Exhibit 2.1
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
by and among:
Here
Media Inc.,
a
Delaware Corporation;
HMI
Merger Sub,
a
Delaware Corporation; and
the HMI
Owners and the HMI Entities Referred to Herein.
Dated as of
January 8, 2009
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS
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1.1
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Certain Defined Terms
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1
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ARTICLE II.
THE MERGER AND THE CONTRIBUTION
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2.1
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The Contribution
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6
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2.2
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The Merger
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6
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2.3
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Closing
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6
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2.4
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Effective Time
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7
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2.5
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Effects of the Merger
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7
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2.6
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Certificate of Incorporation; By-Laws; Directors and Officers
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7
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2.7
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Conversion of Capital Stock
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7
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2.8
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Exchange of Certificates
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8
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2.9
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Treatment of Equity Incentive Plans and Warrants
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9
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ARTICLE III.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF COMPANY
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3.1
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Corporate Organization, Standing and Power
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9
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3.2
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Capitalization
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10
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3.3
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Authority; No Violation
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11
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3.4
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Consents and Approvals
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11
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3.5
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SEC Documents; Financial Statements
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11
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3.6
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Absence of Certain Changes or Events
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12
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3.7
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Undisclosed Liabilities
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12
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3.8
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Legal Proceedings
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12
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3.9
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Taxes and Tax Returns
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13
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3.10
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Employee Benefit Plans
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14
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3.11
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Employee Matters
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15
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3.12
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Compliance with Applicable Law and Regulatory Matters
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15
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3.13
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Material Contracts
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16
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3.14
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Assets
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17
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3.15
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Environmental Liability
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17
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3.16
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State Takeover Laws; Stockholder Rights Plan
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17
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3.17
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Insurance
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18
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3.18
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Intellectual Property
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18
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3.19
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Interests of Officers and Directors
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19
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3.20
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Opinion
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19
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3.21
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Broker’s Fees
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19
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3.22
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Certain Business Practices
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19
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3.23
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Disclaimer of Other Representations and Warranties
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19
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-i-
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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ARTICLE IV.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT, MERGER SUB AND THE HMI
ENTITIES
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4.1
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Corporate Organization, Standing and Power
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19
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4.2
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Parent and Merger Sub; Capitalization
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20
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4.3
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Authority; No Violation
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20
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4.4
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Consents and Approvals
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21
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4.5
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Merger Sub
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21
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4.6
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Financial Statements
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21
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4.7
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Absence of Certain Changes or Events
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21
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4.8
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Undisclosed Liabilities
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21
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4.9
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Legal Proceedings
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21
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4.10
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Taxes and Tax Returns
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21
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4.11
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Employee Matters
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22
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4.12
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Compliance with Applicable Law and Regulatory Matters
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22
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4.13
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Material Contracts
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22
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4.14
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Assets
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23
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4.15
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Environmental Liability
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23
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4.16
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Insurance
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23
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4.17
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Intellectual Property
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23
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4.18
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Interests of Officers and Directors
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23
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4.19
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Broker’s Fees
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24
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4.20
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Certain Business Practices
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24
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4.21
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Disclaimer of Other Representations and Warranties
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24
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ARTICLE V.
CERTAIN COVENANTS OF THE PARTIES
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5.1
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Conduct of Business Prior to the Effective Time
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24
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5.2
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Actions Requiring Consent
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24
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5.3
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Actions by Parent or the HMI Entities Requiring Consent
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25
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5.4
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No Solicitation
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26
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5.5
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Tax Treatment
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27
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5.6
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Certificates of Non-Foreign Status
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27
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ARTICLE VI.
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
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6.1
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Regulatory Matters
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27
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6.2
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Stockholder Approval
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28
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6.3
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Access to Information
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29
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6.4
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Public Disclosure
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29
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6.5
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Cooperation; Further Assurances
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29
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6.6
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Director and Officer Indemnification.
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29
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6.7
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Rule 16b-3
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30
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-ii-
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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6.8
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Employee Benefits
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30
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6.9
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Delisting
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31
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ARTICLE VII.
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
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7.1
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Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation To Effect the Merger
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31
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7.2
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Additional Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and the HMI
Owners
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31
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7.3
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Additional Conditions to Obligations of Company
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32
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ARTICLE VIII.
TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT
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8.1
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Termination
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33
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8.2
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Effect of Termination
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33
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8.3
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Expenses and Termination Fee
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34
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8.4
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Amendment
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35
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8.5
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Extension; Waiver
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35
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ARTICLE IX.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
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9.1
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Nonsurvival of Representations, Warranties and Agreements
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35
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9.2
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Notices
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35
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9.3
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Interpretation
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36
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9.4
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Counterparts
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36
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9.5
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Entire Agreement
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36
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9.6
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Remedies
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37
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9.7
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Assignment
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37
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9.8
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Third Party Beneficiaries
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37
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9.9
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Governing Law
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37
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9.10
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Consent to Jurisdiction
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37
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9.11
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Rules of Construction
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37
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9.12
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Severability
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37
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9.13
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Attorneys’ Fees
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37
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EXHIBIT A Parent Stock to be Issued in Contribution
and Merger
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EXHIBIT B Certificate of Incorporation of Parent
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-iii-
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
Agreement and Plan of Merger (“
Agreement”),
dated as of January 8, 2009, by and among
PlanetOut
Inc., a
Delaware corporation (“
Company”),
Here Media Inc., a
Delaware corporation
(“
Parent”),
HMI Merger Sub, a
Delaware
corporation that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent
(“
Merger Sub”), the HMI Owners and the HMI
Entities signatory hereto. Certain capitalized terms have the
meanings indicated for such terms in Section 1.1.
RECITALS
Whereas, the HMI Owners desire to contribute the stock
and limited liability company interests comprising all of the
HMI Ownership Interests in the HMI Entities held by them to
Parent in exchange for shares of Parent Common Stock as provided
in Section 2.1 (the “Contribution”).
Whereas, the Board of Directors of Company has
(i) declared that it is advisable and in the best interests
of Company and its stockholders that, upon the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and in accordance
with
Delaware Law, Merger Sub merge with and into Company, with
Company being the surviving corporation (the
“
Merger”) as provided in Section 2.2,
(ii) approved this Agreement, the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby and (iii) resolved to
recommend that Company’s stockholders adopt this Agreement
and approve the Merger.
Whereas, (i) the Boards of Directors of Parent and
Merger Sub have declared that the Merger is advisable and in the
best interests of Parent and Merger Sub and their respective
stockholders, and have approved this Agreement, the Merger and
the other transactions contemplated hereby and (ii) the
requisite approvals of stockholders of Parent and Merger Sub
have been obtained.
Whereas, pursuant to the Merger, among other things, the
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock other than the
Excluded Shares and the Dissenting Shares will be converted into
the right to receive the Merger Consideration as set forth
herein.
Whereas, for Federal income tax purposes, (i) it is
intended that the exchange of Company Common Stock for the
Merger Consideration and the exchange of HMI Ownership Interests
for Parent Common Stock, pursuant to the Merger and the
Contribution, taken together, shall qualify as a transaction
described in Section 351(a) of the Code; (ii) it is
intended that the Company Merger shall qualify as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(2)(E)
of the Code; and (iii) the parties intend, by executing
this Agreement, to adopt of plan of reorganization within the
meaning of Treasury Regulations
Section 1.368-2(g).
Now, Therefore, in consideration of the foregoing and the
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth
herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, and
intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Certain Defined
Terms. Unless the context otherwise requires, the
following terms, when used in this Agreement, have the
respective meanings specified below (such meanings to be equally
applicable to the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined):
“
Acquiror” means Here Media Inc., a
Delaware
corporation.
“Affiliate” of a Person means any Person that
directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with,
such Person.
“Aggregate Merger Consideration” has the
meaning stated in Section 2.8(a).
“Agreement” has the meaning stated in the
preamble to this Agreement.
“Authorizations” has the meaning stated in
Section 3.12(b).
1
“Business Day” means any day except a Saturday,
a Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks are required
or authorized to close in New York, New York or
San Francisco, California.
“By-Laws” means the Amended and Restated
By-Laws of Company in effect as of the date hereof.
“CERCLA” means the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.
“Certificate” has the meaning stated in
Section 2.8(b).
“
Certificate of Incorporation” means the
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Company, as
filed with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware on
October 19, 2004, as supplemented by the Certificate of
Designation dated January 4, 2007 and amended by the
Certificate of Amendment filed October 1, 2007.
“Certificate of Merger” has the meaning stated
in Section 2.4.
“Closing” means the consummation of the Merger
and the Contribution.
“Closing Date” has the meaning stated in
Section 2.3.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Company Board Recommendation” means the
recommendation of Company’s Board of Directors that the
stockholders of Company adopt this Agreement and approve the
Merger.
“Company Common Stock” means the common stock,
par value $0.001 per share, of Company.
“Company Disclosure Schedule” means the
document dated the date of this Agreement delivered by Company
to the HMI Parties prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and referring to the representations and warranties of
Company in this Agreement.
“Company Employee Benefit Plans” has the
meaning stated in Section 3.10(a).
“
Company Equity Incentive Plans” means the 1996
Stock Option Plan of PlanetOut Corporation, the PlanetOut
Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended), the Online
Xxxxxxxx.Xxx, Inc. 1997 Stock Plan (as amended), the PlanetOut
Partners, Inc. 2001 Equity Incentive Plan, the
PlanetOut Inc.
2004 Equity Incentive Plan and the
PlanetOut Inc. 2004 Executive
Officers’ and Directors’ Equity Incentive Plan.
“Company ERISA Affiliate” has the meaning
stated in Section 3.10(a).
“Company Financial Statements” has the meaning
stated in Section 3.5(b).
“Company Intellectual Property” has the meaning
stated in Section 3.18(a).
“Company Material Adverse Effect” means any
effect that is (i) material and adverse to the business,
operations, financial condition or results of operations of
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or
(ii) likely to prevent Company from consummating the
transactions contemplated hereby, other than (A) any such
effect resulting solely from changes in the economy in general,
or the digital media industry in general (but only if, in either
case, Company is not disproportionately affected thereby),
(B) any change in Company’s stock price, (C) any
effect resulting from actions taken pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement or at the request of or with the written consent
of Parent, or (D) any effect that results from the
announcement of this Agreement or the completion of the
transactions provided for herein.
“Company Options” means all rights,
obligations, commitments or agreements of any character, whether
fixed or contingent, calling for the purchase or issuance of any
shares of Company Common Stock or any other equity securities of
Company or any securities representing the right to purchase or
otherwise receive any shares of Company Common Stock, in each
case limited to those granted to employees, consultants and
independent contractors for compensatory purposes and excluding
the Excepted Warrants.
2
“Company Preferred Stock” means the preferred
stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Company.
“Company Registered Intellectual Property” has
the meaning stated in Section 3.18(a).
“Company Representatives” has the meaning
stated in Section 5.4(a).
“Company Rights” means rights to purchase
shares of Company Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock under the Company Rights Agreement.
“Company Rights Agreement” means the Rights
Agreement dated as of January 4, 2007 between Company and
Xxxxx Fargo Bank, N.A., as the Rights Agent, as amended
June 28, 2007.
“Company SEC Documents” means
(i) Company’s Annual Reports on
Form 10-K
for the 2005, 2006 and 2007 fiscal years, (ii) its
Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q
for each of the first three fiscal quarters in each of the
fiscal years of Company referred to in clause (i) above and
for each of the first three fiscal quarters of the 2008 fiscal
year of the Company, (iii) all proxy statements relating to
Company’s meetings of stockholders (whether annual or
special) held since the beginning of the first fiscal year
referred to in clause (i) above, (iv) its Current
Reports on
Form 8-K
filed since the beginning of the first fiscal year referred to
in clause (i) above, and (v) all other forms, reports,
registration statements, financial statements and other
documents filed or submitted by Company with or to the SEC since
the beginning of the first fiscal year referred to in
clause (i) above.
“Company Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock” means the Series A Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Company.
“Company Stockholder Approval” means the
affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of
Company Common Stock entitled to vote thereon to adopt this
Agreement and to approve the Merger.
“Company Stockholders’ Meeting” has the
meaning stated in Section 6.2(a).
“Confidentiality Agreement” means that certain
Mutual Confidentiality Agreement by and between the Company and
Here Network, LLC dated as of December 5, 2007, as it may
be amended from time to time, to which Regent Entertainment
Media, Inc., agreed to be bound pursuant the terms of that
certain
Put/Call
Agreement dated as of August 12, 2008 by and among Regent
Entertainment Media, Inc., Regent Releasing, LLC,
Company, LPI Media Inc. and SpecPub, Inc.
“Continuing Employee” has the meaning stated in
Section 6.8(a).
“Contribution” has the meaning stated in the
Recitals hereto.
“Delaware Law” means the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware.
“Dissenting Shares” has the meaning stated in
Section 2.7(d).
“Effective Time” has the meaning stated in
Section 2.4.
“Environmental Laws” has the meaning states in
Section 3.15.
“ERISA” has the meaning stated in
Section 3.10(a).
“Excepted Warrants” means that certain Warrant
to Purchase Common Stock issued to ORIX Venture Finance LLC on
September 28, 2006 and that certain Common Stock Warrant
issued to Xxxxx & Company, LLC, on January 8,
2009.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
“Exchange Agent” means Company’s transfer
agent or another bank or trust company selected by Parent and
reasonably acceptable to Company.
“Excluded Shares” has the meaning stated in
Section 2.7(b).
“Form S-4”
has the meaning stated in Section 6.1(a)(i).
“GAAP” means United States generally accepted
accounting principles.
3
“Governmental Entity” means any multinational,
national, federal, state or other court, administrative agency
department, office or commission or other governmental,
prosecutorial or regulatory authority or instrumentality and any
self regulatory organization, or “SRO”.
“Governmental Order” means any order, writ,
judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation, determination or
award entered by or with any Governmental Entity.
“HMI Entities” means Here Networks LLC, a Texas
limited liability company and Regent Entertainment Media Inc., a
Delaware corporation.
“HMI Owners” means Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xxxx X.
Xxxxxxxxx, and Here Management LLC, a Texas limited liability
company.
