AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER by and among INTUIT INC. ELAN ACQUISITION CORPORATION and ELECTRONIC CLEARING HOUSE, INC. Dated as of December 19, 2007
Exhibit
2.1
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF
MERGER
by
and among
INTUIT
INC.
ELAN
ACQUISITION
CORPORATION
and
ELECTRONIC
CLEARING HOUSE,
INC.
Dated
as
of December 19, 2007
ARTICLE
I
|
THE
MERGER
|
1
|
1.1
|
The
Merger
|
1
|
1.2
|
Effective
Time; Closing
|
2
|
1.3
|
Effect
of the Merger
|
2
|
1.4
|
Articles
of Incorporation and Bylaws of Surviving Corporation
|
2
|
1.5
|
Directors
and Officers of Surviving Corporation
|
3
|
1.6
|
Effect
on Capital Stock
|
3
|
1.7
|
Dissenting
Shares
|
4
|
1.8
|
Surrender
of Certificates
|
5
|
1.9
|
No
Further Ownership Rights in Shares
|
7
|
1.10
|
Lost,
Stolen or Destroyed Certificates
|
7
|
1.11
|
Taking
of Necessary Action; Further Action
|
7
|
ARTICLE
II
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF COMPANY
|
7
|
2.1
|
Organization
and Qualification; Subsidiaries
|
8
|
2.2
|
Articles
of Incorporation and Bylaws
|
8
|
2.3
|
Capitalization
|
9
|
2.4
|
Authority
Relative to this Agreement
|
11
|
2.5
|
No
Conflict; Required Filings and Consents
|
11
|
2.6
|
Compliance
|
12
|
2.7
|
SEC
Filings; Financial Statements; Internal Controls
|
13
|
2.8
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
15
|
2.9
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
15
|
2.10
|
Absence
of Litigation
|
15
|
2.11
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
16
|
2.12
|
Proxy
Statement
|
21
|
2.13
|
Restrictions
on Business Activities
|
22
|
2.14
|
Title
to Property
|
22
|
2.15
|
Taxes
|
23
|
2.16
|
Environmental
Matters
|
25
|
2.17
|
Third
Party Expenses
|
26
|
2.18
|
Intellectual
Property
|
27
|
2.19
|
Contracts
|
31
|
2.20
|
Customers
and Suppliers
|
34
|
i
2.21
|
Insurance
|
34
|
2.22
|
Opinion
of Financial Advisor
|
34
|
2.23
|
Board
Approval
|
34
|
2.24
|
Vote
Required
|
35
|
2.25
|
State
Takeover Statutes; Rights Agreement
|
35
|
2.26
|
Transactions
with Affiliates
|
35
|
2.27
|
Illegal
Payments, Etc
|
35
|
2.28
|
Privacy
|
35
|
2.29
|
Compliance
With Applicable Standards; Merchant Agreements
|
36
|
2.30
|
Federal
Reserve Regulations
|
38
|
ARTICLE
III
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
|
38
|
3.1
|
Corporate
Organization
|
38
|
3.2
|
Authority
Relative to this Agreement
|
38
|
3.3
|
No
Conflict; Required Filings and Consents
|
39
|
3.4
|
Proxy
Statement
|
39
|
3.5
|
Sufficient
Funds
|
40
|
3.6
|
No
Business Activities
|
40
|
3.7
|
Ownership
of Company Stock
|
40
|
ARTICLE
IV
|
CONDUCT
PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE TIME
|
40
|
4.1
|
Conduct
of Business by Company
|
40
|
4.2
|
No
Control
|
44
|
ARTICLE
V
|
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
|
44
|
5.1
|
Proxy
Statement
|
44
|
5.2
|
Meeting
of Company Stockholders
|
44
|
5.3
|
Confidentiality;
Access to Information
|
46
|
5.4
|
No
Solicitation
|
46
|
5.5
|
Public
Disclosure
|
49
|
5.6
|
Rights
Agreement
|
50
|
5.7
|
Reasonable
Efforts; Notification
|
50
|
5.8
|
Third
Party Consents; Other Actions
|
51
|
5.9
|
Indemnification
|
52
|
5.10
|
Regulatory
Filings; Reasonable Efforts
|
53
|
ii
5.11
|
Termination
of Certain Benefit Plans
|
53
|
5.12
|
Employee
Benefits
|
54
|
5.13
|
FIRPTA
Certificate
|
54
|
ARTICLE
VI
|
CONDITIONS
TO THE MERGER
|
55
|
6.1
|
Conditions
to Obligations of Each Party to Effect the Merger
|
55
|
6.2
|
Additional
Conditions to Obligations of Company
|
55
|
6.3
|
Additional
Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub
|
56
|
ARTICLE
VII
|
TERMINATION,
AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
|
58
|
7.1
|
Termination
|
58
|
7.2
|
Notice
of Termination; Effect of Termination
|
61
|
7.3
|
Fees
and Expenses
|
61
|
7.4
|
Amendment
|
63
|
7.5
|
Extension;
Waiver
|
63
|
ARTICLE
VIII
|
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
|
64
|
8.1
|
Non-Survival
of Representations and Warranties
|
64
|
8.2
|
Notices
|
64
|
8.3
|
Interpretation;
Knowledge
|
65
|
8.4
|
Counterparts
|
67
|
8.5
|
Entire
Agreement; Third Party Beneficiaries
|
67
|
8.6
|
Severability
|
67
|
8.7
|
Other
Remedies; Specific Performance
|
67
|
8.8
|
Governing
Law
|
68
|
8.9
|
Rules
of Construction
|
68
|
8.10
|
Assignment
|
68
|
8.11
|
Waiver
of Jury Trial
|
68
|
INDEX
OF
EXHIBITS
|
Exhibit
A
|
Form
of Company Voting Agreement
|
iii
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF
MERGER
THIS
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER is made and entered into as of December 19,
2007 (the “Agreement”),
by and among Intuit Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), Elan Acquisition
Corporation, a Nevada corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Parent (“Merger
Sub”), and Electronic Clearing House, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the
“Company”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
the Boards of Directors of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company have each
determined that it is in the best interests of their respective stockholders
for
Parent to acquire the Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions
set
forth herein.
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has unanimously
(i) determined that the Merger (as defined in Section 1.1
hereof) is advisable and fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company
and
its stockholders, and (ii) approved this Agreement, the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Transactions”), and (iii)
resolved, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, to recommend
the approval of this Agreement by the stockholders of the Company.
WHEREAS,
concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, as a condition and material
inducement to Parent’s willingness to enter into this Agreement, all executive
officers and directors of the Company and all of their respective affiliates,
in
their capacity as stockholders of the Company, are entering into voting
agreements in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the
“Company
Voting
Agreements”), pursuant to which each such stockholder has agreed, among
other things, to vote his, her or its Shares (as defined in Section 1.6(a)
hereof) in favor of the Merger.
WHEREAS,
concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, as a condition and material
inducement to Parent’s willingness to enter into this Agreement, the Chief
Executive Officer of the Company is entering into a non-competition agreement
(the “Non-Competition
Agreement”) and an offer letter with Parent.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants, promises and representations
set
forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as
follows:
ARTICLE
I
THE
MERGER
1.1 The
Merger. At the Effective Time (as defined in Section 1.2
hereof) and subject to and upon the terms and conditions of this Agreement
and
the applicable provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes (“Nevada Law”), Merger Sub shall
be merged with and into the Company (the “Merger”), the separate
corporate existence of Merger Sub shall cease and the Company shall continue
as
the surviving corporation. The Company, as the surviving corporation after
the
Merger, is hereinafter sometimes referred to as the “Surviving
Corporation.”
1
1.2 Effective
Time;
Closing. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this
Agreement, the parties hereto shall cause the Merger to be consummated by filing
articles of merger (the “Articles of Merger”) with the
Secretary of State of the State of Nevada in accordance with the relevant
provisions of Nevada Law (the time of such filing (or such later time as may
be
agreed in writing by the Company and Parent and specified in the Articles of
Merger) being the “Effective
Time”) as soon as practicable on or after the Closing Date (as herein
defined). Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Agreement” as used herein
refers collectively to this Agreement and Plan of Merger (as the same may be
amended from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof) and the Articles
of Merger. The closing of the Merger (the “Closing”) shall take place
at
the offices of O’Melveny & Xxxxx LLP, Embarcadero Center West,
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, at a time
and date to be specified by the parties hereto, which shall be no later than
the
second business day after the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set
forth
in Article VI
hereof (other than those conditions, which by their terms, are to be satisfied
or waived on the Closing Date), or at such other time, date and location as
the
parties hereto agree in writing (the “Closing Date”).
1.3 Effect
of the
Merger. At the Effective Time, the effect of the Merger shall
be as provided in this Agreement and the applicable provisions of Nevada
Law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject
thereto, at the Effective Time all of the assets, properties, rights,
privileges, powers and franchises of the Company and Merger Sub shall vest
in
the Surviving Corporation, and all of the debts, liabilities, obligations,
restrictions and duties of the Company and Merger Sub shall become the debts,
liabilities, obligations, restrictions and duties of the Surviving
Corporation.
1.4 Articles
of Incorporation
and Bylaws of Surviving Corporation.
(a) Articles
of
Incorporation. As of the Effective Time, by virtue of the
Merger and without any action on the part of Merger Sub or the Company, the
Articles of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation shall be amended and
restated to read the same as the Articles of Incorporation of Merger Sub, as
in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, until thereafter amended in
accordance with Nevada Law and such Articles of Incorporation; provided, however, that as of
the Effective Time the Articles of Incorporation shall provide that the name
of
the Surviving Corporation is “Electronic Clearing House, Inc.”
(b) Bylaws. As
of the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the
part of Merger Sub or the Company, the Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation
shall
be amended and restated to read the same as the Bylaws of Merger Sub, as in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, until thereafter amended in
accordance with Nevada Law, the Articles of Incorporation of the Surviving
Corporation and such Bylaws; provided, however, that all
references in such Bylaws to Merger Sub shall be deemed to refer to “Electronic
Clearing House, Inc.”
2
1.5 Directors
and Officers of
Surviving Corporation.
(a) Directors. The
initial directors of the Surviving Corporation shall be the directors of Merger
Sub as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, until their respective
successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified.
(b) Officers. The
initial officers of the Surviving Corporation shall be the officers of Merger
Sub as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, until their respective
successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified.
1.6 Effect
on Capital
Stock. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this
Agreement, at the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action
on the part of Merger Sub, the Company or the holders of any of the following
securities, the following shall occur:
(a) Conversion
of
Shares. Each share of Company Common Stock (as defined in
Section 2.3(a) hereof), including the associated right (the “Rights”) to purchase one
one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
(“Series A Preferred
Stock”), or in certain circumstances Company Common Stock, pursuant to
the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated as of January 29, 2003 (the
“Rights Agreement”), by
and between the Company and OTR, Inc., as Rights Agent, (the “Shares”) issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than any Shares
to be
canceled pursuant to Section 1.6(b) hereof
and any Dissenting Shares (as defined in Section 1.7
hereof)), will be canceled and extinguished and automatically converted into
the
right to receive, upon surrender of the certificate representing such Share
in
the manner provided in Section 1.8
hereof (or in the case of a lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, upon delivery
of an affidavit (and bond, if required) in the manner provided in Section 1.10
hereof), cash, without interest, in an amount equal to Seventeen Dollars
($17.00) per Share (the “Merger
Consideration”).
(b) Cancellation
of Treasury and
Parent-Owned Shares. Each Share held by the Company or owned
by Merger Sub, Parent or any direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of
the
Company or of Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be canceled
and extinguished without any conversion thereof.
(c) Capital
Stock of Merger
Sub. Each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
Merger Sub (the “Merger Sub
Common Stock”) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time shall be converted into one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable
share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Surviving
Corporation. Each certificate evidencing ownership of shares of
Merger Sub Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall evidence ownership of such shares of capital stock of the Surviving
Corporation.
(d) Equity
Awards. The Company shall, prior to the Effective Time, take
such action, adopt such amendments, and obtain all such consents, as shall
be
required: (i) as to any Company Stock Options (as defined in Section 2.3(a)),
shares of Company Restricted Stock (as defined in Section 2.3(a)) (including
those shares issued pursuant to the acceleration of Long-Term Incentive
Restricted Stock Grants (as defined in Section 2.3(a)) as a result of this
Section 1.6(d)), Long-Term Incentive Restricted Stock Grants and Long-Term
Incentive Phantom Stock Grants (as defined in Section 2.3(a)) that are
outstanding and unvested immediately prior to the Effective Time, to cause
such
Company Stock Options, shares of Company Restricted Stock, Long-Term Incentive
Restricted Stock Grants and Long-Term Incentive Phantom Stock
Grants to be fully vested immediately prior to the Effective Time;
(ii) as to any Long-Term Incentive Restricted Stock Grants that are accelerated
as a result of this Section 1.6(d), to issue shares of Company Restricted Stock
in respect thereof upon such acceleration; (iii) as to any shares of Company
Restricted Stock (including those issued pursuant to the acceleration of
Long-Term Incentive Restricted Stock Grants as a result of this Section 1.6(d)),
to cause such shares to be treated in accordance with Section 1.6(a) at the
Effective Time; and (iv) to cancel, immediately prior to the Effective Time,
all
then-outstanding Company Stock Options and Long-Term Incentive Phantom Stock
Grants such that the holder of any such Company Stock Option or Long-Term
Incentive Phantom Stock Grant shall have no further interest in such Company
Stock Option or Long-Term Incentive Phantom Stock Grants, or right in
respect thereof or with respect thereto, other than the right to receive such
cash consideration as determined pursuant to the next three
sentences. With respect to each Company Stock Option that has a per
share exercise price that is less than the Merger Consideration and is so
cancelled, the holder of such Company Stock Option shall be entitled to receive
for such Company Stock Option (the “Option Consideration”)
(subject to any applicable withholding tax) cash equal to the product of (A)
the
number of shares of Company Common Stock as to which the portion of the Company
Stock Option that is so cancelled could be exercised, multiplied by (B) the
Merger Consideration less the per share exercise price of such portion of the
Company Stock Option. In the case of a Company Stock Option having a per share
exercise price equal to or greater than the Merger Consideration, such Company
Stock Option shall be cancelled without the payment of cash or issuance of
other
securities in respect thereof. With respect to each Long-Term
Incentive Phantom Stock Grant, the holder of such Long-Term Incentive Phantom
Stock Grant shall be entitled to receive for such Long-Term Incentive Phantom
Stock Grant (the “Phantom Stock
Consideration”) (subject to any applicable withholding tax) cash equal to
the product of (A) the number of shares of phantom stock subject to such
Long-Term Incentive Phantom Stock Grant, multiplied by (B) the Merger
Consideration. As soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective
Time, Parent shall deliver to the Surviving Corporation an amount equal to
the
sum of the aggregate Option Consideration and the aggregate Phantom Stock
Consideration payable to holders of Company Stock Options and Long-Term
Incentive Phantom Stock Grants that were converted into the right to receive
Option Consideration and Phantom Stock Consideration pursuant to this Section 1.6(d), and
the Surviving Corporation shall promptly deliver the Option Consideration and
Phantom Stock Consideration to such holders of Company Stock Options and
Long-Term Incentive Phantom Stock Grants.
3
1.7 Dissenting
Shares.
(a) Notwithstanding
any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, any shares of Company Common
Stock that are issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
and that are held by a stockholder of the Company who has properly exercised
his, her or its dissenter’s rights under Nevada Law (the “Dissenting Shares”) shall not
be converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration pursuant to
Section 1.6(a),
but, instead, such shares shall be converted into the right to receive such
consideration as may be determined to be due with respect to such Dissenting
Shares pursuant to and subject to the requirements of Nevada Law. If any such
holder shall have failed to perfect, or shall have effectively withdrawn or
lost, his, her or its right to dissent from the Merger under Nevada Law, each
share of such holder’s Company Common Stock shall thereupon be deemed to have
been converted, as of the Effective Time, into the right to receive the Merger
Consideration, without any interest thereon, upon surrender, in the manner
provided in Section 1.8
hereof, of the certificate or certificates that formerly evidenced such Shares.
The Company shall give Parent (i) prompt notice of any notice or demands for
appraisal or payment for shares of Company Common Stock received by the Company,
and (ii) the opportunity to direct all negotiations and proceedings with
respect to demands for appraisal under Nevada Law. The Company shall
not, except with the prior written consent of Parent, make any payment with
respect to any demands for appraisal or offer to settle or settle any such
demands.
4
1.8 Surrender
of
Certificates.
(a) Paying
Agent. Prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall select a bank
or trust company reasonably acceptable to the Company to act as agent (the
“Paying Agent”) for the
holders of Shares to receive the funds to which holders of Shares shall become
entitled pursuant to Section 1.6(a). As
soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time, Parent shall deposit,
or cause Merger Sub to deposit, with the Paying Agent, for the benefit of the
holders of Shares, cash in an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate Merger
Consideration. The deposit made by Parent or Merger Sub, as the case
may be, pursuant to this Section 1.8(a) is
hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Fund.” If such funds
are insufficient to make the payments contemplated by Section 1.6(a),
Parent shall promptly deposit, or cause to be deposited, additional funds with
the Paying Agent in an amount that is equal to the deficiency in the amount
funds required to make such payment. Parent shall instruct the Paying
Agent to cause the Exchange Fund to be (i) held for the benefit of
the holders of the Shares, and (ii) applied promptly to make the payments
provided for in Section 1.6(a) in
accordance with this Section
1.8. The Exchange Fund shall be invested by the Paying Agent
as directed by Parent.
(b) Payment
Procedures. As soon as reasonably practicable after the
Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Paying Agent to mail to each holder
of
record (as of the Effective Time) of a certificate or certificates (the “Certificates”), which
immediately prior to the Effective Time represented the outstanding Shares
converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration, (i) a letter
of transmittal in customary form (which shall specify that delivery shall be
effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only
upon delivery of the Certificates (or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof and
any
required bond in accordance with Section 1.10) to the
Paying Agent and shall contain such other provisions as Parent or the Paying
Agent may reasonably specify) and (ii) instructions for use in effecting
the surrender of the Certificates in exchange for the Merger Consideration
(which instructions shall include provisions for payment of the Merger
Consideration to a person other than the person in whose name the surrendered
Certificate is registered on the transfer books of the Company, subject to
receipt of appropriate documentation and payment of any applicable
taxes). Upon surrender of Certificates for cancellation (or
affidavits of loss in lieu thereof together with any required bond in accordance
with Section
1.10) to the Paying Agent or to such other agent or agents as may be
appointed by Parent, together with such letter of transmittal, duly completed
and validly executed in accordance with the instructions thereto, the holders
of
such Certificates formerly representing the Shares shall be entitled to receive
in exchange therefor the Merger Consideration, and the Certificates so
surrendered shall forthwith be canceled. Until so surrendered,
outstanding Certificates shall be deemed from and after the Effective Time,
for
all corporate purposes, to evidence only the right to receive the Merger
Consideration. Promptly following surrender of any such Certificates,
the Paying Agent shall deliver to the record holders thereof, without interest,
the Merger Consideration.
5
(c) Payments
with respect to
Unsurrendered Shares; No Liability. At any time following the
one (1) year anniversary of the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall
be entitled to require the Paying Agent to deliver to it any portion of the
Exchange Fund that remains unclaimed by the holders of Shares (including,
without limitation, all interest and other income received by the Paying Agent
in respect of all funds made available to it), and, thereafter, such holders
shall be entitled to look to the Surviving Corporation (subject to abandoned
property, escheat and other similar laws) only as general creditors thereof
with
respect to any Merger Consideration that may be payable upon due surrender
of
the Certificates held by them. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither
Parent, the Surviving Corporation nor the Paying Agent shall be liable to any
holder of a Share for any Merger Consideration delivered in respect of such
Share to a public official pursuant to any abandoned property, escheat or other
similar law.
(d) Transfers
of
Ownership. If the payment of the Merger Consideration is to be
paid to a person other than the person in whose name the Certificates
surrendered in exchange therefor are registered, it will be a condition of
payment that the Certificates so surrendered be properly endorsed and otherwise
in proper form for transfer (including without limitation, if requested by
Parent or the Paying Agent, a medallion guarantee), and that the persons
requesting such payment will have paid to Parent or any agent designated by
it
any transfer or other taxes required by reason of the payment of the Merger
Consideration to a person other than the registered holder of the Certificates
surrendered, or established to the reasonable satisfaction of Parent or any
agent designated by it that such tax has been paid or is not
applicable.
(e) Required
Withholding. Each of the Paying Agent, Parent and the
Surviving Corporation shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any
consideration payable or otherwise deliverable pursuant to this Agreement to
any
holder or former holder of Shares or Company Stock Options such amounts as
may
be required to be deducted or withheld therefrom under the Code (as defined
in
Section 2.11(a)
hereof) or under any provision of state, local or foreign tax law or under
any
other applicable Legal Requirement (as defined in Section 2.3(a)
hereof). To the extent such amounts are so deducted or withheld, such
amounts shall be treated for all purposes under this Agreement as having been
paid to the person to whom such amounts would otherwise have been paid (in
respect of which Parent, the Paying Agent or the Surviving Company, as the
case
may be, made such deductions and withholdings).
