent that failure to do so would adversely affect the Assets
or the Business, all Taxes, in respect of periods beginning
before the Closing Date, have been timely paid, or will be
timely paid, or an adequate reserve has been established
therefor, as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule or the
Financial Statements.
(c) Audits, Investigations or
Claims. Except as set forth in the Disclosure
Schedule, there are no pending or, to the best of Seller’s
knowledge, threatened audits, investigations or claims for or
relating to any material additional Liability in respect of
Taxes, and there are no matters under discussion with any
governmental authorities with respect to Taxes that in the
reasonable judgment of Seller, or its counsel, is likely to
result in a Material Adverse Effect on the Assets or the
Business.
(d) Lien. There are no liens for
Taxes (other than for current Taxes not yet due and payable) on
the Assets.
(e) Safe Harbor Lease Property. None
of the Assets is property that is required to be treated as
being owned by any other person pursuant to the so-called safe
harbor lease provisions of former Section 168(f)(8) of the
Code.
(f) Security for Tax-Exempt
Obligations. None of the Assets directly or
indirectly secures any debt the interest on which is tax-exempt
under Section 103(a) of the Code.
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(g) Tax-Exempt Use Property. None
of the Assets is “tax-exempt use property” within the
meaning of Section 168(h) of the Code.
(h) Foreign Person. Seller is not
a person other than a United States person within the meaning of
the Code.
4.21 Insurance. Schedule 4.21
contains a complete and accurate list of all policies or binders
of fire, liability, title, worker’s compensation, product
liability (which list shall be for the past three
(3) years) and other forms of insurance (showing as to each
policy or binder the carrier, policy number, coverage limits,
expiration dates, annual premiums, a general description of the
type of coverage provided, loss experience history by line of
coverage) maintained by Seller on the Business, the Assets or
its employees. All insurance coverage applicable to Seller, the
Business and the Assets is in full force and effect, insures
Seller in reasonably sufficient amounts against all risks
usually insured against by persons operating similar businesses
or properties of similar size in the localities where such
businesses or properties are located, provides coverage as may
be required by applicable Regulation and by any and all
Contracts to which Seller is a party and has been issued by
insurers of recognized responsibility. There is no Default under
any such coverage nor has there been any failure to give notice
or present any claim under any such coverage in a due and timely
fashion. There are no outstanding unpaid premiums except in the
Ordinary Course of Business and no notice of cancellation or
nonrenewal of any such coverage has been received. There are no
provisions in such insurance policies for retroactive or
retrospective premium adjustments. All products liability,
general liability and workers’ compensation insurance
policies maintained by Seller have been occurrence policies and
not claims made policies. There are no outstanding performance
bonds covering or issued for the benefit of the Seller. There
are no facts upon which an insurer might be justified in
reducing coverage or increasing premiums on existing policies or
binders. No insurer has advised Seller that it intends to reduce
coverage, increase premiums or fail to renew existing policy or
binder.
4.22 Inventory. The
Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and accurate list of all
Inventory set forth on the Interim Balance Sheet and the
addresses at which the Inventory is located. The Inventory as
set forth on the Interim Balance Sheet or arising since the
Interim Balance Sheet Date was acquired and has been maintained
in accordance with the regular business practices of Seller,
consists of new and unused items of a quality and quantity
usable or saleable in the Ordinary Course of Business within the
past six months, and is valued at reasonable amounts based on
the normal valuation policy of Seller at prices equal to the
lower of cost or market value on a
first-in-first-out
basis. None of such Inventory is obsolete, unusable,
slow-moving, damaged or unsalable in the Ordinary Course of
Business, except for such items of Inventory which have been
written down to realizable market value, or for which adequate
reserves have been provided, in the Interim Balance Sheet.
4.23 Purchase Commitments and Outstanding
Bids. As of the date of this Agreement, the
aggregate of all accepted and unfulfilled orders for the sale of
merchandise in connection with the Business entered into by
Seller is at least $150,000, and the aggregate of all orders or
commitments for the purchase of supplies by Seller does not
exceed $460,000, all of which orders and commitments were made
in the Ordinary Course of Business. As of the date of this
Agreement, there are no claims against Seller to return
merchandise by reason of alleged overshipments, defective
merchandise or otherwise, or of merchandise in the hands of
customers under an understanding that such merchandise would be
returnable. No outstanding purchase or outstanding lease
commitment of Seller presently is in excess of the normal,
ordinary and usual requirements of the Business or was made at
any price in excess of the now current market price or contains
terms and conditions more onerous than those usual and customary
in the Business. There is no outstanding bid, proposal, Contract
or unfilled order which relates to the Assets which will or
would, if accepted, have a Material Adverse Effect, individually
or in the aggregate, on the Business or the Assets or will or
would, if accepted, reasonably be expected to result in a net
consolidated loss to Seller.
4.24 Payments. Seller has
not, directly or indirectly, paid or delivered any fee,
commission or other sum of money or item or property, however
characterized, to any finder, agent, client, customer, supplier,
government official or other party, in the United States or any
other country, which is in any manner related to the Business,
Assets or operations of Seller, which is, or may be with the
passage of time or discovery, illegal under any federal, state
or local laws of the United States (including without limitation
the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices’ Act) or any other
country having jurisdiction; and Seller has not participated,
directly or indirectly, in any boycotts or other similar
practices affecting any of its actual or potential customers and
has at all times done business in an open and ethical manner.
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4.25 Customers, Distributors and
Suppliers. Schedule 4.25 sets forth a
complete and accurate list of the names and addresses of
Seller’s (i) customers, distributors and other agents
and representatives with annual sales greater than $10,000
during Seller’s last fiscal year, showing the approximate
total sales in dollars by Seller to each such customer during
such fiscal year; and (ii) suppliers with purchases greater
than $10,000 during Seller’s last fiscal year, showing the
approximate total purchases in dollars by Seller from each such
supplier during such fiscal year. Since the Interim Balance
Sheet Date, there has been no change in the business
relationship of Seller with any customer, distributor or
supplier named on Schedule 4.25 which, individually or in
the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. Seller has
not received any communication from any customer, distributor or
supplier named on Schedule 4.25 of any intention to
terminate or materially reduce purchases from or supplies to
Seller.
4.26 Compliance With Environmental
Laws.
(a) Definitions. The following
terms, when used in this Section 4.26, shall have the
following meanings. Any of these terms may, unless the context
otherwise requires, used in the singular or the plural depending
on the reference.
(i) “Seller”. For purposes of this
Section, the term “Seller” shall include (i) all
affiliates of Seller, (ii) all partnerships, joint ventures
and other entities or organizations in which Seller was at any
time or is a partner, joint venturer, member or participant and
(iii) all predecessor or former corporations, partnerships,
joint ventures, organizations, businesses or other entities,
whether in existence as of the date hereof or at any time prior
to the date hereof, the assets or obligations of which have been
acquired or assumed by Seller or to which Seller has succeeded.
(ii) “Release” shall mean and
include any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting,
emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping or
disposing into the environment or the workplace of any Hazardous
Substance, and otherwise as defined in any Environmental Law.
(iii) “Hazardous Substance” shall
mean any pollutants, contaminants, chemicals, waste and any
toxic, infectious, carcinogenic, reactive, corrosive, ignitible
or flammable chemical or chemical compound or hazardous
substance, material or waste, whether solid, liquid or gas,
including without limitation any quantity of asbestos in any
form, urea formaldehyde, PCB’s, radon gas, crude oil or any
fraction thereof, all forms of natural gas, petroleum products
or by-products or derivatives, radioactive substance, waste
waters, sludges, slag and any other substance, material or waste
that is subject to regulation, control or remediation under any
Environmental Laws.
(iv) “Environmental Laws” shall
mean all Regulations which regulate or relate to the protection
or clean-up
of the environment, the use, treatment, storage, transportation,
generation, manufacture, processing, distribution, handling or
disposal of, or emission, discharge or other release or
threatened release of, Hazardous Substances or otherwise
dangerous substances, wastes, pollution or materials (whether,
gas, liquid or solid), the preservation or protection of
waterways, groundwater, drinking water, air, wildlife, plants or
other natural resources, or the health and safety of persons or
property, including without limitation protection of the health
and safety of employees. Environmental Laws shall include
without limitation the Federal Water Pollution Control Act,
Resource Conservation & Recovery Act
(“RCRA”), Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act,
Atomic Energy Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, Toxic
Substances Control Act, Clean Air Act, Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
(“CERCLA”), Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and
all analogous or related federal, state or local law, each as
amended.