“HMI Ownership Interests” means the respective
shares of stock of, and limited liability company interests in,
the HMI Entities held by the HMI Owners and comprising in the
aggregate 100% of the outstanding equity interests in the HMI
Entities.
“HMI Parties” means Parent, the HMI Entities
and the HMI Owners.
“Intellectual Property” means any or all of the
following (whether or not registered with Governmental Entities,
and including all national and multinational applications for
any of the following) and all rights in, arising out of or
associated with the same: patents, trademarks, trade names,
trade dress, service marks, copyrights, domain names and uniform
resource locators or “URLs” (together with all
associated contract rights and goodwill), database rights, mask
works, net lists, technology, web sites, know-how, trade
secrets, inventory, ideas, algorithms, processes, computer
software programs or applications (in both source code and
object code form), and tangible or intangible proprietary
information or material of a Person.
“IRS” means the Internal Revenue Service.
“Knowledge” means, with respect to either
(i) Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) Parent
or any of the HMI Entities, the actual awareness of those
persons set forth in Section 1.1 of the Company Disclosure
Schedule and Section 1.1 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule,
respectively, in each case after reasonable inquiry by such
persons of the individuals within their respective entities
having responsibility for the matters in respect of which such
awareness or lack thereof is represented and warranted herein,
without any implication of other verification or investigation
concerning such knowledge.
“Laws and Regulations” means all federal,
state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations and ordinances.
“Lien” means any lien, claim, charge, option,
encumbrance, mortgage, pledge or security interest or other
restrictions of any kind.
“Material Contracts” has the meaning stated in
Section 3.13(a).
“Merger” has the meaning stated in the Recitals
hereto.
“Merger Consideration” means one share of
Parent Common Stock plus one share of Parent Special Stock.
“Merger Sub” means HMI Merger Sub, a Delaware
corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent.
“Multiemployer Plan” has the meaning stated in
Section 3.10(c).
“Multiple-Employer Plan” has the meaning stated
in Section 3.10(c).
“Parent” means Here Media Inc., a Delaware
corporation.
“Parent and HMI Entities Representatives” has
the meaning stated in Section 6.3(a).
“Parent Common Stock” means the common stock,
par value $0.001 per share, of Parent.
4
“Parent Disclosure Schedule” means the document
dated the date of this Agreement delivered by the HMI Parties to
Company prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and referring to the representations and warranties of Parent
and the HMI Entities in this Agreement.
“Parent Financial Statements” has the meaning
stated in Section 4.6.
“Parent Intellectual Property” has the meaning
stated in Section 4.17(a).
“Parent Material Adverse Effect” means any
effect that is (i) material and adverse to the business,
operations, financial condition or results of operations of
Parent and the HMI Parties taken as a whole or (ii) likely
to prevent Parent and the HMI Parties from consummating the
transactions contemplated hereby, other than any such effect
resulting solely from (A) changes in the economy in
general, or the HMI Parties’ respective industries in
general (but only if the HMI Entities are not disproportionately
affected thereby), (B) actions taken pursuant to this
Agreement or at the request of or with the written consent of
Company, or (C) the announcement of this Agreement or the
completion of the transactions provided for herein.
“Parent Plans” has the meaning stated in
Section 6.8(c).
“Parent Registered Intellectual Property” means
all (i) Parent Intellectual Property as of the date of this
Agreement that is registered in the name of any HMI Entity with
any Governmental Entity or for which application for such
registration has been made and (ii) domain names and
uniform resource locaters (URLs) owned by any HMI Entity or
registered in the name of any HMI Entity.
“Parent Special Stock” means the class of
capital stock, par value $0.001 per share, designated by that
name and authorized for issuance in the certificate of
incorporation of Parent.
“Parties” means, collectively, Company, Parent,
Merger Sub, the HMI Owners and the HMI Entities.
“Permitted Lien” means any Lien consisting of
(i) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’,
landlords’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or similar
common law or statutory liens or encumbrances arising in the
ordinary course of business which are not delinquent or remain
payable without penalty, (ii) encumbrances for Taxes and
other assessments or governmental charges or levies due and
payable but not yet delinquent, (iii) defects in title,
easements, restrictive covenants and similar encumbrances, and
(iv) any other Liens that individually or in the aggregate
do not result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.
“Person” means any individual, legal entity
(including general and limited partnerships, unincorporated
associations and trusts) or Governmental Entity.
“Proxy Statement” means a definitive form of
proxy statement relating to the Company Stockholders’
Meeting to be used to solicit the Company Stockholder Approval
hereby.
“Regulation S-X”
means 17 CFR § 210.1-01, et seq.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of
1933, as amended.
“Subsidiary” of any Person means any
corporation or other Person in which such Person (a) owns,
directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the outstanding voting
securities or equity interests or (b) is a general partner,
managing member, or trustee.
“Superior Proposal” means an unsolicited
written proposal by a Third Party to acquire, directly or
indirectly, more than 50% of the shares of Company Common Stock
then outstanding or all or substantially all of the assets of
Company, and (i) otherwise on terms which the Board of
Directors of Company determines in good faith (after receiving
advice of its independent financial advisors) to be more
favorable to Company’s stockholders from a financial point
of view than the transactions provided for in this Agreement
(including any adjustment to the terms and conditions of the
transactions provided for in this Agreement made by Parent
pursuant to Section 8.1(e)), and (ii) which, in the
good faith reasonable judgment of Company’s Board of
Directors, is reasonably likely to be consummated within a
reasonable time.
5
“Surviving Corporation” means the entity into
which Merger Sub has merged, following the Effective Time.
“Takeover Proposal” means any inquiry, proposal
or offer, whether in writing or otherwise, from a Third Party to
acquire beneficial ownership (as defined under Rule 13(d)
of the Exchange Act) of assets that constitute 25% or more of
the consolidated revenues, net income or assets of Company and
its Subsidiaries or 25% or more of any class of equity
securities of Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to a
merger, consolidation or other business combination, sale of
shares of capital stock, sale of assets, tender offer, exchange
offer or similar transaction with respect to either Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, including any single or multi-step
transaction or series of related transactions, that, if
consummated, would result in such Third Party or another Third
Party acquiring beneficial ownership of assets that constitute
25% or more of the consolidated revenues, net income or assets
of Company and its Subsidiaries, or 25% or more of the equity
interest in either Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Tax” or “Taxes” means all
federal, state, local, and foreign income, excise, gross
receipts, gross income, ad valorem, profits, gains, property,
capital, sales, transfer, use, value-added, stamp,
documentation, payroll, employment, severance, withholding,
duties, intangibles, franchise, backup withholding, and other
taxes (including estimated taxes), charges, levies or like
assessments together with all penalties and additions to tax and
interest thereon.
“Tax Authority” means any Governmental Entity
responsible for the imposition of any Tax (domestic or foreign).
“Tax Return” means any report, return,
document, declaration or other information or filing required to
be supplied to any Tax Authority with respect to Taxes,
including information Returns, any documents with respect to or
accompanying payments of estimated Taxes, or with respect to or
accompanying requests for the extension of time in which to file
any such report, return, document, declaration or other
information.
“Termination Fee” means $500,000.
“Third Party” means any Person or group other
than a Party hereto.
ARTICLE II.
THE MERGER AND THE CONTRIBUTION
2.1 The Contribution. At or
prior to the Effective Time, and subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, the HMI Owners shall take all
actions necessary to contribute all of the HMI Ownership
Interests to Parent in exchange for shares of Parent Common
Stock in the respective amounts set forth in Exhibit A to
this Agreement, which contributions and exchanges shall be
stated to become effective only upon the occurrence of the
Effective Time referred to in Section 2.4; provided, that
if the number of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time is greater or fewer than
4,088,754, then the respective numbers of shares set forth for
the HMI Owners in Exhibit A hereto and issuable in the
Contribution shall be appropriately and proportionately adjusted
so as to result in the aggregate number of shares of Parent
Common Stock issued to the HMI Owners pursuant to the
Contribution being 80% of the sum of (A) the aggregate
number of shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in the
Contribution and the Merger combined, plus (B) the number
of shares of Parent Common Stock issuable under the terms of the
Excepted Warrants.
2.2 The Merger. At the
Effective Time, and subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement and the applicable provisions of Delaware Law, Merger
Sub shall merge with and into Company. Company shall be the
Surviving Corporation in the Merger and shall continue its
corporate existence under the laws of the State of Delaware.
Upon consummation of the Merger, the separate corporate
existence of Merger Sub shall terminate. In preparation for the
Merger, Parent shall take all such action as shall be necessary
to amend its certificate of incorporation to read in full
substantially as set forth in Exhibit B attached hereto.
2.3 Closing. The Closing
shall take place as soon as practicable, and in any event not
later than two Business Days after the satisfaction or waiver of
each of the conditions set forth in ARTICLE VII hereof,
other
6
than conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the
Closing and will in fact be satisfied or waived at the Closing.
The Closing shall take place at the offices of Xxxxx Xxxxx LLP,
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx
00000, or at such other location and at such time as the parties
hereto may agree in writing. The date on which the Closing
occurs is referred to herein as the
“Closing Date”.
2.4 Effective Time. Prior to
the Closing, Parent and Company shall prepare, and on the
Closing Date the parties shall file, a certificate of merger
(the “Certificate of Merger”) with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with
the relevant provisions of Delaware Law. The Merger shall become
effective at such time as the Certificate of Merger is filed
with the Secretary of State, or at such later time as Parent and
Merger Sub, on the one hand, and Company, on the other hand,
shall agree and specify in the Certificate of Merger. The time
the Merger becomes effective is referred to herein as the
“Effective Time”.
2.5 Effects of the Merger. At
and after the Effective Time, the Merger shall have the effects
set forth in the applicable provisions of Delaware Law. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, at the Effective Time,
all the property, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of
Company and Merger Sub shall vest in the Surviving Corporation,
and all debts, liabilities and duties of Company and Merger Sub
shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving
Corporation.
2.6 Certificate of Incorporation;
By-Laws; Directors and Officers. Unless otherwise
determined by Merger Sub before the Effective Time, at the
Effective Time:
(a) The certificate of incorporation of
Company shall be the certificate of incorporation of the
Surviving Corporation.
(b) The by-laws of the Surviving
Corporation shall be amended and restated to conform to the
by-laws of Merger Sub as in effect immediately before the
Effective Time.
(c) The directors of Merger Sub
immediately before the Effective Time shall be the initial
directors of the Surviving Corporation and, except as Merger Sub
may otherwise notify Company in writing prior to the Effective
Time, the officers of Company immediately before the Effective
Time shall be the initial officers of the Surviving Corporation.
In addition, the initial directors of Parent at the Effective
Time shall be Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx and a person
proposed by the Board of Directors of Company and approved by
the HMI Owners.
2.7 Conversion of Capital
Stock. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger
and without any action on the part of Parent, Merger Sub,
Company or the stockholders of any of the foregoing, the shares
of stock of the constituent corporations shall be converted as
follows:
(a) Common Stock of Merger
Sub. Each share of common stock, par value $0.001 per
share, of Merger Sub 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
$0.001 per share, of the Surviving Corporation.
(b) Cancellation of Treasury Stock and
Company Common Stock Owned by Parent, HMI Parties and Merger
Sub. Each issued and outstanding share of Company
Common Stock that is owned by Parent, any of the other HMI
Parties, Merger Sub or any other wholly owned Subsidiary of
Parent or held in the treasury of Company (collectively, the
“Excluded Shares”) shall automatically be
cancelled and retired and shall cease to exist, and no cash,
Parent Common Stock, Parent Special Stock or other consideration
shall be delivered or deliverable in exchange therefor.
(c) Conversion or Retention of Company
Common Stock. Each share of Company Common Stock issued
and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other
than Excluded Shares and Dissenting Shares) shall be converted
into the right to receive the Merger Consideration therefor upon
surrender of the Certificate representing such share of Company
Common Stock following the Merger in the manner set forth in
Section 2.8. Each share of Company Common Stock converted
into Merger Consideration pursuant to this Section 2.7(c)
shall no longer be outstanding, shall automatically be cancelled
and shall cease to exist as of the Effective Time, and each
Certificate previously representing shares of Company Common
Stock shall thereafter represent only the right to receive the
Merger Consideration with respect to each share
7
of Company Common Stock formerly represented by such
Certificate. If, prior to the Effective Time, the outstanding
shares of Company Common Stock shall have been increased,
decreased, changed into or exchanged for a different number or
kind of shares or securities as a result of a reorganization,
recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split,
reverse stock split, or other similar change in capitalization,
then an appropriate and proportionate adjustment shall be made
to the Merger Consideration.
(d) Dissenting
Shares. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, shares of Company Common Stock that are issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and that are
held by a holder who has validly demanded payment of the fair
value of such holder’s shares as determined in accordance
with Section 262 of the Delaware Law (“Dissenting
Shares”) shall not be converted into or be exchangeable
for the right to receive the Merger Consideration and instead
shall be converted into the right to receive payment from the
Surviving Corporation with respect to such Dissenting Shares in
accordance with Delaware Law, unless and until such holder shall
have failed to perfect or shall have validly withdrawn such
holder’s demand or lost such holder’s rights under
Section 262 of the Delaware Law. If any such holder of
Company Common Stock shall have failed to perfect or shall have
validly withdrawn such demand or lost such right, each share of
Company Common Stock of such holder shall be treated, at
Company’s sole discretion, as a share of Company Common
Stock that had been converted as of the Effective Time into the
right to receive the Merger Consideration in accordance with
Section 2.7(c). Company shall give prompt notice to Parent
of any demands received by Company for appraisal of shares of
Company Common Stock, and Parent shall have the right to
participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to
such demands. Company shall not, except with the prior written
consent of Parent, make any payment with respect to, or settle
or offer to settle, any such demands.
2.8 Exchange of Certificates.
(a) Exchange Agent. Prior to
the mailing of the Proxy Statement, Parent shall appoint the
Exchange Agent for the payment of the Merger Consideration.
Concurrently with the Effective Time, Parent shall make
available to the Exchange Agent, for the benefit of the holders
of shares of Company Common Stock for exchange with the holders
of shares of Company Common Stock in accordance with this
ARTICLE II, the aggregate number of shares of Parent Common
Stock and Parent Special Stock necessary to complete all such
exchanges (the “Aggregate Merger
Consideration”).