6
(f) Adjustments. If
during the period from the date of this Agreement through the Effective Time,
any change in the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock or the shares
of
Company Common Stock issuable upon conversion, exercise or exchange of
securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into or for shares of
Company Common Stock, shall occur by reason of any reclassification,
recapitalization, stock split or combination, exchange or readjustment of shares
of Company Common Stock, or any similar transaction, or any stock dividend
thereon with a record date during such period, the Merger Consideration shall
be
appropriately adjusted to reflect such change.
1.9 No
Further Ownership Rights
in Shares. Payment of the Merger Consideration shall be deemed
to have been paid in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to the Shares,
and there shall be no further registration of transfers on the records of the
Surviving Corporation of the Shares which were outstanding immediately prior
to
the Effective Time. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates are
presented to the Surviving Corporation for any reason, they shall be canceled
and exchanged as provided in this Article
I.
1.10 Lost,
Stolen or Destroyed
Certificates. In the event that any Certificates shall have
been lost, stolen or destroyed, the Paying Agent shall pay in exchange for
such
lost, stolen or destroyed Certificates, upon the making of an affidavit of
that
fact by the holder thereof, the Merger Consideration payable with respect
thereto; provided,
however, that Parent may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent
to the payment of such Merger Consideration, require the owner of such lost,
stolen or destroyed Certificates to deliver a bond in such reasonable and
customary amount as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be
made against Parent, the Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent with respect
to the Certificates alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
1.11 Taking
of Necessary Action;
Further Action. If, at any time after the Effective Time, any
further action is necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this
Agreement and to vest the Surviving Corporation with full right, title and
possession to all assets, property, rights, privileges, powers and franchises
of
the Company and Merger Sub, the officers and directors of the Company and Merger
Sub will take all such lawful and reasonably necessary action.
ARTICLE
II
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF
COMPANY
The
Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub, subject only
to
exceptions disclosed in writing in the disclosure schedule supplied by the
Company to Parent dated as of the date hereof and certified by a duly authorized
officer of the Company (the “Company Schedule”), as
follows:
7
2.1 Organization
and
Qualification; Subsidiaries.
(a) Each
of the Company and its subsidiaries is a corporation duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation and has the requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease
and operate its assets and properties and to carry on its business as it is
now
being conducted and as proposed by the Company to be conducted. Each
of the Company and its subsidiaries is in possession of all franchises, grants,
authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates, approvals
and orders (“Approvals”)
necessary to own, lease and operate the properties it purports to own, operate
or lease and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and as
proposed by the Company to be conducted. except where any failure to possess
such Approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The
Company has no subsidiaries except for the corporations identified in Section 2.1(b) of the
Company Schedule. Section 2.1(b) of the
Company Schedule also (i) sets forth the form of ownership and percentage
interest of the Company in each of its subsidiaries, (ii) to the extent that
a
subsidiary set forth thereon is not wholly owned by the Company, lists the
other
persons or entities who have an interest in such subsidiary and sets forth
the
percentage of each such interest, and (iii) identifies each of the directors
and
officers of each such subsidiary. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has agreed to make nor is obligated to make nor is bound by any
written, oral or other agreement, contract, subcontract, lease, mortgage,
indenture, understanding, arrangement, instrument, note, bond, option, warranty,
purchase order, license, sublicense, insurance policy, benefit plan, permit,
franchise or other instrument, obligation or commitment or undertaking of any
nature (a “Contract”),
in effect as of the date hereof or as may hereafter be in effect under which
it
may become obligated to make, any future investment in or capital contribution
to any other entity. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
directly or indirectly owns any equity or similar interest in or any interest
convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for, any equity or similar interest
in,
any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture or other
business, association or entity.
(c) The
Company and each of its subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a
foreign corporation, and is in good standing, under the laws of all
jurisdictions where the character of the properties owned, leased or operated
by
it or the nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary, except
where failures to be so qualified and in good standing would not, individually
or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect
on
the Company.
2.2 Articles
of Incorporation
and Bylaws. The Company has previously furnished to Parent
(i) a complete and correct copy of its Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
as amended to date (together, the “Company Charter Documents”)
and (ii) the equivalent organizational documents for each subsidiary of the
Company, each as amended to date. The Company is not in violation of
any of the provisions of the Company Charter Documents, and no subsidiary of
the
Company is in violation of its equivalent organizational
documents.
8
2.3 Capitalization.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 36,000,000 shares of Company
common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Company Common Stock”) and
5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value of $0.01 per share (“Company Preferred Stock”), of
which 500,000 shares have been designated as Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock. At the close of business on the date of this
Agreement (i) 7,034,379 shares of Company Common Stock were issued and
outstanding (not including 38,269 shares of Company Common Stock held by the
Company as treasury stock), all of which are validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable, of which 116,195 shares were Company Restricted Stock (of which
(x) 94,195 shares of Company Restricted Stock were granted under the 2003 Option
Plan (as defined below), (y) no shares of Company Restricted Stock were granted
under the 1992 Option Plan (as defined below), and (z) 22,000 shares of Company
Restricted Stock were granted outside of the Company Option Plans (as defined
below)); (ii) no shares of Company Common Stock were held by subsidiaries
of the Company; (iii) 659,300 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved
for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options to purchase Company Common
Stock under the Company’s 2003 Incentive Stock Option Plan (the “2003 Option Plan”), 149,000
shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to
outstanding incentive grants of future restricted stock awards (the
“Long-Term Incentive Restricted
Stock Grants”) under the 2003 Option Plan, 25,000 shares of phantom stock
were reserved for issuance pursuant to outstanding cash-settled incentive
phantom stock grants (the “Long-Term Incentive Phantom
Stock
Grants”) under the 2003 Option Plan, and 214,824 shares of Company Common
Stock were reserved for future issuance pursuant to the 2003 Option Plan;
(iv) 89,325 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for issuance upon
the exercise of outstanding options to purchase Company Common Stock under
the
Company’s 1992 Officers and Key Employees Incentive Stock Option Plan (the
“1992 Option Plan,” and
together with the 2003 Option Plan, the “Company Option Plans”), no
shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to
outstanding Long-Term Incentive Restricted Stock Grants under the 1992 Option
Plan, no shares of phantom stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to
Long-Term Incentive Phantom Stock Grants under the 1992 Option Plan, and no
shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for future issuance pursuant to
the
1992 Option Plan, (v) no shares of Company Common Stock were reserved
for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options to purchase Company Common
Stock granted outside of the Company Option Plans, and (vi) no shares of Company
Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding. No Long-Term Incentive
Restricted Stock Grants or Long-Term Incentive Phantom Stock Grants have been
granted by the Company other than under the Company Option
Plans. Section 2.3(a) of the
Company Schedule sets forth the following information with respect to each
Company stock option (“Company Stock Options”), each
share of Company Common Stock that is restricted, unvested or subject to a
repurchase option or other risk of forfeiture (“Company Restricted Stock”) and
each Long-Term Incentive Restricted Stock Grant and Long-Term Incentive Phantom
Stock Grant (collectively, “Incentive Grants,” and
collectively with the Company Stock Options and Company Restricted Stock, “Equity Awards”) outstanding as
of the date of this Agreement: (i) the name and address of the
Equity Award Holder; (ii) the particular Company Option Plan, if any,
pursuant to which such Equity Award was granted; (iii) the number of shares
of Company Common Stock subject to such Equity Award; (iv) for each Equity
Award that is a Company Stock Option, the exercise price of each Company Stock
Option; (v) the date on which such Equity Award was granted; (vi) the
date on which such Equity Award expires; and (vii) for each Equity Award
that is a Company Stock Option, whether such Company Stock Option is intended
to
qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of
the Code. All
Company Stock Options (including those that have been exercised, terminated,
expired, forfeited or otherwise cancelled) were issued at a strike price at
least equal to fair market value such that the fair market value on the grant
date equaled or exceeded the fair market value on the financial measurement
date
for each such Company Stock Option or, with respect to Company Stock Options
that were not issued in such a manner, the Company recorded an appropriate
compensation charge in its financial statements relating to such grants in
the
appropriate period and reported such in its financial statements and Returns
during the required period. The Company has made
available to Parent accurate and complete copies of all forms of agreements
pursuant to which outstanding Equity Awards have been issued. All
shares of Company Common Stock subject to issuance upon exercise of or otherwise
issuable under such Equity Awards, when issued on the terms and conditions
specified in the instrument pursuant to which they are issuable, will be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. There are
no commitments or agreements of any character to which the Company is bound
obligating the Company to accelerate the vesting of any Equity Award as a result
of the Transactions. All outstanding shares of Company Common Stock,
all outstanding Company Equity Awards and all outstanding shares of capital
stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been issued and granted in material
compliance with (i) all applicable Legal Requirements, and (ii) all requirements
set forth in applicable Contracts. For the purposes of this
Agreement, “Legal
Requirements” means any federal, state, local, municipal, foreign or
other law, statute, legislation, constitution, principle of common law,
resolution, ordinance, code, edict, order, judgment, decree, rule, regulation,
ruling or requirement issues, enacted, adopted, promulgated, implemented or
otherwise put into effect by or under the authority of any Governmental Entity
(as defined in Section
2.5(b) hereof). There are no declared or accrued but unpaid
dividends with respect to any shares of Company Common Stock.
9
(b) The
Company owns free and clear of all liens, pledges, hypothecations, charges,
mortgages, security interests, encumbrances, claims, interferences, options,
rights of first refusals, preemptive rights, community property interests or
restrictions of any nature (including any restriction on the voting of any
security, any restriction on the transfer of any security or other asset, any
restriction on the possession, exercise or transfer of any other attribute
of
ownership of any asset) (“Liens”), other than
restrictions on transfer imposed by federal and state securities laws, directly
or indirectly through one or more wholly owned subsidiaries, all issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock, partnership interests or similar ownership
interests of any subsidiary of the Company, and all issued and outstanding
securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, such shares
of
capital stock, partnership interests or similar ownership
interests. Except as set forth in Section 2.3(a)
hereof, there are no subscriptions, options, warrants, shares of capital stock,
partnership interests or similar ownership interests, calls, rights (including
preemptive rights), commitments or agreements of any character to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any
of
its subsidiaries is bound obligating the Company or any of its subsidiaries
to
issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold, or repurchase,
redeem or otherwise acquire, or cause the repurchase, redemption or acquisition
of, any shares of capital stock, partnership interests or similar ownership
interests of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or obligating the Company
or
any of its subsidiaries to grant, extend, accelerate the vesting of or enter
into any such subscription, option, warrant, call, right, commitment or
agreement. There are no outstanding or authorized stock appreciation,
phantom stock, profit participation, or other similar rights with respect to
the
Company or any of its subsidiaries. There are no registration rights
in respect of any shares of Company Common Stock, and except for the Company
Voting Agreements, there are no voting trusts, proxies, rights plans,
antitakeover plans or other agreements or understandings to which the Company
or
any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is bound with respect to any class of capital stock of the Company
or with respect to any class of capital stock, partnership interest or similar
ownership interest of any of its subsidiaries.
10
2.4 Authority
Relative to this
Agreement. The Company has all necessary corporate power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations
hereunder and to consummate, on the terms and subject to the conditions hereof
(including, without limitation, with respect to the Merger, the approval of
this
Agreement by holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares in accordance
with
Nevada Law), the Transactions. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the Transactions
have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on
the
part of the Company and no other corporate proceedings on the part of the
Company are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate the
Transactions (other than (x) with respect to the Merger, the approval of
this Agreement by holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares in accordance
with Nevada Law, and (y) the filing of the Articles of Merger as required
by Nevada Law). This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and
delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and
delivery by Parent and Merger Sub, constitute legal and binding obligations
of
the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization and
similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable
principles.
2.5 No
Conflict; Required
Filings and Consents.
(a) The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company does not, and the
performance of this Agreement by the Company will not, (i) conflict with or
violate the Company Charter Documents or the equivalent organizational documents
of any of the Company’s subsidiaries, (ii) subject, (x) with respect
to the Merger, to the approval of this Agreement by holders of a majority of
the
outstanding Shares in accordance with Nevada Law and (y) to compliance with
the requirements set forth in Section 2.5(b)
hereof, conflict with or violate in any material respect any Legal Requirements
applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or by which its or any
of
their respective properties is bound or affected, or (iii) conflict with or
violate, or result in any breach of or constitute a default (or an event that
with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or alter
the
rights or obligations of any third party under, or give to others any rights
of
termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the
creation of a Lien on any of the properties or assets of the Company or any
of
its subsidiaries pursuant to, any Company Contract to which the Company or
any
of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or its or any of their respective properties are bound or affected,
except to the extent such conflict, violation, breach, default, impairment
or
other effect would not in the case of clauses (ii) or (iii), individually
or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to (A) be material to the Company
and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or, following the Effective Time, Parent
or the Surviving Corporation, or (B) have a material adverse effect on the
ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or
consummate the Transactions without any material delay.
11
(b) The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company does not, and the
performance of this Agreement by the Company shall not, require any consent,
approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any
federal, state or foreign court, administrative agency, commission, governmental
or regulatory authority of competent jurisdiction, or any non-governmental
self-regulatory agency, commission or authority having (through authority
granted by a governmental agency or commission) the force of law (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except
in each case (i) for applicable requirements, if any, of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), state
securities Legal Requirements (“Blue Sky Laws”) and state
takeover laws, applicable requirements, if any, of the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx
Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”), applicable
pre-merger notification requirements of foreign Governmental Entities, the
rules
and regulations of the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Nasdaq”), and the filing
and
recordation of the Articles of Merger as required by Nevada Law, and
(ii) where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations
or permits, or to make such filings or notifications, would not, individually
or
in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to (A) be material to the Company
and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or, following the Effective Time, Parent
or the Surviving Corporation, or (B) have a material adverse effect on the
ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or
consummate the Transactions without any material delay.
2.6 Compliance.
(a) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in conflict with, or in default
or
violation of, any Legal Requirements applicable to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or by which its or any of their respective properties is bound
or
affected, except for any conflicts, defaults or violations that would not,
individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to be material to the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.
12
(b) The
Company’s and its subsidiaries’ material Approvals are in full force and effect,
and the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects
with the terms of each of such material Company Approval.
(c) The
use by any Person of any Company Product (as defined in Section 2.18(b)) as
such
Company Product is intended by the Company to be used will not cause such Person
to be in conflict with, or in default or violation of, any Legal Requirements,
PCI Standards (as defined in Section 2.29(a)),
CISP Requirements (as defined in Section 2.29(a)) or
NACHA Rules (as defined in Section
2.29(a)).
2.7 SEC
Filings; Financial
Statements;
Internal Controls.
(a) Each
report, schedule, form, registration statement, proxy statement and other
document filed or furnished by the Company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”)
since January 1, 2005 (together with all information incorporated by
reference therein, the “Company
SEC Reports”), which are all the reports, schedules, forms, statements
and documents required to be filed or furnished by the Company with the SEC
since January 1, 2004 (including any Company SEC Report filed after the
date of this Agreement): (i) was and will be prepared in all
material respects in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act
of
1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Exchange
Act and the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), in each
case, applicable to such Company SEC Report as of its respective date, as the
case may be, and (ii) did not and will not at the time it was filed (and if
amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date of this Agreement then
on
the date of such filing) contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to
make the statements therein (in light of the circumstances under which they
were
made, in the case of any such Company SEC Report filed under the Exchange Act)
not misleading. None of the Company’s subsidiaries is required to
file any reports or other documents with the SEC.
(b) Each
set of consolidated financial statements (including, in each case, any related
notes thereto) contained in the Company SEC Reports (including any Company
SEC
Report filed after the date of this Agreement): (i) complied and will
comply as to form in all material respects with the published rules and
regulations of the SEC with respect thereto in effect at the time of such
filing; (ii) was and will be prepared in accordance with United States
generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent
basis throughout the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes
thereto or, in the case of unaudited statements, may not contain footnotes
as
permitted by Form 10-Q of the Exchange Act) and each presents fairly, in
all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries at the respective dates thereof and the
consolidated results of its operations and cash flows for the periods indicated,
except that the unaudited interim financial statements were or are subject
to
normal year-end adjustments which were not or will not be material in amount
or
significance.
13
(c) The
Company has previously furnished to Parent a complete and correct copy of any
amendments or modifications, which have not yet been filed with the SEC but
which are required to be filed or furnished, to agreements, documents or other
instruments which previously had been filed by the Company with the SEC pursuant
to the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
(d) Except
as set forth on the Company Schedule, the Company’s system of internal controls
over financial reporting are reasonably sufficient in all material respects
to
provide reasonable assurance (i) that transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with
GAAP,
(ii) that receipts and expenditures are executed only in accordance with
the authorization of management, and (iii) regarding prevention or timely
detection of the unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s
assets that could materially affect the Company’s financial
statements.
(e) The
Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) are effective to provide
reasonable assurance that (i) all information (both financial and
non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that
it
files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized
and
reported within the time periods specified in the rules, regulations and forms
of the SEC, and (ii) all such information is accumulated and communicated
to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure and to make the certifications of the principal executive
officer and principal financial officer of the Company required under the
Exchange Act with respect to such reports.
(f) The
Company’s management has disclosed to the Company’s auditors and the audit
committee of the Board (i) any significant deficiencies in the design or
operation of its internal controls over financial reporting that are reasonably
likely to adversely affect the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ ability to
record, process, summarize and report financial information and has identified
for the Company’s auditors and audit committee of the Board any material
weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and (ii) any fraud,
whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have
a
significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting. The Company has made available to the Parent (i) a
summary of any such disclosure made by management to the Company’s auditors and
audit committee, and (ii) any material communication made by management or
the Company’s auditors to the audit committee required or contemplated by
listing standards of Nasdaq, the audit committee’s charter or professional
standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. No material
complaints from any source regarding accounting, internal accounting controls
or
auditing matters, and no material concerns from Company or subsidiary of the
Company employees regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters, have
been received by the Company. The Company has made available to the
Parent a summary of all such material complaints or concerns relating to other
matters through the Company’s whistleblower hot-line or equivalent system for
receipt of employee or other person’s concerns regarding possible violations of
Legal Requirements by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their
respective employees. No attorney representing the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, whether or not employed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
has reported evidence of a violation of securities laws, breach of fiduciary
duty or similar violation by the Company, any subsidiary of the Company or
any
of its officers, directors, employees or agents to the Company’s chief legal
officer, audit committee (or other committee designated for the purpose) of
the
Board or the Board pursuant to the rules adopted pursuant to Section 307 of
the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act or any Company policy contemplating such reporting,
including in instances not required by those rules.
14
(g) The
Company is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions
of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and with the applicable listing and other rules and
regulations of the Nasdaq and has not received any notice from the Nasdaq
asserting any non-compliance with such rules and regulations. Each of
the principal executive officer of the Company and the principal financial
officer of the Company has made all certifications required by Rule 13a-14
or 15d-14 under the Exchange Act and Sections 302 and 906 of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act with respect to the Company SEC Reports, and the statements
contained in such certifications are accurate in all material respects. For
purposes of this Agreement, “principal executive officer” and “principal
financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
has outstanding, or has arranged any outstanding, “extensions of credit” to
directors or executive officers within the meaning of Section 402 of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
2.8 No
Undisclosed
Liabilities. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
has any liability, indebtedness, obligation, expense, claim, deficiency,
guaranty or endorsement of any type (whether absolute, accrued, contingent
or
otherwise) (collectively, “Liabilities”) which would be
material to the business, results of operations or financial condition of the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except (i) Liabilities
reflected in the Company’s balance sheet as of June 30, 2007 (including any
related notes thereto) (the “Interim Balance Sheet”),
(ii) Liabilities incurred since June 30, 2007 (the “Interim Balance Sheet Date”)
and prior to the date hereof in the ordinary course of business, none of which
individually (in the case of this clause (ii)) is material to the business,
results of operations or financial condition of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) Liabilities incurred on or after
the date of this Agreement in compliance with Section 4.1
hereof.
2.9 Absence
of Certain Changes
or Events. Since the Interim Balance Sheet Date (i) there
has not been any Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (ii) neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries has taken any of the actions set forth
in
Sections 4.1(a)
through 4.1(u),
and (iii) there has not been any damage, destruction or other casualty loss
with respect to any tangible asset or tangible property owned, leased or
otherwise used by the Company or any of its subsidiaries having a value prior
to
such losses exceeding $100,000.