(v) “Environmental Conditions”
means the introduction into the environment of any pollution,
including without limitation any contaminant, irritant or
pollutant or other Hazardous Substance (whether or not upon any
Facility or Former Facility or other property and whether or not
such pollution constituted at the time thereof a violation of
any Environmental Law as a result of any Release of any kind
whatsoever of any Hazardous Substance) as a result of which
Seller has or may become liable to any person or by reason of
which any Facility, Former Facility or any of the Assets may
suffer or be subjected to any lien.
(b) Facilities. The Facilities
are, and at all times have been, and all Former Facilities were
at all times when owned, leased or operated by Seller, owned,
leased and operated in compliance with all Environmental Laws
and in a manner that will not give rise to any Liability under
any Environmental Laws. Without limiting the foregoing,
(i) there is not and has not been any Hazardous Substance
used, generated, treated, stored, transported, disposed of,
handled or otherwise existing on, under, about or from any
Facility or any Former Facility, except for quantities of
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any such Hazardous Substances stored or otherwise held on, under
or about any such Facility in full compliance with all
Environmental Laws and necessary for the operation of the
Business, (ii) Seller has at all times used, generated,
treated, stored, transported, disposed of or otherwise handled
its Hazardous Substances in compliance with all Environmental
Laws and in a manner that will not result in Liability of Seller
under any Environmental Law, (iii) there is not now and has
not been at any time in the past any underground or above-ground
storage tank or pipeline at any Facility or Former Facility
where the installation, use, maintenance, repair, testing,
closure or removal of such tank or pipeline was not in
compliance with all Environmental Laws and there has been no
Release from or rupture of any such tank or pipeline, including
without limitation any Release from or in connection with the
filling or emptying of such tank, (iv) Seller does not
manufacture or distribute any product in the State of California
which requires the warning mandated by the California Safe
Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986
(“Proposition 65”), and (v) Seller has not made
and has never been required to make any filing under the New
Jersey Industrial Site Recovery Act or any other state law of
similar effect.
(c) Notice of Violation. Seller
has not received any notice of alleged, actual or potential
responsibility for, or any inquiry or investigation regarding,
(i) any Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous
Substance at any location, whether at the Facilities, the Former
Facilities or otherwise or (ii) an alleged violation of or
non-compliance with the conditions of any Permit required under
any Environmental Law or the provisions of any Environmental
Law. Seller has not received any notice of any other claim,
demand or Action by any individual or entity alleging any actual
or threatened injury or damage to any person, property, natural
resource or the environment arising from or relating to any
Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Substances at,
on, under, in, to or from any Facilities or Former Facilities,
or in connection with any operations or activities thereat.
(d) Environmental
Conditions. There are no present or past
Environmental Conditions in any way relating to the Business or
at any Facility or Former Facility.
(e) Environmental Audits or
Assessments. True, complete and correct
copies of the written reports, and all parts thereof, including
any drafts of such reports if such drafts are in the possession
or control of Seller, of all environmental audits or assessments
which have been conducted at any Facility or Former Facility
within the past five years, either by Seller or any attorney,
environmental consultant or engineer engaged for such purpose,
have been delivered to Buyer and a list of all such reports,
audits and assessments and any other similar report, audit or
assessment of which Seller has knowledge is included on the
Disclosure Schedule.
(f) Indemnification
Agreements. Seller is not a party, whether as
a direct signatory or as successor, assign or third party
beneficiary, or otherwise bound, to any Lease or other Contract
(excluding insurance policies disclosed on the Disclosure
Schedule) under which Seller is obligated by or entitled to the
benefits of, directly or indirectly, any representation,
warranty, indemnification, covenant, restriction or other
undertaking concerning environmental conditions.
(g) Releases or Waivers. Seller
has not released any other person from any claim under any
Environmental Law or waived any rights concerning any
Environmental Condition.
(h) Notices, Warnings and
Records. Seller has given all notices and
warnings, made all reports, and has kept and maintained all
records required by and in compliance with all Environmental
Laws.
4.27 Banking
Relationships. Schedule 4.27 sets forth
a complete and accurate description of all arrangements that
Seller has with any banks, savings and loan associations or
other financial institutions providing for checking accounts,
safe deposit boxes, borrowing arrangements, and certificates of
deposit or otherwise, indicating in each case account numbers,
if applicable, and the person or persons authorized to act or
sign on behalf of Seller in respect of any of the foregoing.
4.28 Accounts
Receivable. The accounts receivable set forth
on the Interim Balance Sheet, and all accounts receivable
arising since the Interim Balance Sheet Date, represent bona
fide claims of Seller against debtors for sales, services
performed or other charges arising on or before the date hereof,
and all the goods delivered and services performed which gave
rise to said accounts were delivered or performed in accordance
with the applicable orders or Contracts. Said accounts
receivable are subject to no defenses, counterclaims or rights
of setoff and are fully collectible in the Ordinary Course of
Business without cost in collection efforts therefor, except to
the extent of the appropriate reserves for bad debts on accounts
receivable as set forth on the Interim Balance Sheet and, in the
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case of accounts receivable arising since the Interim Balance
Sheet Date, to the extent of a reasonable reserve rate for bad
debts on accounts receivable which is not greater than the rate
reflected by the reserve for bad debts on the Interim Balance
Sheet.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER
Buyer hereby represents and warrants to Seller as follows, which
representations and warranties are, as of the date hereof, and
will be, as of the Closing Date, true and correct:
5.1 Organization of
Buyer. Buyer is a corporation duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
State of Delaware.
5.2 Authorization. Buyer has
all requisite corporate power and authority, and has taken all
corporate action necessary, to execute and deliver this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and to perform its
obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery
of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements by Buyer and the
consummation by Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby have been duly approved by the board of directors of
Buyer. No other corporate proceedings on the part of Buyer are
necessary to authorize this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Buyer and
is, and upon execution and delivery the Ancillary Agreements
will be, legal, valid and binding obligations of Buyer,
enforceable against Buyer in accordance with their terms.
5.3 No Conflict or
Violation. Neither the execution, delivery or
performance of this Agreement nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, nor compliance by Buyer with
any of the provisions hereof, will (a) violate or conflict
with any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws
of Buyer, (b) violate, conflict with, or result in or
constitute a Default under, or result in the termination of, or
accelerate the performance required by, or result in a right of
termination or acceleration under, or result in the creation of
any Encumbrance upon any of Buyer’s assets under, any of
the terms, conditions or provisions of any contract,
indebtedness, note, bond, indenture, security or pledge
agreement, commitment, license, lease, franchise, permit,
agreement, authorization, concession, or other instrument or
obligation to which Buyer is a party, (c) violate any
Regulation or Court Order, except, in the case of each of
clauses (a), (b) and (c) above, for such
violations, Defaults, terminations, accelerations or creations
of Encumbrances which, in the aggregate, would not have a
Material Adverse Effect on the business of Buyer or its ability
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.
5.4 Consents and
Approvals. Except as set forth on
Exhibit H hereto, no notice to, declaration, filing
or registration with, or authorization, consent or approval of,
or permit from, any domestic or foreign governmental or
regulatory body or authority, or any other person or entity, is
required to be made or obtained by Buyer in connection with the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
5.5 No Brokers. Neither
Buyer nor any of its officers, directors, employees,
shareholders or affiliates has employed or made any agreement
with any broker, finder or similar agent or any person or firm
which will result in the obligation of Seller or any of their
respective affiliates to pay any finder’s fee, brokerage
fees or commission or similar payment in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS OF SELLER AND BUYER
Seller and Buyer each covenant with the other as follows:
6.1 Further Assurances. Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, the
parties agree, both before and after the Closing, (i) to
use all reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all
actions and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary,
proper or advisable to consummate and make effective the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) to
execute any documents, instruments or conveyances of any kind
which may
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be reasonably necessary or advisable to carry out any of the
transactions contemplated hereunder, and (iii) to cooperate
with each other in connection with the foregoing. Without
limiting the foregoing, the parties agree to use their
respective best efforts (A) to obtain all necessary
waivers, consents and approvals from other parties to the
Contracts and Leases to be assumed by Buyer; provided,
however that Buyer shall not be required to make any
payments, commence litigation or agree to modifications of the
terms thereof in order to obtain any such waivers, consents or
approvals, (B) to obtain all necessary Permits as are
required to be obtained under any Regulations, (C) to
defend all Actions challenging this Agreement or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby,
(D) to lift or rescind any injunction or restraining order
or other Court Order adversely affecting the ability of the
parties to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby,
(E) to give all notices to, and make all registrations and
filings with third parties, including without limitation
submissions of information requested by governmental
authorities, and (F) to fulfill all conditions to this
Agreement. In addition, each party will commence all action
required under this Section 6.1 as promptly as possible
after the date of this Agreement to allow the transactions
contemplated hereunder to be consummated by the Closing Date.