(b) Exchange Procedures. As
soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time, the
Exchange Agent shall mail to each holder of record of a
certificate or certificates, or an electronic book entry
position in lieu of a physical certificate or certificates, that
immediately prior to the Effective Time represented outstanding
shares of Company Common Stock (a
“Certificate”) whose shares were converted into
the right to receive Merger Consideration pursuant to
Section 2.7, (i) a letter of transmittal (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 to the Exchange Agent, and shall be in such form
and have such other provisions as Parent may reasonably specify)
and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender of
the Certificates in exchange for the Merger Consideration. Upon
surrender of a Certificate for cancellation to the Exchange
Agent or to such other agent or agents as may be appointed by
Parent, together with such letter of transmittal, duly executed,
and such other documents as may reasonably be required by the
Exchange Agent, the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled
to receive in exchange therefor the Merger Consideration payable
in respect of the shares of Company Common Stock theretofore
represented by such Certificate pursuant to the provisions of
this ARTICLE II, and the Certificate so surrendered shall
forthwith be cancelled. In the event of a transfer of ownership
of Company Common Stock that is not registered in the transfer
records of Company, payment may be made to a person other than
the person in whose name the Certificate so surrendered is
registered, but only if such Certificate shall be properly
endorsed or otherwise be in proper form for transfer and the
person requesting such payment shall pay any transfer or other
Taxes required by reason of the payment to a person other than
the registered holder of such Certificate or establish to the
satisfaction of Parent that such Tax has been paid or is not
applicable. Until surrendered as contemplated by this
Section 2.8, each Certificate shall be deemed at any time
after the Effective Time to represent only the right to receive
upon such surrender the Merger Consideration as contemplated by
this Section 2.8.
8
(c) No Further Ownership Rights in
Company Common Stock Exchanged. The Merger
Consideration exchanged upon the surrender of Certificates
representing shares of Company Common Stock in accordance with
the terms of this ARTICLE II shall be deemed to have been
exchanged in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to the
shares of Company Common Stock so exchanged.
(d) Termination of Exchange Agent
Function. Any portion of the Aggregate Merger
Consideration made available to the Exchange Agent pursuant to
Section 2.8(b) that remains unclaimed by the holders of
shares of Company Common Stock upon the expiration of six months
after the Effective Time shall be returned to the sole control
of Parent and any holders of shares of Company Common Stock
prior to the Merger who have not theretofore complied with the
exchange procedures of this ARTICLE II shall thereafter
look only to Parent for payment of the Merger Consideration.
Except as may otherwise be agreed between Parent and the
Exchange Agent, the Exchange Agent shall thereupon cease to have
any authority to conduct exchanges of Certificates for Merger
Consideration.
(e) No Liability. None of the
Parties, the Surviving Corporation, the Exchange Agent, or any
employee, officer, director, agent or affiliate of any thereof,
shall be liable to any Person in respect of any Merger
Consideration delivered to a public official pursuant to any
applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar law.
(f) Withholding Rights. Each
of Parent and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct and
withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to
this Agreement to any holder of shares of Company Common Stock
such amounts as the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent
is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of
such payment under the Code, or any provision of state, local or
foreign Tax law. To the extent that amounts are so deducted and
withheld by Parent or the Exchange Agent, such withheld amounts
shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having
been paid to the holder of the shares of Company Common Stock in
respect of which such deduction and withholding was made.
(g) Lost Certificates. If any
Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the
making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such
Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if required by
the Surviving Corporation, the posting by such Person of a bond
in such reasonable amount as the Surviving Corporation may
require as indemnity against any claim that may be made against
it with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will
issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate
the Merger Consideration payable in respect thereof, pursuant to
this Agreement.
2.9 Treatment of Equity Incentive
Plans and Warrants. Company shall take any and all
action necessary to cause all warrants and other rights to
purchase Company Common Stock pursuant to any agreement to which
Company is a party, other than the Excepted Warrants, all
incentive or other compensation plans of Company involving
Company Common Stock or other securities of Company, and all
options and other awards granted under all such plans to
terminate at or prior to the Closing without the payment of any
amount or the incurrence of any future obligation to pay any
amount by Company, the Surviving Corporation or any of the HMI
Parties.
ARTICLE III.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF COMPANY
Except as disclosed in the Company Disclosure Schedule, Company
represents and warrants to the HMI Parties that each of the
following statements set forth in this ARTICLE III is true
and correct. The Company Disclosure Schedule shall be organized
to correspond to the Sections in this ARTICLE III. Each
exception set forth in the Company Disclosure Schedule shall be
deemed to qualify (i) the corresponding representation and
warranty set forth in this Agreement that is specifically
identified (by cross-reference or otherwise) in the Company
Disclosure Schedule and (ii) any other representation and
warranty to which the relevance of such exception is reasonably
apparent.
3.1 Corporate Organization, Standing
and Power. Each of Company and its Subsidiaries is a
corporation, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of organization. Each of
9
Company and its Subsidiaries has the corporate power to own its
properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted
and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in
each jurisdiction in which the failure to be so qualified and in
good standing would be material. Company has furnished or made
available to the HMI Parties a true and correct copy of the
Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and
By-Laws, as
amended, of Company. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
is in violation of any of the provisions of its certificate or
articles of incorporation or by-laws or other charter or
organizational documents, each as amended.
3.2 Capitalization.
(a) The authorized capital stock of
Company consists of 100,000,000 shares of Company Common
Stock and 5,000,000 shares of Company Preferred Stock. At
January 6, 2008, (i) 4,088,754 shares of Company
Common Stock were issued and outstanding, all of which are duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and
none of which were issued in violation of any preemptive rights,
(ii) 22,204 shares of Company Common Stock were
reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding Company
Options, (iii) 22,082 shares of Company Common Stock
were held in the treasury of Company,
(iv) 240,317 shares of Company Common Stock were
reserved for issuance pursuant to Company Options not yet
granted, (v) 87,000 shares of Company Common Stock
were reserved for issuance pursuant to the Excepted Warrants and
(vi) 100,000 shares of Company Preferred Stock are
designated Company Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, no shares of which were outstanding. Except as set forth
above, as of the date hereof, no shares of capital stock or
other voting securities of Company are issued, reserved for
issuance or outstanding and no shares of capital stock or other
voting securities of Company shall be issued or become
outstanding after the date hereof other than upon exercise of
Company Options outstanding as of the date hereof or the
Excepted Warrants. Section 3.2(a) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule sets forth a true and correct list, as of the date
hereof, of all rights of any character relating to the issued or
unissued capital stock of Company and each of its Subsidiaries,
or obligating Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, grant
or sell any shares of capital stock of, or other equity
interests in, or securities convertible into equity interests
in, Company or any of its Subsidiaries. There are no bonds,
debentures, notes or other indebtedness or securities of Company
that have the right to vote (or that are convertible into, or
exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any
matters on which stockholders of Company may vote. All shares of
Company Common Stock subject to issuance as described above
shall, upon issuance on the terms and conditions specified in
the instruments pursuant to which they are issuable, be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free
of preemptive rights.
(b) None of Company or any of its
Subsidiaries has any contract or other obligation to repurchase,
redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of Company Common Stock
or any capital stock of any of Company’s Subsidiaries, or
make any investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution
or otherwise) in any of Company’s Subsidiaries or any other
Person. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock and
voting securities of each Subsidiary of Company are owned,
directly or indirectly, by Company and are duly authorized,
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and those shares
of capital stock and voting securities of each of Company’s
Subsidiaries owned by Company, directly or indirectly, are free
and clear of all Liens. There are no outstanding subscriptions,
options, warrants, puts, calls, rights, exchangeable or
convertible securities or other commitments or agreements of any
character relating to the issued or unissued capital stock or
other securities of any such Subsidiary, or otherwise obligating
Company or any such Subsidiary to issue, transfer, sell,
purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any such securities. None
of the outstanding equity securities or other securities of any
of Company or its Subsidiaries was issued in violation of the
Securities Act or any other legal requirement.
(c) Neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries owns, or has any contract or other obligation to
acquire, any equity securities or other securities of any Person
(other than Subsidiaries of Company) or any direct or indirect
equity interest in any other business. Neither Company nor any
Subsidiary is or has ever been a general partner of any general
or limited partnership or the managing member of any limited
liability company.
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3.3 Authority; No Violation.
(a) Company has full corporate power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and, subject to
receipt of the Company Stockholder Approval, to comply with the
terms hereof and consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been
duly and validly approved by the Board of Directors of Company.
The Company Stockholder Approval is the only vote of the holders
of any class or series of Company’s capital stock necessary
to approve this Agreement and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by Company. Assuming due authorization,
execution and delivery by the other Parties, this Agreement
constitutes the valid and binding obligation of Company,
enforceable against Company in accordance with its terms, except
as such enforcement may be limited by (i) the effect of
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership,
conservatorship, arrangement, moratorium or other similar laws
affecting or relating to the rights of creditors generally, or
(ii) the rules governing the availability of specific
performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and
general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered
in a proceeding in equity or at law.
(b) Neither the execution and delivery of
this Agreement by Company nor the consummation by Company of the
transactions contemplated hereby, nor compliance by Company with
any of the terms or provisions hereof, will (i) violate any
provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws or the
certificates or articles of incorporation or by-laws, or other
charter or organizational documents, of Company’s
Subsidiaries or (ii) assuming that the consents and
approvals referred to in Section 3.4 are duly obtained,
(x) violate any statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation,
judgment, order, writ, decree or injunction applicable to
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective
properties or assets or (y) violate, conflict with, result
in a breach of any provision of or the loss of any benefit
under, constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or
lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under,
result in the termination of any or all rights or benefits or a
right of termination or cancellation under, accelerate the
performance required by or rights or obligations under, increase
any rate of interest payable or result in the creation of any
Lien upon any of the respective properties or assets of Company
or any of its Subsidiaries under, any Authorization or of the
terms, conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage,
indenture, deed of trust, license, lease, agreement, contract,
or other instrument or obligation to which Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party, or by which they or any of their
respective properties, assets or business activities may be
bound or affected.
3.4 Consents and
Approvals. Except for (i) the Company Stockholder
Approval and (ii) the consents, notices and approvals set
forth in Section 3.4 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, no
filings with or consents or approvals of any Governmental Entity
or any Third Party are necessary in connection with (A) the
execution and delivery by Company of this Agreement and
(B) the consummation by Company of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby.
3.5 SEC Documents; Financial
Statements.
(a) Company has furnished or made
available (including via XXXXX) to Parent true and complete
copies of the Company SEC Documents filed with the SEC by
Company on or prior to the Effective Time, and Company shall
furnish or make available (including via XXXXX) to Parent true
and complete copies of any Company SEC Documents filed with the
SEC by Company after the date hereof and prior to the Effective
Time. As of their respective filing dates, (i) the Company
SEC Documents complied or will comply, as applicable, in all
material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and
the Securities Act and (ii) none of the Company SEC
Documents contained or will contain, as applicable, any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit, as
applicable, to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, except to the extent amended or superseded by a
subsequently filed Company SEC Document.
(b) The consolidated financial statements
of Company contained in the Company SEC Documents (collectively,
the “Company Financial Statements”), as of the
dates of the filing of such reports, were prepared in accordance
with GAAP applied on a basis consistent throughout the periods
indicated (except as otherwise stated in such financial
statements, including the related notes, and except that in the
case
11
of unaudited statements for quarterly periods, such unaudited
statements were prepared in accordance with the requirements for
financial statements to be included in quarterly reports filed
with the SEC on
Form 10-Q)
and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated
financial condition and the results of operations of Company and
its Subsidiaries as at the respective dates thereof and for the
periods indicated therein (subject, in the case of unaudited
statements, to year-end audit adjustments).
(c) Company has implemented and maintains
disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Rules 13a-15(e)
and
15d-15(e) of
the Exchange Act) to ensure that all material information
relating to Company, including its consolidated Subsidiaries,
(both financial and non-financial) required to be disclosed by
Company in the reports that it files or submits under the
Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported to
the individuals responsible for preparing such reports within
the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC and
all such information is accumulated and communicated to
Company’s management, including its principal executive and
principal financial officers, and to other individuals
responsible for preparing such reports as appropriate to allow
timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the
certifications of the principal executive officer and principal
financial officer of Company required under the Exchange Act
with respect to such reports. Company has disclosed, based on
its most recent evaluation prior to the date hereof, to
Company’s outside auditors and the audit committee of
Company’s Board of Directors (i) any significant
deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation
of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in
Rule 13a-15(f)
and
15d-15(f) of
the Exchange Act) which are reasonably likely to adversely
affect Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and
report financial information and (ii) any fraud, whether or
not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a significant role in Company’s internal control over
financial reporting. These disclosures were made in writing by
management to Company’s auditors and audit committee, a
copy of which has previously been made available to the HMI
Parties.
(d) Company’s system of internal
controls over financial reporting are reasonably sufficient in
all material respects to provide reasonable assurance regarding
the reliability of Company’s financial reporting and
financial statements, and include policies and procedures
(i) providing reasonable assurance that
(A) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and
(B) receipts and expenditures are in accordance with the
authorization of Company’s management and directors and
(ii) regarding prevention or timely detection of
unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of Company’s
assets that could have a material effect on Company’s
financial statements. No significant deficiency or material
weakness was identified in management’s assessment of
internal controls as of December 31, 2007, nor has any such
deficiency or weakness been identified between that date and the
date of this Agreement.
3.6 Absence of Certain Changes or
Events. Since September 30, 2008, (i) each of
the Company and its Subsidiaries has, in all material respects,
conducted its business in the ordinary course consistent with
past practice; (ii) there has not occurred any change,
event or condition that is a Company Material Adverse Effect or
would reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material
Adverse Effect; and (iii) the Company has not taken any of
the actions that Company has agreed not to take from the date
hereof through the Closing Date pursuant to Section 5.2 of
this Agreement.