2.10 Absence
of
Litigation. There are no material claims, actions, suits or
proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened (each,
an
“Action”) against the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any of their respective properties or
assets or any of the executive officers or directors of the Company or any
of
its subsidiaries, before any Governmental Entity or arbitrator, nor is there
any
reasonable basis therefor. No investigation or review by any
Governmental Entity is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened
against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any of their respective
properties or assets or any of the executive officers or directors of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor has any Governmental Entity indicated
to
the Company an intention to conduct the same. To the knowledge of the
Company, since June 30, 2003, no Governmental Entity has at any time challenged
in writing or questioned in writing the legal right of the Company to conduct
its operations as presently or previously conducted. The Company has provided
to
Parent true, correct and complete copies of all complaints, pleadings, motions
and other filings and written correspondence (including settlement
communications) regarding any Actions, investigations or challenges referred
to
in Section 2.10 of
the Company Schedule.
15
2.11 Employee
Benefit
Plans.
Definitions.
With
the
exception of the definition of “Affiliate” set forth in Section
2.11(a)(i)
below (which definition shall apply only to this Section 2.11),
for purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings
set
forth below:
(i) “Affiliate”
shall
mean any
other person or entity under common control with the Company within the meaning
of Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code and the regulations issued
thereunder;
(ii) “COBRA”
shall
mean the
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended;
(iii) “Code”
shall
mean the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;
(iv) “Company
Employee Plan” shall
mean any plan, program, policy, practice, contract, agreement or other
arrangement providing for employment, compensation, severance, termination
pay,
deferred compensation, bonus, performance awards, stock or stock-related awards,
fringe benefits, disability benefits, supplemental employment benefits, vacation
benefits, retirement benefits, profit-sharing, post-retirement benefits, or
other employee benefits or remuneration of any kind, whether written or
unwritten or otherwise, funded or unfunded, including without limitation, each
“employee benefit plan,” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA which
is or has been maintained, contributed to, or required to be contributed to,
by
the Company or any Affiliate for the benefit of any Employee, or with respect
to
which the Company has or may have any liability or obligation;
(v) “DOL”
shall
mean the Department
of Labor;
(vi) “Employee”
shall
mean any
current or former or retired employee, consultant or director of the Company
or
any Affiliate;
16
(vii) “Employment
Agreement” shall
mean each management, employment, severance, termination, consulting,
relocation, repatriation, expatriation, visas, work permit or other agreement,
contract or understanding between the Company or any Affiliate and any
Employee;
(viii)
“ERISA” shall mean the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended;
(ix) “FMLA”
shall
mean the Family
Medical Leave Act of 1993, as amended;
(x) “International
Employee Plan”
shall mean each Company Employee Plan and each Employment Agreement
that has
been adopted, maintained or entered into by the Company or any Affiliate,
whether informally or formally, or with respect to which the Company or any
Affiliate will or may have any liability, outside the jurisdiction
of
the United States or for the benefit of any Employee or Employees who perform
services outside the United States;
(xi) “IRS”
shall
mean the Internal
Revenue Service;
(xii) “Multiemployer
Plan” shall mean
any employee benefit plan which is a “multiemployer plan,” as defined in
Section 3(37) of ERISA;
(xiii) “Pension
Plan” shall mean each
employee benefit plan which is an “employee pension benefit plan,” within the
meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA.
(b) Schedule. Section
2.11(b) of
the Company Schedule contains an accurate and complete list of each material
Company Employee Plan and each Employment Agreement. The Company does
not have any plan or commitment to establish any new Company Employee Plan
or
Employment Agreement, to modify any Company Employee Plan or Employment
Agreement (except to the extent required by applicable Legal Requirements or
to
conform any such Company Employee Plan or Employment Agreement to the
requirements of any applicable Legal Requirements, in each case as previously
disclosed to Parent in writing, or as required by this Agreement), or to adopt
or enter into any Company Employee Plan or Employment Agreement.
(c) Documents. The
Company has provided to Parent correct and complete copies
of: (i) all documents embodying each Company Employee Plan and
each Employment Agreement including (without limitation) all amendments thereto
and all related trust documents, administrative service agreements, group
annuity contracts, group insurance contracts, and policies pertaining to
fiduciary liability insurance covering the fiduciaries for each Plan, a written
description of each material Company Employee Plan that is not set forth in
a
written document; (ii) the three (3) most recent annual actuarial
valuations, if any, prepared for each Company Employee Plan; (iii) the
three (3) most recent annual reports (Form Series 5500 and all schedules
and financial statements attached thereto, or otherwise), if any, required
under
ERISA, the Code or other applicable Legal Requirement in connection with each
Company Employee Plan; (iv) the most recent summary plan description
together with the summary(ies) of material modifications thereto, if any,
required under ERISA with respect to each Company Employee Plan; (v) all
IRS determination, opinion, notification and advisory letters, and all material
applications and correspondence to or from the IRS or the DOL with respect
to
any such application or letter; (vi) all material communications to any
Employee or Employees relating to any Company Employee Plan and any proposed
Company Employee Plans, in each case, relating to any amendments, terminations,
establishments, increases or decreases in benefits, acceleration of payments
or
vesting schedules or other events which would reasonably be expected to result
in any material liability to the Company; (vii) all correspondence to or
from any governmental agency relating to any Company Employee Plan;
(viii) all COBRA forms and related notices (or such forms and notices as
required under comparable Legal Requirements); (ix) the three (3) most
recent plan years discrimination tests for each Company Employee Plan; and
(x) all registration statements, annual reports (Form 11-K and all
attachments thereto) and prospectuses prepared in connection with each Company
Employee Plan.
17
(d) Employee
Plan
Compliance. Each Company Employee Plan has been
established and maintained in all material respects in accordance with its
terms
and in compliance with all applicable Legal Requirements, including ERISA and
the Code. Each Company Employee Plan intended to qualify under
Section 401(a) or Section 401(k) of the Code and each trust intended to
qualify under Section 501(a) of the Code has either (i) received a
favorable determination, opinion, notification or advisory letter from the
IRS
with respect to each such Company Employee Plan as to its qualified status,
and
each such trust as to its exempt status, under the Code, including all
amendments to the Code effected by the Tax legislation commonly known as “GUST”,
and, to the Company’s knowledge, no fact or event has occurred since the date of
such determination, opinion, notification or advisory letter to adversely affect
the qualified status of any such Company Employee Plan or the exempt status
of
each such trust, or (ii) has remaining a period of time under applicable
Treasury regulations or IRS pronouncements in which to apply for such a letter
and make any amendments necessary to obtain a favorable determination as to
the
qualified status of each such Company Employee Plan. No material
“prohibited transaction,” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code or
Sections 406 and 407 of ERISA, and not otherwise exempt under
Section 4975 of the Code or Section 408 of ERISA (or any
administrative class exemption issued thereunder), has occurred with respect
to
any Company Employee Plan. There are no actions, suits or claims
pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or reasonably
anticipated (other than routine claims for benefits) against or with respect
to
any Company Employee Plan or any Employment Agreement or against the assets
of
any Company Employee Plan. Each Company Employee Plan can be amended,
terminated or otherwise discontinued after the Effective Time, without material
liability to Parent, Company or any of its Affiliates (other than ordinary
administration expenses). There are no audits, inquiries or
proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Affiliates,
threatened by the IRS or DOL with respect to any Company Employee
Plan. The Company is not subject to any material penalty or tax with
respect to any Company Employee Plan under Title I of ERISA or
Sections 4975 through 4980 of the Code. All contributions,
reserves or premium payments required to be made or accrued as of the date
hereof to the Company Employee Plans have been timely made or
accrued. Each “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” (as defined
in Section 409A(d)(1) of the Code) has been operated since January 1, 2005
in good faith compliance with Section 409A of the Code and IRS Notice 2005-1
and
the Internal Revenue Service’s proposed regulations under Section 409A of the
Code and no such plan has been materially modified since October 3,
2004. No nonqualified deferred compensation plan has been “materially
modified” (within the meaning of IRS Notice 2005-1) at any time after
October 3, 2004.
18
(e) Pension
Plan. Neither the Company nor any Affiliate has ever
maintained, established, sponsored, participated in, or contributed to, any
Pension Plan which is subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of
the Code.
(f) Collectively
Bargained,
Multiemployer and Multiple Employer Plans. At no time has the
Company or any Affiliate contributed to, participated in, or been obligated
to
contribute to any Multiemployer Plan. Neither the Company, nor any
Affiliate has at any time ever maintained, established, sponsored, participated
in, or contributed to any plan described in Section 413 of the Code or to
any plan that was also at that time sponsored, participated in, or contributed
to by any employer other than the Company or an Affiliate.
(g) No
Severance or
Post-Employment Obligations. Except as set forth on Section 2.11(g) of
the Company Schedule, no Company Employee Plan provides for the payment of
severance or other benefits upon termination of employment. No
Company Employee Plan provides, or reflects or represents any liability to
provide retiree health or other welfare benefits to any person for any reason,
except as may be required by COBRA or other applicable statute, and the Company
has no expected liability or obligation as a result
of representations, promises or contracts (whether in oral or written
form) to or with any Employee (either individually or to Employees as a group)
or any other person that such Employee(s) or other person would be provided
with
retiree health or other welfare benefits, except to the extent required by
statute.
(h) Health
Care
Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Affiliate has, prior
to the Effective Time and in any material respect, violated any of the health
care continuation requirements of COBRA, the requirements of FMLA, the
requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of
1996,
the requirements of the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998, the
requirements of the Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act of 1996, or any
amendment to each such act, or any similar provisions of state law applicable
to
its Employees.
(i) Effect
of
Transaction.
(i) The
execution of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions will not
(either alone or upon the occurrence of any additional or subsequent events)
constitute an event under any Company Employee Plan, Employment Agreement,
trust
or loan that will or may result in any payment (whether of severance pay or
otherwise), acceleration, forgiveness of indebtedness, vesting, distribution,
increase in benefits or obligation to fund benefits with respect to any
Employee.
19
(ii) No
payment or benefit which will or may be made by the Company or its Affiliates
with respect to any Employee or any other “disqualified individual” (as defined
in Code Section 280G and the regulations thereunder) will, individually or
in combination with any other such payment, be characterized as a “parachute
payment,” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code.
(j) Employment
Matters. The Company: (i) is in compliance in
all material respects with all applicable foreign, federal, state and local
Legal Requirements respecting employment, employment practices, terms and
conditions of employment and wages and hours, in each case, with respect to
Employees; (ii) has withheld and reported all amounts required by Legal
Requirements or by agreement to be withheld and reported with respect to wages,
salaries and other payments to Employees; (iii) is not liable for any
arrears of wages or any taxes or any penalty for failure to comply with any
of
the foregoing; and (iv) is not liable for any payment to any trust or other
fund governed by or maintained by or on behalf of any governmental authority,
with respect to unemployment compensation benefits, social security or other
benefits or obligations for Employees (other than routine payments to be made
in
the normal course of business and consistent with past
practice). Except as set forth on Section 2.11(j) of
the Company Schedule, there are no pending, threatened or reasonably anticipated
claims or actions against the Company under any worker’s compensation policy or
long-term disability policy.
(k) Employee
Information.
The Company has made available to Parent a true, correct and complete list
setting forth the names, positions and rates of compensation of all current
officers, directors, employees and consultants of the Company, as of the date
hereof, showing each such person’s name, positions, and annual remuneration,
bonuses and fringe benefits for the current fiscal year and the most recently
completed fiscal year. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive
or key employee of the Company has any plans to terminate his or her employment
with the Company. All independent contractors have been properly
classified as independent contractors for the purposes of federal and applicable
state tax laws, laws applicable to employee benefits and other applicable law
except to the extent such failure could not reasonably be expected to result
in
a Material Adverse Effect. Section 2.11(k) of
the Company Schedule sets forth a list of all former consultants of the
Company.
(l) Labor. No
work stoppage, labor strike or slowdown against the Company is
pending, threatened or reasonably anticipated. The Company
does not know of any activities or proceedings of any labor union to organize
any Employees. There are no actions, suits, claims, labor disputes or
grievances pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or
reasonably anticipated relating to any labor, safety or discrimination matters
involving any Employee, including, without limitation, charges of unfair labor
practices or discrimination complaints, which, if adversely determined, would,
individually or in the aggregate, result in any material liability to the
Company. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has engaged
in any unfair labor practices within the meaning of the National Labor Relations
Act. The Company is not presently, nor has it been in the past, a
party to, or bound by, any collective bargaining agreement or union contract
with respect to Employees and no collective bargaining agreement is being
negotiated by the Company.
20
(m) International
Employee
Plan. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates has ever
established, maintained or administered an International Employee
Plan.
(n) WARN
Act. The Company has complied with the Workers Adjustment and
Retraining Notification Act of 1988, as amended (“WARN Act”) and all similar
state Legal Requirements including applicable provisions of the California
Labor
Code. All Liabilities relating to the employment, termination or
employee benefits of any former Employees previously terminated by the Company
or an Affiliate including, without limitation, all termination pay, severance
pay or other amounts in connection with the WARN Act and all similar state
Legal
Requirements including applicable provisions of the California Labor Code,
shall
be the responsibility of the Company.
(o) Section
409A. Each Company Employee Plan that is a deferred
compensation arrangement has been identified as either being exempt from Section
409A of the Code or as subject to Section 409A of the Code (and identified
as
either an account balance plan or a non-account balance plan, and equity plan
or
a severance plan). Any Equity Award grants by the Company to its employees,
directors and other service providers were made over Company Common Stock,
have
an exercise price that is at least equal to the fair market value of the Company
Common Stock on the date that Equity Awards were granted, and the determination
of the fair market value of such Equity Awards satisfied the valuation
requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
2.12 Proxy
Statement. Subject to the limitation set forth in the last
sentence of this Section 2.12, (a)
neither the proxy statement to be sent to the stockholders of the Company in
connection with the Stockholders’ Meeting (as hereinafter defined), nor any
amendment or supplement thereto (such proxy statement, as amended or
supplemented, being referred to herein as the “Proxy Statement”), shall, at
the date the Proxy Statement (or any amendment or supplement thereto) is first
mailed to stockholders of the Company or at the time of the Stockholders’
Meeting (as defined in Section 5.2 hereof),
and (b) no other documents that may be filed with the SEC in connection with
the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall, at the respective times
filed
with the SEC, in each case contain any untrue statement of material fact, or
omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
in
order to make the statement therein, in light of the circumstances under which
it was made, not false or misleading. The Proxy Statement shall
comply in all material respects as to form with the requirements of the Exchange
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
no
representation is made by the Company in this Section 2.12 with
respect to statements made based on information supplied by Parent or Merger
Sub
in writing specifically for inclusion in the Proxy Statement.
21
2.13 Restrictions
on Business
Activities. There is no Contract (noncompete or otherwise), or
to the Company’s knowledge, judgment, injunction, order or decree, binding upon
the Company or its subsidiaries or to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party which has the effect of prohibiting or limiting any
business practice of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, any acquisition
of
property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the solicitation or hiring
of any person or the conduct of business by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries as currently conducted. Without limiting the foregoing,
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any Contract
under which it is restricted from selling, licensing or otherwise distributing
any of its technology or products to or providing or seeking to provide services
to, customers or potential customers or any class of customers, in any
geographic area, during any period of time or in any segment of the
market.
2.14 Title
to
Property.
(a) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries owns any real property. Section 2.14(a)(i) of
the Company Schedule sets forth a list of all real property currently leased
by
the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Section 2.14(a)(ii)
of the Company Schedule sets forth a list of all real property previously owned
by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. All such current leases
are in full force and effect, are valid and effective in accordance with their
respective terms, and there is not, under any of such leases, any existing
default or event of default (or event which with notice or lapse of time, or
both, would constitute a default) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
or
to the knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto. The Company has made
available to Parent true, complete and correct copies of each lease set forth
on
Section
2.14(a)(i) of the Company Schedule, and all amendments and modifications
thereto. Each of the properties listed on Section 2.14(a)(ii)
of the Company Schedule were property transferred to third parties, are no
longer owned by the Company and there are no outstanding, ongoing or residual
obligations by the Company with respect to such properties.
(b) The
Company and each of its subsidiaries has good and valid title to, or, in the
case of leased properties and assets, valid leasehold interests in, all of
its
properties and assets, real, personal and mixed, used or held for use in its
business, free and clear of all Liens, except for Permitted Liens (as defined
below). As used in this Agreement, “Permitted Liens” means: (i)
Liens for Taxes (as herein defined) not yet due and payable or which are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate
reserves have been established; (ii) Liens securing indebtedness or other
liabilities reflected in the Interim Balance Sheet; (iii) such non-monetary
Liens or other imperfections of title, if any, that, individually or in the
aggregate, would not be reasonably likely to (A) materially interfere with
the
present use or operation of any material property or asset of the Company or
any
of its subsidiaries or (B) materially detract from the value of such material
property or asset; (iv) Liens imposed or promulgated by Laws with respect to
real property and improvements, including zoning regulations; (v) Liens
disclosed on existing title reports or existing surveys (in either case copies
of which title reports and surveys have been delivered or made available to
Parent); and (vi) mechanics’, carriers’, workmen’s , repairmen’s and similar
Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business.
22
(c) All
the plants, structures and equipment of the Company and its subsidiaries, are
in
satisfactory condition and repair for their current and intended use by the
Company, reasonable wear and tear excepted, except where the failure to be
in
satisfactory condition and repair would not reasonably be likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
2.15 Taxes.
(a) Definition
of
Taxes. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Tax” or “Taxes”
means
(i) any and
all federal, state, local and foreign taxes, assessments and other governmental
charges, duties, impositions and liabilities, including taxes based upon or
measured by gross receipts, income, profits, sales, use and occupation, and
value added, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, withholding, payroll, recapture,
employment, excise and property taxes, together with all interest, penalties
and
additions imposed with respect to such amounts; (ii) any liability for the
payment of any amounts of the type described in clause (i) as a result of
being a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group for
any
period; and (iii) any liability for the payment of any amounts of the type
described in clause (i) or (ii) as a result of any express or implied
obligation to indemnify any other person or as a result of any obligations
under
any agreements or arrangements with any other person with respect to such
amounts and including any liability for taxes of a predecessor
entity.
(b) Tax
Returns and
Audits.
(i) The
Company and each of its subsidiaries have timely filed all Returns (defined
below). Such Returns are true, correct and complete in all material
respects. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have paid or
withheld and paid to the appropriate Tax authority all material amounts of
Taxes
due, whether or not shown to be due on such Returns. As used in this
Agreement, “Returns”
means federal, state,
local and foreign returns, forms, estimates, information
statements and reports relating to Taxes required to be filed by the Company
and
each of its subsidiaries with any Tax authority.
(ii) The
Company and each of its subsidiaries have withheld and paid to the appropriate
Tax authority all Taxes required to be withheld and paid in connection with
amounts paid and owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor,
stockholder or other third party (whether domestic or foreign).
(iii) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been delinquent in the payment
of
any material Tax nor is there any material Tax deficiency outstanding, proposed
or assessed against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor has the Company
or any of its subsidiaries executed any unexpired waiver of any statute of
limitations on or extension of any the period for the assessment or collection
of any Tax.
23
(iv) No
audit or other examination of any Return of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries by any Tax authority is presently in progress, nor has the Company
or any of its subsidiaries been notified of any request for such an audit or
other examination. The Company has delivered or made available to
Parent true and complete copies of income tax Returns of the Company and its
subsidiaries for the years ended September 30, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006,
and true and complete copies of all examination reports and statements of
deficiencies assessed against or agreed to by any of the Company and its
subsidiaries or any predecessor, with respect to income Taxes. No
material claim in writing has ever been made by a Tax authority in a
jurisdiction where the Company or any of its subsidiaries do not file Returns
that any of the Company or its subsidiaries is or may be subject to a Tax
liability in that jurisdiction.
(v) No
adjustment relating to any Returns filed or required to be filed by the Company
or any of its subsidiaries has been proposed in writing, formally or informally,
by any Tax authority to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any
representative thereof.
(vi) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any liability for any unpaid
material Taxes (whether or not shown to be due on any Return) which has not
been
accrued for or reserved on the Company’s Interim Balance Sheet in accordance
with GAAP, whether asserted or unasserted, contingent or otherwise, other than
any liability for unpaid Taxes that may have accrued since the Interim Balance
Sheet Date in connection with the operation of the business of the Company
and
its subsidiaries in the ordinary course. There are no Liens with
respect to material Taxes on any of the assets of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, other than customary Liens for Taxes not yet due and
payable.
(vii) Except
as set forth on Section
2.15(b)(vii) of the Company Schedule, there is no Contract,
plan or arrangement to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party
as of the date of this Agreement, including the provisions of this Agreement,
covering any employee or former employee of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries that, individually or collectively, would reasonably be expected
to
give rise to the payment of any amount that would not be deductible pursuant
to
Sections 280G or 162(m) of the Code. There is no Contract, plan
or arrangement to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or
by
which it is bound to compensate any individual for excise taxes paid pursuant
to
Section 4999 of the Code.