6.2 No Solicitation.
(a) No Solicitation. From the date
hereof through the Closing or the earlier termination of this
Agreement, Seller shall not, and shall cause its Representatives
(including without limitation investment bankers, attorneys and
accountants), not to, directly or indirectly, enter into,
solicit, initiate or continue any discussions or negotiations
with, or encourage or respond to any inquiries or proposals by,
or participate in any negotiations with, or provide any
information to, or otherwise cooperate in any other way with,
any corporation, partnership, person or other entity or group,
other than Buyer and its Representatives, concerning any sale of
all or a portion of the Assets or the Business, or all or
substantially all the shares of capital stock of Seller, or any
merger, consolidation, liquidation, dissolution or similar
transaction involving Seller (each such transaction being
referred to herein as a “Proposed Acquisition
Transaction”). Seller and its subsidiaries shall not,
directly or indirectly, through any officer, director, employee,
representative, agent or otherwise, solicit, initiate or
encourage the submission of any proposal or offer from any
person (including, without limitation, a “person” as
defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended) or entity relating to any Proposed
Acquisition Transaction or participate in any negotiations
regarding, or furnish to any other person any information with
respect to Seller or any of its subsidiaries for the purposes
of, or otherwise cooperate in any way with, or assist or
participate in, facilitate or encourage, any effort or attempt
by any other person to seek or effect a Proposed Acquisition
Transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior to the Closing
the Company may (A) provide access to its properties and
Books and Records in response to a request therefor by a
corporation, partnership, person or other entity or group which
has made an unsolicited bona fide written proposal regarding a
Proposed Acquisition Transaction or (B) engage in any
negotiations or discussions with any corporation, partnership,
person or other entity or group which has made an unsolicited
bona fide written proposal regarding a Proposed Acquisition
Transaction, if and only to the extent that prior to taking any
of the actions set forth in clauses (A) or
(B) with respect to an Proposed Acquisition Transaction,
(x) the Company’s Board of Directors shall have
determined in good faith, after consultation with its outside
legal counsel and financial advisors, that the failure to take
such action would violate the fiduciary duties of the
Company’s Board of Directors under applicable law and that
such Proposed Acquisition Transaction constitutes or is
reasonably likely to result in a Superior Proposal from the
party that made the proposal for a Proposed Acquisition
Transaction and (y) the Company shall have informed the
Buyer promptly following the taking by it of any such action.
Seller hereby represents that it is not now engaged in
discussions or negotiations with any party other than Buyer with
respect to any Proposed Acquisition Transaction. Seller shall
notify Buyer promptly (orally and in writing) if any written
proposal for a Proposed Acquisition Transaction, or any inquiry
or contact with any person with respect thereto, is made and
shall provide Buyer with a copy of such offer and shall keep
Buyer informed of the status of any negotiations regarding such
offer. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall prohibit the
Company or the Company’s Board of Directors from taking and
disclosing to the Company’s stockholders a position with
respect to a tender or exchange offer by a third party pursuant
to
Rules 14d-9
and 14e-2(a)
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, or from making any disclosure required by applicable
law with regard to a Proposed Acquisition Transaction. Seller
agrees not to release any third party from, or waive any
provision of, any confidentiality or standstill agreement to
which Seller is a party.
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(b) Notification. Seller will
immediately notify Buyer if any discussions or negotiations are
sought to be initiated, any inquiry or proposal is made, or any
information is requested with respect to any Proposed
Acquisition Transaction and notify Buyer of the terms of any
proposal which it may receive in respect of any such Proposed
Acquisition Transaction, including without limitation the
identity of the prospective purchaser or soliciting party.
6.3 Notification of Certain
Matters. From the date hereof through the
Closing, Seller shall give prompt notice to Buyer of
(a) the occurrence, or failure to occur, of any event which
occurrence or failure would be likely to cause any
representation or warranty contained in this Agreement or in any
exhibit or schedule hereto to be untrue or inaccurate in any
material respect and (b) any failure of Seller, any of its
affiliates or Representatives to comply with or satisfy any
covenant, condition or agreement to be complied with or
satisfied by it under this Agreement or any exhibit or schedule
hereto; provided, however, that such disclosure
shall not be deemed to cure any breach of a representation,
warranty, covenant or agreement or to satisfy any condition.
Seller shall promptly notify Buyer of any Default, the threat or
commencement of any Action that occurs before the Closing that
Seller reasonably expects to have a material adverse affect on
the Assets or the Business.
6.4 Investigation by Buyer.
Subject to the Confidentiality Agreement, from the date hereof
through the Closing Date:
(a) Seller shall, and shall cause its officers, directors,
employees and agents to, afford the Representatives of Buyer and
its affiliates complete access at all reasonable times to the
Assets for the purpose of inspecting the same, and to the
officers, employees, agents, attorneys, accountants, properties,
Books and Records and Contracts of Seller, and shall furnish
Buyer and its Representatives all financial, operating and other
data and information as Buyer or its affiliates, through their
respective Representatives, may reasonably request, including an
unaudited consolidated balance sheet and the related statements
of income, retained earnings and cash flow for each month from
the date hereof through the Closing Date within fourteen
(14) calendar days after the end of each month which
financial statements shall (a) be true, correct and
complete, (b) be in accordance with the books and records
of Seller and (c) accurately set forth the assets,
Liabilities and financial condition, results of operations and
other information purported to be set forth therein in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied.
(b)(i) Buyer shall have the right, at its sole cost and expense
to (A) conduct tests of the soil surface or subsurface
waters and air quality at, in, on, beneath or about the Owned
Real Property and the Leased Real Property, and such other
procedures as may be recommended by an independent environmental
consultant selected by Buyer (the “Consultant”) based
on its reasonable professional judgment, in a manner consistent
with good engineering practice, (B) inspect records,
reports, permits, applications, monitoring results, studies,
correspondence, data and any other information or documents
relevant to environmental conditions or environmental
noncompliance, and (C) inspect all buildings and equipment
at the Owned Real Property and the Leased Real Property,
including without limitation the visual inspection of the
Facilities for asbestos-containing construction materials;
provided, in each case, such tests and inspections shall
be conducted only (1) during regular business hours; and
(2) in a manner which will not unduly interfere with the
operation of the Business
and/or the
use of, access to or egress from the Owned Real Property and the
Leased Property.
(ii) Buyer’s right to conduct tests, inspect records
and other documents, and visually inspect all buildings and
equipment at the Owned Real Property and the Leased Real
Property shall also be subject to the following terms and
conditions:
(A) All testing performed on Buyer’s behalf shall be
conducted by the Consultant;
(B) Seller shall have the right to accompany the Consultant
as it performs testing;
(C) Except as otherwise required by law, any information
concerning the Owned Real Property and the Leased Real Property
gathered by Buyer or the Consultant as the result of, or in
connection with, the testing shall be kept confidential in
accordance with subsection (D) below and shall not be
revealed to, or discussed with, anyone other than
Representatives of Buyer or Representatives of Seller who agree
to comply with the provisions of subsection
(D) below; and
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(D) In the event that any party to this Agreement or any
party set forth in subsection (C) above is requested
or required to disclose information described in
subparagraph (b)(i), Buyer shall provide Seller or Seller
shall provide Buyer, as the case may be, with prompt notice of
such request so that Seller or Buyer, as the case may be, may
seek an appropriate protective order or waiver by the other
party’s compliance with this Agreement. If, in the absence
of a protective order or the receipt of a waiver hereunder, such
party is nonetheless, in the opinion of its counsel, compelled
to disclose such information to any tribunal or else stand
liable for contempt or suffer other censure or penalty, such
party will furnish only that portion of the information which is
legally required and will exercise its reasonable efforts to
obtain reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be
afforded to the disclosed information. The requirements of this
subparagraph shall not apply to information in the public domain
or lawfully acquired on a nonconfidential basis from others.