3.7 Undisclosed
Liabilities. Neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has any material obligations or liabilities of any
nature (whether accrued, matured or unmatured, fixed or
contingent or otherwise) other than (i) those set forth or
adequately provided for in the consolidated balance sheet (and
the related notes thereto) of Company and its Subsidiaries as of
September 30, 2008 included in the Company SEC Documents,
(ii) those incurred in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice since September 30, 2008 and
(iii) those incurred in connection with the execution of
this Agreement.
3.8 Legal
Proceedings. Neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is a party to any, and there is no pending or, to
the knowledge of Company, threatened, legal, administrative,
arbitral or other proceeding, claim, action or governmental or
regulatory investigation of any nature against Company, any of
its Subsidiaries or any of their officers or directors which, if
decided adversely to Company or its Subsidiary, would,
individually or in the aggregate, be material to Company. There
is no injunction, order, judgment or
12
decree imposed upon Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their officers or directors, or the assets of Company or any of
its Subsidiaries.
3.9 Taxes and Tax Returns.
(a) (i) Company and each of its
Subsidiaries have filed or caused to be filed all federal,
state, foreign and local Tax Returns required to be filed with
any Tax Authority; (ii) all such Tax Returns are true,
accurate, and complete in all material respects;
(iii) Company and its Subsidiaries have paid or caused to
be paid all Taxes that are due and payable by any of such
companies, other than Taxes which are being contested in good
faith and are adequately reserved against or provided for (in
accordance with GAAP) in Company Financial Statements, and
(iv) Company and each of its Subsidiaries do not have any
material liability for Taxes for any current or prior Tax
periods in excess of the amount reserved or provided for in
Company Financial Statements (but excluding, for this
Clause (iv) only, any liability reflected thereon for
deferred taxes to reflect timing differences between tax and
financial accounting methods).
(b) No federal, state, local or foreign
audits, examinations, investigations, or other formal
proceedings are pending or, to Company’s Knowledge,
threatened with regard to any Taxes or Tax Returns of Company or
its Subsidiaries. No issue has arisen in any examination of the
Company by any Tax Authority that if raised with respect to any
other period not so examined would result in a material
deficiency for any other period not so examined, if upheld. Any
adjustment of income Taxes of the Company made by the IRS in any
examination that is required to be reported to the appropriate
state, local or foreign Tax Authorities has been so reported.
(c) There are no disputes pending with
respect to, or claims or assessments asserted in writing for,
any material amount of Taxes upon Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, nor has Company or any of its Subsidiaries given
or been requested in writing to give any currently effective
waiver extending the statutory period of limitation applicable
to any Tax return for any period.
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is required to include in income any adjustment
pursuant to Section 481(a) of the Code by reason of a
voluntary change in accounting method initiated by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries and the Company has no knowledge that
the IRS has proposed any such adjustment or change in accounting
method.
(e) Neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries (i) is a party to a Tax allocation or Tax
sharing agreement (other than an agreement solely among members
of a group the common parent of which is Company) or
(ii) has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other
than any of Company or any of its Subsidiaries) under Treasury
Regulations Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state,
local or foreign law), as a transferee or successor, by
contract, or otherwise.
(f) Company and each of its Subsidiaries
have withheld (or caused its third party payroll processor to
withhold) from their employees, customers and any other
applicable payees (and timely paid to the appropriate
Governmental Entity) proper amounts for all periods through the
date hereof in compliance with all tax withholding provisions of
applicable Laws and Regulations (including, without limitation,
income, social security and employment tax withholding for all
types of compensation,
back-up
withholding and withholding on payments to
non-United
States Persons), except for such amounts, individually or in the
aggregate, as are not material.
(g) In the past five years, neither
Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been a party to a
transaction that has been reported as a reorganization within
the meaning of Code Section 368, or distributed a
corporation (or been distributed) in a transaction that is
reported to qualify under Code Section 355.
(h) Neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has been a party to or otherwise participated in
any “reportable transaction” within the meaning of
Treasury
Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b).
(i) Neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is a party to any plan, program, agreement,
arrangement, practice, policy or understanding that would
result, separately or in the aggregate, in the payment or
provision (whether in connection with any termination of
employment or otherwise) of any “excess
13
parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G
of the Code with respect to a current or former employee or
current or former consultant or contractor of Company or any of
its Subsidiaries.
(j) None of Company or its Subsidiaries
is a party to any contract, agreement, plan or arrangement
covering any person that could give rise to the payment of any
amount that would not be deductible by reason of
Section 162(m) of the Code.
3.10 Employee Benefit Plans.
(a) Section 3.10(a) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of all “employee
benefit plans,” as defined in Section 3(3) of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
(“ERISA”), and all other employee benefit or
executive compensation arrangements, perquisite programs or
payroll practices, including, without limitation, any such
arrangements or payroll practices providing severance pay, sick
leave, vacation pay, salary continuation for disability,
retirement benefits, deferred compensation, bonus pay, incentive
pay, stock options and other equity awards (including those held
by directors, employees, and consultants), hospitalization
insurance, medical insurance, life insurance, scholarships or
tuition reimbursements, that are maintained by Company, any
Subsidiary or any entity within the same “controlled
group” as Company or Subsidiary, within the meaning of
Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA (a “Company ERISA
Affiliate”) or to which Company, any Subsidiary or
Company ERISA Affiliate is obligated to contribute thereunder
for current or former directors, officers, employees or
consultants of Company, any Subsidiary or Company ERISA
Affiliate (the “Company Employee Benefit
Plans”).
(b) All Company Employee Benefit Plans
comply and have been administered in form and in operation in
all material respects in accordance with their terms and with
all applicable requirements of law, and no event has occurred
which will or could cause any such Company Employee Benefit Plan
to fail to comply in all material respects with such
requirements and no notice has been issued by any Governmental
Entity questioning or challenging such compliance.
(c) None of the Company Employee Benefit
Plans is a “multiemployer plan,” as defined in
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA (the “Multiemployer
Plan”) or a “multiple-employer plan” as
contemplated by Section 413(c) of the code
(“Multiple-Employer Plan”). None of the
Company, any Subsidiary or any Company ERISA Affiliate has
withdrawn in a complete or partial withdrawal from any
Multiemployer Plan or Multiple-Employer Plan or otherwise has
any liability or potential liability with respect to any
Multiemployer Plan or Multiple-Employer Plan.
(d) None of the Company Employee Benefit
Plans is a “single employer plan,” as defined in
Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that is subject to
Title IV of ERISA. Neither Company, any Subsidiary nor any
Company ERISA Affiliate has incurred any outstanding liability
under Section 4062 of ERISA to the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation or to a trustee appointed under Section 4042 of
ERISA. Neither Company, any Subsidiary nor any Company ERISA
Affiliate has engaged in any transaction described in
Section 4069 of ERISA.
(e) Neither Company nor any Subsidiary
maintains, or is required, either currently or in the future, to
provide medical benefits to employees, former employees or
retirees after their termination of employment, other than
pursuant to applicable law or regulation.
(f) Each Company Employee Benefit Plan
that is intended to qualify under Section 401 of the Code,
and each trust maintained pursuant thereto, received a favorable
determination letter (or opinion letter) from the IRS, and, to
Company’s knowledge, nothing has occurred with respect to
the operation of any such Company Employee Benefit Plan that
would cause the loss of such qualification or exemption or the
imposition of any material liability, penalty or Tax under ERISA
or the Code.
(g) None of Company, the Subsidiaries,
the officers of Company or any of the Subsidiaries, any Company
ERISA Affiliate or the Company Employee Benefits Plans which are
subject to ERISA, any trusts created thereunder or, to
Company’s knowledge, any trustee or administrator thereof,
has engaged in a “prohibited transaction” (as such
term is defined in Section 406 of ERISA or
Section 4975 of the Code) or any other breach of fiduciary
responsibility that could subject Company, any of the
Subsidiaries or any officer
14
of Company or any of the Subsidiaries to any material Tax or
penalty on prohibited transactions imposed by such
Section 4975 or to any material liability under
Section 502(i) or (l) of ERISA. There have been no
actions or omissions by the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or
any Company ERISA Affiliate with respect to any Company Employee
Benefit Plan which have given rise to or may give rise to any
material Tax, fine, interest or penalty under any applicable
Laws and Regulations, including ERISA and the Code, for which
the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or any Company ERISA
Affiliate may be liable or under Section 409A of the Code
for which the Company, any of the Subsidiaries, any Company
ERISA Affiliate or any participant in any Company Employee
Benefit Plan that is a nonqualified deferred compensation plan
(within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) may be
liable.
(h) True, correct and complete copies of
the following documents, with respect to each of the Company
Employee Benefit Plans, to the extent applicable, have been
delivered or made available to the HMI Parties by Company:
(i) all Company Employee Benefit Plans and related trust
documents and other funding vehicles, and amendments thereto;
(ii) the three most recent Forms 5500 with
accountant’s opinion of the plan’s financial
statements; (iii) summary plan descriptions and summaries
of material modifications; (iv) all insurance contracts,
record keeping agreements, investment management and other
investment-related agreements, and administrative services
agreements; (v) the three most recent actuarial reports;
(vi) all Governmental Entity rulings and opinions,
including (without limitation) Internal Revenue Service
determination letters, and all pending requests for rulings and
opinions.
(i) There are no pending actions, claims,
audits, investigations or lawsuits which have been asserted,
instituted or, to Company’s knowledge, threatened, against
the Company Employee Benefit Plans, the assets of any of the
trusts under such plans or the plan sponsor or the plan
administrator, or against any fiduciary of the Company Employee
Benefit Plans with respect to the operation of such plans (other
than routine benefit claims).
3.11 Employee Matters.
(a) Company and each of its Subsidiaries
are in compliance with all applicable Laws and Regulations
respecting the employment of employees and the engagement of
leased employees, consultants and independent contractors,
including all Laws and Regulations regarding discrimination
and/or
harassment, affirmative action, terms and conditions of
employment, wage and hour requirements (including the proper
classification, compensation and related withholding with
respect to employees, leased employees, consultants and
independent contractors), leaves of absence, reasonable
accommodation of disabilities, occupational safety and health,
workers’ compensation and employment practices. Neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is engaged in any unfair
labor practice. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is
or has been a party to any collective bargaining agreement or
other labor union contract; nor does Company know of any
activities or proceedings of any labor union or other collective
bargaining representative to organize any such employees.
(b) Neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has engaged in any plant closing or employee layoff
activities that violate the Workers Adjustment and Retraining
Notification Act, as amended, or any similar state or local
plant closing or mass layoff statute rule or regulation.
3.12 Compliance with Applicable Law and Regulatory
Matters.
(a) Company and each of its Subsidiaries
have complied with all applicable Laws and Regulations, and are
not in violation of, and have not received any notices of
violation with respect to, any Laws and Regulations in
connection with the conduct of their respective businesses or
the ownership or operation of their respective businesses,
assets and properties, except for such noncompliance and
violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be
material.
(b) Company and each of its Subsidiaries
have all licenses, permits, certificates, franchises and other
authorizations (collectively, the
“Authorizations”) necessary for the ownership
or use of its assets and properties and the conduct of its
business, as currently conducted, and have complied with, and
are not in violation of, any Authorization, except where such
noncompliance or violation would not, individually or in the
aggregate, be material. Except as would not be material to
Company, all such Authorizations are in full
15
force and effect and there are no proceedings pending or, to the
knowledge of Company, threatened that seek the revocation,
cancellation, suspension or adverse modification thereof.
(c) There are no Governmental Orders
applicable to Company or any of its Subsidiaries which have had
a Company Material Adverse Effect.
3.13 Material Contracts.
(a) Except for the contracts described in
or filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the 2007 fiscal year or as set forth in Section 3.13 of
the Company Disclosure Schedule (collectively, the
“Material Contracts”), neither Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries is a party to or is bound by any of the
following:
(i) any contract or agreement entered
into, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practice, for the acquisition of the securities of or
any material portion of the assets of or to invest in any other
Person or entity;
(ii) any contract or agreement for the
purchase of goods, materials, supplies, developmental services,
equipment, other assets or services in excess of $100,000 which
cannot be cancelled by Company or any of its Subsidiaries
without penalty or further payment and without more than
30 days’ notice;
(iii) any contract with any independent
contractor or consultant (or similar arrangement) which is not
cancelable without penalty and without more than
30 days’ notice;
(iv) any trust indenture, mortgage,
promissory note, loan agreement providing for a deferred
purchase price or other contract, agreement or instrument for
the borrowing of money, any currency exchange, commodities or
other hedging arrangement or any leasing transaction of the type
required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP, in each
case, where Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a lender,
borrower or lessee;
(v) any contract or agreement limiting
the freedom of Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their respective employees to engage in any line of business or
to compete with any other Person or in any area;
(vi) any contract or agreement with any
Affiliate of Company;
(vii) any employment agreement with any
employee or officer of Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(viii) any agreement of guarantee,
surety, support, indemnification, assumption or endorsement of,
or any similar commitment with respect to, the obligations,
liabilities (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise)
or indebtedness of any other Person other than, with respect
only to agreements of indemnification, agreements entered into
with Third Persons in the ordinary course of business;
(ix) any agreement which would be
terminable, other than by Company or its Subsidiaries, or under
which a payment obligation could arise or be accelerated, in
each case as a result of the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement;
(x) any alliance, cooperation, joint
venture, joint marketing, co-branding, stockholders’,
partnership or similar agreement;
(xi) any agreement, option or commitment
or right with, or held by, any Third Party to acquire, use or
have access to any assets or properties, or any interest
therein, of Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(xii) any contract or agreement which
would require any consent or approval of a counterparty as a
result of or to permit the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement without breach of such contract
or agreement;
16
(xiii) any agreement pursuant to which
Company or any of its Subsidiaries sold or purchased, or granted
or received any rights to use, exploit or practice, any
Intellectual Property, other than “shrink-wrap” or
“click-wrap” licenses for off-the-shelf software
involving total payments of less than $50,000 per annum;
(xiv) any lease of real or personal
property, whether as lessee or as lessor, other than any lease
providing for annual payments of less than $50,000;
(xv) any agreement to indemnify or hold
harmless any director, officer, employees or Affiliates of
Company, or any Third Person (including agreements for the sale
of assets or a line of business) other than, with respect only
to agreements of indemnification of Third Persons, agreements
entered into in the ordinary course of business; and
(xvi) any other contract the loss of
which would have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Company and each of its Subsidiaries
have performed all of the material obligations required to be
performed by them and are entitled to all material accrued
benefits under each, and are not alleged to be in material
default in respect of any, Material Contract to which Company or
any Subsidiary is a party or by which Company or any Subsidiary
is bound. Each of the Material Contracts is in full force and
effect, and there exists no material default or event of default
or event, occurrence, condition or act, with respect to Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of Company, with
respect to any other contracting party, which, with the giving
of notice, the lapse of the time or the happening of any other
event or condition, would become a material default or event of
default under any Material Contract. True, correct and complete
copies of all Material Contracts have been furnished or made
available to the HMI Parties or filed as exhibits to the Company
SEC Documents.