(viii) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is party to or has any obligation under
any tax-sharing, tax indemnity or tax allocation agreement or
arrangement. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has ever
been a member of a group filing a consolidated, unitary, combined or similar
Return (other than Returns which include only the Company and any of its
subsidiaries) under any federal, state, local or foreign Legal
Requirements. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has any liability for Taxes of any person other than the Company
and its subsidiaries (i) under Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 (or
any similar provision of state, local or foreign Legal Requirements),
(ii) as a transferee or successor, (iii) by contract, or
(iv) otherwise. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
is party to any joint venture, partnership or other arrangement that could
be
treated as a partnership for federal and applicable state, local or foreign
Tax
purposes.
24
(ix) None
of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ assets are tax exempt use property within
the meaning of Section 168(h) of the Code. Neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries has agreed, or is or was required, to make any
adjustment under Section 481(a) of the Code by reason of a change in accounting
method or otherwise (or by reason of any similar provision of state, local
or
foreign Legal Requirements).
(x) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has constituted either a “distributing
corporation” or a “controlled corporation” in a distribution of stock intended
to qualify for tax-free treatment under Section 355 of the Code (x) in
the two years prior to the date of this Agreement or (y) in a distribution
which could otherwise constitute part of a “plan” or “series of related
transactions” (within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code) in
conjunction with the Transactions.
(xi) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been a party to a “reportable
transaction,” as such term is defined in Treasury Regulations Section
1.6011-4(b)(1) or to a transaction that is or is substantially similar to a
“listed transaction,” as such term is defined in Treasury Regulations Section
1.6011-4(b)(2), or any other transaction requiring disclosure under analogous
provisions of state, local or foreign Tax Legal Requirement.
(xii) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has, or has had, any permanent
establishment in any foreign country, as defined in any applicable Tax
convention.
2.16 Environmental
Matters.
(a) For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set
forth below:
(i) “Environmental
Law” shall mean
any applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations, ordinances,
and common law relating to pollution or protection of human health (to the
extent relating to exposure to Materials of Environmental Concern) or protection
of the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water,
ground water, land surface or subsurface strata, and natural resources),
including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to emissions,
discharges, releases or threatened releases of, or exposure to, Materials of
Environmental Concern.
25
(ii) “Materials
of Environmental
Concern” shall mean hazardous chemicals, pollutants, contaminants,
wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum and petroleum
products, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials or products, polychlorinated
biphenyls, lead or lead-based paints or materials, radon, toxic fungus, toxic
mold, mycotoxins or other hazardous substances that would reasonably be expected
to have an adverse effect on human health or the environment.
(b) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance
with all applicable Environmental Laws, (ii) neither the Company nor any of
its
subsidiaries has any liabilities or obligations arising from the release of
any
Materials of Environmental Concern by the Company or any of its subsidiaries
into the environment, (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries currently hold
all
material environmental Approvals (the “Company Environmental
Permits”) necessary for the conduct of the Company’s and its
subsidiaries’ activities and businesses as such activities and businesses are
currently being conducted, (iv) all such Company Environmental Permits are
valid
and in full force and effect, and (v) the Company and its subsidiaries have
complied in all material respects with all covenants and conditions of any
such
Company Environmental Permit.
(c) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of violation
of any Environmental Law or any formal administrative proceeding, or
investigation, inquiry or information request by any Governmental Entity that
is
pending or threatened.
(d) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any court
order, administrative order, consent order or other Contract between the Company
or any of its subsidiaries on the one hand, and any Governmental Entity or
other
third party on the other hand, entered into in connection with any legal
obligation, remediation or liability arising under or with respect to any
Environmental Law.
(e) A
true, complete and correct copy of all environmental reports, investigations
and
audits relating to premises currently or previously owned or operated by the
Company or any of its subsidiaries which the Company has possession of or access
to have been made available to Parent.
(f) The
Company has no knowledge of any material environmental liability of any solid
or
hazardous waste transporter or treatment, storage or disposal facility that
has
been used by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
2.17 Third
Party
Expenses. Except pursuant to the engagement letter with
Wedbush Xxxxxx Securities dated November 30, 2007, a copy of which has been
furnished to Parent, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has
incurred, nor will it incur, directly or indirectly, any liability for
brokerage, finders or financial advisory fees or agent’s commissions or any
similar charges in connection with this Agreement or the Transactions
contemplated hereby.
26
2.18 Intellectual
Property.
(a) For
purposes of this Agreement, “Intellectual Property” shall
mean collectively all of the following types of intangible
assets: (i) all inventions (whether patentable or unpatentable and
whether or not reduced to practice), all improvements thereto, and all Patents
and patent disclosures; (ii) all trademarks, service marks, trade dress, logos,
domain names, URLs, trade names and other source indicators, including all
goodwill associated therewith, and all applications, registrations, and renewals
in connection therewith; (iii) all works of authorship, including all copyrights
therein (whether registered or unregistered), and all applications,
registrations and renewals in connection therewith; (iv) all trade secrets
and
confidential information (including documented research and development,
documented know-how, processes, data, designs, specifications, customer lists,
sales prospect lists, distributor lists, supplier lists, pricing and cost
information, and marketing plans and proposals); (v) all software, including
all
source code, object code, firmware, related documentation, files, data, and
all
media on which any of the foregoing is recorded; and (vi) any similar,
corresponding or equivalent rights to any of the foregoing anywhere in the
world. For purposes of this Agreement, “Patents” means all United
States and foreign patents and applications therefore and all reissues,
divisions, renewals, reexaminations, extensions, provisionals, continuations,
continuing prosecution applications and continuations-in-part
thereof.
(b) Section 2.18(b)
of the Company Schedule contains a complete and accurate list (by name and
version number, as appropriate) of all products, software or service offerings
of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Company Products”)
(i) that have been operated, sold, licensed, distributed or otherwise
provided in the three (3) year period preceding the date hereof,
(ii) that the Company or any of its subsidiaries intends to operate, sell,
license, distribute or otherwise provide in the future, for which development
is
materially underway and (iii) for which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
has any liability related thereto.
(c) The
Company or one of its subsidiaries exclusively owns or possesses sufficient
legal rights to use all Intellectual Property used to conduct the business
of
the Company as it is currently conducted. The Company or one of its
subsidiaries is the exclusive owner of all right, title and interest in and
to
the Company Intellectual Property and has the rights to make, use, sell, export,
import, license, assign, transfer or otherwise commercially exploit the Company
Intellectual Property without payment or other obligations to third
parties. Each item of Company Intellectual Property is free and clear
of any liens or encumbrances, except for non-exclusive licenses granted to
end-user customers or other third parties in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practices, the forms of which have been provided to
Parent. For purposes of this Agreement, “Company Intellectual Property”
means all Intellectual
Property owned by or purported to be owned by the
Company, or any of its subsidiaries including without limitation as incorporated
in or otherwise used in connection with Company Products.
27
(d) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (A) granted or agreed to grant
any
exclusive license of or right to use, or authorized the retention of any rights
to use or joint ownership of, any Company Intellectual Property, to any person,
(B) permitted any person to modify, improve or create derivative works of
Company Intellectual Property or own any Intellectual Property rights therein,
(C) disclosed any source code that is Company Intellectual Property to any
person, or (D) granted “most favored customer” status to any person or subjected
itself to a non-compete agreement of any kind in any jurisdiction or other
restriction in its business.
(e) To
the Company’s knowledge, all Company Intellectual Property was written and/or
created solely by either (i) employees of the Company or one of its
subsidiaries acting within the scope of their employment, (ii) third
parties, all of whom have validly and irrevocably assigned all of their rights,
including Intellectual Property rights therein, to the Company or one of its
subsidiaries, or (iii) third parties who have entered into an agreement
with the Company or one of its subsidiaries pursuant to which any Intellectual
Property authored or created by such third party would be considered a “work
made for hire” pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq., and no such third party owns
or has any rights to any such Intellectual Property.
(f) Section
2.18(f) of
the Company Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of all Company
Registered IP and the jurisdiction(s) in which each item of Company Registered
IP was or is filed or registered, whether pending or abandoned, including the
respective application or registration numbers and dates. Each item
of Company Registered IP is currently in compliance with all formal legal
requirements (including payment of filing, examination and maintenance fees
and
proofs of use), except to the extent any failure would not be reasonably likely
to have a Material Adverse Effect, and is valid and subsisting. All
necessary documents and certificates in connection with such Company Registered
IP have been filed with the relevant authorities in the United States or foreign
jurisdictions, as the case may be, for the purposes of applying for, perfecting,
prosecuting and maintaining such Company Registered IP. There are no
actions that must be taken by the Company or any of its subsidiaries within
one
hundred twenty (120) days of the date hereof, including the payment of any
registration, maintenance or renewal fees or the filing of any responses to
PTO
office actions, documents, applications or certificates, for the purposes of
obtaining, maintaining, perfecting or preserving or renewing any Company
Registered IP. “Company Registered IP” means
any Intellectual Property that is the subject of an application, certificate,
filing, registration or other document issued by, filed with, or recorded by,
any Governmental Authority at any time that is owned by, filed in the name
of,
or applied for by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(g) Section
2.18(g) of
the Company Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of all Public Software
currently used in the operation of the business of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, used or incorporated with Company Products or distributed at
any
time, in whole or in part, by the Company in connection with the business of
the
Company or any Company Products. No software covered by or embodying
any Company Intellectual Property or Company Product, or used in the operation
of the business of the Company, has been or is being distributed, in whole
or in
part, or is being used in conjunction with any Public Software in a manner
which
would require that such software or Company Product be disclosed or distributed
in source code form or made available in any form at no charge. For
purposes of this Agreement, “Public Software” means any
software that contains, or is derived in any manner (in whole or in part) from,
any software that is distributed as free software, “shareware”, open source
software or similar licensing or distribution models, including
without limitation software licensed under the following licenses or
distribution models: the GNU General Public License (GPL), GNU Lesser General
Public License or GNU Library General Public License (LGPL), Mozilla Public
License (MPL), BSD licenses, the Artistic License, the Netscape Public License,
the Sun Community Source License (SCSL) the Sun Industry Standards License
(SISL) and the Apache License.
28
(h) Section 2.18(h)(i)
of the Company Schedule lists all IP Licenses pursuant to which the Company
or
any of its subsidiaries is granted rights to any Intellectual Property of a
third party used in or in connection with the business of the Company or its
subsidiaries within the past three (3) years, except for non-negotiated licenses
of generally commercially available software that have been licensed by the
Company on standard terms and Public Software licenses set forth on Section 2.18(g) of
the Company Schedule; Section 2.18(h)(ii)
of the Company Schedule lists all IP Licenses pursuant to which a third party
is
granted rights to any material Company Intellectual Property, except for
agreements with Company’s or its subsidiaries’ customers entered into in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practices in the form made
available to Parent; and Section 2.18(h)(iii)
of the Company Schedule lists, for each Company Product, all Intellectual
Property incorporated in or used in connection with such Company Product that
is
not Company Intellectual Property and the IP License pursuant to which Company
or any of its subsidiaries acquired the right to use such Intellectual Property,
other than either of the following so long as they are not distributed for
use
with, or incorporated in, a Company Product constituting software that is
distributed, directly or indirectly, to end users: (A) non-negotiated
licenses of generally commercially available software that have been licensed
by
the Company on standard terms; and (B) Public Software licenses set forth on
Section 2.18(g) of the Company Schedule. For the purposes of this Agreement,
“IP Licenses” means all
the contracts, licenses and agreements to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party with respect to any Intellectual Property licensed
to or
by, or created for or by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(i) All
material IP Licenses are in full force and effect. Neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in breach of nor has the Company or
any
of its subsidiaries failed to perform under, and neither the Company nor any
of
its subsidiaries has received any notice of any breach or failure to perform
under, any IP License and, to the knowledge of the Company, no other
party to any such IP License is in breach thereof or has failed to perform
thereunder. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is
currently in dispute with another party regarding the scope of any IP License,
or regarding performance by any party under any IP License, including any
payments to be made or received by the Company or any of its subsidiaries
thereunder. The consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (including any subsequent merger of the Surviving Corporation into
the
Parent) will neither violate nor result in the breach, modification,
cancellation, termination or suspension of any IP Licenses or entitle the other
party or parties to such IP Licenses to terminate such IP
Licenses. Following the Closing Date (and any merger of the Surviving
Corporation into the Parent), both the Parent and the Surviving Corporation
will
be permitted to exercise all of Company’s or its subsidiaries’ rights under the
IP Licenses to the same extent Company or the relevant subsidiary would have
been able to had the transactions contemplated by this Agreement not occurred
and without the payment of any additional amounts or consideration other than
ongoing fees, royalties or payments which Company or such subsidiary would
otherwise be required to pay. Neither the transactions nor any merger
of the Surviving Company with the Parent, will result in any third party being
granted any rights to any Company Intellectual Property that are in addition
to,
or greater than, such third party currently has under such IP Licenses,
including any access to or release of any source or object code owned by or
licensed to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
29
(j) The
Company’s and its subsidiaries’ conduct of their business as currently conducted
does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate any Intellectual Property
owned or claimed by another person, violate any other intellectual property
right of another person (including any right to privacy or publicity), or
constitute unfair competition or trade practices under or, to the knowledge
of
Company, otherwise violate the Legal Requirements of, any jurisdiction, and
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice
thereof.
(k) No
person has asserted or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to assert,
any claims challenging the use, ownership, validity or enforceability of any
Company Intellectual Property or Company Product. No material Company
Intellectual Property is subject to any outstanding order, judgment, decree,
stipulation or agreement related to or restricting in any manner the licensing,
assignment, transfer, use or conveyance thereof by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries.
(l) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has brought any actions or lawsuits
alleging (A) infringement or misappropriation of any of the Company Intellectual
Property or (B) breach of any license, sublicense or other agreement authorizing
another party to use any Company Intellectual Property, and, to the knowledge
of
the Company, there does not exist any facts which could form the basis of any
such action or lawsuit. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has entered into any agreement granting any person the right to
bring infringement or misappropriation actions with respect to, or otherwise
to
enforce rights with respect to, any of the Company Intellectual
Property.
(m) The
Company and its subsidiaries have taken all reasonable steps to protect the
confidential information and trade secrets (as defined by each applicable
jurisdiction) used in or necessary for the conduct of the business of the
Company as currently conducted and as currently contemplated or provided by
any
other person to the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to a written
non-disclosure agreement and/or marked as “proprietary” or
“confidential.” Without limiting the foregoing, (i) the Company has,
and enforces, a policy requiring each current and former employee of the Company
and its subsidiaries to execute proprietary information, confidentiality and
assignment agreements substantially in the form(s) attached to Schedule 2.18(m)(i)
(the “Employee Proprietary
Information Agreement”), (ii) the Company has, and enforces, a policy
requiring each current and former consultant or independent contractor of the
Company and its subsidiaries to execute a consulting agreement containing
proprietary information, confidentiality and assignment provisions substantially
in the form attached to Schedule 2.18(m)(ii)
(the “Consultant Proprietary
Information Agreement”) and (iii) except as provided in Schedule
2.18(m)(iii), all current and former employees, consultants and
independent contractors of the Company and its subsidiaries have executed an
Employee Proprietary Information Agreement or a Consultant Proprietary
Information Agreement, as appropriate. None of the current and former
employees, consultants and independent contractors identified on Schedule 2.18(m)(iii)
has at any time contributed to the creation or development of material Company
Intellectual Property.
30
(n) No
government funding, facilities of a university, college, other educational
institution or research center or funding from third parties was used in the
development of any material Company Intellectual Property. To the
Company’s knowledge, no current or former employee, consultant or independent
contractor of the Company or any of its subsidiaries who was involved in, or
who
contributed to, the creation or development of any material Company Intellectual
Property, has performed services for the government, university, college, or
other educational institution or research center during a period of time during
which such employee, consultant or independent contractor was also performing
services for the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(o) Neither
this Agreement nor the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
the assignment to Parent or Surviving Corporation, by operation of law or
otherwise, of any IP Licenses, contracts or agreements to which the Company
or
any of its subsidiaries is a party, will result in (i) either Parent’s or
the Surviving Corporation’s granting to any third party any right to or with
respect to any Intellectual Property owned by, or licensed to, either of them,
(ii) either the Parent’s or the Surviving Corporation’s being bound by, or
subject to, any non-compete or other restriction on the operation or scope
of
their respective businesses, or (iii) either the Parent’s or the Surviving
Corporation’s being obligated to pay any royalties or other amounts to any third
party in excess of those payable by to Company or any of its subsidiaries,
respectively, prior to the Closing. The Company and its subsidiaries
can validly transfer all Company Intellectual Property to Parent or one of
its
subsidiaries without restriction or penalty.
2.19 Contracts.
(a) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to or is bound
by:
(i) any
Contract with (A) a payment processor or settlement bank, and (B) a Member
Bank;
31
(ii) any
Contract with any reseller or any Contract with any independent service or
sales
organization, agent, agent bank or any other non-employee/independent person
that solicit Merchants (as defined in Section 2.29 hereof)
for or on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries;
(iii) any
Contract with any Significant Supplier (as defined in Section 2.20(b)
hereof);
(iv) any
Contract with any Significant Customer (as defined in Section 2.20(a)
hereof);
(v) any
joint venture, partnership or other similar agreement involving co-investment
with a third party;
(vi) any
(A) note, indenture, loan agreement, credit agreement, financing agreement,
or other evidence of indebtedness relating to the borrowing of money,
(B) guaranty made by the Company or any subsidiary in favor of any person,
or (C) letter of credit issued for the account of the Company or any
subsidiary under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has obligations
of
at least $250,000;
(vii) any
lease of real property having a value in excess of $250,000 or of personal
property having a value in excess of $100,000;
(viii)
any
agreement of
indemnification or guaranty, other than any agreement of indemnification entered
into in connection with the sale or license of Company Products in the ordinary
course of business on one of the Company’s standard forms, true, complete and
correct copies of which are attached to Section 2.19(a)(viii)
of the Company Schedule;
(ix) any
agreement, contract or commitment relating to the disposition or acquisition
of
assets or any interest in any business enterprise outside the ordinary course
of
business, and any agreement, contract, commitment, instrument, escrow
instruction or grant deed entered into or otherwise issued in connection with
the disposition or abandonment of any real property and any indemnification
or
other agreement entered into in connection with or ancillary to any such
disposition or abandonment;
(x) any
Contract (other than any Contracts with Significant Suppliers and Contracts
with
Significant Customers referenced in Section 2.19(a)(iii) and 2.19(a)(iv)) (A)
that involved an excess of $250,000 being paid to the Company over the last
twelve (12) months or is reasonably expected to involve in excess of $250,000
being paid to the Company over the next twelve months, or (B) involving in
excess of $250,000 being paid by the Company over the term thereof;
(xi) any
agreement, contract or commitment in which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries grants any person exclusive rights, including any exclusivity
with
respect to any product, service, market, industry, field of use, or geographic
territory;
32
(xii) any
Contract currently in force under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
have continuing material obligations to jointly market any product, technology
or service, or any Contract pursuant to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries have continuing material obligations to jointly develop any
Intellectual Property that will not be owned, in whole, by the Company or any
of
its subsidiaries;
(xiii) any
Contract to
provide source code to any third party;
(xiv) any
(A) settlement
agreement entered into in the past three years, and (B) other settlement
agreement under which the Company has any material ongoing obligations or
receives any material ongoing benefits or rights;
(xv) any
Contract requiring the delivery of financial statements by the Company or any
of
its subsidiaries;
(xvi) any
other Contract
or commitment that is of the nature required to be filed by Company as an
exhibit to an Annual Report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act or
disclosed on Form 8-K under the Exchange Act; or
(xvii) each
amendment,
supplement, and modification in respect of any of the foregoing.
(b) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor to the knowledge of the Company
any
other party to a Company Contract (as defined below), is in breach, violation
or
default under any Company Contract, and neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has received written notice that it has breached, violated or
defaulted under, any of the material terms or conditions of any of the Contracts
or commitments to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or
by
which it is bound that are required to be disclosed in Section 2.11(b) (but
only with respect to Employment Agreements), Section 2.18(h) or
Section
2.19(a)
of the Company Schedule (any such Contract or commitment, a “Company Contract”) in such a
manner as would permit any other party to cancel or terminate any such Company
Contract, or would permit any other party to seek material damages or other
remedies (for any or all of such breaches, violations or defaults, in the
aggregate). The Company has furnished to Parent true, complete and
correct copies of all Company Contracts. Each Company Contract is in full force
and effect and constitutes a legal and binding obligation of the Company (if
the
Company is a party to such Company Contract) or the subsidiary that is party
thereto, and are enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization and similar laws
affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable
principles.
33
2.20 Customers
and
Suppliers.