6.5 Conduct of
Business. From the date hereof through the
Closing, Seller shall, except as contemplated by this Agreement,
or as consented to by Buyer in writing, operate the Business in
the Ordinary Course of Business and in accordance with past
practice and will not take any action inconsistent with this
Agreement or with the consummation of the Closing. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, Seller shall not, and
shall cause each of the Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 4.2
not to, except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement or
as consented to by Buyer in writing, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld:
(a) change or amend the Certificate of Incorporation or
Bylaws of Seller;
(b) enter into, extend, materially modify, terminate or
renew any Contract or Lease, except in the Ordinary Course of
Business;
(c) sell, assign, transfer, convey, lease, mortgage, pledge
or otherwise dispose of or encumber any material amount of the
Assets, or any interests therein, except in the Ordinary Course
of Business and, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, Seller will produce, maintain and sell inventory
consistent with its past practices;
(d) (i) for any of the Rehired Employees (as defined
in Section 6.6), take any action with respect to the grant
of any bonus, severance or termination pay (otherwise than
pursuant to policies or agreements of Seller in effect on the
date hereof that are described on the Disclosure Schedule) or
with respect to any increase of benefits payable under its
severance or termination pay policies or agreements in effect on
the date hereof or increase in any manner the compensation or
fringe benefits of any employee or pay any benefit not required
by any existing Employee Plan or policy;
(ii) adopt, enter into or amend any Employee Plan,
agreement (including without limitation any collective
bargaining or employment agreement), trust, fund or other
arrangement for the benefit or welfare of any employee, except
for any such amendment as may be required to comply with
applicable Regulations; or
(iii) fail to maintain all Employee Plans in accordance
with applicable Regulations;
(e) declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other
distribution in respect of Seller’s capital stock;
(f) fail to expend funds for budgeted capital expenditures
or commitments of the Business;
(g) willingly allow or permit to be done, any act by which
any of the Insurance Policies may be suspended, impaired or
canceled;
(h) fail to pay its accounts payable and any debts owed or
obligations due to it, or pay or discharge when due any
Liabilities related to the Business, in the Ordinary Course of
Business;
(i) fail to maintain the Assets in substantially their
current state of repair, excepting normal wear and tear or fail
to replace consistent with Seller’s past practice
inoperable, worn-out or obsolete or destroyed Assets;
(j) fail to comply in any material respect with all
Regulations applicable to the Assets or the Business;
(k) intentionally do any other act which would cause any
representation or warranty of Seller in this Agreement to be or
become untrue in any material respect;
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(l) fail to use its reasonable commercial efforts to
(i) retain the Seller’s employees involved in the
Business and (ii) maintain the Business so that such
employees will remain available to Seller on and after the
Closing Date, (iii) maintain existing relationships with
suppliers, customers and others having business dealings with
Seller related to the Business and (iv) otherwise to
preserve the goodwill of the Business so that such relationships
and goodwill will be preserved on and after the Closing Date;
(m) enter into any agreement, or otherwise become
obligated, to do any action prohibited hereunder;
(n) enter into, renew, modify or revise any agreement or
transaction with any of the Subsidiaries listed on
Schedule 4.2; or
(o) make any payment of any kind whatsoever to or on behalf
of any of the Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 4.2 or any
officer or director of any of such Subsidiaries, pursuant to any
agreement between Seller and any of such Subsidiaries or
otherwise.
6.6 Employee Matters.
(a) Buyer shall extend offers of employment to those of
Seller’s employees whom it desires to hire, which are
identified on Schedule 4.13 (such employees are hereinafter
referred to as the “Rehired Employees”), which Buyer
shall determine in its sole discretion. Seller shall terminate
the employment of all Rehired Employees immediately prior to the
Closing and shall cooperate with and use its reasonable
commercial efforts to assist Buyer in its efforts to secure
satisfactory employment arrangements with those employees of
Seller to whom Buyer makes offers of employment.
(b) Seller shall be solely responsible for all of the
Benefit Plans and all obligations and liabilities thereunder.
Buyer shall not assume any of the Benefit Plans or any
obligation or liability thereunder.
(c) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall confer upon
any Rehired Employee any right with respect to continuance of
employment by Buyer, nor shall anything herein interfere with
the right of Buyer to terminate the employment of any of the
Rehired Employees at any time, with or without cause, or
restrict Buyer in the exercise of its independent business
judgment in modifying any of the terms and conditions of the
employment of the Rehired Employees.
(d) No provision of this Agreement shall create any third
party beneficiary rights in any Rehired Employee, any
beneficiary or dependents thereof, or any collective bargaining
representative thereof, with respect to the compensation, terms
and conditions of employment and benefits that may be provided
to any Rehired Employee by Buyer or under any benefit plan which
Buyer may maintain.
(e) For a period of one (1) year after the Closing
Date, neither party shall, directly or indirectly, hire or offer
employment to or seek to hire or offer employment to any
employee of the other party whose employment is continued by
such party after the Closing Date, unless such party first
terminates the employment of such employee or gives its written
consent to such employment or offer of employment.
6.7 Subsidiary
Transfers. Seller shall, and shall cause all
of the Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 4.2 to, transfer all
right, title and interest held by such Subsidiary in all assets
used or held for use in connection with the Business of Seller
to be transferred to Seller for inclusion in the Assets prior to
the Closing.
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS TO SELLER’S OBLIGATIONS
The obligations of Seller to consummate the transactions
provided for hereby are subject, in the discretion of Seller, to
the satisfaction, on or prior to the Closing Date, of each of
the following conditions, any of which may be waived by Seller:
7.1 Representations, Warranties and
Covenants. All representations and warranties
of Buyer contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct
in all material respects at and as of the date of this Agreement
and at and as of the Closing Date, except as and to the extent
that the facts and conditions upon which such representations
and warranties are based are expressly required or permitted to
be changed by the terms hereof, and Buyer shall have
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performed and satisfied in all material respects all agreements
and covenants required hereby to be performed by it prior to or
on the Closing Date.
7.2 Consents; Regulatory Compliance and
Approval; Stockholder Approval. All consents,
approvals and waivers from governmental authorities and other
parties necessary to permit Seller to transfer the Assets to
Buyer as contemplated hereby shall have been obtained (including
without limitation all required third-party consents to the
assignment of the Leases, Contracts and other Assets to be
assigned to Buyer as set forth herein). Seller shall be
satisfied that all approvals required under any Regulations to
carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall
have been obtained and that the parties shall have complied with
all Regulations applicable to the Acquisition. Seller shall have
obtained the requisite consent of its stockholders to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement at a duly convened
special meeting of stockholders.
7.3 No Actions or Court
Orders. No Action by any governmental
authority or other person shall have been instituted or
threatened which questions the validity or legality of the
transactions contemplated hereby and which could reasonably be
expected to damage Seller, the Assets or the Business materially
if the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated,
including without limitation any Material Adverse Effect on the
right or ability of Buyer to own, operate, possess or transfer
the Assets after the Closing. There shall not be any Regulation
or Court Order that makes the purchase and sale of the Business
or the Assets contemplated hereby illegal or otherwise
prohibited.