3.14 Assets. Company
and its Subsidiaries own, lease or have the right to use all the
properties and assets necessary or currently used for the
conduct of their respective businesses free and clear of all
Liens of any kind or character, except Permitted Liens. All
items of equipment and other tangible assets owned by or leased
to Company and its Subsidiaries are in good condition and repair
(ordinary wear and tear excepted). In the case of leased
equipment and other tangible assets, Company and its
Subsidiaries hold valid leasehold interests in such leased
equipment and other tangible assets, free and clear of all Liens
of any kind or character, except Permitted Liens.
3.15 Environmental Liability. Company and
each of its Subsidiaries are and have been in compliance with
all Environmental laws, except where such noncompliance would
not, individually or in the aggregate, be material. To the
Knowledge of Company, there are no liabilities of Company or any
of its Subsidiaries of any kind, whether accrued, contingent,
absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise arising under or
relating to any Environmental Law and, to the Knowledge of
Company, there are no facts, conditions, situations or set of
circumstances that could reasonably be expected to result in or
be the basis for any such liability. There are no legal,
administrative, arbitral or other proceedings, claims or actions
or any private environmental investigations or remediation
activities or governmental investigations of any nature that
would be reasonably likely to result in the imposition on
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, of any liability or
obligation arising under common law or under any local, state or
federal environmental statute, regulation or ordinance,
including CERCLA (collectively, “Environmental
Laws”), pending or, to the Knowledge of Company,
threatened against Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any agreement,
order, judgment or decree by or with any court, governmental
authority, regulatory agency or Third Party imposing any
liability or obligation with respect to the foregoing.
3.16 State Takeover Laws; Stockholder Rights
Plan.
(a) The Board of Directors of Company has
taken all actions so that the restrictions contained in
Section 203 of the Delaware Law applicable to a
“business combination” (as defined in such
Section 203) will not apply to the execution, delivery
or performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the
Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
No other state takeover statute is applicable to the Merger,
this Agreement, or the transactions contemplated hereby.
17
(b) Company has taken all action
necessary or appropriate so that the entering into of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby do not and will not result in the ability of any person
to exercise any rights under the Company Rights Agreement or
enable or require the rights provided under the Company Rights
Agreement to separate from the shares of Company Common Stock to
which they were attached or to be triggered or to become
exercisable. No “Distribution Date,” as such term is
defined in the Company Rights Agreement, has occurred by reason
of the entry into this Agreement, nor will the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby cause a Distribution Date
to occur. Company shall take all necessary action with respect
to all the outstanding Company Rights so that, as of the
Effective Time, (i) none of Company, Parent or Merger Sub
will have any obligations under the Company Rights Agreement and
(ii) the holders of the Company Rights will have no rights
under the Company Rights Agreement.
3.17 Insurance. Company has in full force
and effect the insurance coverage with respect to its business
and the businesses of its Subsidiaries set forth in
Section 3.17 of the Company Disclosure Schedule. There is
no claim pending under any of such policies as to which coverage
has been questioned, denied or disputed by the underwriters of
such policies. All premiums due and payable under all such
policies have been paid, and Company and its Subsidiaries are
otherwise in compliance in all material respects with the terms
of such policies. Company has no Knowledge of any threatened
termination of, or material premium increase with respect to,
any of such policies.
3.18 Intellectual Property.
(a) Company and its Subsidiaries own, or
are licensed or otherwise possess adequate rights to use, all of
the Intellectual Property used by Company and its Subsidiaries
as of the date hereof (collectively, the “Company
Intellectual Property”) in the manner that it is
currently used by Company and its Subsidiaries, and such
ownership, licenses and rights will not be affected by the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 3.18(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains
a true and complete list of all (i) Company Intellectual
Property as of the date of this Agreement that is registered
with any Governmental Entity or for which application for such
registration has been made and (ii) domain names and
uniform resource locaters (URLs) owned by Company or registered
in Company’s name (the Intellectual Property referred to in
the preceding clauses (i) and (ii) being referred to
herein collectively as “Company Registered Intellectual
Property”), including in each case each applicable
registration or application number, registration date,
expiration or renewal date, name of registry (for domain names)
and jurisdiction of registration. Company and its Subsidiaries
have taken all actions necessary to maintain and protect the
Company Registered Intellectual Property, including payment of
applicable maintenance fees, filing of applicable statements of
use, timely response to office actions, and disclosure of any
required information. Company and each of its Subsidiaries have
complied with all necessary notice and marking requirements for
the Company Registered Intellectual Property. None of the
Company Registered Intellectual Property has been adjudged
invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part and, to the
Knowledge of Company, all Company Registered Intellectual
Property is valid and enforceable.
(b) Neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has received written notice from any Third Party
alleging any interference, infringement, misappropriation or
violation by Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any rights of
any Third Party to any Intellectual Property and, to the
Knowledge of Company, neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has interfered with, infringed upon,
misappropriated or violated any rights of any Third Party to any
Intellectual Property. To the Knowledge of Company, no Third
Party has interfered with, infringed upon, misappropriated or
violated any Company Intellectual Property. Neither Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries has entered into any exclusive license
or agreement relating to any Company Intellectual Property with,
Third Parties. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries owes
any royalties or payments to any Third Party for using or
licensing to others any Company Intellectual Property.
(c) Neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement, or has any other
obligation to indemnify any Person against a claim of
infringement of or misappropriation by any Company Intellectual
Property.
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3.19 Interests of Officers and
Directors. None of the officers or directors of Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Affiliates
has any interest in any property, real or personal, tangible or
intangible, used in the business of Company or its Subsidiaries,
or in any supplier, distributor or customer of Company or its
Subsidiaries, or any other relationship, contract, agreement,
arrangement or understanding with Company and its Subsidiaries,
except as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents and except for
the normal ownership interests of a stockholder and employee
rights under the Company Options.
3.20 Opinion. Prior to the execution of
this Agreement, Company has received opinions from
Xxxxx & Company, LLC and from Viant Capital, LLC,
each to the effect that as of the date hereof and based upon and
subject to the matters set forth therein, the Merger
Consideration is fair to the stockholders of Company from a
financial point of view.
3.21 Broker’s Fees. Except for
compensation payable to Xxxxx & Company, LLC as
described in Section 3.21 of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
employed any broker or finder or incurred any liability for any
broker’s fees, commissions or finder’s fees in
connection with the Merger or other transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
3.22 Certain Business Practices. Neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any director, officer,
agent or employee of Company or any of its Subsidiaries has
(i) used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts,
entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political
activity on behalf of, or purportedly on behalf of, or for the
business of Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or
(ii) made any unlawful payments to officials or employees
of Governmental Entities or to directors, officers or employees
of foreign or domestic business enterprises, or violated any
provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977.
3.23 Disclaimer of Other Representations and
Warranties. Company acknowledges and agrees that,
except for the representations and warranties expressly set
forth in this Agreement, (a) neither Parent nor Merger Sub
nor any other Party makes, or has made, any representations or
warranties relating to itself or its business or otherwise in
connection with the Merger or the other transactions provided
for in this Agreement and Company is not relying on any
representation or warranty except for those expressly set forth
in this Agreement and (b) no Person has been authorized by
Parent or Merger Sub or any other Party to make any
representation or warranty relating to itself or its business or
otherwise in connection with the Merger or the other
transactions provided for in this Agreement and, if made, such
representation or warranty may not be relied on by Company as
having been authorized by any Party.
ARTICLE IV.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT, MERGER SUB AND THE
HMI ENTITIES
Except as disclosed in the Parent Disclosure Schedule, Parent,
Merger Sub and the HMI Entities represent and warrant to Company
that each of the following statements set forth in this
ARTICLE IV is true and correct. The Parent Disclosure
Schedule shall be organized to correspond to the sections in
this ARTICLE IV. Each exception set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to qualify (i) the
corresponding representation and warranty set forth in this
Agreement that is specifically identified(by
cross-reference
or otherwise) in the Parent Disclosure Schedule and
(ii) any other representation and warranty to which the
relevance of such exception is reasonably apparent.
4.1 Corporate Organization, Standing
and Power. Each of Parent, Merger Sub and the HMI
Entities is duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization.
Each of Parent, Merger Sub and the HMI Entities has the
corporate power, or power as a limited liability company, to own
its properties and to carry on its business as now being
conducted and is duly qualified to do business and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which the failure to be so
qualified and in good standing would be material. Neither
Parent, Merger Sub nor any of the HMI Entities is in violation
of any of the provisions of its certificate or articles of
incorporation or by-laws or other organizational documents, each
as amended.
19
4.2 Parent and Merger Sub;
Capitalization.
(a) The outstanding capital stock of
Parent consists solely of one share of Parent Common Stock,
which share is owned directly by Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx.
(b) The HMI Owners own all of the
outstanding capital stock and equity interests of the HMI
Entities and no other Person has any contractual or other right
to acquire any shares of capital stock or other equity interests
in any of the HMI Entities. All of the outstanding equity
interests in the HMI Entities are duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable and none were issued in
violation of any preemptive rights. There are no bonds,
debentures, notes or other indebtedness or securities of the HMI
Entities that have the right to vote (or that are convertible
into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote)
on any matters on which the equity holders of any of the HMI
Entities may vote.
(c) No HMI Entity has any contract or
other obligation to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
of its equity interests. None of the outstanding equity
securities of any of the HMI Entities was issued in violation of
the Securities Act or any other legal requirement.
(d) The pro forma capitalization of
Parent upon completion of, and giving effect to, the
Contribution and the Merger will be as set forth on Exhibit
(A) attached hereto.
4.3 Authority; No Violation.
(a) Each of the HMI Parties has full
corporate power and authority or power and authority under
applicable limited liability company laws and its organizational
documents, as applicable, to execute and deliver this Agreement
and to comply with the terms hereof and to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of
this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby have been duly and validly approved and
adopted by the boards of directors of Parent and Merger Sub, by
Parent as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub and by the board of
directors and limited liability company managers, as applicable,
of the HMI Entities and the HMI Owners. No other corporate
proceedings (including any approvals of Parent stockholders) on
the part of Parent or Merger Sub, and no other entity or limited
liability company approvals in respect of the HMI Entities, are
necessary to approve this Agreement and to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly
and validly executed and delivered by Parent, the HMI Entities,
the HMI Owners and Merger Sub and (assuming due authorization,
execution and delivery by Company) constitutes valid and binding
obligations of each of them, enforceable against each of them in
accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be
limited by (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, receivership, conservatorship, arrangement,
moratorium or other similar laws affecting or relating to the
rights of creditors generally, or (ii) the rules governing
the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or
other equitable remedies and general principles of equity,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law.
(b) Neither the execution and delivery of
this Agreement by Parent, the HMI Entities, the HMI Owners and
Merger Sub, nor the consummation by each of them of the
transactions contemplated hereby, nor compliance by each of them
with any of the terms or provisions hereof, will
(i) violate any provision of the certificate of
incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents of
Parent, the HMI Entities, the HMI Owners or Merger Sub or
(ii) assuming that the consents and approvals referred to
in Section 4.4 are duly obtained, (x) violate any
statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment, order,
writ, decree or injunction applicable to Parent or any of the
HMI Entities or any of their respective properties or assets or
(y) violate, conflict with, result in a breach of any
provision of or the loss of any benefit under, constitute a
default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time, or
both, would constitute a default) under, result in the
termination of any or all rights or benefits or a right of
termination or cancellation under, accelerate the performance
required by or rights or obligations under, increase any rate of
interest payable under, or result in the creation of any Lien
upon any of the respective properties or assets of Parent or any
of the HMI Entities under, any Authorization or of the terms,
conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture,
deed of trust, license, lease, agreement, contract, or other
instrument or obligation to which Parent or any of the HMI
Entities is a party, or by which they or any of their respective
properties, assets or business activities may be bound or
affected.
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4.4 Consents and
Approvals. Except for the consents, notices and
approvals set forth in Section 4.4 of the Parent Disclosure
Schedules, no consents or approvals of any Governmental Entity
or any Third Party are necessary in connection with (a) the
execution and delivery by Parent, the HMI Entities, the HMI
Owners and Merger Sub of this Agreement and (b) the
consummation by each of them of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
4.5 Merger Sub. All of the
outstanding capital stock of Merger Sub is owned directly by
Parent. Except for obligations or liabilities incurred in
connection with its incorporation or organization of the
negotiation and consummation of this Agreement, the merger and
the transactions contemplated hereby, neither Parent nor Merger
Sub has incurred any obligations or liabilities, engaged in any
business or activities of any type or kind whatsoever or entered
into any agreements or arrangements with any Person.
4.6 Financial
Statements. Parent and the HMI Entities have provided
the following financial statements (the “Parent
Financial Statements”) to Company: (i) audited
balance sheet, statement of members’ equity, income
statement and statement of cash flows of Here Networks LLC as of
and for the year ended December 31, 2008,
(ii) unaudited balance sheets, statements of members’
equity, income statements and statements of cash flows of Here
Networks LLC as of and for the year ended December 31, 2006
and as of and for the nine-month periods ended
September 30, 2007 and 2008, and (iii) unaudited
balance sheet of Regent Entertainment Media Inc. as of
September 30, 2008. Such financial statements have been
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a basis consistent throughout the periods
indicated (except as otherwise stated in such financial
statements, including the related notes and except that in the
case of unaudited statements for quarterly periods, such
unaudited statements were prepared in accordance with the
requirements that would be applicable to financial statements to
be included in quarterly reports filed with the SEC on
Form 10-Q)
and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated
financial condition and the results of operations of the HMI
Entities to which they relate as at the respective dates thereof
and for the periods indicated therein (subject, in the case of
unaudited statements, to year-end audit adjustments).