(a) Section
2.20(a)(i) of
the Company Schedule contains a list of the 50 largest customers of the Company
based on consolidated net revenues of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken
as
a whole) during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006 and September 30,
2007
(the “Significant
Customers”). Between September 30, 2006 and the date hereof,
no Significant Customer has cancelled, failed to renew or otherwise terminated,
or notified the Company in writing of its intention to cancel, fail to renew
or
otherwise terminate, its Contract with the Company. Section 2.20(a)(ii)
of the Company Schedule identifies each current customer of the Company which
acts as an “Internet wallet” for processing online transactions (each such
listed customer being referred to herein as an “Internet Wallet Customer”),
together with the revenue recognized from each such Internet Wallet Customer
for
the Company’s fiscal year ended September 30, 2007.
(b) Section
2.20(b) of
the Company Schedule contains a list of the 25 largest suppliers of the Company
based on consolidated purchases of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken
as a
whole) during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006 and September 30, 2007
(the “Significant
Suppliers”). Between September 30, 2006 and the date hereof,
no Significant Supplier has cancelled, failed to renew or otherwise terminated,
or notified the Company in writing of its intention to cancel, fail to renew
or
otherwise terminate, its Contract with the Company.
2.21 Insurance. Section
2.21 of the
Company Schedule lists all insurance policies and/or fidelity bonds covering
the
assets, business, equipment, properties, operations, employees, officers and
directors of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Insurance
Policies”). There is no claim by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries pending under any of the Insurance Policies as to which coverage
has been questioned, denied or disputed by the underwriters of such policies
or
bonds. All premiums due and payable under all such Insurance Policies
have been paid, and the Company and each of its subsidiaries, as the case may
be, is otherwise in compliance with the terms of such Insurance Policies, except
where any failure to be in compliance would not, individually or in the
aggregate, be reasonably likely to be material to the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole.
2.22 Opinion
of Financial
Advisor. The Company has been advised in writing by its
financial advisor, Wedbush Xxxxxx Securities, that in its opinion, as of the
date of this Agreement, the Merger Consideration is fair to the stockholders
of
the Company from a financial point of view.
2.23 Board
Approval. The Board has, as of the date of this Agreement,
unanimously (i) determined that the Merger is advisable and fair to, and in
the best interests of, the Company and its stockholders, (ii) approved,
subject to stockholder approval, the Transactions, and (iii) resolved,
subject to the terms of this Agreement, to recommend that the stockholders
of
the Company approve this Agreement.
34
2.24 Vote
Required. The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes that
holders of the outstanding Shares are entitled to vote with respect to the
Merger is the only vote of the holders of any class or series of the Company’s
capital stock necessary to approve this Agreement and the Transactions,
including the Merger.
2.25 State
Takeover
Statutes;
Rights Agreement.
(a) Neither
Sections 78.378-78.3793 nor Sections 78.411-78.444
of Nevada Law apply to the Merger or any of the Transactions or the Voting
Agreements or any of the transactions contemplated by the Voting
Agreements. No other state takeover or dissenters’ rights statute or similar
statute or regulation applies to or purports to apply to the Merger, this
Agreement and the Company Voting Agreements or the Transactions and the
transactions contemplated by the Company Voting Agreements in any state in
which
the Company or its Subsidiaries conduct business.
(b) The
Company has amended the Rights Agreement in accordance with its terms to render
it inapplicable to this Agreement, the Merger and the Transactions.
2.26 Transactions
with
Affiliates. Except as set forth in the Company SEC Reports,
since the date of the Company’s last proxy statement filed with the SEC, no
event has occurred that as of the date hereof that would be required to be
reported by the Company pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated
by
the SEC.
2.27 Illegal
Payments,
Etc. In the conduct of their business, neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their
respective Representatives, has (a) directly or indirectly, given, or
agreed to give, any gift, contribution, payment or similar benefit that is
or
was illegal under applicable Legal Requirement to any supplier, customer,
governmental official or employee or other person who was, is or may be in
a
position to help or hinder the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or assist
in
connection with any actual or proposed transaction) or made, or agreed to make,
any contribution that is or was illegal under applicable Legal Requirements,
or
reimbursed any political gift or contribution that is or was illegal under
applicable Legal Requirements made by any other person, to any candidate for
federal, state, local or foreign public office or (b) established or
maintained any unrecorded fund or asset or made any false entries on any books
or records for any purpose.
2.28 Privacy.
(a) The
Company and each of its subsidiaries has (i) complied in all material
respects with all applicable Legal Requirements governing the acquisition,
sharing, use or security from unauthorized disclosure of non-public personal
information (including account numbers, balance information, and, if it would
disclose that the Company or such subsidiary has non-public information with
respect to such person, such person’s name, address, telephone number or email
address) with respect to natural persons (“NPI”) that is possessed
or
otherwise subject to the control of the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
(ii) adopted, implemented and maintains a system of internal controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that the Company and each of its
subsidiaries complies with the Legal Requirements described in clause (i)
and that none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries will acquire, fail
to
secure, share or use such NPI in a manner inconsistent with (A) such Legal
Requirements, (B) any policy adopted by the Company or such subsidiary,
(C) any contractual commitment made by the Company or such subsidiary that
is applicable to such NPI, or (D) any privacy policy or privacy statement
from time to time published or otherwise made available to third parties by
the
Company or such subsidiary (collectively, “Privacy Statement”),
(iii) in connection with each third party servicing, outsourcing or similar
arrangement, contractually obligated any service provider to (A) comply
with the Legal Requirements described in clause (i) with respect to NPI
acquired from or with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
(B) take reasonable steps to protect and secure from unauthorized
disclosure NPI acquired from or with respect to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, (C) restrict use of NPI acquired from or with respect to the
Company or any of its subsidiaries to those authorized or required under the
servicing, outsourcing or similar arrangement, and (D) afford to the
Company or such subsidiary or their Representatives access to the places of
business and systems of such servicer, outsourcer or similar provider to assess
compliance with such contractual obligations, and (iv) periodically tested
the system of internal controls described in clause (ii) and, to the extent
warranted by risk, the internal controls of any service provider, to assess
the
effectiveness, implementation and required improvements of or to any such system
of internal controls.
35
(b) Neither
the execution of this Agreement nor the consummation of the Merger will result
in a violation or breach of any Privacy Statement or otherwise increase the
burden of compliance on the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any successor
of
compliance with the Privacy Statements.
(c) Except
for disclosures of information (i) permitted under the Fair Credit
Reporting Act, (ii) to servicers providing services to the Company or any
of its subsidiaries, or (iii) as otherwise required under applicable Legal
Requirements, none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries sells, rents or
otherwise makes available to third parties or any affiliate any
NPI.
2.29 Compliance
With Applicable
Standards; Merchant Agreements.
(a) The
Company and its subsidiaries have operated and conducted their business
(including their processing systems and software) in compliance in all material
respects with all Payment Card Industry Standards (including the PCI Data
Security Requirements) (the “PCI Standards”), the Visa
Cardholder Information Security Program requirements (the “CISP Requirements”) and all
Operating Rules of the Electronic Payments Association (“NACHA Rules”). The Company and
its subsidiaries have operated and conducted their business in material
compliance with any and all applicable Card Association rules and regulations.
Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the
Company, any of their customers have lost or had stolen any cardholder or
check-writer account information or information related to cardholder or
check-writer accounts such as social security numbers. The Company has made
available to Parent all correspondence with any Card Association or NACHA
relating to compliance with the PCI Standards, the CISP Requirements or the
NACHA Rules.
36
(b) The
Company owns all Merchant Accounts free and clear of all Liens other than any
Permitted Liens. Subject to the terms, conditions and limitations set
forth in the Company’s existing agreement with First Regional Bank, the Company
has the right to transfer Merchant Accounts to another qualified Member Bank
and
to direct its existing Member Bank to execute the necessary transfer and
assignment documents to accommodate such transfer.
(c) For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the following
meanings:
(i) “Card
Association” means VISA
USA, Inc., VISA Canada, Inc., VISA International, Inc., MasterCard
International, Inc., Novus, American Express, Diner’s Club, JCB International
Co., Ltd. and any legal successor organizations or association of any of
them.
(ii) “Member
Bank” means a member of
VISA and/or MasterCard which is authorized by such associations to enter or
receive transactions into (or from) such associations’ settlement and
authorization systems, and to participate in such associations’ charge card
programs, or a participant bank in Visa’s POS Check Service
program.
(iii) “Merchant”
means
any customer
who enters into a Merchant Agreement for the purpose of participating in the
Merchant Program (as defined below).
(iv) “Merchant
Accounts” means the
written contractual relationship between a Merchant on the one hand, and/or
a
Member Bank and the Company and any of its subsidiaries on the other for the
acquisition and processing of transactions.
(v) “Merchant
Agreement” means any
Contract between the Company and any of its subsidiaries and a Merchant,
including any merchant bank card application, merchant debit card application
and processing agreement, Visa POS check conversion merchant application, Xpress
CheX ACH services application, agreement for check collection services for
electronic checks, agreement for paper check collection services, paper check
verification service application, paper check guarantee merchant application,
batch RCK check processing services application Maestro Network sponsor
agreement, equipment agreement, bank card/check services application, NCN
participation agreement, electronic check services and processing agreement,
terminal lease agreement and all other agreements and applications pursuant
to
which the Company and its subsidiaries provides services to Merchants, as such
agreements have been amended from time to time.
37
(vi) “Merchant
Program” means the
package of services offered by the Company or any of its subsidiaries and a
Member Bank to a customer which enables a Merchant to (x) which permits the
Merchant make sales to a credit or debit card holder or which permits the
Merchant to present sales records to a processor for payment or processing,
and/or (y) which permits the Merchant to present or re-present checks for
authorization, guarantee, payment, settlement or processing.
2.30 Federal
Reserve
Regulations. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
is engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing
or
carrying margin securities (within the meaning of Regulation G of the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF
PARENT AND MERGER SUB
Parent
and Merger Sub hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant to the
Company, subject only to exceptions disclosed in writing in the disclosure
schedule supplied by Parent to the Company dated as of the date hereof and
certified by a duly authorized officer of Parent (the “Parent Schedule”), as
follows:
3.1 Corporate
Organization. Each of Parent and Merger Sub is a corporation
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
State of Delaware and Nevada, respectively, and has the requisite corporate
power and authority and all necessary Approvals to own, lease and operate its
properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted, except
where the failure to be so organized, existing or in good standing or to have
such power, authority and governmental approvals would not be reasonably likely
to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). As used in this
Agreement, the term “Parent
Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on the ability
of Parent or Merger Sub to perform their respective obligations under this
Agreement or consummate the Transactions without any material
delay.
3.2 Authority
Relative to this
Agreement. Each of Parent and Merger Sub has all necessary
corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, and to
perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the
Transactions. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent
and Merger Sub and the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the
Transactions, including the Merger, have been duly and validly authorized by
all
necessary corporate action on the part of Parent and Merger Sub, and no other
corporate proceedings on the part of Parent or Merger Sub are necessary to
authorize this Agreement, or to consummate the Transactions (other than, with
respect to the Merger, the filing of the Articles of Merger as required by
Nevada Law). This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and
delivered by Parent and Merger Sub and, assuming the due authorization,
execution and delivery by the Company, constitutes a legal and binding
obligation of Parent and Merger Sub, enforceable against Parent and Merger
Sub
in accordance with their respective terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, moratorium, reorganization and similar laws affecting creditors’
rights generally and to general equitable principles.
38
3.3 No
Conflict; Required
Filings and Consents.
(a) The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub does not,
and
the performance of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub will not,
(i) conflict with or violate Parent’s certificate of incorporation or
bylaws or Merger Sub’s articles of incorporation or bylaws, (ii) subject to
compliance with the requirements set forth in Section 3.3(b)
hereof, conflict with or violate any Legal Requirements applicable to Parent
or
by which its properties are bound or affected, or (iii) conflict with or
violate, result in any breach of or constitute a default (or an event that
with
notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or alter the
rights or obligations of any third party under, or give to others any rights
of
termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the
creation of a Lien on any of the properties or assets of Parent pursuant to
any
Contract to which Parent is a party or by which Parent or its properties are
bound or affected, except to the extent such conflict, violation, breach,
default, impairment or other effect would not in the case of clauses (ii)
or (iii) individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Parent
Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub does not,
and
the performance of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub shall not, require
any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or
notification to, any Governmental Entity except (i) for applicable
requirements, if any, of the Exchange Act, Blue Sky Laws and state takeover
laws, applicable requirements, if any, of the HSR Act, applicable pre-merger
notification requirements of foreign Governmental Entities, the rules and
regulations of the Nasdaq National Market, and the filing and recordation of
the
Articles of Merger as required by Nevada Law, and (ii) where the failure to
obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or permits, or to make such
filings or notifications, would not, individually or in the aggregate, be
reasonably likely to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
3.4 Proxy
Statement. Subject to the limitation set forth in the last
sentence of this Section 3.4, the
information supplied by Parent and Merger Sub (a) for inclusion in the Proxy
Statement shall not, at the date the Proxy Statement (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) is first mailed to stockholders of the Company or at the
time of the Stockholders’ Meeting, and (b) for inclusion in any other documents
that may be filed with the SEC in connection with the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement shall not, at the respective times filed with the SEC, in
each
case contain any untrue statement of material fact, or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statement therein, in light of the circumstances under which it was made, not
false or misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent and Merger
Sub make no representation or warranty with respect to any information supplied
by the Company or any of its Representatives for inclusion in the Proxy
Statement.
39
3.5 Sufficient
Funds. Parent has and will have at the Effective Time
sufficient funds to perform (and cause Merger Sub to perform) its obligations
under this Agreement and consummate the Transactions, including payment of
the
consideration set forth in Article I.
3.6 No
Business
Activities. All of the outstanding capital stock of Merger Sub
is owned by Parent, directly or indirectly through one or more wholly owned
subsidiaries. Merger Sub is not a party to any material contract and
has not conducted any business activities other than in connection with the
organization of Merger Sub, the negotiation and execution of this Agreement
and
the Company Voting Agreements and the consummation of the
Transactions. Merger Sub has no
subsidiaries.
3.7 Ownership
of Company
Stock. Neither Parent nor Merger Sub is, nor at any time
during the last three years has it been, an “interested stockholder” of Company
as defined in Section 78.423 of Nevada Law.
ARTICLE
IV
CONDUCT
PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE
TIME
4.1 Conduct
of Business by
Company. During the period from the date of this Agreement and
continuing until the earlier of the termination of this Agreement pursuant
to
its terms or the Effective Time, the Company and each of its subsidiaries shall,
except to the extent that Parent shall otherwise consent in writing (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), carry on its business in the usual,
regular and ordinary course in substantially the same manner as heretofore
conducted and in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Legal
Requirements, pay its Liabilities (including the costs and expenses associated
with this Agreement and the Transactions) and Taxes when due (subject to good
faith disputes over such Liabilities or Taxes), pay or perform its other
obligations when due, maintain insurance in amounts and against risks and losses
consistent with insurance maintained as by the Company and its subsidiaries
as
of the date of this Agreement, and use its commercially reasonable efforts
consistent with past practices and policies to (i) preserve intact its
present business organization, (ii) keep available the services of its
present officers and employees, and (iii) preserve its relationships with
customers, suppliers, distributors, consultants, licensors, licensees and others
with which it has significant business dealings. In addition, the
Company shall promptly notify Parent of any material event involving its
business or operations occurring outside the ordinary course of business,
including but not limited to, prompt written notice of a potential or proposed
Special IP Transaction (as defined below) or any negotiation by the Company
relating thereto.
In
addition, without the prior written consent of
Parent, except as specifically permitted or required by this Agreement and
except as provided in Section 4.1 of
the Company Schedule, during the period from the date of this Agreement and
continuing until the earlier of the termination of this Agreement pursuant
to
its terms or the Effective Time, Company shall not, and shall not permit its
subsidiaries to, do any of the following:
40
(a) Cause,
permit or submit to a vote of the Company’s stockholders any amendments to the
Company Charter Documents (or similar governing instruments of any of its
subsidiaries);
(b) Issue,
deliver, sell, authorize or designate (including by certificate of designation)
or pledge or otherwise encumber, or propose any of the foregoing with respect
to
any shares of capital stock of the Company or its subsidiaries or any securities
convertible into shares of capital stock of the Company or its subsidiaries,
or
subscriptions, rights, warrants or options to acquire any shares of capital
stock of the Company or its subsidiaries or any securities convertible into
shares of capital stock of the Company or its subsidiaries, or enter into other
agreements or commitments of any character obligating it to issue any such
shares or convertible securities, other than the issuance, delivery and/or
sale
of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of Company Stock
Options outstanding as of the date of this Agreement which are either vested
on
the date hereof or vest after the date hereof in accordance with their terms
on
the date hereof, in each case as disclosed on the Company Schedule;
(c) Declare,
set aside or pay any dividends on or make any other distributions (whether
in
cash, securities or property) in respect of any capital stock of the Company
or
its subsidiaries or split, combine or reclassify any capital stock of the
Company or its subsidiaries or issue or authorize the issuance of any other
securities in respect of, in lieu of or in substitution for any capital stock
of
the Company or its subsidiaries;
(d) Purchase,
redeem or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital
stock
of the Company or its subsidiaries or any other securities of the Company or
its
subsidiaries or any options, warrants, calls or rights to acquire any such
shares or other securities, except repurchases of unvested shares at or below
cost in connection with the termination of the employment relationship with
any
employee pursuant to stock option or purchase agreements in effect on the date
of this Agreement, provided that no such
repurchase shall be permitted in the event the per share repurchase price is
greater than the Merger Consideration;
(e) Waive
any stock repurchase rights, accelerate, amend or change the period of
exercisability of any Equity Award, reprice any Company Stock Option, or
authorize cash payments in exchange for any Equity Award;
(f) Grant
or pay any severance or termination pay or any bonus or other special
remuneration (whether in cash, securities or property) or any increase thereof
to any director, officer, consultant or employee except pursuant to written
agreements outstanding on the date hereof disclosed on Section 2.11(b) of
the Company Schedule, adopt any new severance plan, or amend or modify or alter
in any manner any severance plan, agreement or arrangement existing on the
date
hereof (including without limitation any retention, change of control or similar
agreement), grant any equity-based compensation, whether payable in cash,
securities or property, or enter into any agreement the benefits of which are
contingent or the terms of which are materially altered upon the occurrence
of a
transaction involving the Company of the nature contemplated
hereby;
41
(g) Grant
any loans or advances to employees, officers, directors or other third parties,
make any investments in or capital contributions to any person, incur any
indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such indebtedness of another
person, issue or sell any debt securities or options, warrants, calls or other
rights to acquire any debt securities of the Company, enter into any “keep well”
or other agreement to maintain any financial statement condition or enter into
any arrangement having the economic effect of any of the foregoing other than
in
connection with the financing of ordinary course trade payables consistent
with
past practice;
(h) (i) Increase
the compensation or benefits payable or to become payable to officers,
directors, consultants, or employees (other than as disclosed on Section 2.11(b) of
the Company Schedule), (ii) enter into any new or amend any existing
Company Employee Plan, Employment Agreement, indemnification, collective
bargaining, or similar agreement, except in the ordinary course of business
(provided doing so does not materially increase the cost associated with such
plan or agreement) and except as required by applicable Legal Requirements,
(iv) hire any employee at or above the level of manager or for a total
annual compensation (including bonus opportunity) of equal to or more than
$50,000, (v) hire any employee below the level of manager and for a total annual
compensation (including bonus opportunity) of less than $50,000, other than
in
the ordinary course of business, or (vi) terminate any employee (except
termination for cause);
(i) Enter
into, amend in any material respect or terminate (other than any termination
as
the result of the expiration of the term of any agreement), or waive or assign
any material right under any (i) Company Contract (or any Contract that would
be
a Company Contract if it were to exist as of the date of this Agreement), or
(ii) any Contract with an affiliate of the Company;
(j) Make
or commit to make any capital expenditures in excess of $100,000 individually
or
$500,000 in the aggregate;
(k) Acquire
or agree to acquire by merging or consolidating with, or by purchasing any
equity interest in or a portion of the assets of, or by any other manner, any
business or any corporation, partnership, association or other business
organization or division thereof or any ownership interest in any of the
foregoing, or otherwise acquire or agree to enter into any joint ventures,
strategic partnerships or similar alliances;
(l) Waive
the benefits of, agree to modify in any manner, terminate, release any person
from or knowingly fail to enforce the confidentiality or nondisclosure
provisions of any Contract to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is a
party or of which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a
beneficiary;
(m) Sell,
lease, license, encumber or otherwise dispose of any properties or assets except
(i) sales of inventory in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice, (ii) dispositions of obsolete and unsaleable inventory or
equipment, and (iii) transactions permitted by Section
4.1(n);
42
(n) Other
than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, sell,
lease, license, transfer or otherwise dispose of, or otherwise extend, amend
or
modify in any material respect, any rights to, Company Products or other Company
Intellectual Property, or otherwise extend, amend or modify or forfeit or allow
to lapse any right thereto (for the avoidance of doubt, any grant of a material
right in, entering into a Contract pertaining to royalty or license fee terms
with the party identified on Section 4.1(n) of the
Company Schedule regarding, or disclosure of Company source code or other
material Company Intellectual Property to such other party, whether or not in
connection with such other party’s exercise of its license option under that
certain agreement set forth on Section 4.1(n) of the
Company Schedule (a “Special IP
Transaction”), shall be deemed a breach of this Section
4.1(n));
(o) Issue
or agree to issue any refunds, credits, allowances or other concessions with
customers with respect to amounts collected by or owed to the Company or any
of
its subsidiaries in excess of $50,000 individually or $250,000 in the
aggregate;
(p) Enter
into any new line of business;
(q) Except
as required by GAAP, revalue any of its assets (including without limitation
writing down the value of inventory or writing off notes or accounts receivable
other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice)
or
make any change in accounting methods, principles or practices;
(r) Make
any material Tax election, settle or compromise any material Tax liability
or
refund, file any amendment to a material Return, enter into any closing
agreement or consent to any extension or waiver of any limitation period with
respect to material Taxes;
(s) Take
any action, or fail to take any action, with the intention of causing any
representation or warranty made by the Company contained in this Agreement
to
become untrue or inaccurate in any material respect;
(t) Commence
or settle any pending or threatened litigation, proceeding or investigation
(whether or not commenced prior to the date of this Agreement), other than
(i)
any litigation to enforce any of its rights under the Agreement, (ii) a
settlement fully reimbursable from insurance (subject to any applicable
deductible) or calling solely for a cash payment in an aggregate amount less
than $100,000 and in any case including a full release of the Company and its
subsidiaries, as applicable, or (iii) collection actions brought by the Company
in the ordinary course of business to collect amounts not in excess of $100,000;
or
(u) Agree
in writing or otherwise to take any of the actions described in Section 4.1(a)
through 4.1(t)
above.