7.4 Opinion of
Counsel. Buyer shall have delivered to Seller
an opinion of Buyer’s counsel, dated as of the Closing
Date, in form and substance attached hereto as
Exhibit O, substantially to the effect that:
(a) Incorporation. Buyer is a
corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware;
(b) Corporate Power and
Authority. Buyer has the necessary corporate
power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the
Ancillary Agreements and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby;
(c) Corporate Action and
Enforceability. The execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements by
Buyer have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action of Buyer, and no approval of the stockholders of Buyer is
required in connection therewith or, if required, such approval
has been duly obtained in accordance with the provisions of
Buyer’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and
applicable law, and this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements
have been duly executed and delivered by Buyer, and constitute
legally valid and binding obligations of Buyer, enforceable
against Buyer in accordance with their terms, except as limited
by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
or other similar laws relating to creditors’ rights
generally or by equitable principles (whether considered in an
action at law or in equity), (ii) limitations imposed by
federal or state law or equitable principles upon the
availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other
equitable remedies, or (iii) other customary limitations;
(d) No Breach of
Contracts. Neither the execution and delivery
of this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements by Buyer nor the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby
will (i) violate the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws
of Buyer, (ii) cause a Default under any term or provision
of any material contract to which Buyer is a party listed in
such opinion, or (iii) to the knowledge of such counsel,
violate any Court Order applicable to Buyer; and
(e) No Violation of Law. Neither
the execution and performance of this Agreement or the Ancillary
Agreements by Buyer nor the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby will violate or result in a
failure to comply with any Regulation or Court Order, applicable
to Buyer.
In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely as they deem
advisable (a) as to matters governed by the laws of
jurisdictions other than states in which they maintain offices,
upon opinions of local counsel satisfactory to such counsel, and
(b) as to factual matters, upon certificates and assurances
of public officials and officers of Buyer.
7.5 Certificates. Buyer
shall furnish Seller with such certificates of its officers and
others to evidence compliance with the conditions set forth in
this Article VII as may be reasonably requested by Seller.
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7.6 Corporate
Documents. Seller shall have received from
Buyer resolutions adopted by the board of directors of Buyer
approving this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements and the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, certified by
Buyer’s corporate secretary.
7.7 Assumption
Document. Buyer shall have executed the
Assumption Document.
7.8 Ancillary
Agreements. Buyer shall have executed and
delivered the Ancillary Agreements to which Buyer is a party.
ARTICLE VIII
CONDITIONS
TO BUYER’S OBLIGATIONS
The obligations of Buyer to consummate the transactions provided
for hereby are subject, in the discretion of Buyer, to the
satisfaction, on or prior to the Closing Date, of each of the
following conditions, any of which may be waived by Buyer:
8.1 Representations, Warranties and
Covenants. All representations and warranties
of Seller contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct
in all material respects at and as of the date of this Agreement
and at and as of the Closing Date, other than such failures to
be true and correct that individually or in the aggregate would
not have a Material Adverse Effect and except as and to the
extent that the facts and conditions upon which such
representations and warranties are based are expressly required
or permitted to be changed by the terms hereof, and Seller shall
have performed and satisfied in all material respects all
agreements and covenants required hereby to be performed by it
prior to or on the Closing Date.
8.2 Consents; Regulatory Compliance and
Approval. All Permits, consents, approvals
and waivers from governmental authorities and other parties
necessary to the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby and for the operation of the Business by Buyer
(including, without limitation, all required third party
consents to the assignment of the Leases and Contracts to be
assumed by Buyer) shall have been obtained. Buyer shall be
satisfied that all approvals required under any Regulations to
carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall
have been obtained and that the parties shall have complied with
all Regulations applicable to the Acquisition.
8.3 No Actions or Court
Orders. No Action by any governmental
authority or other person shall have been instituted or
threatened which questions the validity or legality of the
transactions contemplated hereby and which could reasonably be
expected to damage Buyer, the Assets or the Business materially
if the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated,
including without limitation any Material Adverse Effect on the
right or ability of Buyer to own, operate, possess or transfer
the Assets after the Closing. There shall not be any Regulation
or Court Order that makes the purchase and sale of the Business
or the Assets contemplated hereby illegal or otherwise
prohibited.
8.4 Opinion of
Counsel. Seller shall have delivered to Buyer
an opinion of outside counsel, counsel to Seller, dated as of
the Closing Date, in form attached hereto as
Exhibit P, substantially to the effect that:
(a) Incorporation. Seller is a
corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware; Seller is duly
qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of
its property or nature of the Business requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would
not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Business or the Assets;
(b) Corporate Power and
Authority. Seller has the necessary corporate
power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the
Ancillary Agreements and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby; and Seller has the necessary
corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate the
Assets and its other properties and to conduct the Business as
presently conducted;
(c) Corporate Action and
Enforceability. The execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements by
Seller have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action of Seller, and this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements have been duly executed and delivered by Seller, and
no approval of the stockholders of Seller is required in
connection therewith or, if required, such approval has
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been duly obtained in accordance with the provisions of
Seller’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and
applicable law, and this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement
constitute legally valid and binding obligations of Seller,
enforceable against Seller in accordance with their terms,
except as limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to
creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles
(whether considered in an action at law or in equity),
(ii) limitations imposed by federal or state law or
equitable principles upon the availability of specific
performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies, or
(iii) other customary limitations;
(d) No Breach of
Contracts. Neither the execution and delivery
of this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements by Seller nor the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby
will (i) violate the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws
of Seller, (ii) cause a Default under any term or provision
of any material Contract or Lease listed in such opinion to
which Seller is a party or by which the Assets are bound, or
(iii) to the knowledge of such counsel, violate any Court
Order applicable to Seller; and
(e) No Violation of Law. Neither
the execution and performance of this Agreement or the Ancillary
Agreements by Seller nor the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby will violate or result in a
failure to comply with any Regulation or Court Order known to
such counsel, applicable to Seller.
In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely as they deem
advisable (a) as to matters governed by the laws of
jurisdictions other than states in which they maintain offices,
upon opinions of local counsel satisfactory to such counsel, and
(b) as to factual matters, upon certificates and assurances
of public officials and officers of Seller.
8.5 Certificates. Seller
shall furnish Buyer with such certificates of its officers and
others to evidence compliance with the conditions set forth in
this Article VIII as may be reasonably requested by Buyer.
8.6 Material Changes. Since
the date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred any
event which shall have a Material Adverse Effect on the Business
or the Assets.
8.7 Corporate
Documents. Buyer shall have received from
Seller resolutions adopted by the board of directors of Seller
approving this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, certified by
Seller’s corporate secretary, as applicable.
8.8 Conveyancing Documents; Release of
Encumbrances. Seller shall have executed and
delivered each of documents described in Section 3.2 hereof
so as to effect the transfer and assignment to Buyer of all
right, title and interest in and to the Assets and Seller shall
have filed (where necessary) and delivered to Buyer all
documents necessary to release the Assets from all Encumbrances,
which documents shall be in a form reasonably satisfactory to
Buyer’s counsel.
8.9 Permits. Buyer shall
have obtained or been granted the right to use all Permits
necessary to its operation of the Business.
8.10 Other
Agreements. Seller shall have executed and
delivered the Ancillary Agreements in the forms attached as
exhibits hereto.
ARTICLE IX
RISK OF
LOSS; CONSENTS TO ASSIGNMENT
9.1 Risk of Loss. From the
date hereof through the Closing Date, all risk of loss or damage
to the property included in the Assets shall be borne by Seller,
and thereafter shall be borne by Buyer. If any portion of the
Assets is destroyed or damaged by fire or any other cause on or
prior to the Closing Date, other than use, wear or loss in the
Ordinary Course of Business, Seller shall give written notice to
Buyer as soon as practicable after, but in any event within five
(5) calendar days of, discovery of such damage or
destruction and estimated interruption of the Business, the
amount of insurance, if any, covering such Assets
and/or
interruption of the Business and the amount, if any, which
Seller is otherwise entitled to receive as a consequence. Prior
to the Closing, Buyer shall have the option, which shall be
exercised by written notice to Seller within ten
(10) calendar days after receipt of Seller’s notice or
if there is not ten (10) calendar days prior to the Closing
Date, as soon as practicable prior to the Closing Date, of
(a) accepting such Assets in their destroyed or damaged
condition in which event Buyer shall be entitled to the
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proceeds of any insurance or other proceeds payable with respect
to such loss (including for the interruption of the Business, if
any) and subject to Section 10.4(f), to such
indemnification for any uninsured portion of such loss pursuant
to Section 10.4, and the full Purchase Price shall be paid
for such Assets, (b) excluding such Assets from this
Agreement, in which event the Purchase Price shall be reduced by
the amount allocated to such Assets, as mutually agreed between
the parties or (c) if such destroyed or damaged Assets
and/or
interruption of the Business has an aggregate value of greater
than $5,000,000, terminating this Agreement in accordance with
Section 11.1. If Buyer accepts such Assets, then after the
Closing, any insurance or other proceeds shall belong, and shall
be assigned to, Buyer without any reduction in the Purchase
Price; otherwise, such insurance proceeds shall belong to Seller.