4.7 Absence of Certain Changes or
Events. Since September 30, 2008, (i) each of
the HMI Entities has, in all material respects, conducted its
business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice;
(ii) there has not occurred any change, event or condition
that is a Parent Material Adverse Effect or would reasonably be
expected to result in a Parent Material Adverse Effect; and
(iii) neither Parent nor any HMI entity has taken any of
the actions that Parent and each of the HMI Entities has agreed
not to take from the date hereof through the Closing Date
pursuant to Section 5.3.
4.8 Undisclosed
Liabilities. Neither Parent nor any of the HMI Entities
has any material obligations or liabilities of any nature
(whether accrued, matured or unmatured, fixed or contingent or
otherwise) other than (i) those set forth or adequately
provided for in the balance sheets (and the related notes
thereto) as of September 30, 2008 included in the Parent
Financial Statements, (ii) those incurred in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice since
September 30, 2008 and (iii) those incurred in
connection with the execution of this Agreement.
4.9 Legal
Proceedings. Neither Parent nor any of the HMI Entities
is a party to any, and there is no pending or, to the Knowledge
of Parent or any of the HMI Entities, threatened, legal,
administrative, arbitral or other proceeding, claim, action or
governmental or regulatory investigation of any nature against
Parent or any of the HMI Entities or any of their officers or
directors. There is no injunction, order, judgment or decree
imposed upon Parent or any of the HMI Entities or any of their
officers or directors, or the assets of Parent or any of the HMI
Entities.
4.10 Taxes and Tax Returns.
(a) (i) Parent and each of the HMI
Entities have filed or caused to be filed all federal, state,
foreign and local Tax Returns required to be filed with any Tax
Authority; (ii) all such Tax Returns are true, accurate,
and complete in all material respects; (iii) Parent and
each of the HMI Entities have paid or caused to be paid all
Taxes that are due and payable by any of such companies, other
than Taxes which are being
21
contested in good faith and are adequately reserved against or
provided for, in accordance with GAAP in the Parent Financial
Statements.
(b) No federal, state, local or foreign
audits, examinations, or other formal proceedings are pending
or, to Parent’s and each of the HMI Entities’
Knowledge, threatened with regard to any Taxes or Tax Returns of
Parent or any of the HMI Entities. No issue has arisen in any
examination of the Parent or any of the HMI Entities by any Tax
Authority that if raised with respect to any other period not so
examined would result in a material deficiency for any other
period not so examined, if upheld.
(c) There are no disputes pending with
respect to, or claims or assessments asserted in writing for,
any material amount of Taxes payable by Parent or the HMI
Entities, nor has Parent or any of the HMI Entities given or
been requested in writing to give any currently effective waiver
extending the statutory period of limitation applicable to any
Tax return for any period.
(d) Each HMI Owner’s aggregate tax
basis in the HMI Ownership Interests contributed to Parent
(including such HMI Owner’s allocable share of the tax
basis of each asset of Here Networks LLC) will exceed the
liabilities assumed by Parent that such HMI Ownership Interests
(including such HMI Owner’s allocable share of each
liability of Here Networks LLC) are subject to at the time
of the Contribution. Any liabilities assumed in connection with
the Contribution and the liabilities to which HMI Ownership
Interests (or the assets of the HMI Entities) are subject, were
incurred in the ordinary course of business and are associated
with the assets of the HMI Entities.
4.11 Employee Matters.
(a) Each of the HMI Entities is in
compliance with all applicable Laws and Regulations respecting
the employment of employees and the engagement of leased
employees, consultants and independent contractors, including
all Laws and Regulations regarding discrimination
and/or
harassment, affirmative action, terms and conditions of
employment, wage and hour requirements (including the proper
classification, compensation and related withholding with
respect to employees, leased employees, consultants and
independent contractors), leaves of absence, reasonable
accommodation of disabilities, occupational safety and health,
workers’ compensation and employment practices. No HMI
Entity is engaged in any unfair labor practice. No HMI Entity is
or has been a party to any collective bargaining agreement or
other labor union contract; nor does Parent have any Knowledge
of any activities or proceedings of any labor union or other
collective bargaining representative to organize any such
employees.
(b) No HMI Party has engaged in any plant
closing or employee layoff activities that violate the Workers
Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, as amended, or any
similar state or local plant closing or mass layoff statute rule
or regulation.
4.12 Compliance with Applicable Law
and Regulatory Matters. Parent and each of the HMI
Entities have complied with all applicable Laws and Regulations,
and are not in violation of, and have not received any notices
of violation with respect to, any Laws and Regulations in
connection with the conduct of their respective businesses or
the ownership or operation of their respective businesses,
assets and properties. There are no Governmental Orders
applicable to Parent or any of the HMI Entities which have had a
Parent Material Adverse Effect.
4.13 Material
Contracts. Except for the contracts set forth in
Section 4.13 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, no HMI
Entity is a party to or is bound by any of the following:
(a) any contract or agreement entered
into, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practice, for the acquisition of the securities of or
any material portion of the assets of or to invest in any other
Person;
(b) any contract or agreement limiting
the freedom of any HMI Entity or any of their respective
employees to engage in any line of business or to compete with
any other Person or in any area;
(c) any contract or agreement with any
Affiliate of any HMI Entity; or
22
(d) any agreement, option, commitment or
right, not entered into in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice, with, or held by, any Third Party
to acquire any material portion of the assets or properties, or
any material interest therein, of any HMI Entity.
4.14 Assets. Each HMI Entity
owns, leases or has the right to use all the properties and
assets necessary or currently used for the conduct of its
respective businesses free and clear of all Liens of any kind or
character, except Permitted Liens. All items of equipment and
other tangible assets owned by or leased to the HMI Entities are
in good condition and repair (ordinary wear and tear excepted).
In the case of leased equipment and other tangible assets, the
HMI Entities hold valid leasehold interests in such leased
equipment and other tangible assets, free and clear of all Liens
of any kind or character, except Permitted Liens.
4.15 Environmental
Liability. The HMI Entities are and have been in
compliance with all Environmental laws, except where such
noncompliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, be
material. To the Knowledge of Parent, there are no liabilities
of any HMI Entity of any kind, whether accrued, contingent,
absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise arising under or
relating to any Environmental Law and, to the Knowledge of
Parent, there are no facts, conditions, situations or set of
circumstances that could reasonably be expected to result in or
be the basis for any such liability. There are no legal,
administrative, arbitral or other proceedings, claims or actions
or any private environmental investigations or remediation
activities or governmental investigations of any nature that
would be reasonably likely to result in the imposition on any
HMI Entity, of any liability or obligation arising under any
Environmental Laws, pending or, to the Knowledge of Parent,
threatened against any HMI Entity. No HMI Entity is subject to
any agreement, order, judgment or decree by or with any court,
governmental authority, regulatory agency or Third Party
imposing any liability or obligation with respect to the
foregoing.
4.16 Insurance. There is no
claim pending under any insurance policy held by any HMI Entity
with respect to its business as to which coverage has been
questioned, denied or disputed by the underwriters of such
policies. All premiums due and payable under all such policies
have been paid, and each HMI Entity is otherwise in compliance
in all material respects with the terms of its policies. Parent
has no Knowledge of any threatened termination of, or material
premium increase with respect to, any of such policies.
4.17 Intellectual Property.
(a) Each HMI Entity owns, or is licensed
or otherwise possess rights to use all of the Intellectual
Property used by it as of the date hereof (collectively, the
“Parent Intellectual Property”) in the manner
that it is currently used by such HMI Entity with, and such
ownership, licenses and rights will not be affected by the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Each HMI Entity has taken all actions necessary to maintain and
protect the Parent Registered Intellectual Property, including
payment of applicable maintenance fees, filing of applicable
statements of use, timely response to office actions, and
disclosure of any required information. Each HMI Entity has
complied with all necessary notice and marking requirements for
the Parent Registered Intellectual Property. None of the Parent
Registered Intellectual Property has been adjudged invalid or
unenforceable in whole or in part and, to the Knowledge of
Parent, all Parent Registered Intellectual Property is valid and
enforceable.
(b) No HMI Entity has received written
notice from any Third Party alleging any interference,
infringement, misappropriation or violation by an HMI Entity of
any rights of any Third Party to any Intellectual Property and,
to the Knowledge of Parent, no HMI Entity has interfered with,
infringed upon, misappropriated or violated any rights of any
Third Party to any Intellectual Property. To the Knowledge of
Parent, no Third Party has interfered with, infringed upon,
misappropriated or violated any Parent Intellectual Property. No
HMI Entity has entered into any exclusive license or agreement
relating to any Parent Intellectual Property with, Third
Parties. No HMI Entity owes any royalties or payments to any
Third Party for using or licensing to others any Parent
Intellectual Property.
(c) No HMI Entity is a party to any
agreement, or has any other obligation to indemnify, any Person
against a claim of infringement of or misappropriation by any
Parent Intellectual Property.
4.18 Interests of Officers and
Directors. None of the officers or directors of any HMI
Entity or any of their respective Affiliates has any interest in
any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, used in
23
the business of an HMI Entity, or in any supplier, distributor
or customer of an HMI Entity, or any other relationship,
contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding with any HMI
Entity, except for the normal ownership interests of a
stockholder.
4.19 Broker’s
Fees. Neither Parent nor any of the HMI Entities or the
HMI Owners has employed any broker or finder or incurred any
liability for any broker’s fees, commissions or
finder’s fees in connection with the Merger or related
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
4.20 Certain Business
Practices. No HMI Entity and no director, officer,
agent or employee of any HMI Entity has (i) used any funds
for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other
unlawful expenses relating to political activity on behalf of,
or purportedly on behalf of, or for the business of an HMI
Entity, or (ii) made any unlawful payments to officials or
employees of Governmental Entities or to directors, officers or
employees of foreign or domestic business enterprises, or
violated any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of
1977.
4.21 Disclaimer of Other
Representations and Warranties. Each of Parent, Merger
Sub and the HMI Entities acknowledges and agrees that, except
for the representations and warranties expressly set forth in
this Agreement, (a) neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries makes, or has made, any representations or
warranties relating to itself or its business or otherwise in
connection with the Merger and neither Parent, Merger Sub nor
any of the HMI Entities is relying on any representation or
warranty except for those expressly set forth in this Agreement
and (b) no Person has been authorized by Company or any of
its Subsidiaries to make any representation or warranty relating
to itself or its business or otherwise in connection with the
Merger and, if made, such representation or warranty may not be
relied on by Parent or any of the HMI Entities as having been
authorized by Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
ARTICLE V.
CERTAIN COVENANTS OF THE PARTIES
5.1 Conduct of Business Prior to the
Effective Time. During the period from the date of this
Agreement to the Effective Time, except as expressly
contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, Company shall, and
shall cause each of its Subsidiaries, to (a) conduct its
business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice
and (b) use commercially reasonable efforts to preserve
intact its present business organizations, keep available the
services of its present executive officers and key employees and
preserve its relationships with customers, suppliers,
distributors, licensors, licensees, and others having business
dealings with it.
5.2 Actions Requiring
Consent. During the period from the date of this
Agreement and continuing until the earlier of the termination of
this Agreement or the Effective Time, except as expressly
provided in this Agreement, Company shall not do, cause or
permit any of the following, or allow, cause or permit any of
its Subsidiaries to do, cause or permit any of the following,
without the prior written consent of Parent:
(a) Cause or permit any amendment,
modification, alteration or rescission of the Certificate of
Incorporation, the By-Laws, or the certificate of incorporation,
by-laws or other charter or organizational documents of any of
the Company’s Subsidiaries;
(b) Declare or pay any dividends on or
make any other distributions (whether in cash, stock or
property) in respect of any of its capital stock (other than
dividends or distributions by any wholly owned Subsidiary of
Company to Company or another wholly owned Subsidiary thereof)
or split, combine or reclassify any of its capital stock or
issue or authorize the issuance of any other securities in
respect of, in lieu of or in substitution for shares of its
capital stock, or repurchase or otherwise acquire, directly or
indirectly, any shares of its capital stock except from former
employees, directors and consultants in accordance with
agreements providing for the repurchase of shares in connection
with any termination of service to it or any of its Subsidiaries;
(c) Issue, deliver, sell or authorize or
propose the issuance, delivery or sale of, or purchase or
propose the purchase of, any shares of its capital stock or
securities convertible into, or subscriptions, rights, warrants
or options to acquire, or other agreements or commitments of any
character obligating it to issue any
24
such shares or other convertible securities, other than the
issuance of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to
(i) the exercise of Company Options outstanding under the
Company Equity Incentive Plans as of the date of this Agreement
or (ii) the exercise of the Warrants;
(d) Sell, transfer, lease, license or
otherwise dispose of or encumber any of its properties or assets
which are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the
business of Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole),
except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(e) (i) Incur any indebtedness for
borrowed money, (ii) assume, guarantee, endorse or
otherwise as an accommodation become responsible for the
obligations of any other Person or (iii) cancel, release,
assign or modify any material amount of indebtedness of any
other Person;
(f) Enter into any lease for real
property or personal property lease;
(g) Make any capital expenditures,
capital additions or capital improvements except (i) in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice that
do not exceed $100,000 in the aggregate and (ii) existing
commitments under Material Contracts;
(h) Reduce the amount of any insurance
coverage provided by existing insurance policies;
(i) Except as (i) required to comply
with applicable law, (ii) provided for in this Agreement or
(iii) required by any Company Employee Benefit Plan:
(A) amend any Company Employee Benefit Plan or establish or
commit to establish any new employee benefit plan, program,
policy or arrangement; (B) provide any salary or bonus
guarantee to any of its employees other than pursuant to
existing agreements or (C) increase the salaries or wage
rates of any of its employees;
(j) Acquire or agree to acquire, by
merging or consolidating with, or by purchasing a substantial
portion of the assets of, or by any other means, any business or
any corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
association or other business organization or division thereof,
or otherwise acquire or agree to acquire any assets which are
material, individually or in the aggregate, to Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole), or acquire or agree to acquire
any equity securities of any corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, association or business organization;
(k) Other than as required by applicable
Laws and Regulations, make, change or revoke any election in
respect of Taxes, adopt or change any accounting method in
respect of Taxes, change any method of Tax accounting or Tax
procedure or practice, enter into any closing agreement, settle
any claim or assessment in respect of Taxes, or consent to any
extension or waiver of the limitation period applicable to any
claim or assessment in respect of Taxes;
(l) Revalue any of its assets other than
as required by applicable law, rule or regulation;
(m) Make any change to its accounting
methods or practices, except as may be required by GAAP,
Regulation S-X
or other rule or regulation promulgated by the SEC;
(n) Sell, transfer, abandon or change any
domain names or URLs or fail to renew any existing domain name
or URL registrations on a timely basis;
(o) Adopt a plan or agreement of, or
resolutions providing for or authorizing, any complete or
partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation,
restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization or
business combination; or
(p) Take or agree in writing to take, any
of the actions described in Sections 5.2(a)
through (o) above.