43
4.2 No
Control. Nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to
give Parent, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the
Company’s or its subsidiaries’ operations prior to the Effective Time. Prior to
the Effective Time, the Company shall exercise, consistent with the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, complete control and supervision over its and
its
subsidiaries operations.
ARTICLE
V
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
5.1 Proxy
Statement. As promptly as practicable after the execution of
this Agreement, the Company, in consultation with Parent, shall prepare and
file
the Proxy Statement with the SEC under the Exchange Act. Parent and
Merger Sub shall provide promptly to the Company such information concerning
itself as may be required or appropriate for inclusion in the Proxy Statement,
or in any amendments or supplements thereto. As promptly as
practicable after any comments are received from the SEC thereon (or upon notice
from the SEC that no such comments will be made), the Company shall, in
consultation with Parent, prepare and file any required amendments to, and
the
definitive, Proxy Statement with the SEC. The Company will cause the
Proxy Statement to be mailed to its stockholders as soon as practicable after
the definitive Proxy Statement is filed with the SEC. The Company
shall notify Parent promptly upon the receipt of any comments from the SEC
or
its staff and of any request by the SEC or its staff for amendments or
supplements to the Proxy Statement or for additional information and shall
supply Parent with copies of all correspondence between the Company or any
of
its Representatives, on the one hand, and the SEC or its staff, on the other
hand, with respect to the Proxy Statement or the Merger. The Company
shall give Parent and its counsel reasonable opportunity to review and comment
on the Proxy Statement, including all amendments and supplements thereto, prior
to its being filed with the SEC and shall give Parent and its counsel reasonable
opportunity to review all responses to requests for additional information
and
replies to comments prior to their being filed with, or sent to, the SEC, and
will provide Parent with a copy of all such filings made with the
SEC. Whenever any event occurs which is required to be set forth in
an amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement, the Company shall promptly
inform Parent of such occurrence and, in consultation with Parent, file with
the
SEC or its staff and/or mail to stockholders of the Company, such amendment
or
supplement.
5.2 Meeting
of Company
Stockholders.
(a) Promptly
after the date hereof, the Company shall take all action reasonably necessary
in
accordance with Nevada Law and the Company Charter Documents to call, hold
and
convene an annual or special meeting of its stockholders for the purpose of
considering and taking action on this Agreement and the Merger (the “Stockholders’ Meeting”), to be
held as promptly as practicable, and, subject to the Company’s right to adjourn
or postpone the Stockholders’ Meeting pursuant to this Section 5.2(a), in
any event within thirty (30) calendar days after the Proxy Statement is mailed
to the stockholders of the Company. Subject to the terms of Section 5.4(c)
hereof, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to solicit
from its stockholders proxies in favor of the approval of this Agreement and
shall take all other action necessary or advisable to secure the vote or consent
of its stockholders required by the rules of the Nasdaq or Nevada Law to obtain
such approvals. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in
this Agreement, the Company may adjourn or postpone the Stockholders’ Meeting to
the extent necessary to ensure that any necessary supplement or amendment to
the
Proxy Statement is provided to the Company’s stockholders in advance of a vote
on the Merger and this Agreement or, if as of the time for which the
Stockholders’ Meeting is originally scheduled (as set forth in the Proxy
Statement) there are insufficient shares of Company Common Stock represented
(either in person or by proxy) to constitute a quorum necessary to conduct
the
business of the Stockholders’ Meeting. The Company shall ensure that
the Stockholders’ Meeting is called, noticed, convened, held and conducted, and
that all proxies solicited by the Company in connection with the Stockholders’
Meeting are solicited, in compliance with Nevada Law, the Company Charter
Documents, the rules of the Nasdaq and all other applicable legal
requirements. The Company’s obligation to call, give notice of,
convene and hold the Stockholders’ Meeting in accordance with this Section 5.2(a) shall
not be limited to or otherwise affected by the commencement, disclosure,
announcement or submission to the Company of any Acquisition Proposal (as
defined in Section
5.4(d) hereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall
not be required to call, give notice of, convene or hold the Stockholders’
Meeting if this Agreement has been validly terminated (including, in the case
of
termination pursuant to Section 7.1(e), the
payment of the Termination Fee) in accordance with Article VII
hereof. The Company shall not submit to the vote of its stockholders
any Acquisition Proposal or publicly propose or resolve to do so, unless this
Agreement has been validly terminated (including, in the case of termination
pursuant to Section 7.1(e), the payment
of the Termination Fee) in accordance with Article VII hereof.
44
(b) The
Proxy Statement shall include the fairness opinion referred to in Section 2.22
hereof. Subject to the terms of Section 5.4(c)
hereof: (i) the Board shall unanimously recommend that the
Company’s stockholders vote in favor of this Agreement; (ii) the Proxy
Statement shall include a statement to the effect that the Board has unanimously
recommended that the Company’s stockholders vote in favor of this Agreement at
the Stockholders’ Meeting; and (iii) neither the Board nor any committee
thereof shall withdraw, amend, change or modify, or propose or resolve to
withdraw, amend, change or modify, in a manner adverse to Parent, the
recommendation of the Board that the Company’s stockholders vote in favor this
Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, said recommendation of the
Board shall be deemed to have been modified in a manner adverse to Parent,
and a
“Change of Recommendation” shall be deemed to have been made, if said
recommendation shall no longer be unanimous (excluding, for the purpose of
determining whether said recommendation shall no longer be unanimous, directors
who have abstained from such recommendation due to circumstances giving rise
to
an actual or potential conflict of interest; provided that this exclusion
shall not be applicable if the remaining directors making such recommendation
constitute less than a majority of the full Board), or if any director shall
have publicly expressed opposition to this Agreement or the
Transactions.
45
5.3 Confidentiality;
Access to
Information.
(a) The
parties acknowledge that Parent and the Company have previously executed a
Mutual Nondisclosure and Nonuse Agreement, dated as of May 17, 2006 (the
“Confidentiality
Agreement”), which Confidentiality Agreement will continue in full force
and effect in accordance with its terms.
(b) The
Company shall afford Parent and its Representatives reasonable access during
normal business hours, upon reasonable notice, to the properties, books, records
and personnel of the Company during the period prior to the Effective Time
to
obtain all information concerning the business, including the status of product
development efforts, properties, financial positions, results of operations
and
personnel of the Company, as Parent may reasonably request; provided that such access
does not unreasonably interfere with the business or operations of the Company
or its subsidiaries; and provided,further
that to the extent
any such access would reasonably be expected to result in a loss or impairment
of any attorney-client or work-product privilege, the parties shall use their
respective reasonable best efforts to cause such information to be provided
in a
manner that does not result in any such loss or impairment (which reasonable
best efforts shall include entering into one or more joint defense or community
of interest agreements on customary terms).
(c) No
information or knowledge obtained by Parent in any investigation pursuant to
this Section 5.3 will
affect or be deemed to modify any representation or warranty contained herein
or
the conditions to the obligations of the parties to consummate the
Transactions.
5.4 No
Solicitation.
(a) From
the date hereof until the earlier of the approval of this Agreement by the
Company’s stockholders or the termination of this Agreement, the Company and its
subsidiaries shall not, nor will they authorize or knowingly permit any of
their
respective officers, directors, affiliates or employees or any investment
banker, attorney, accountant, or other advisor or representative retained by
any
of them (“Representatives”) to, and they
shall direct their respective representatives not to, directly or
indirectly: (i) solicit, initiate, knowingly encourage, support,
facilitate or induce the making, submission or announcement of, any Acquisition
Proposal (as defined in Section 5.4(d)
hereof); (ii) participate in any negotiations or discussions regarding, or
furnish to any person any non-public information with respect to any Acquisition
Proposal or any proposal or inquiry that could reasonably be expected to lead
to, any Acquisition Proposal (it being understood and agreed that informing
any
person as to the existence of these provisions in response to any unsolicited
Acquisition Proposal, proposal or inquiry, without providing any additional
information, shall not constitute, or be deemed to be, a violation of the
preceding clauses (i) or (ii) of this Section 5.4(a));
(iii) approve, endorse or recommend any Acquisition Proposal; or
(iv) enter into any letter of intent or similar document or any Contract
contemplating or otherwise relating to any Acquisition Transaction (as defined
in Section
5.4(d) hereof); provided, however, that the
terms of this Section 5.4
shall not prohibit the Company from furnishing non-public information regarding
the Company and its subsidiaries to, entering into a confidentiality agreement
with or entering into negotiations or discussions with, any person or group
(and
its or their Representatives) in response to an unsolicited written Acquisition
Proposal submitted by such person or group (and not withdrawn)
if: (1) neither the Company nor its subsidiaries shall have
materially violated any of the restrictions set forth in this Section 5.4 in
connection with such Acquisition Proposal; (2) the Board concludes in good
faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel, that such action
is
required in order for the Board to comply with its fiduciary duties to the
Company’s stockholders under applicable law; (3)(x) at least two (2)
business days prior to furnishing any such information to, or entering into
negotiations or discussions with, such person or group, the Company gives Parent
written notice of the identity of such person or group and of the Company’s
intention to furnish information to, or enter into negotiations or discussions
with, such person or group, and (y) the Company receives from such person
or group an executed confidentiality agreement containing terms and conditions
which are not less favorable to the Company than the Confidentiality Agreement;
and (4) as soon as practicable (and in any event no later than twenty four
(24) hours) after furnishing any such information to such person or group,
the
Company furnishes such information to Parent. In addition to the
foregoing, the Company shall provide Parent with at least forty-eight (48)
hours
prior written notice (or such lesser prior notice as the longest notice provided
to any member of the Board) of a meeting of the Board at which the Board is
reasonably expected to consider any Acquisition Proposal and together with
such
notice a copy of any documentation relating to such Acquisition Proposal (other
than confidential information provided by or on behalf of the person or group
making such Acquisition Proposal relating to such person’s or group’s business
or the effect of combining the business of the Company with such person’s or
group’s business, in each case that such person or group specifically identifies
as confidential (“Third Party
Confidential Information”), provided that the
parties
hereby acknowledge that the terms and conditions of the Acquisition Proposal
or
any information that is otherwise taken into account in determining whether
such
Acquisition Proposal constitutes a Superior Offer shall not under any
circumstance be deemed to be Third Party Confidential
Information). The Company and its subsidiaries shall immediately
cease any and all existing activities, negotiations or discussions with any
parties conducted heretofore with respect to any Acquisition
Proposal. Without limiting the foregoing, it is understood that any
violation of the restrictions set forth in this Section 5.4 by
any officer or director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or by any
other Representative acting at the authorization or direction of the Company
or
any of its subsidiaries, shall be deemed to be a breach of this Section 5.4 by
the Company.
46
(b) From
and after the execution of this Agreement, in addition to the obligations of
the
Company set forth in Section 5.4(a)
hereof, the Company shall promptly advise Parent orally (within one business
day) and in writing (within two business days) of any request received by the
Company for non-public information with respect to an Acquisition Proposal
or
the receipt by the Company of any Acquisition Proposal, the material terms
and
conditions of such request or Acquisition Proposal, the identity of the person
or group making any such request or Acquisition Proposal and a copy of all
written materials (other than Third Party Confidential Information) provided
by
or on behalf of such person or group in connection with such request or
Acquisition Proposal. After receipt of any such request or Acquisition Proposal,
the Company shall keep Parent reasonably informed in all material respects
of
the status and details (including material amendments or proposed material
amendments) of any such request or Acquisition Proposal and shall promptly
provide Parent a copy of all written materials (other than Third Party
Confidential Information) subsequently provided by or on behalf of such person
or group in connection with such request or Acquisition
Proposal.
47
(c) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement shall
prevent the Board from withdrawing, amending, changing or modifying its
recommendation in favor of the approval of this Agreement or approving or
recommending an Acquisition Proposal (any of the foregoing actions, whether
by
the Board or a committee thereof, a “Change of
Recommendation”) at any time prior to the approval of this
Agreement by the Company’s stockholders, but the Board may do so only to
terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 7.1(e) hereof
and only if all of the following conditions in clauses (i) through (v) are
met: (i) an Acquisition Proposal is made to the Company and is
not withdrawn and the Board determines that such Acquisition Proposal
constitutes a Superior Offer (as defined in Section 5.4(d)
hereof), (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of
their respective Representatives shall have materially violated any of the
restrictions set forth in Section 5.2 or
Section 5.4
hereof, (iii) the Company shall have delivered to Parent written notice (a
“Change of Recommendation
Notice”) at least three (3) business days prior to effecting such Change
of Recommendation, which shall (A) state expressly that the Company has received
a Superior Offer and that the Company intends to effect a Change of
Recommendation, (B) include a copy of any definitive documentation relating
to such Superior Offer and such other documentation reflecting the final terms
and conditions of such Superior Offer as being considered by the Board, and
(C) disclose the identity of the person or group making such Superior
Offer; (iv) after delivering the Change of Recommendation Notice, the
Company shall provide Parent with a reasonable opportunity to make such
adjustments in the terms and conditions of this Agreement during such three
(3)
business day period, and negotiate in good faith with Parent with respect
thereto during such three (3) business day period; and (v) the Board
concludes in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel,
that
in light of such Superior Offer, and after considering any adjustments or
negotiations pursuant to the preceding clause (iv), such Change of
Recommendation is required in order for the Board to comply with its fiduciary
duties to the Company’s stockholders under applicable law.
(d) For
purposes of this Agreement:
(i) “Acquisition
Proposal” shall
mean any offer or proposal (other than an offer or proposal by Parent or Merger
Sub) relating to any Acquisition Transaction.
(ii) “Acquisition
Transaction” shall
mean any transaction or series of related transactions other than the
Transactions involving: (A) any acquisition or purchase from the
Company by any Third Party of more than a twenty percent (20%) interest in
the
total outstanding voting securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or
any tender offer or exchange offer that if consummated would result in any
Third
Party beneficially owning twenty percent (20%) or more of the total outstanding
voting securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any merger,
consolidation, business combination or similar transaction involving the Company
pursuant to which the stockholders of the Company immediately preceding such
transaction hold less than eighty percent (80%) of the equity interests in
the
surviving or resulting entity of such transaction; (B) any sale, lease,
exchange, transfer, license, acquisition or disposition to any Third Party
of
more than twenty percent (20%) of the fair market value of the assets of the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (including capital stock of
subsidiaries of the Company); or (C) any liquidation or dissolution of the
Company.
48
(iii) “Superior
Offer” shall mean an
unsolicited, bona fide written Acquisition Proposal on terms that the Board
determines in good faith in its reasonable judgment (after consultation with
Wedbush Xxxxxx Securities or another financial advisor of nationally recognized
reputation) to be more favorable to the Company stockholders from a financial
point of view than the terms of the Transactions (taking into account any
revisions or modifications made by Parent and all other relevant factors,
including, without limitation, conditions relating to regulatory approvals,
the
existence of a financing or due diligence condition, timing considerations,
other events or circumstances beyond the control of the party invoking a
condition and whether financing for the Acquisition Proposal is committed).
(iv) “Third
Party” means any person
(including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d)-3 of the Exchange Act) other
than the Parent or Merger Sub or any of their respective affiliates or
subsidiaries.
(e) Nothing
contained in this Section 5.4 shall
prohibit the Board from taking and disclosing to the stockholders of the Company
a position contemplated by Rule 14d-9 or 14e-2 promulgated under the Exchange
Act; provided, however,
that prior to taking
any of the foregoing actions, the Company has complied with the applicable
requirements of Section 5.4(c);
and, provided, further,
that any such
disclosure (other than a “stop-look-and-listen” letter or similar communication
under Rule 14d-9(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act) relating to an
Acquisition Proposal shall be deemed a Change of Recommendation unless the
Company Board rejects acceptance of such Acquisition Proposal and reaffirms
its
recommendation in favor of the approval of this Agreement in such
disclosure.
5.5 Public
Disclosure.
(a) Parent
and the Company shall consult with each other, and to the extent practicable,
agree, before issuing any press release or otherwise making any public statement
with respect to the Transactions, this Agreement, and shall not issue any such
press release or make any such public statement prior to such consultation,
except as may be required by Legal Requirement or any listing agreement with
any
national securities exchange or national trading system, in which case
reasonable efforts to consult with the other party will be made prior to such
release or public statement. The parties have agreed to the text of
the joint press release announcing the signing of this
Agreement.
49
(b) The
Company shall consult with Parent before issuing any press release or otherwise
making any public statement with respect to the Company’s earnings or results of
operations, and shall not issue any such press release or make any such public
statement prior to such consultation.
5.6 Rights
Agreement. The Board shall take all further action reasonably
requested by Parent in order to render the Rights issued pursuant to the Rights
Agreement inapplicable to the Merger and the Transactions.
5.7 Reasonable
Efforts;
Notification.
(a) Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement each of
the
parties agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause
to
be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, and to assist and
cooperate with the other parties in doing, all things necessary, proper or
advisable to consummate and make effective, in the most expeditious manner
practicable, the Transactions, including using reasonable efforts to accomplish
the following: (i) the taking of all reasonable acts necessary
to cause the conditions precedent set forth in Article VI to be
satisfied, (ii) the obtaining of all necessary actions or nonactions,
waivers, consents, approvals, orders and authorizations from Governmental
Entities and the making of all necessary registrations, declarations and filings
(including registrations, declarations and filings with Governmental Entities,
if any) and the taking of all reasonable steps as may be necessary to avoid
any
suit, claim, action, investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity,
(iii) the obtaining of all consents, approvals or waivers from third
parties required as a result of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement,
(iv) the defending of any suits, claims, actions, investigations or
proceedings, whether judicial or administrative, challenging this Agreement
or
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including seeking
to
have any stay or temporary restraining order entered by any court or other
Governmental Entity vacated or reversed, and (v) the execution or delivery
of any additional instruments reasonably necessary to consummate the
Transactions, and to fully carry out the purposes of, this
Agreement. In connection with and without limiting the foregoing, the
Company and its Board shall, if any state takeover statute or similar Legal
Requirement is or becomes applicable to the Transactions or this Agreement,
use
its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the Transactions may be
consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms contemplated by this
Agreement and otherwise to minimize the effect of such Legal Requirement on
the
Transactions and this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to
the contrary, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require Parent or
any
subsidiary or affiliate of Parent (x) to agree to any divestiture by itself
or
the Company or any of their respective affiliates of shares of capital stock
or
of any business, assets or property, or the imposition of any limitation on
the
ability of any of them to conduct their business or to own or exercise control
of such assets, properties and stock (any such actions, an “Action of Divestiture”), or
(y) to utilize commercially reasonable efforts, or otherwise, in responding
to formal requests for additional information or documentary material pursuant
to 16 C.F.R. 830.20 under the HSR Act, or any other Antitrust Law, for a period
of time exceeding sixty (60) days from the receipt of any such initial
request.