9.2 Consents to
Assignment. Anything in this Agreement to the
contrary notwithstanding, this Agreement shall not constitute an
agreement to assign any Contract, Lease, Permit or any claim or
right or any benefit arising thereunder or resulting therefrom
if an attempted assignment thereof, without the consent of a
third party thereto, would constitute a Default thereof or in
any way adversely affect the rights of Buyer thereunder. If such
consent is not obtained, or if an attempted assignment thereof
would be ineffective or would affect the rights thereunder so
that Buyer would not receive all such rights, Seller will
cooperate with Buyer, in all reasonable respects, to provide to
Buyer the benefits under any such Contract, Lease, Permit or any
claim or right, including without limitation enforcement for the
benefit of Buyer of any and all rights of Seller against a third
party thereto arising out of the Default or cancellation by such
third party or otherwise. Nothing in this Section 9.2 shall
affect Buyer’s right to terminate this Agreement under
Sections 8.2 and 11.1 in the event that any consent or
approval to the transfer of any Asset is not obtained.
ARTICLE X
ACTIONS
BY SELLER AND BUYER
AFTER THE
CLOSING
10.1 Collection of Accounts Receivable and
Letters of Credit. At the Closing, Buyer will
acquire hereunder, and thereafter Buyer or its designee shall
have the right and authority to collect for Buyer’s or its
designee’s account, all receivables, letters of credit and
other items which constitute a part of the Assets, and Seller
shall within two (2) business days after receipt of any
payment in respect of any of the foregoing, properly endorse and
deliver to Buyer any letters of credit, documents, cash or
checks received on account of or otherwise relating to any such
receivables, letters of credit or other items. Seller shall
promptly transfer or deliver to Buyer or its designee any cash
or other property that Seller may receive in respect of any
deposit, prepaid expense, claim, contract, license, lease,
commitment, sales order, purchase order, letter of credit or
receivable of any character, or any other item, constituting a
part of the Assets.
10.2 Books and Records; Tax Matters.
(a) Books and Records. Each party
agrees that it will cooperate with and make available to the
other party, during normal business hours, all Books and
Records, information and employees (without substantial
disruption of employment) retained and remaining in existence
after the Closing which are necessary or useful in connection
with any tax inquiry, audit, investigation or dispute, any
litigation or investigation or any other matter requiring any
such Books and Records, information or employees for any
reasonable business purpose. The party requesting any such Books
and Records, information or employees shall bear all of the
out-of-pocket
costs and expenses (including without limitation attorneys’
fees, but excluding reimbursement for salaries and employee
benefits) reasonably incurred in connection with providing such
Books and Records, information or employees. All information
received pursuant to this Section 10.2(a) shall be subject
to the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement.
(b) Cooperation and Records
Retention. Seller and Buyer shall
(i) each provide the other with such assistance as may
reasonably be requested by any of them in connection with the
preparation of any return, audit, or other examination by any
taxing authority or judicial or administrative proceedings
relating to Liability for Taxes, (ii) each retain and
provide the other with any records or other information that may
be relevant to such return, audit or examination, proceeding or
determination, and (iii) each provide the other with any
final determination of any such audit or examination,
proceeding, or determination that affects any amount required
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to be shown on any tax return of the other for any period.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Buyer and
Seller shall each retain, until the applicable statutes of
limitations (including any extensions) have expired, copies of
all tax returns, supporting work schedules, and other records or
information that may be relevant to such returns for all tax
periods or portions thereof ending on or before the Closing Date
and shall not destroy or otherwise dispose of any such records
without first providing the other party with a reasonable
opportunity to review and copy the same.
10.3 Survival of Representations,
Etc. All of the representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements made by each party in this Agreement or
in any attachment, Exhibit, the Disclosure Schedule,
certificate, document or list delivered by any such party
pursuant hereto shall survive the Closing for a period of (and
claims based upon or arising out of such representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements may be asserted at any time
before the date which shall be) [three (3)] years following
the Closing (except with respect to the representations and
warranties set forth Sections 4.20 and 4.26, which shall
survive until the expiration of the applicable statute of
limitations (with extensions) with respect to the matters
addressed in such sections). Each party hereto shall be entitled
to rely upon the representations and warranties of the other
party set forth in this Agreement. The termination of the
representations and warranties provided herein shall not affect
the rights of a party in respect of any Claim made by such party
in a writing received by the other party prior to the expiration
of the applicable survival period provided herein.
10.4 Indemnifications.
(a) By Seller. Seller shall
indemnify, save and hold harmless and defend Buyer, its
affiliates and subsidiaries, and its and their respective
Representatives, from and against any and all costs, losses
(including without limitation diminution in value), Taxes,
Liabilities, obligations, damages, lawsuits, deficiencies,
claims, demands, and expenses (whether or not arising out of
third-party claims), including without limitation interest,
penalties, costs of mitigation, losses in connection with any
Environmental Law (including without limitation any
clean-up or
remedial action), lost profits and other losses resulting from
any shutdown or curtailment of operations, damages to the
environment, attorneys’ fees and all amounts paid in
investigation, defense or settlement of any of the foregoing
(herein, “Damages”), incurred in connection with,
arising out of, resulting from or incident to (i) any
breach of any representation or warranty or the inaccuracy of
any representation, made by Seller in or pursuant to this
Agreement; (ii) any breach of any covenant or agreement
made by Seller in or pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) any
Excluded Liability (iv) any Liability imposed upon Buyer by
reason of Buyer’s status as transferee of the Business or
the Assets directly resulting from any breach of any
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement made by Seller
in or pursuant to this Agreement; or (v) any Liability
imposed upon Buyer related to the United States Patent Nos.
5,504,326, 5,510,613, 5,712,479, 5,625,184, 5,627,369,
5,760,393, 6,002,127, 6,057,543, 5,641,959, and 5,654,545,
including any division, continuation,
continuation-in-part,
reexamination, reissue, or foreign equivalent or counterpart
thereof, or any other patent asserted by Bruker Daltonics, Inc.,
Indiana University, or Applera Corp. relating to Space-Velocity
Correlation Focusing or Delayed Extraction, or (vi) any
Liability imposed upon Buyer related to any Patent in which a
claim of infringement is made against the making, using,
selling, or importation of the laser incorporated within the
ProteinChip System, Series 4000 instrument as of the
Closing Date.
The term “Damages” as used in this Section 10.4
is not limited to matters asserted by third parties against
Seller or Buyer, but includes Damages incurred or sustained by
Seller or Buyer in the absence of third party claims. Payments
by Buyer of amounts for which Buyer is indemnified hereunder,
and payments by Seller of amounts for which Seller is
indemnified, shall not be a condition precedent to recovery.
Seller’s obligation to indemnify Buyer, and Buyer’s
obligation to indemnify Seller, shall not limit any other
rights, including without limitation rights of contribution
which either party may have under statute or common law.
(b) By Buyer. Buyer shall
indemnify and save and hold harmless and defend Seller, its
respective affiliates and subsidiaries, and its respective
Representatives from and against any and all Damages incurred in
connection with, arising out of, resulting from or incident to
(i) any breach of any representation or warranty or the
inaccuracy of any representation, made by Buyer in or pursuant
to this Agreement; (ii) any breach of any covenant or
agreement made by Buyer in or pursuant to this Agreement; or
(iii) from and after the Closing, any Assumed Liability or
the operations of the Business by Buyer.
(c) Cooperation. The indemnified
party shall cooperate in all reasonable respects with the
indemnifying party and such attorneys in the investigation,
trial and defense of such lawsuit or action and any appeal
arising
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therefrom; provided, however, that the indemnified
party may, at its own cost, participate in the investigation,
trial and defense of such lawsuit or action and any appeal
arising therefrom. The parties shall cooperate with each other
in any notifications to insurers.