5.3 Actions by Parent or the HMI
Entities Requiring Consent. During the period from the
date of this Agreement and continuing until the earlier of the
termination of this Agreement or the Effective Time, except as
expressly provided in this Agreement, Parent and each of the HMI
Entities shall not do, cause or permit any of the following,
without the prior written consent of Company:
(a) Cause or permit any amendment of
Parent’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws;
25
(b) Sell, transfer to any Third Party or
distribute as a dividend or other distribution any material
portion of the assets of Parent or any of the HMI Entities,
other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice and except for the transfer of certain publishing
business assets to an affiliate of the HMI Parties referred to
in Section 4.13 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule;
(c) Make any change to its accounting
methods or practices, except as may be required by GAAP,
Regulation S-X
or other rule or regulation promulgated by the SEC;
(d) Adopt a plan or agreement of, or
resolutions providing for or authorizing, any complete or
partial liquidation or dissolution; or
(e) Take or agree in writing to take, any
of the actions described in Sections 5.3(a) through
(d) above.
5.4 No Solicitation.
(a) Company shall not, nor shall it
permit or authorize any of its Subsidiaries or any officer,
director, employee, accountant, counsel, financial advisor,
agent or other representative of Company or any of its
Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company
Representatives”) to:
(i) solicit or initiate, or knowingly
encourage, directly or indirectly, any inquiries regarding or
the submission of, any Takeover Proposal;
(ii) participate in any discussions or
negotiations regarding, or furnish to any Person any material,
non-public information or data with respect to, or take any
other action to knowingly facilitate the making of, any proposal
that constitutes, or may reasonably be expected to lead to, any
Takeover Proposal; or
(iii) except as permitted by
Section 8.1(e), enter into any agreement with respect to
any Takeover Proposal or approve or resolve to approve any
Takeover Proposal.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 5.4 or
any other provision hereof to the contrary, Company or its Board
of Directors may (A) take and disclose to Company’s
stockholders a position with respect to a tender or exchange
offer by a Third Party pursuant to
Rules 14d-9
and 14e-2 or
Item 1012(a) of
Regulation M-A
promulgated under the Exchange Act or (B) make such
disclosure to Company’s stockholders as, in the good faith
judgment of Company’s Board of Directors, after receiving
advice from outside counsel, is required under applicable law;
provided, that Company may not, except as permitted by
Section 6.2(b), withdraw or modify, or propose to withdraw
or modify, its approval or recommendation of this Agreement or
the transactions contemplated hereby. Prior to the date the
Company Stockholder Approval is obtained, Company may also:
(x) furnish information concerning its business, properties
or assets to any Person or group pursuant to a confidentiality
agreement with terms and conditions similar to those of the
Confidentiality Agreement, provided that Company shall promptly,
and in any event within 24 hours, provide to Parent any
non-public information concerning Company provided to any other
Person or group which was not previously provided to Parent; and
(y) negotiate and participate in discussions and
negotiations with such Person or group concerning a Takeover
Proposal if in the case of both (x) and (y) such
Person or group has submitted a Superior Proposal.
(b) Company will promptly (and in any
event within 24 hours of Company becoming aware of the
same) notify Parent of the existence of any proposal,
discussion, negotiation or inquiry received by Company with
respect to any Takeover Proposal, and Company will promptly (and
in any event within 24 hours of Company becoming aware of
the same) communicate to Parent the terms and conditions of any
proposal, discussion, negotiation or inquiry which it may
receive and of any modifications thereof. Company will keep
Parent reasonably informed of the status and details of any such
Takeover Proposal.
(c) Upon execution of this Agreement,
Company shall, and it shall cause the Company Representatives
to, immediately cease any existing activities, discussions or
negotiations with any parties conducted heretofore with respect
to any Takeover Proposal.
26
5.5 Tax Treatment.
(a) Prior to and at the Effective Time,
each Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the
exchange of HMI Ownership Interests for Parent Common Stock and
the exchange of Company Stock for the Merger Consideration,
pursuant to the Contribution and the Merger, respectively, when
taken together, to qualify as an exchange to which
Section 351(a) of the Code applies, and shall not take any
action reasonably likely to cause such exchanges not to so
qualify. Each of Parent and Company hereby confirm their
respective understandings that the Parent Special Stock is
properly characterized for United States Federal and state
income tax purposes as stock that is other than
“nonqualified preferred stock” within the meaning of
Section 351(g)(2) of the Code. Unless other required by
applicable Law and Regulations or as a result of a final
determination (within the meaning set forth in
Section 1313(a) of the Code) each of Parent and Company
agree to treat the Parent Special Stock for all United States
Federal and state income tax reporting purposes as stock that is
not “nonqualified preferred stock.”
(b) Each of the HMI Parties and Company
shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the opinions
referred to in Sections 6.1(a)(i) and 7.2(e), including by
executing letters of representation reasonably requested by the
legal counsel providing such opinions.
5.6 Certificates of Non-Foreign
Status. Each HMI Owner shall deliver to Parent a
certificate of non-foreign status that complies with Treasury
Regulations
Section 1.1445-2(b)(2).
ARTICLE VI.
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
6.1 Regulatory Matters.
(a) Form S-4.
(i) As promptly as practicable following
the date hereof, the Parties shall prepare the
Form S-4
and any amendment or supplement thereto pursuant to which shares
of Parent Stock and Parent Special Stock issuable in connection
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will be
registered with the SEC (the
“Form S-4”)
(in which the Proxy Statement will be included) and Parent and
the HMI Entities shall file (or cause to be filed) the
Form S-4
with the SEC, in which filing Company shall join with respect to
the Proxy Statement. Prior to the
Form S-4
being declared effective by the SEC under the Securities Act,
the HMI Parties and Company shall, respectively, request Xxxxx
Xxxxx LLP and Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx &
Xxxxxx, A Professional Corporation to deliver to the HMI Owners
and to Company their respective tax opinions satisfying the
requirements of Item 601 of
Regulation S-K
under the Securities Act. In rendering such opinions, such
counsel shall be entitled to rely on tax representation letters
executed by Company and the HMI Parties and addressed to such
firms containing such representations regarding factual matters
relevant to the foregoing legal opinions as either or both such
firms may reasonably request. Each of the Parties shall use its
reasonable best efforts to have the Proxy Statement cleared and
the
Form S-4
declared effective by the SEC as promptly as practicable after
such filing and shall use their reasonable best efforts to keep
the
Form S-4
effective as long as is necessary to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. As promptly as practicable following the
date hereof, each of the Parties shall make all other filings
required to be made by it with respect to the transactions
contemplated hereby under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act
and applicable state “blue sky” laws. Each of the
Parties shall, as promptly as practicable after receipt thereof,
provide the other parties with copies of any written comments,
and advise each other of any oral comments received from the SEC
with respect to the
Form S-4,
including the Proxy Statement. Company shall use reasonable best
efforts to cause the Proxy Statement to be mailed to
Company’s stockholders as promptly as practicable after the
Form S-4
is declared effective by the SEC. Each of the Parties will
advise the other Parties, promptly after it receives notice
thereof, of the time when the
Form S-4
has become effective, the issuance of any stop order, the
suspension of the qualification of the Parent Common Stock
issuable in connection with the transactions provided for in
this Agreement for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or any
request by the SEC for amendment of the
Form S-4.
If at any time prior to the Effective Time any information
relating to any of the Parties, or any of their respective
Affiliates, officers or
27
directors, is discovered by any of the Parties that should be
set forth in an amendment or supplement to the
Form S-4
or the Proxy Statement so that any of such documents would not
include any misstatement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, the Party discovering such information shall
promptly notify the other Parties and the Parties shall cause an
appropriate amendment or supplement containing or describing
such information to be promptly filed with the SEC and
disseminated to the holders of the Company Common Stock.
(ii) The information supplied by Company
for inclusion or incorporation in the
Form S-4
shall not at the time the
Form S-4
is declared effective by the SEC (or, with respect to any
post-effective amendment or supplement, at the time such
post-effective amendment or supplement becomes effective)
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
information supplied by Company for inclusion in the proxy
statement/prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto,
that will be used to seek the Company Stockholder Approval in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
included in the
Form S-4
shall not, on the date the proxy statement/prospectus is first
mailed to the Company stockholders or at the time of the Company
Stockholder Approval, contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(iii) The information supplied by the HMI
Parties for inclusion in the
Form S-4
or any amendment or supplement thereto shall not at the time the
Form S-4
is declared effective by the SEC (or, with respect to any
post-effective amendment or supplement, at the time such
post-effective amendment or supplement becomes effective)
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
information supplied by the HMI Parties for inclusion in the
proxy statement/prospectus, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, that will be used to seek the Company Stockholder
Approval in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement included in the
Form S-4
shall not, on the date the proxy statement/prospectus is first
mailed to the Company stockholders or at the time of the Company
Stockholder Approval, contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(b) Parent and Company shall, upon
request, furnish each other with all information concerning
themselves, their respective Subsidiaries, directors, officers,
employees and stockholders and such other matters as may be
reasonably necessary or advisable in connection with the Proxy
Statement or any other statement, filing, notice, application or
other document made by or on behalf of Parent, Company or any of
their respective Subsidiaries to any Governmental Entity in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) Parent and Company shall promptly
advise each other upon receiving any communication from any
Governmental Entity whose consent or approval is required for
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
which causes such party to believe that there is a reasonable
likelihood that any such consent or approval will not be
obtained or that the receipt of any such approval will be
materially delayed.
6.2 Stockholder Approval.
(a) As promptly as practicable following
the execution of this Agreement, Company shall take all action
necessary under applicable legal requirements to call, give
notice of and hold a meeting of the holders of Company’s
capital stock to vote on a proposal to adopt this Agreement (the
“Company Stockholders’ Meeting”). The
Company Stockholders’ Meeting shall be held (on a date
selected by Company in consultation with Parent) as promptly as
practicable after the
Form S-4
has been declared effective by the SEC. Company shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that all proxies
solicited in connection with the Company Stockholders’
Meeting are solicited in compliance with applicable legal
requirements.
28
Subject to the provisions of Section 6.2(b), the Proxy
Statement shall include the Company Board Recommendation.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in this Agreement, at any time prior to the
termination of this Agreement, Company’s Board of
Directors, or any committee thereof, may withdraw or modify, in
a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub, the Company Board
Recommendation if Company’s Board of Directors determines
in good faith (after receiving advice of outside legal counsel)
that such action is required to discharge its fiduciary duties
to Company’s stockholders under Delaware Law. Further,
Company may postpone the Company Stockholders’ Meeting
following such a change in the Company Board Recommendation for
a period of up to five Business Days if the Board determines in
good faith (after receiving advice of outside legal counsel)
that such action is required by applicable securities laws or is
required to discharge the Board’s fiduciary duties to
Company Stockholders under Delaware Law.
6.3 Access to Information.
(a) Subject to the Confidentiality
Agreement, Company agrees to provide Parent, the HMI Entities
and their respective officers, directors, employees,
accountants, counsel, financial advisors, agents and other
representatives (collectively, the “Parent and HMI
Entities Representatives”), from time to time prior to
the earlier of the Effective Time or the termination of this
Agreement, such information as Parent shall reasonably request
with respect to Company and its Subsidiaries and their
respective businesses, financial conditions, employees and
operations. Parent and the HMI Entities shall hold, and shall
cause their respective Affiliates and the Parent and HMI
Entities Representatives to hold, any non-public information
received from Company, directly or indirectly, in accordance
with the Confidentiality Agreement.
(b) Subject to the Confidentiality
Agreement, Parent and the HMI Entities agree to provide Company
and the Company Representatives, from time to time prior to the
earlier of the Effective Time or the termination of this
Agreement, such information as Company shall reasonably request
with respect to Parent and the HMI Entities and their respective
businesses, financial conditions, employees and operations.
Company shall hold, and shall cause its Affiliates and the
Company Representatives to hold, any non-public information
received from Parent or the HMI Entities, directly or
indirectly, in accordance with the Confidentiality Agreement.
6.4 Public Disclosure. Unless
otherwise permitted by this Agreement, the Parties shall consult
with each other before issuing any press release or otherwise
making any public statement or making any other public (or
non-confidential) disclosure (whether or not in response to an
inquiry) regarding the terms of this Agreement or any of the
transactions contemplated hereby, and neither shall issue any
such press release or make any such statement or disclosure
without the prior approval of the other (which approval shall
not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), except as may be
required by law or as required of Company pursuant to its
listing agreement with The NASDAQ Stock Market, in which case
the Party proposing to issue such press release or make such
public statement or disclosure shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to consult with the other Parties before issuing such
press release or making such public statement or disclosure.
6.5 Cooperation; Further
Assurances. Each of the Parties shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to effect the transactions
contemplated hereby and to fulfill and cause to be fulfilled the
conditions to Closing under this Agreement. Each Party hereto
shall cooperate with the other and promptly prepare and file all
necessary documentation, and effect all applications, notices,
petitions and filings, to obtain as promptly as practicable all
permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of all third
parties and Governmental Entities which are necessary or
advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. Each of the Parties hereto, at the reasonable request
of another Party hereto, shall execute and deliver such other
instruments and do and perform such other acts and things as may
be necessary or desirable for effecting the consummation of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
6.6 Director and Officer
Indemnification.