50
(b) The
Company shall give prompt notice to Parent (i) upon becoming aware that any
representation or warranty made by it contained in this Agreement has become
untrue or inaccurate, or of any failure of the Company to comply with or satisfy
any covenant, condition or agreement to be complied with or satisfied by it
under this Agreement, in each case, such that the conditions set forth in Article VI hereof
would not be satisfied, (ii) upon becoming aware that any representation or
warranty made by it in Section 2.7 hereof
has become untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) upon receipt by it of
any
notice or other communication from any person alleging that the consent of
such
person is or may be required in connection with the transactions contemplated
by
this Transactions, (iv) upon becoming aware of any pending or threatened
investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Entity questioning the accuracy
of
any of the Company’s financial statements or their conformity with the published
rules and regulations of the SEC or with GAAP or the historical stock-based
compensation practices of the Company, and (v) upon receipt by it of any
comments from the SEC or its staff on any Company SEC Report or of any request
by the SEC or its staff for amendments or supplements to any Company SEC Report
or for any information in connection with any Company SEC Report or in
connection with any of the matters referred to in clause (iv) of this sentence,
and shall supply Parent with copies of all correspondence between the Company
or
any of its Representatives, on the one hand, and the SEC or its staff, on the
other hand, with respect to the Company SEC Reports; provided, however, that no
notification by the Company pursuant to this Section 5.7 shall
affect the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements of the parties
or the conditions to the obligations of the parties under this
Agreement.
5.8 Third
Party
Consents; Other
Actions.
(a) As
soon as practicable following the date hereof, Company shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to (i) obtain any consents, waivers and
approvals under any the Contracts set forth on Section 2.5(a)
of the Company Schedule (including the Contracts set forth on Section 5.8(a)(i) of
the Company Schedule), and (ii) amend the Contracts set forth on Section 5.8(a)(ii)
of the Company Schedule in the manner set forth on Section 5.8(a)(ii)
of the Company Schedule.
(b) The
Company shall, prior to the Effective Time, (i) repay in full any outstanding
obligations under the Company’s loan agreement with Bank of the West, dated
October 1, 2003 (extended January 31, 2005 and February 22, 2006) and the
Company’s loan agreement with Bank of the West dated as of August 1, 2005
(together, the “Credit
Facilities”), (ii) obtain customary pay-off letters in a form
reasonably acceptable to Parent with respect to the Credit Facilities, (iii)
obtain release and termination agreements from the lender(s) with respect to
such Credit Facilities in a form(s) reasonably satisfactory to Parent, which
shall include a release of all Liens, termination of the Credit Facilities
and a
release of the Company, the Surviving Corporation and their Affiliates from
any
further obligations under the Credit Facilities.
51
(c) The
Company shall, prior to the Effective Time, terminate the Agreements set forth
on Section
5.8(c) of the Company Schedule in accordance with the requirements set
forth on such Schedule.
(d) The
Company shall, prior to the Effective Time, take the actions referred to on
Section 5.8(d)
of the Company Schedule in accordance with the requirements set forth on such
Schedule.
5.9 Indemnification.
(a) Parent
shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, maintain in effect for
not
less than six (6) years after the Effective Time policies of directors’ and
officers’ liability insurance no less favorable in all material respects to that
maintained by or on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries on the date
hereof (which policy is set forth on Section 5.9(a) of the
Company Schedule (the “Current
Policy”) (and having coverage and containing terms and conditions which
in the aggregate are not less advantageous to the persons currently covered
by
such Current Policy as insureds (the “Insured Parties”) with respect
to claims arising from any actual or alleged wrongful act or omission occurring
prior to the Effective Time (including, without limitation, any acts or
omissions relating to the approval of this Agreement and the consummation of
the
Transactions) for which a claim has not been made against any director or
officer of the Company prior to the Effective Time or any director or officer
of
a Company subsidiary prior to the Effective Time; provided, however, that in
the event any claim is asserted or made within such six (6) year period, Parent
shall ensure that such insurance coverage will survive as to such claim until
final disposition of such claim; and provided further that if the
aggregate annual premiums for such insurance at any time during such period
exceed 150% of the per annum rate of premium currently paid by the Company
and
its subsidiaries for the Current Policy on the date of this Agreement (which
annual rate of premium is set forth on Section 5.9(a) of the
Company Schedule) (the “Current
Premium”), then Parent will cause the Surviving Corporation to, and the
Surviving Corporation will, provide the maximum coverage that will then be
available at an annual premium equal to 150% of the Current Premium. Parent
may
meet its obligations under this Section 5.9(a)
by (i) covering the Insured Parties under the Parent’s insurance policy for its
directors and officers or, (ii) causing the Surviving Corporation to, or
requesting that the Company, purchase a six-year “tail” policy (and, upon
Parent’s request, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to
purchase such “tail” policy prior to the Effective Time; provided that the
Company shall not purchase any such “tail” policy without Parent’s prior
consent). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will Parent be obligated
to
pay more than 250% of the Current Premium in the aggregate for any “tail”
policy.
(b) This
Section 5.9 is
intended for the irrevocable benefit of, and to grant third party rights to,
the
Insured Parties, and the provisions of this Section 5.9 shall survive the
consummation of the Merger as set forth herein and shall be binding on all
successors and assigns of Parent, the Company and the Surviving
Corporation. Each of the Insured Parties (and their respective heirs
and representatives) shall be entitled to enforce the covenants contained in
this Section
5.9. The obligations of Parent and the Surviving Corporation under this
Section 5.9
shall not be terminated or modified in such a manner as to adversely affect
the
rights of any Insured Party under this Section 5.9 without
the consent of such affected Insured Party. Parent shall cause the
Surviving Corporation to perform all of the obligations of the Surviving
Corporation under this Section
5.9.
52
5.10 Regulatory
Filings;
Reasonable Efforts. In furtherance and not in limitation of
the obligations of the parties set forth in Section 5.7
hereof, and subject thereto, as soon as may be reasonably practicable the
Company and Parent each shall file (i) a Notification and Report Form with
the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) and the United States
Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) pursuant to the
HSR Act
with respect to the Transactions, including the Merger and (ii) any
appropriate pre-merger notifications under the Antitrust Laws of any foreign
jurisdiction, as reasonably agreed by the parties to be
appropriate. Each of the Company and Parent shall cause all documents
that it is responsible for filing with any Governmental Entity under this Section 5.10 to
comply in all material respects with applicable law. The Company and
Parent each shall promptly (a) supply the other with any additional
information and documentary material that may be requested pursuant to the
HSR
Act which may be required in order to effectuate such filings and to take all
other actions necessary to cause the expiration or termination of the applicable
waiting periods under the HSR Act as soon as practicable, and (b) supply
any additional information, which reasonably may be required by the competition
or merger control authorities of any other jurisdiction and which the parties
reasonably agree to be appropriate; provided, however, that
Parent shall not be required to agree to any Action of
Divestiture. Parent shall be entitled to direct any proceedings or
negotiations with any Governmental Entity relating to any of the foregoing,
providedthat
Parent shall afford the
Company a reasonable opportunity to participate therein. Each party
hereto shall notify the other promptly upon the receipt of (i) any comments
from any officials of any Governmental Entity in connection with any filings
made pursuant hereto and (ii) any request by any officials of any
Governmental Entity for amendments or supplements to any filings made pursuant
to, or information provided to comply in all materials respect with, applicable
law. Whenever any event occurs that is required to be set forth in an
amendment or supplement to any filing made pursuant to this Section 5.10, each
party will promptly inform the other parties hereto of such occurrence and
the
Company will cooperate with Parent in filing with the applicable Governmental
Entity such amendment or supplement. For purposes of this Agreement,
“Antitrust Law” means
the Xxxxxxx Act, as amended, the Xxxxxxx Act, as amended, the HSR Act, the
Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended, and all other Legal Requirements
that
are designed or intended to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the
purpose or effect of monopolization or restraint of trade.
5.11 Termination
of Certain
Benefit Plans.
(a) Effective
no later than the day immediately preceding the Effective Time, the Company
and
its Affiliates, as applicable, shall each terminate any and all group severance,
separation or salary continuation plans, programs or arrangements and any and
all plans intended to include a Code Section 401(k) arrangement (unless Parent
provides written notice to the Company that such 401(k) plans shall not be
terminated) (collectively, “Company 401(k)
Plans”). Unless Parent provides such written notice to the
Company, no later than five (5) business days prior to the Effective Time,
the
Company shall provide Parent with evidence that such Company 401(k) Plan(s)
have
been terminated (effective no later than the day immediately preceding the
Effective Time) pursuant to resolutions of the Board. The form and
substance of such resolutions shall be subject to review and approval of
Parent. The Company also shall take such other actions in furtherance
of terminating such Company 401(k) Plan(s) as Parent may reasonably
require.
53
(b) As
soon as administratively practicable following the Closing Date, the Company
shall advise the Transferred Company Employees (as defined below) of their
right
to elect to receive a distribution of, or to directly rollover, their individual
account balances from the Company 401(k) Plan(s). To the extent
permitted by Law, as soon as practicable following the Closing Date, such
account balances may be transferred by the Transferred Company Employees to
a
defined contribution retirement plan maintained by Parent (the “Parent’s 401(k) Plan”) in a
direct rollover or rollover contribution, which, in the case of a Transferred
Company Employee who rolls over his or her entire account balance, shall include
any outstanding loan notes from the Company’s 401(k) Plan(s). Prior
to terminating the Company 401(k) Plan(s), the Company shall take any steps
necessary, including amending the Company 401(k) Plan(s) and any related 401(k)
loan policies, to ensure that such rollover of participant accounts and loans
balances is permitted under the terms of the Company 401(k) Plan(s) and any
401(k) loan policies.
5.12 Employee
Benefits. As soon as practicable after the Effective Time,
Parent shall provide the employees of the Company and its subsidiaries who
remain employed after the Effective Time (each, a “Transferred Company Employee”
and collectively,
the “Transferred Company
Employees”) with substantially similar types and levels of employee
benefits (other than equity-based compensation or benefits) as those provided
to
similarly situated employees of Parent. Parent shall treat the service of
Transferred Company Employees with the Company or any subsidiary of the Company
prior to the Effective Time as service rendered to Parent or any affiliate
of
Parent for purposes of eligibility and vesting in Parent’s applicable benefit
plans, other than stock option and restricted stock unit vesting. Parent
shall use its reasonable best efforts to provide that no Transferred Company
Employee, or any of his or her eligible dependents, who, at the Effective Time,
are participating in the Company group health plan shall be excluded from the
Parent’s group plan, or limited in coverage thereunder, by reason of any waiting
period restriction or pre-existing condition limitation; provided that such
Transferred Company Employees are based in the United States and meet applicable
actively at work requirements as of the Effective Time. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Parent shall not be required to provide any coverage, benefits,
or credit inconsistent with the terms of Parent benefit plans.
5.13 FIRPTA
Certificate. On or prior to the Effective Time, the Company
shall deliver to Parent a properly executed statement in a form reasonably
acceptable to Parent for purposes of satisfying Parent’s obligations under
Treasury Regulation Section 1.1445-2(c)(3).
54
ARTICLE
VI
CONDITIONS
TO THE
MERGER
6.1 Conditions
to Obligations of
Each Party to Effect the Merger. The respective obligations of
each party to this Agreement to effect the Merger shall be subject to the
satisfaction at or prior to the Closing Date of the following
conditions:
(a) Company
Stockholder
Approval. This Agreement shall have been duly approved, by the
requisite vote under applicable law, by the stockholders of the
Company.
(b) No
Order. No Governmental Entity shall have enacted, issued,
promulgated, enforced or entered any statute, rule, regulation, executive order,
decree, injunction or other order (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent)
which is in effect and which has the effect of making the Merger illegal or
otherwise prohibiting consummation of the Merger.
(c) Proxy
Statement. No order suspending the use of the Proxy Statement
or any part thereof shall be in effect and no proceeding for that purpose shall
have been initiated or threatened in writing by the SEC and shall be
continuing.
(d) HSR
Act and Comparable
Laws. Any applicable
waiting period under the HSR Act relating to the Transactions, including the
Merger, shall have expired or been terminated, any applicable waiting periods
under foreign Antitrust Laws relating to the Transactions, including the Merger,
shall have expired or been terminated, and all foreign antitrust Approvals
required to be obtained prior to the Effective time shall have been
obtained.
6.2 Additional
Conditions to
Obligations of Company. The obligation of the Company to
consummate and effect the Merger shall be subject to the satisfaction at or
prior to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions, any of which
may
be waived, in writing, exclusively by the Company:
(a) Representations
and
Warranties. Each representation and warranty of Parent and
Merger Sub contained in this Agreement (i) shall have been true and correct
as of the date of this Agreement, and (ii) shall be true and correct on and
as of the Closing Date with the same force and effect as if made on the Closing
Date except (A) in each case, or in the aggregate, as would not reasonably
be expected to constitute a Parent Material Adverse Effect, and (B) for
those representations and warranties which address matters only as of a
particular date (which representations shall have been true and correct (subject
to the qualifications as set forth in the preceding clause (A)) as of such
particular date) (it being understood that, for purposes of determining the
accuracy of such representations and warranties, all “Parent Material Adverse
Effect” qualifications and other qualifications based on the word “material” or
similar phrases contained in such representations and warranties shall be
disregarded). The Company shall have received a certificate with
respect to the foregoing signed on behalf of Parent by an authorized officer
of
Parent.
55
(b) Agreements
and
Covenants. Parent and Merger Sub shall have performed or
complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants required
by
this Agreement to be performed or complied with by them on or prior to the
Closing Date, and the Company shall have received a certificate to such effect
signed on behalf of Parent by an authorized officer of Parent.
6.3 Additional
Conditions to the
Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub. The obligations of
Parent and Merger Sub to consummate and effect the Merger shall be subject
to
the satisfaction at or prior to the Closing Date of each of the following
conditions, any of which may be waived, in writing, exclusively by
Parent:
(a) Representations
and
Warranties. Each representation and warranty of the Company
contained in this Agreement (i) shall have been true and correct as of the
date of this Agreement, and (ii) shall be true and correct on and as of the
Closing Date with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing
Date except (A) in each case, or in the aggregate, as would not reasonably
be expected to constitute a Material Adverse Effect on the Company (provided, however, that such
Material Adverse Effect qualifier shall be inapplicable with respect to the
representations and warranties set forth in Section 2.3
(Capitalization) hereof, which shall be true and correct in all material
respects), and (B) for those representations and warranties which address
matters only as of a particular date (which representations shall have been
true
and correct (subject to the qualifications as set forth in the preceding
clause (A)) as of such particular date) (it being understood that, for
purposes of determining the accuracy of such representations and warranties,
all
“Material Adverse Effect” qualifications and other qualifications based on the
word “material” or similar phrases contained in such representations and
warranties shall be disregarded). Parent shall have received a certificate
with
respect to the foregoing signed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Executive
Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company.
(b) Agreements
and
Covenants. The Company shall have performed or complied in all
material respects with all agreements and covenants required by this Agreement
to be performed or complied with by it at or prior to the Closing
Date. Parent shall have received a certificate with respect to the
foregoing signed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Executive Officer and
the
Chief Financial Officer of the Company.
(c) Material
Adverse
Effect. No Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company
and its subsidiaries shall have occurred since the date of this Agreement,
and
Parent shall have received a certificate to such effect signed on behalf of
the
Company by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the
Company.
(d) Consents. The
Company shall have obtained all consents, waivers and approvals required in
connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby in
connection with the Contracts set forth on Section 6.3(d)
of the Company Schedule in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
Parent.
56
(e) No
Litigation. There shall not be any pending or threatened suit,
action or proceeding asserted by any Governmental Entity (i) challenging or
seeking to restrain or prohibit the consummation of the Merger or any of the
other Transactions, the effect of which restraint or prohibition if obtained
would cause the condition set forth in Section 6.1(b) to not
be satisfied, or (ii) seeking to require Parent or the Company or any of
their respective subsidiaries or affiliates to effect an Action of
Divestiture.
(f) Key
Employees. (i) each of the individuals listed on Section 6.3(f)(i) of
the Company Schedule shall have entered into offer letters with Parent,
(ii) the current Chief Executive Officer and at least five (5) of the
employees listed on Section 6.3(f)(ii) of
the Company Schedule (the Chief Executive Officer and such five (5) other
employees, the “Key
Group”) shall be employees of the Company or one of its subsidiaries
immediately prior to the Closing Date, and none of the Key Group shall have
notified (whether formally or informally) Parent or the Company of such
employee’s intention of leaving the employ of Parent or one of its subsidiaries
following the Closing Date, and (iii) at least 90% of the employees listed
on
Section
6.3(f)(iii) of the Company Schedule shall be employees of the Company or
one of its subsidiaries immediately prior to the Closing Date and no more than
90% of such employees shall have notified (whether formally or informally)
Parent or the Company of such employee’s intention of leaving the employ of
Parent or one of its subsidiaries following the Closing Date.
(g) Non-Competition
Agreement. The individuals listed on Section 6.3(g) of
the
Company Schedule shall have entered into non-competition agreements with Parent
in a form substantially similar to the Non-Competition Agreement (the “Additional Non-Competition
Agreements”). The Non-Competition Agreement and each
Additional Non-Competition Agreement shall be in full force and effect, and
none
of the individuals that entered into a Non-Competition Agreement or Additional
Non-Competition Agreement shall have attempted to terminate or otherwise
repudiated such agreement or indicated an intention to terminate or otherwise
repudiate such agreement.
(h) 401(k)
Plans. Unless Parent shall have provided written notice to the
Company pursuant to Section 5.11 that the
Company 401(k) Plan should not be terminated, the Company shall have provided
Parent with evidence reasonably satisfactory to Parent that the Company 401(k)
Plans have been terminated.
(i) Assignments
The
Company shall have provided written documentation in a form reasonably
acceptable to Parent that all current consultants and independent contractors
who contribute or have at any time contributed to the creation or development
of
material Intellectual Property, including each of the consultants and
independent contractors listed on Section 5.8(d)
of the Company Schedule, have executed valid written assignments to the Company
(or one of its subsidiaries) of all right, title and interest they may have
in
or to such Intellectual Property and that all current consultants and
independent contractors, including each of the consultants and independent
contractors listed on Section 5.8(d)
of the Company Schedule, are obligated to assign to the Company (or one of
its
subsidiaries) all of their right in or to any future Intellectual Property
created by such consultants and independent contractors for or on behalf of
the
Company or any of its subsidiaries after the Closing.
57
(j) Restatement. There
shall not have been any restatement of any of the Company’s consolidated
financial statements, and the Company shall not have been notified by any
Governmental Entity or any present or former auditor of the Company of any
Effect that could reasonably be expected to result in any such
restatement. The Company’s auditors shall not have resigned or
threatened to resign. No auditor whose report is included in the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 2006 or the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended September 30, 2007 shall have revoked, or notified the Company
of such auditor’s intention to revoke, such auditor’s report or consent to
include such report in such Form 10-K. There shall not be any pending
or threatened investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Entity questioning
the accuracy of any of the Company’s financial statements or their conformity
with the published rules and regulations of the SEC or with GAAP or the
historical stock-based compensation practices of the Company, nor shall any
Governmental Entity have requested any information in connection with any of
the
foregoing; provided,
however, that any comments from the SEC or its staff in connection with
their review of the Proxy Statement that have been resolved without any of
the
effects referred to in this paragraph (j) shall not constitute a pending or
threatened investigation or inquiry or request for information.
(k) Exchange
Act
Filings. If the Effective Time shall be on or after
February 11, 2008, the Company shall have filed with the SEC its Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for its fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2007, which
Form 10-Q, as so filed with the SEC, shall comply as to form with the rules
and
regulations of the SEC applicable to quarterly reports on Form
10-Q.
(l) Audited
Financial
Statements. The Company shall have obtained and delivered to
Parent an unqualified audit of the Company’s consolidated financial statements
for the Company’s fiscal year ended September 30, 2007.
(m) Resignation
of Directors and
Officers. Parent shall have received a written resignation
from each of the directors and officers of the Company and each of its
subsidiaries (in their capacities as such) effective as of immediately prior
to
the Effective Time.
ARTICLE
VII
TERMINATION,
AMENDMENT AND
WAIVER
7.1 Termination. This
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Effective Time, and the
Merger may be abandoned, notwithstanding (except as set forth below) any
requisite approval of this Agreement by the stockholders of the
Company:
(a) by
mutual written consent duly authorized by the Boards of Directors of Parent
and
the Company;
(b) by
either the Company or Parent if the Effective Time shall not have occurred
on or
before May 9, 2008 (as may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties,
the “End Date”) for any
reason; provided,
however, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 7.1(b) shall
not be available to any party whose action or failure to act has been a
principal cause of or resulted in the failure of the Effective Time to occur
on
or before such date and such action or failure to act constitutes a breach
of
this Agreement;
58
(c) by
either the Company or Parent if a Governmental Entity shall have issued an
order, decree or ruling or taken any other action, in any case having the effect
of permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the Merger,
which
order, decree, ruling or other action is final and nonappealable;
(d) by
either the Company or Parent if the required approval of the stockholders of
the
Company contemplated by this Agreement shall not have been obtained by reason
of
the failure to obtain the required vote at the Stockholders’ Meeting or at any
adjournment thereof; provided,
however, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 7.1(d) shall
not be available to either party where the failure to obtain the Company
stockholder approval shall have been caused by the action or failure to act
of
such party and such action or failure to act constitutes a breach by such party
of this Agreement;
(e) by
the Company, at any time prior to the approval of this Agreement by the
Company’s stockholders, if (i) the Board shall have effected a Change of
Recommendation pursuant to and in compliance with Section 5.4(c)
hereof, (ii) the Company shall have made full payment of all amounts provided
under Section 7.3
hereof, and (iii) concurrently or within two (2) calendar days of such
termination, the Company enters into a definitive agreement with respect to
the
Superior Offer that was the subject of such Change of
Recommendation.