(d) Defense of Claims. If a claim
for Damages (a “Claim”) is to be made by an
indemnified party hereunder against the indemnifying party, the
indemnified party shall give written notice (a “Claim
Notice”) to the indemnifying party as soon as practicable
after the indemnified party becomes aware of any fact, condition
or event which may give rise to Damages for which
indemnification may be sought under this Section 10.4. If
any lawsuit or enforcement action is filed against any party
entitled to the benefit of indemnity hereunder, written notice
thereof shall be given to the indemnifying party as promptly as
practicable (and in any event within fifteen (15) calendar
days after the service of the citation or summons). The failure
of any indemnified party to give timely notice hereunder shall
not affect rights to indemnification hereunder, except to the
extent that the indemnifying party demonstrates actual damage
caused by such failure. The indemnifying party shall be
entitled, if it so elects at its own cost, risk and expense,
(i) to take control of the defense and investigation of
such lawsuit or action, (ii) to employ and engage attorneys
of its own choice to handle and defend the same unless the named
parties to such action or proceeding include both the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party and the indemnified
party has been advised in writing by counsel that there may be
one or more legal defenses available to such indemnified party
that are different from or additional to those available to the
indemnifying party, in which event the indemnified party shall
be entitled, at the indemnifying party’s cost, risk and
expense, to separate counsel of its own choosing, and
(iii) to compromise or settle such claim, which compromise
or settlement shall be made only with the written consent of the
indemnified party, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld,
unless the indemnifying party shall agree to pay the full amount
of such settlement. If the indemnifying party fails to assume
the defense of such claim within fifteen (15) calendar days
after receipt of the Claim Notice, the indemnified party against
which such claim has been asserted will (upon delivering notice
to such effect to the indemnifying party) have the right to
undertake, at the indemnifying party’s cost and expense,
the defense, compromise or settlement of such claim on behalf of
and for the account and risk of the indemnifying party, provided
that any such settlement of claim shall be made only with the
written consent of the indemnifying party unless the indemnified
party shall agree to pay the full amount of such settlement. In
the event the indemnified party assumes the defense of the
claim, the indemnified party will keep the indemnifying party
reasonably informed of the progress of any such defense,
compromise or settlement.
(e) Product and Warranty
Liability. The provisions of this
Section 10.4 shall cover, without limitation, all
Liabilities of whatsoever kind, nature or description relating,
directly or indirectly, to product liability, litigation or
claims against Buyer or Seller in connection with, arising out
of, or relating to products sold or shipped from the Facilities
by Buyer or Seller, respectively.
(f) Brokers and Finders. Pursuant
to the provisions of this Section 10.4, each of Buyer and
Seller shall indemnify, hold harmless and defend the other party
from the payment of any and all broker’s and finder’s
expenses, commissions, fees or other forms of compensation which
may be due or payable from or by the indemnifying party, or may
have been earned by any third party acting on behalf of the
indemnifying party in connection with the negotiation and
execution hereof and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby.
(g) Representatives. No individual
Representative of any party shall be personally liable for any
Damages under the provisions contained in this
Section 10.4. Nothing herein shall relieve either party of
any Liability to make any payment expressly required to be made
by such party pursuant to this Agreement.
(h) Limitation on
Indemnity. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
maximum aggregate amount of Damages Seller shall be liable
pursuant to this Section 10.4 shall be Twenty Million
Dollars ($20,000,000) in the aggregate; provided,
however, that the maximum aggregate amount of Damages
Seller shall be liable pursuant to this Section 10.4 with
respect to the Seldi Patent shall be Ten Million Dollars
($10,000,000).
10.5 Bulk Sales. It may not
be practicable to comply or attempt to comply with the
procedures of the “Bulk Sales Act” or similar law of
any or all of the states in which the Assets are situated or of
any other state which may be asserted to be applicable to the
transactions contemplated hereby. Accordingly, to induce Buyer
to waive any requirements for compliance with any or all of such
laws, Seller hereby agrees that the indemnity provisions of
Section 10.4 hereof shall apply to any Damages of Buyer
arising out of or resulting from the failure of Seller or Buyer
to comply with any such laws.
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10.6 Covenant Not to Compete.
(a) Recitals. Seller acknowledges
and agree that Seller has technical expertise associated with
the Business and is well known in the life sciences industry. In
addition, Seller has valuable business contacts with clients and
potential clients of the Business and with professionals in the
life sciences industry. Seller’s reputation and goodwill
are an integral part of its business success throughout the
areas where it conducts the Business. If Seller deprives Buyer
of any of Seller’s goodwill or in any manner uses its
reputation and goodwill in competition with the Business, Buyer
will be deprived of the benefits it has bargained for pursuant
to this Agreement. Since Seller has the ability to compete with
Buyer in the operation of the Business, Buyer therefore desires
that Seller enter into this Covenant Not To Compete. But for
Seller’s entry into this Covenant Not to Compete, Buyer
would not have entered into the Purchase Agreement with Seller.
(b) Covenant Not to
Compete. Seller agrees that for a period of
five (5) years after the Closing Date (the
“Term”), neither Seller nor any of its respective
Subsidiaries, unless acting in accordance with Buyer’s
prior written consent, shall, directly or indirectly, own,
manage, join, operate or control, or participate in the
ownership, management, operation or control of, or be connected
as a partner, consultant or otherwise with, or permit their
names to be used by or in connection with, any profit or
non-profit business or organization which produces, designs,
conducts research on, provides, sells, distributes or markets
products, goods, equipment or services which, directly competes
with the Business, as conducted by Seller immediately prior to
the Closing, anywhere in the world other than in the Clinical
Diagnostics Market (as that term is defined in the Cross-License
Agreement); it being understood that the foregoing shall not
limit Seller from (a) acquiring control of any company or
business which derives less than 2% of its revenues from a
business which competes directly with the Business as conducted
by Seller immediately prior to the Closing or (b) making
passive investments of less than 2% of the outstanding equity
securities in any entity listed for trading on a national stock
exchange or quoted on any recognized automatic quotation system.
(c) Severability of Provisions. If
any covenant set forth in this agreement is determined by any
court to be unenforceable by reason of its extending for too
great a period of time or over too great a geographic area, or
by reason of its being extensive in any other respect, such
covenant shall be interpreted to extend only for the longest
period of time and over the greatest geographic area, and to
otherwise have the broadest application as shall be enforceable.
The invalidity or unenforceability of any particular provision
of this agreement shall not affect the other provisions hereof,
which shall continue in full force and effect. Without limiting
the foregoing, the covenants contained herein shall be construed
as separate covenants, covering their respective subject
matters, with respect to each of the separate cities, counties
and states of the United States, and each other country, and
political subdivision thereof, in which any of Seller or its
successors now transacts any business.
(d) Injunctive Relief. Seller
acknowledges that (i) the provisions of
Section 10.6(b) and (c) are reasonable and necessary
to protect the legitimate interests of Buyer, and (ii) any
violation of paragraphs (b) or (c) of this
Section 10.6 will result in irreparable injury to Buyer,
the exact amount of which will be difficult to ascertain, and
that the remedies at law for any such violation would not be
reasonable or adequate compensation to Buyer for such a
violation. Accordingly, Seller agrees that if Seller violates
the provisions of Section 10.6(b) or (c), in addition to
any other remedy which may be available at law or in equity,
Buyer shall be entitled to specific performance and injunctive
relief, without posting bond or other security, and without the
necessity of proving actual damages.
10.7 Taxes. Subject to
Section 2.6, Seller shall pay, or cause to be paid, when
due all Taxes for which Seller is or may be liable or that are
or may become payable with respect to all taxable periods ending
on or prior to the Closing Date.
ARTICLE XI
TERMINATION
11.1 Termination.
(a) Termination. This Agreement
may be terminated at any time prior to Closing:
(i) By mutual written consent of Buyer and Seller; or
(ii) By Buyer or Seller if the Closing shall not have
occurred on or before November 1, 2006; provided, however,
that this right to terminate this Agreement shall not be
available to any party whose failure to fulfill
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any obligation under this Agreement has been the primary cause
of, or resulted in, the failure of such consummation to occur on
or before such date;
(iii) By Buyer or Seller, if Seller’s stockholders
vote not to approve the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement at a duly convened special meeting of stockholders
called for the purpose of approving such transactions(or any
adjournment or postponement thereof); or
(iv) By Seller, if prior to the Closing and after
compliance in all material respects with the applicable
provisions of Section 6.2, the Company elects to enter into
a binding agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal.