(f) by
the Company, upon a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or
agreement on the part of Parent set forth in this Agreement, or if any
representation or warranty of Parent shall have become untrue, in either case
such that the conditions set forth in Section 6.2(a) or
Section
6.2(b)
hereof would not be satisfied as of the time of such breach or as of the time
such representation or warranty shall have become untrue, provided, however, that if
such inaccuracy in Parent’s representations and warranties or breach by Parent
is curable by Parent prior to the End Date through the exercise of its
commercially reasonable efforts, then the Company may not terminate this
Agreement under this Section 7.1(f) for
thirty (30) calendar days after delivery of written notice from the Company
to
Parent of such breach, provided Parent continues to exercise commercially
reasonable efforts to cure such breach (it being understood that the Company
may
not terminate this Agreement pursuant to this paragraph (f) if such breach
by Parent is cured during such thirty (30) calendar day
period);
(g) by
Parent, upon a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement
on
the part of the Company set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation
or
warranty of the Company shall have become untrue, in either case such that
the
conditions set forth in Section 6.3(a) or
Section
6.3(b)
hereof would not be satisfied as of the time of such breach or as of the time
such representation or warranty shall have become untrue, provided, however, that if
such inaccuracy in the Company’s representations and warranties or breach by the
Company is curable by the Company prior to the End Date through the exercise
of
its commercially reasonable efforts, then Parent may not terminate this
Agreement under this Section 7.1(g) for
thirty (30)calendar days after delivery of written notice from Parent to the
Company of such inaccuracy or breach, provided the Company continues to exercise
commercially reasonable efforts to cure such inaccuracy or breach (it being
understood that Parent may not terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
paragraph (g) if such inaccuracy or breach is cured during such thirty (30)
calendar day period);
59
(h) by
Parent, if a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company and its
subsidiaries shall have occurred since the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that if
such Material Adverse Effect is curable by the Company prior to the End Date
through the exercise of its commercially reasonable efforts, then Parent may
not
terminate this Agreement under this Section 7.1(h) for
thirty (30) calendar days after delivery of written notice from Parent to the
Company of such Material Adverse Effect, provided the Company continues to
exercise commercially reasonable efforts to cure such Material Adverse Effect
(it being understood that Parent may not terminate this Agreement pursuant
to
this paragraph (h) if such Material Adverse Effect is cured during such
thirty (30) calendar day period);
(i) by
Parent, upon the occurrence of any of the events referred to in Section 6.3(j);
provided,
however, that
if such event is curable by the Company prior to the End Date through the
exercise of its commercially reasonable efforts, then Parent may not terminate
this Agreement under this Section 7.1(i)
for thirty (30) calendar days after delivery of written notice from Parent
to
the Company of the occurrence of such event, provided the Company continues
to
exercise commercially reasonable efforts to cure such event (it being understood
that Parent may not terminate this Agreement pursuant to this paragraph (i)
if such event is cured during such thirty (30) calendar day period);
or
(j) by
Parent, if a Triggering Event (as defined below) shall have
occurred.
For
the
purposes of this Agreement, a “Triggering Event” shall be
deemed to have occurred if: (i) the Board or any committee
thereof shall for any reason have made a Change of Recommendation; (ii) the
Company shall have failed to include in the Proxy Statement the recommendation
of the Board that holders of Shares vote in favor of and approve this Agreement;
(iii) the Board fails to reaffirm (publicly, if so requested) its
recommendation in favor of the approval of this Agreement within ten (10)
calendar days after Parent requests in writing that such recommendation be
reaffirmed; provided
that Parent shall only request such a reaffirmation following the public
announcement by a Third Party of an Acquisition Proposal or an intent to make
an
Acquisition Proposal, (iv) the Board or any committee thereof shall have
approved, endorsed or recommended any Acquisition Proposal; (v) the Company
shall have entered into any letter of intent or similar document or any Contract
accepting any Acquisition Proposal; (vi) a tender or exchange offer
relating to securities of the Company shall have been commenced by a person
unaffiliated with Parent and the Company shall not have sent to its
securityholders pursuant to Rule 14e-2 promulgated under the Securities
Act, within ten (10) business days after such tender or exchange offer is first
published sent or given, a statement disclosing that the Board recommends
rejection of such tender or exchange offer; or (v) the Company shall have
intentionally materially breached the provisions of Section 5.2 or Section
5.4.
60
7.2 Notice
of Termination;
Effect of Termination. Any termination of this Agreement under
Section 7.1
hereof will be effective immediately upon (or, if the termination is pursuant
to
Section 7.1(f),
7.1(g),
7.1(h)
or 7.1(i) hereof and
the
proviso therein is applicable, thirty (30) calendar days
thereafter) the delivery of written notice of the terminating party to the
other
parties hereto. In the event of the termination of this Agreement as
provided in Section 7.1
hereof, this Agreement shall be of no further force or effect and there shall
be
no liability to any party hereunder in connection with the Agreement or the
Transactions, except (i) as set forth in Section
5.3(a)
hereof, this Section 7.2,
Section 7.3
hereof and Article
VIII hereof, each of which shall survive the termination of this
Agreement, and (ii) nothing herein shall relieve any party from liability
for fraud or any intentional or willful breach of, or any intentional
misrepresentation made in, this Agreement. No termination of this
Agreement shall affect the obligations of the parties contained in the
Confidentiality Agreement, all of which obligations shall survive termination
of
this Agreement in accordance with their terms.
7.3 Fees
and
Expenses.
(a) General. Except
as set forth in this Section 7.3, all
fees and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the
Transactions shall be paid by the party incurring such expenses whether or
not
the Merger is consummated; provided, however, that
Parent and Company shall share equally any filing fee for any Notification
and
Report Form filed with the FTC and the DOJ pursuant to the HSR Act, and any
appropriate pre-merger notifications under the Antitrust Laws of any foreign
jurisdiction, as reasonably agreed by the parties to be appropriate, in each
case pursuant to Section 5.10
hereof.
(b) Company
Payments.
(i) The
Company shall pay to Parent in immediately available funds, within three (3)
business days after written demand by Parent, an amount equal to Three Million
Nine Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($3,925,000) (the “Termination Fee”) if this
Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to Section 7.1(j)
hereof.
(ii) The
Company shall pay to Parent in immediately available funds, concurrent with
a
termination by Company of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(e)
hereof, an amount equal to the Termination Fee, and no such termination of
this
Agreement shall be deemed effected until such time as the Termination Fee shall
have been paid to Parent.
61
(iii) The
Company shall pay Parent in immediately available funds, within one (1) business
day after written demand by Parent, an amount equal to the Termination Fee,
if
this Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to Section 7.1(b) or
Section
7.1(d)
hereof and any of the following shall occur:
(A) if
following the date hereof and prior to the termination of this Agreement, a
Third Party has announced, and not publicly definitively withdrawn at least
five
(5) business days prior to such termination, an Acquisition Proposal and
within twelve (12) months following the termination of this Agreement any
Company Acquisition (as defined below) is consummated; or
(B) if
following the date hereof and prior to the termination of this Agreement, a
Third Party has announced, and not publicly definitively withdrawn at least
five
(5) business days prior to such termination, an Acquisition Proposal and
within twelve (12) months following the termination of this Agreement the
Company enters into a letter of intent or similar document or any written
Contract providing for any Company Acquisition or publicly announces its intent
to enter into a Company Acquisition, and such Company Acquisition is
subsequently consummated within nine (9) months thereafter.
(iv) The
Company shall pay to Parent in immediately available funds, within two (2)
business days after written demand by Parent, if this Agreement is terminated
by
Parent pursuant to Section 7.1(g) based
on a failure to satisfy the condition set forth in Section 6.3(b) and,
(x) prior to such termination, the Company has received, or a Third Party
has announced, an Acquisition Proposal and (y) such breach is intended to
facilitate such Acquisition Proposal or benefit the Third Party making such
Acquisition Proposal without similarly benefiting Parent, an amount equal to
the
out-of-pocket fees and expenses incurred by Parent and Merger Sub in connection
with the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, reasonable
attorney fees and expenses, reasonable advisor fees and expenses, travel costs,
filing fees, printing, mailing and solicitation costs and
expenses).
(v) The
Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that the agreements set forth in this
Section 7.3(b)
with respect to payment of the Termination Fee are an integral part of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that, without these agreements,
Parent would not enter into this Agreement. Accordingly, if the
Company fails to pay in a timely manner the amounts due pursuant to this Section 7.3(b) and,
in order to obtain such payment, Parent makes a claim that results in a judgment
against the Company for the amounts set forth in this Section 7.3(b), the
Company shall pay to Parent its reasonable costs and expenses (including
reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) in connection with such suit, together
with interest on the amounts set forth in this Section 7.3(b) at the
prime rate of Citibank N.A. in effect on the date such payment was required
to
be made. Payment of the Termination Fee by the Company shall
constitute liquidated damages, and Parent’s right to receive a Termination Fee
in the circumstances provided in this Section 7.3(b) is the
exclusive remedy available to the Parent for any failure of the Merger and
other
Transactions to be consummated in those circumstances, and the Company shall
have no further liability with respect to this Agreement or the Transactions,
except as described in the previous sentence; provided that in no event
shall a Termination Fee be in lieu of damages incurred as a result of any
intentional or willful breach of, or any intentional misrepresentation made
in
this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the payment by the Company of
any
Parent Expenses pursuant to Section 7.2(b)(iv)
shall not constitute liquidated damages with respect to any claim which Parent
or Merger Sub would be entitled to assert against the Company or its assets,
or
against any of the Company’s directors, officers, employees or stockholders,
with respect to any such breach, and shall not constitute the sole and exclusive
remedy with respect to any such breach.
62
(vi) For
the purposes of this Agreement, “Company Acquisition” shall
mean any of the following transactions (other than the Transactions contemplated
by this Agreement): (i) a merger, consolidation, business
combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction
involving the Company pursuant to which the stockholders of the Company
immediately preceding such transaction hold less than a majority of the
aggregate equity interests in the surviving or resulting entity of such
transaction, (ii) a sale or other disposition by the Company of all or more
than a majority of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
a
whole, or (iii) the acquisition by any person or group (including by way of
a tender offer or an exchange offer or issuance by the Company), directly or
indirectly, of beneficial ownership or a right to acquire beneficial ownership
of shares representing in excess of a majority of the voting power of the then
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company.
7.4 Amendment. Subject
to applicable Legal Requirements, this Agreement may be amended by the parties
hereto at any time by execution of an instrument in writing signed on behalf
of
each of Parent and the Company.
7.5 Extension;
Waiver. At any time prior to the Effective Time, any party
hereto may, to the extent legally allowed, (i) extend the time for the
performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other parties hereto,
(ii) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties made to
such party contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto and
(iii) waive compliance with any of the agreements or conditions for the
benefit of such party contained herein; provided that Section
6.1(a) may
not be waived without the express written consent of Parent. Any
agreement on the part of a party hereto to any such extension or waiver shall
be
valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on behalf of such
party. Delay in exercising any right under this Agreement shall not
constitute a waiver of such right.
63
ARTICLE
VIII
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
8.1 Non-Survival
of
Representations and Warranties. The representations and
warranties of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub contained in this Agreement
shall terminate at the Effective Time, and only the covenants that by their
terms survive the Effective Time shall survive the Effective Time.
8.2 Notices. All
notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given if delivered personally or by commercial delivery service, or
sent
via telecopy (receipt confirmed) to the parties at the following addresses
or
telecopy numbers (or at such other address or telecopy numbers for a party
as
shall be specified by like notice):
|
(a)
|
if
to Parent or Merger Sub, to:
|
Intuit
Inc.
0000
Xxxxxx Xxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: General
Counsel
Telephone
No.: (000) 000-0000
Telecopy
No.: (000) 000-0000
with
a
copy to:
O’Melveny
& Xxxxx LLP
Embarcadero
Center West
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxx, Esq.
Telephone
No.: (000) 000-0000
Telecopy
No.: (000) 000-0000
if
to the
Company, to:
Electronic
Clearing House, Inc.
000
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Telephone
No.: (000) 000-0000
Telecopy
No.: (000) 000-0000
with
a
copy to:
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx & Markiles, LLP
00000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
V. Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Esq.
Telephone
No.: (000) 000-0000
Telecopy
No.: (000) 000-0000
64
8.3 Interpretation;
Knowledge.
(a) The
words “hereof,” “herein” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall,
unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole
and
not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and annex, article, section,
paragraph, exhibit and schedule references are references to the annex,
articles, sections, paragraphs, exhibits and schedules of this Agreement, unless
otherwise indicated. Unless otherwise indicated the words “include,” “includes”
and “including” when used herein shall be deemed in each case to be followed by
the words “without limitation.” The table of contents and headings
contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect
in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. When
reference is made herein to “the business of” an entity, such reference shall be
deemed to include the business of all direct and indirect subsidiaries of such
entity. Reference to the subsidiaries of an entity shall be deemed to
include all direct and indirect subsidiaries of such entity. The plural of
any
defined term shall have a meaning correlative to such defined term and words
denoting any gender shall include all genders and the neuter. A
reference to any legislation or to any provision of any legislation shall
include any modification, amendment, re-enactment thereof, any legislative
provision substituted therefore and all rules, regulations and statutory
instruments issued or related to such legislation.
(b) For
purposes of this Agreement, with respect to any person that is not an
individual, the term “knowledge” means
the actual
knowledge of such person’s directors and executive officers and the knowledge
that any of such persons would be reasonably expected to have in the conduct
of
their respective duties, and, with respect to any individual, means the actual
knowledge of such person.
(c) For
purposes of this Agreement, the term “Material Adverse Effect” when
used in connection with the Company means any change, event, violation,
inaccuracy, circumstance or effect (each, an “Effect”), individually or
when
aggregated with other Effects, that is or would be reasonably likely to
(i) be materially adverse to the business, properties, assets (including
intangible assets), liabilities (including contingent liabilities), condition
(financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (ii) have a material adverse effect on
the ability of the Company to consummate the Transactions without any material
delay; provided,
however, that Effects arising from or relating to any of the following
shall not be deemed in and of itself, either alone or in combination, to
constitute, and shall not be taken into account in determining whether there
has
been or will be, a Material Adverse Effect: (A) conditions affecting the
industries in which the Company participates (which Effects, in each case,
do
not disproportionately affect the Company or its subsidiaries, as the case
may
be, relative to other financial transaction processing businesses), (B)
conditions affecting the economy of the United States as a whole or any
other economies in any locations where the Company or any of its subsidiaries
has material operations or sales (which Effects, in each case, do not
disproportionately affect the Company or its subsidiaries, as the case may
be,
relative to other financial transaction processing businesses), (C) any failure
by the Company to meet any projections or forecasts for any period ending (or
for which revenues or earnings are released) on or after the date hereof in
and
of itself (for the avoidance of doubt, this clause (C) shall not preclude Parent
or Merger Sub from taking the underlying cause of any such failure into account
in determining whether there has been or will be a Material Adverse Effect),
(D)
any change in GAAP after the date hereof, (E) in and of itself, the receipt
by
the Company of any letter or communication from any Governmental Entity
concerning any pending or contemplated inquiries or investigations relating
to
the Company, its business, operations or management (including the letters
or
communications referred to in Section 8.3(c) of the
Company Schedule), provided that such inquiries or investigations (or, with
respect to the letters or communications referred to in Section 8.3(c) of the
Company Schedule, any material changes in the inquiries or investigations
referred to in such letters or communications) do not reasonably have the
potential to result in any criminal claim or charge against the Company, its
business, operations or management, (F) any Effect that, individually or when
aggregated with other Effects, results in a reduction in the Company’s gross
revenue on an annualized basis or requires or results in payments by the Company
in an aggregate amount of $15,000,000 or less (for the avoidance of doubt,
(x)
this clause (F) shall not preclude Parent or Merger Sub from taking the
underlying cause of any such reduction, payment or liability into account in
determining whether there has been or will be a Material Adverse Effect (except
to the extent that the underlying cause of any such reduction, payment or
liability arises as a result of any of the matters described in clauses (A)
through (E) or clauses (G) through (K) of this Section 8.3(c)), and (y) in
the
event of any reduction in the Company’s gross revenues on an annualized basis
and/or payments by the Company in an aggregate amount of more than $15,000,000,
Parent and Merger Sub shall be entitled to take into account the entire
aggregate amount of any such reductions or payments in determining whether
there
has been or will be a Material Adverse Effect and shall not be limited to taking
into account only the portion of such amount in excess of $15,000,000), (G)
changes in applicable Legal Requirements (which Effects do not
disproportionately affect the Company or its subsidiaries, as the case may
be,
relative to other financial transaction processing businesses), (H) any Effect
that the Company can demonstrate is directly caused by or directly results
from
the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
(I) the Effect of taking any action to which the Parent has given its consent
in
writing, (J) in and of itself, any change in the trading price or trading volume
of Company Common Stock, or (K) any attack on, or by, outbreak or escalation
of
hostilities or acts of terrorism involving, the United States, or any
declaration of war by the United States Congress.
65
(d) For
purposes of this Agreement, the term “person” shall mean any
individual, corporation (including any non-profit corporation), general
partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, joint venture,
estate, trust, company (including any limited liability company or joint stock
company), firm or other enterprise, association, organization, entity or
Governmental Entity.
(e) For
purposes of this Agreement, an “affiliate” of any person shall
mean another person that directly or indirectly, through one or more
intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with,
such first person, where “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly,
of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management policies of
a
person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, as
trustee or executor, or otherwise.
66
(f) For
purposes of this Agreement, the term “business day” shall mean any
day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which banks are legally
permitted to be closed in San Francisco, California or Las Vegas,
Nevada.
8.4 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be
considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when one or
more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to
the
other party, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same
counterpart.
8.5 Entire
Agreement; Third
Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement and the documents and
instruments and other agreements among the parties hereto as contemplated by
or
referred to herein, including the Company Schedule and the Parent Schedule
(a) constitute the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the
subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements, representations,
warranties and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with
respect to the subject matter hereof, it being understood that the
Confidentiality Agreement shall continue in full force and effect and shall
survive any termination of this Agreement; and (b) are not intended to
confer upon any other person any rights or remedies hereunder, except as
specifically provided in Section 5.9
hereof.
8.6 Severability. In
the event that any provision of this Agreement, or the application thereof,
becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal,
void
or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement will continue in full force
and effect and the application of such provision to other persons or
circumstances will be interpreted so as reasonably to effect the intent of
the
parties hereto. The parties further agree to replace such void or
unenforceable provision of this Agreement with a valid and enforceable provision
that will achieve, to the extent possible, the economic, business and other
purposes of such void or unenforceable provision.
8.7 Other
Remedies; Specific
Performance. Except as otherwise provided herein, any and all
remedies herein expressly conferred upon a party will be deemed cumulative
with
and not exclusive of any other remedy conferred hereby, or by law or equity
upon
such party, and the exercise by a party of any one remedy will not preclude
the
exercise of any other remedy. The parties hereto agree that
irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this
Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were
otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall
be entitled to seek an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this
Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof in any
court of the United States or any state having jurisdiction, this being in
addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in
equity.
67
8.8 Governing
Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York, regardless of the laws that
might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of law thereof.
8.9 Rules
of
Construction. The parties hereto agree that they have been
represented by counsel during the negotiation and execution of this Agreement
and, therefore, waive the application of any Legal Requirement or rule of
construction providing that ambiguities in an agreement or other document will
be construed against the party drafting such agreement or document.
8.10 Assignment. No
party may assign either this Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or
obligations hereunder without the prior written approval of the other
parties. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement shall be
binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their
respective successors and permitted assigns.
8.11 Waiver
of Jury
Trial. EACH OF PARENT, COMPANY AND MERGER SUB HEREBY
IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR
COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF
OR
RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE ACTIONS OF PARENT, COMPANY OR MERGER SUB
IN
THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE AND ENFORCEMENT
HEREOF.
[Remainder
of Page Intentionally Left
Blank]
68
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement and Plan of
Merger to be executed by their duly authorized respective officers as of the
date first written above.
INTUIT
INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
Name:
|
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
Title:
|
Senior Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development | |
ELAN
ACQUISITION CORPORATION
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx | |
Name:
|
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx | |
Title:
|
Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | |
ELECTRONIC
CLEARING HOUSE, INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name:
|
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Title:
|
Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature
Page to Agreement and
Plan of Merger]