(b) In the Event of
Termination. In the event of termination of
this Agreement:
(i) Each party will redeliver all documents, work papers
and other material of any other party relating to the
transactions contemplated hereby, whether so obtained before or
after the execution hereof, to the party furnishing the same;
(ii) The provisions of the Confidentiality Agreement shall
continue in full force and effect;
(iii) Buyer agrees, in consideration of Seller entering
into this Agreement, that in the event that (A) Seller
terminates this Agreement in accordance with
Section 11.1(a)(ii) as a result of the conditions to
Seller’s obligations to close specified in Article VII
not having been satisfied (provided that at such time all of the
conditions to Buyer’s obligation to close specified in
Article VIII have been satisfied by Seller or validly
waived), or (B) Buyer terminates this Agreement
(i) for any reason prior to November 1, 2006, or
(ii) for any reason after November 1, 2006 (provided
that at such time all of the conditions to Buyer’s
obligation to close specified in Article VIII have been
satisfied by Seller or validly waived), Buyer shall, within two
(2) days after such termination, pay Seller an amount equal
to Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000); and
(iv) Seller agrees, in consideration of Buyer entering into
this Agreement, that in the event that (A) (i) Buyer
terminates this Agreement in accordance with
Section 11.1(a)(ii) as a result of the conditions to
Buyer’s obligations to close specified in Article VIII
not having been satisfied (provided that at such time all of the
conditions to Seller’s obligation to close specified in
Article VII have been satisfied by Buyer or validly
waived), or (ii) Seller terminates this Agreement
(a) for any reason prior to November 1, 2006, or
(b) for any reason after November 1, 2006 (provided
that, except in the case of termination by Seller for the reason
set forth in Section 11.1(a)(iv), at such time all of the
conditions to Seller’s obligation to close specified in
Article VII have been satisfied by Buyer or validly
waived), or (B) Buyer or Seller terminates this Agreement
in accordance with Section 11.1(a)(iii) and within
9 months thereafter Seller closes a transaction in which it
sells or otherwise transfers all or substantially all of the
assets comprising the Business to a third party, then (if any of
the events set forth in (A) or (B) occur) Seller
shall, within two (2) days after such termination or
closing, as applicable, pay Buyer an amount equal to Two Million
Dollars ($2,000,000).
ARTICLE XII
MISCELLANEOUS
12.1 Assignment. Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights or obligations hereunder
may be assigned by either party without the prior written
consent of the other party. Subject to the foregoing, this
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the
parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted
assigns, and no other person shall have any right, benefit or
obligation under this Agreement as a third party beneficiary or
otherwise.
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12.2 Notices. All notices,
requests, demands and other communications which are required or
may be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall
be deemed to have been duly given when received if personally
delivered; when transmitted if transmitted by telecopy,
electronic or digital transmission method; the day after it is
sent, if sent for next day delivery to a domestic address by
recognized overnight delivery service (e.g., Federal
Express); and upon receipt, if sent by certified or registered
mail, return receipt requested. In each case notice shall be
sent to:
If to Seller, addressed to:
|
||
Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc. | ||
0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx | ||
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 | ||
Attention: President and CEO;
and
Vice President of Business Development |
With a copy to:
|
||
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx | ||
000 Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx | ||
Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 | ||
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxx, Esq. |
If to Buyer, addressed to:
|
||
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. | ||
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx | ||
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 | ||
Attention: General Counsel |
or to such other place and with such other copies as either
party may designate as to itself by written notice to the party.
12.3 Choice of Law. This
Agreement shall be construed, interpreted and the rights of the
parties determined in accordance with the laws of the State of
California (without reference to the choice of law provisions),
except with respect to matters of law concerning the internal
corporate affairs of any corporate entity which is a party to or
the subject of this Agreement.
12.4 Entire Agreement; Amendments and
Waivers. This Agreement, the Ancillary
Agreements, together with all exhibits and schedules hereto and
thereto (including the Disclosure Schedule), and the
Confidentiality Agreement constitutes the entire agreement
between the parties pertaining to the subject matter hereof and
supersedes all prior agreements, understandings, negotiations
and discussions, whether oral or written, of the parties. This
Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing
signed on behalf of each of the parties hereto. No amendment,
supplement, modification or waiver of this Agreement shall be
binding unless executed in writing by the party to be bound
thereby. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement
shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other
provision hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver
constitute a continuing waiver unless otherwise expressly
provided.
12.5 Multiple
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed
in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an
original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same instrument.
12.6 Expenses. Except as
otherwise specified in this Agreement, each party hereto shall
pay its own legal, accounting,
out-of-pocket
and other expenses incident to this Agreement and to any action
taken by such party in preparation for carrying this Agreement
into effect.
12.7 Invalidity. In the
event that any one or more of the provisions contained in this
Agreement or in any other instrument referred to herein, shall,
for any reason, be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable
in any respect, then to the maximum extent permitted by law,
such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect
any other provision of this Agreement or any other such
instrument.
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12.8 Titles; Gender. The
titles, captions or headings of the Articles and Sections
herein, and the use of a particular gender, are for convenience
of reference only and are not intended to be a part of or to
affect or restrict the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
12.9 Public Statements and Press
Releases. The parties hereto covenant and
agree that, except as provided for hereinbelow, each will not
from and after the date hereof make, issue or release any public
announcement, press release, statement or acknowledgment of the
existence of, or reveal publicly the terms, conditions and
status of, the transactions provided for herein, without the
prior written consent of the other party as to the content and
time of release of and the media in which such statement or
announcement is to be made; provided, however,
that in the case of announcements, statements, acknowledgments
or revelations which either party is required by law to make,
issue or release, the making, issuing or releasing of any such
announcement, statement, acknowledgment or revelation by the
party so required to do so by law shall not constitute a breach
of this Agreement if such party shall have given, to the extent
reasonably possible, not less than two (2) calendar days
prior notice to the other party, and shall have attempted, to
the extent reasonably possible, to clear such announcement,
statement, acknowledgment or revelation with the other party.
Each party hereto agrees that it will not unreasonably withhold
any such consent or clearance. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the parties agree to issue a mutually agreed upon joint press
release on or about the date of execution of this Agreement
announcing the existence of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated herein.
12.10 Cumulative
Remedies. All rights and remedies of either
party hereto are cumulative of each other and of every other
right or remedy such party may otherwise have at law or in
equity, and the exercise of one or more rights or remedies shall
not prejudice or impair the concurrent or subsequent exercise of
other rights or remedies.
12.11 Service of Process, Consent to
Jurisdiction.
(a) Service of Process. Each
parties hereto irrevocably consents to the service of any
process, pleading, notices or other papers by the mailing of
copies thereof by registered, certified or first class mail,
postage prepaid, to such party at such party’s address set
forth herein, or by any other method provided or permitted under
California law.
(b) Consent and Jurisdiction. Each
party hereto irrevocably and unconditionally (1) agrees
that any suit, action or other legal proceeding arising out of
this Agreement may be brought in the United States District
Court for the Northern District of California or, if such court
does not have jurisdiction or will not accept jurisdiction, in
any court of general jurisdiction in Contra Costa County,
California; (2) consents to the jurisdiction or any such
court in any such suit, action or proceeding; and
(3) waives any objection which such party may have to the
laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in any
such court.
12.12 Attorneys’
Fees. If any party to this Agreement brings
an action to enforce its rights under this Agreement, the
prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its costs and
expenses, including without limitation reasonable
attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with such action,
including any appeal of such action.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed on their respective behalf, by
their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, all as of
the day and year first above written.
CIPHERGEN BIOSYSTEMS, INC.
|
BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC. | |
By:
/s/
/s/ Xxxx
X. Page
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By:
/s/ /s/ Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx |
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Name: Xxxx X. Page
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Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
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Title: President and CEO
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Title: Vice President and
General Counsel
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A-40