(a) The provisions of the certificate of
incorporation and by-laws of the Surviving Corporation relating
to indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents,
shall not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified after the
Effective Time in any manner that would adversely affect the
rights thereunder of
29
the persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time were
identified as prospective indemnitees under the Certificate of
Incorporation or By-Laws of Company in respect of actions or
omissions occurring at or prior to the Effective Time (including
the transactions contemplated hereby), unless such modification
is required by law.
(b) Parent shall cause, to the full
extent Parent has power to do so, the Surviving Corporation to
comply with the provisions of the certificate of incorporation
and the by-laws of the Surviving Corporation, and with
agreements of Company in effect at the date of this Agreement,
relating to indemnification of the present and former officers,
directors and employees of Company.
(c) For six years after the Effective
Time, Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to use
commercially reasonable efforts to provide officers’ and
directors’ liability insurance in respect of acts or
omissions occurring at or prior to the Effective Time covering
each such person covered immediately prior to the Effective Time
by Company’s officers’ and directors’ liability
insurance policy with substantively the same coverage and
amounts and on terms and conditions which are reasonably
comparable to those of such policy in effect on the date hereof,
provided that in satisfying its obligation under this paragraph,
Parent shall not be obligated to cause the Surviving Corporation
to pay premiums in excess of 250% of the current amount per
annum paid by Company, and if the Surviving Corporation is
unable to obtain the insurance required by this paragraph, it
shall obtain as much comparable insurance as possible for an
annual premium equal to such maximum amount.
6.7 Rule 16b-3. Parent,
Merger Sub and Company shall take all commercially reasonable
actions as may be required to cause the dispositions of equity
securities of Company by each individual who is a director or
officer of Company to be exempt under
Rule 16b-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act.
6.8 Employee Benefits.
(a) As of immediately following the
Closing Date, Parent shall, or shall cause the Surviving
Corporation or its Subsidiaries to, provide to such employees
that continue to be employed by the Surviving Corporation or an
HMI Entity with employee benefits in the aggregate equivalent to
those provided to similarly situated employees of Parent at such
time. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create a
right in any employee of Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
employment with Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any other
Subsidiary of Parent and, subject to any written agreement
between an employee and Company, any of its Subsidiaries,
Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any other Subsidiary of
Parent, the employment of each employee of Company or any of its
Subsidiaries who continues employment with Parent, the Surviving
Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Surviving Corporation after
the Effective Time (a “Continuing Employee”)
shall be “at will” employment that may be terminated
by the relevant employer or the employee at any time for any
reason or without any reason.
(b) If requested by Parent, Company
shall, immediately prior to the Closing, terminate any one or
more of the Company Employee Benefit Plans. In the event Parent
requests that any of the Company Employee Benefit Plans be
terminated, Company shall adopt resolutions and shall take all
other actions necessary to effect the termination of any such
plans, to be effective no later than the Closing Date, and shall
provide to Parent executed resolutions by the board of directors
of Company authorizing the termination of any such plans.
(c) With respect to employee benefit
plans, if any, of Parent or its subsidiaries in which Continuing
Employees become eligible to participate after the Effective
Time (the “Parent Plans”), Parent shall, or
shall cause the Surviving Corporation or its Subsidiaries to:
(i) with respect to each Parent Plan that is a medical or
health plan or, as applicable, any disability plan,
(x) waive any exclusions for pre-existing conditions under
such Parent Plan that would result in a lack of coverage for any
condition for which the applicable Continuing Employee would
have been entitled to coverage under the corresponding Company
Employee Benefit Plans in which such Continuing Employee was an
active participant immediately prior to his or her transfer to
the Parent Plan, (y) waive any waiting period under such
Parent Plan, and (z) provide each Continuing Employee with
credit for any co-payments and deductibles paid by such
Continuing Employee prior to his or her transfer to the Parent
Plan (to the same extent such credit was given under the
30
analogous Company Employee Benefit Plans prior to such transfer)
in satisfying any applicable deductible or out-of-pocket
requirements under such Parent Plan for the plan year that
includes such transfer, provided, however, that any required
third-party consent for such waivers and crediting of
co-payments and deductibles is obtained (and Parent agrees to
use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such consents) and
further provided that the Continuing Employees (and their
respective dependents and beneficiaries, as applicable) provide
appropriate written consent for disclosure of information by the
applicable Company Employee Benefit Plans to the applicable
Parent Plans as necessary for the crediting of co-payments and
deductibles; and (ii) recognize service of the Continuing
Employees with Company or its subsidiaries (or their respective
predecessors) for purposes of eligibility to participate and
vesting credit, and, solely with respect to vacation and
severance benefits, benefit accrual in any Parent Plan in which
the Continuing Employees are eligible to participate after the
Effective Time, to the extent that such service was recognized
for that purpose under the analogous Company Employee Benefit
Plans prior to such transfer; provided, however, that the
foregoing shall not apply to the extent it would result in
duplication of benefits.
6.9 Delisting. Each of the
Parties agrees to cooperate with the other Parties in taking, or
causing to be taken, all commercially reasonable actions
necessary to delist the Company Common Stock from The NASDAQ
Stock Market, such delisting to become effective at the
Effective Time.
ARTICLE VII.
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
7.1 Conditions to Each Party’s
Obligation To Effect the Merger. The respective
obligations of Parent, Merger Sub, Company and the HMI Owners to
effect the Merger and the Contribution shall be subject to the
satisfaction at or prior to the Effective Time of the following
conditions:
(a) Stockholder Approval. The
Company Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained.
(b) No Injunctions or Restraints;
Illegality. No temporary restraining order, preliminary
or permanent injunction or other order issued by any court of
competent jurisdiction or other legal or regulatory restraint or
prohibition preventing the consummation of the Merger or the
Contribution shall be in effect; nor shall there be any statute,
rule, regulation or order enacted, entered or enforced which
prevents or prohibits the consummation of the Merger or the
Contribution. In the event an injunction or other order shall
have been issued, each Party agrees to use its commercially
reasonable efforts to have such injunction or other order lifted.
(c) Governmental Consents and
Approval. The Parties and their respective Subsidiaries
shall have timely obtained from any applicable Governmental
Entity all approvals, waivers, consents or indications of
non-objection, if any, necessary for consummation of or in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
(d) Form S-4. The
Form S-4
shall have been declared effective by the SEC or otherwise have
become effective under the Securities Act, no stop order
suspending such effectiveness of the
Form S-4
shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall be
pending before or threatened by the SEC.
7.2 Additional Conditions to the
Obligations of Parent and the HMI Owners. he
obligations of Parent and the HMI Owners to consummate the
Merger and the Contribution shall be subject to the satisfaction
or waiver by Parent and the HMI Owners at or prior to the
Closing Date of each of the following conditions:
(a) Representations and
Warranties. The representations and warranties of
Company set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct in
all material respects, in each case as of the date of this
Agreement and as of the Closing Date as though made on the
Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and
warranties are expressly made only as of an earlier date, in
which case as of such earlier date, and except that the
representations and warranties set forth in Sections 3.1
(other than with respect to qualification to do business and
being in good standing in certain jurisdictions as referred to
in the second sentence of Section 3.1), 3.2(a),
Section 3.2(b) and 3.3(a) shall be true and correct in all
respects; provided
31
that, if any of such representations and warranties shall not be
true and correct (for this purpose disregarding any
qualification or limitation as to materiality or a Company
Material Adverse Effect), then the condition stated in this
Section 7.2(a) shall be deemed satisfied if and only if the
cumulative effect of all inaccuracies of such representations
and warranties (for this purpose disregarding any qualification
or limitation as to materiality or Company Material Adverse
Effect) shall not be or have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Performance of
Obligations. Company shall have performed in all
material respects all obligations required to be performed by it
under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) Certificate of
Company. Parent and the HMI Owners shall have received
a certificate executed on behalf of Company by its Chief
Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer, in their
capacities as such, that the conditions set forth in
Sections 7.2(a) and (b) have been satisfied.
(d) Material Adverse
Effect. Since the date of this Agreement, there shall
not have occurred any event, development, circumstance or set of
circumstances, which, individually or in the aggregate, has had
or would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material
Adverse Effect.
(e) Legal Opinion. The HMI
Owners shall have received an opinion of Xxxxx Xxxxx LLP in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the HMI Owners to the
effect that (i) for U.S. federal income tax purposes
the Contribution and the Merger, taken together, will constitute
exchanges described in Section 351 of the Code and
(ii) the HMI Owners will not recognize any gain or loss for
U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the
Contribution and the Merger. In rendering such opinion, such
counsel shall be entitled to rely upon representations of the
HMI Parties and Company, including those contained in the tax
representation letters delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(a).
(f) Appraisal
Demands. Holders of not more than 5% of the outstanding
shares of Company Common Stock shall have made a demand for
appraisal and payment for their shares pursuant to
Section 262 of the Delaware Law.
7.3 Additional Conditions to
Obligations of Company. The obligations of Company to
consummate the Merger and the Contribution shall be subject to
the satisfaction or waiver by Company at or prior to the Closing
Date of each of the following conditions:
(a) Representations and
Warranties. The representations and warranties of
Parent and the HMI Entities set forth in this Agreement shall be
true and correct in all material respects, in each case as of
the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date as though
made on the Closing Date, except to the extent such
representations and warranties are expressly made only as of an
earlier date, in which case as of such earlier date; provided
that, if any of such representations and warranties shall not be
true and correct (for this purpose disregarding any
qualification or limitation as to materiality or a Parent
Material Adverse Effect), then the condition stated in this
Section 7.3(a) shall be deemed satisfied if and only if the
cumulative effect of all inaccuracies of such representations
and warranties (for this purpose disregarding any qualification
or limitation as to materiality or Parent Material Adverse
Effect) shall not be or have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Performance of
Obligations. Parent, the HMI Entities and the HMI
Owners shall have performed in all material respects all
obligations required to be performed by them under this
Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) Certificate of
Parent. Company shall have been provided with a
certificate executed on behalf of Parent, the HMI Entities and
the HMI Owners by an authorized officer of each, in his or her
capacity as such, that the conditions set forth in
Sections 7.3(a) and (b) have been satisfied.
(d) Parent Material Adverse
Effect. Since the date of this Agreement, there shall
not have occurred any event, development, circumstance or set of
circumstances, which, individually or in the aggregate, has had
or would reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material
Adverse Effect.
(e) Unencumbered Cash. Parent
and the HMI Entities shall, in the aggregate, have cash and cash
equivalents (as that term is defined by Company in the
preparation of its financial statements) not subject
32
to a Lien to secure indebtedness, other than general Liens
covering all or substantially all of the assets of Parent or one
or more of the HMI Entities, equal to (A) $5,200,000
reduced by (B) the costs and expenses incurred by the HMI
Parties in connection with the transactions provided for in this
Agreement, including fees and disbursements of accountants and
legal counsel, but not to exceed (for this purpose only)
$500,000.
ARTICLE VIII.
TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT
8.1 Termination. Whether
before or after approval of the matters presented in connection
with the Merger by the stockholders of Company, this Agreement
may be terminated:
(a) by mutual consent of Parent and
Company at any time prior to the Effective Time;
(b) by either Parent or Company if the
Closing shall not have occurred on or before April 30,
2009; provided, that the right to terminate this Agreement under
this Section 8.1(b) shall not be available to any party
whose action or failure to act has been the cause of or resulted
in the failure of the Merger to occur on or before such date and
such action or failure to act constitutes a breach of this
Agreement;
(c) by Parent at any time prior to the
Effective Time, if: (i) Company shall have breached any of
its representations, warranties or obligations hereunder to an
extent that would cause the conditions set forth in
Section 7.2(a) or (b) not to be satisfied and such
breach shall not have been cured within 20 Business Days of
receipt by Company of written notice of such breach (provided
that the right to terminate this Agreement by Parent shall not
be available to Parent if Parent or Merger Sub is at that time
in material breach of this Agreement); (ii) the Board of
Directors of Company shall have withdrawn or modified the
Company Board Recommendation in any manner adverse to Parent,
the HMI Entities, the HMI Owners or Merger Sub or shall have
resolved to do so; or (iii) the Board of Directors of
Company shall (x) have recommended, endorsed, accepted or
agreed to a Takeover Proposal or shall have resolved to do so,
or (y) not have sent to holders of shares of Company Common
Stock within 10 Business Days after the commencement of any
tender or exchange offer or solicitation made in connection with
any Takeover Proposal, a statement recommending rejection of
such offer or solicitation;
(d) by Company at any time prior to the
Effective Time, if Parent or Merger Sub shall have breached any
of its representations, warranties or obligations hereunder to
an extent that would cause the conditions set forth in
Section 7.3(a) or (b) not to be satisfied and such
breach shall not have been cured within 20 Business Days of
receipt by Parent of written notice of such breach (provided
that the right to terminate this Agreement by Company shall not
be available to Company if Company is at that time in material
breach of this Agreement);
(e) by Company at any time prior to the
date the Company Stockholder Approval is obtained in order to
enter into an agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal if:
(i) Company has provided Parent written notice that it
intends to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 8.1(e) to accept such a Superior Proposal,
specifying the terms and conditions of such Superior Proposal;
and (ii) Parent has not within five Business Days of
receipt of such written notice subsequently made an offer that
the Company’s Board of Directors determines in good faith
(after receiving advice of its independent financial advisors)
is at least as favorable taking into account the Termination Fee
as such Superior Proposal;
(f) by either Parent or Company if at any
time prior to the Effective Time any permanent injunction or
other order of a court or other competent authority preventing
the consummation of the Merger shall have become final and
nonappealable; or
(g) by either Parent or Company if the
Company Stockholder Approval shall not have been obtained at the
Company Stockholders’ Meeting or any postponement or
adjournment thereof.
8.2 Effect of Termination. If
this Agreement is terminated as provided in Section 8.1,
there shall be no liability or obligation on the part of any of
the Parties or their respective officers, directors,
stockholders or Affiliates; provided, that (a) the
provisions of Section 6.4 (Public Disclosure),
Section 8.3 (Expenses and Termination Fees),
Section 9.8 (Third Party Beneficiaries), Section 9.9
(Governing Law) and this Section 8.2
33
shall survive any termination of this Agreement and
(b) nothing herein shall relieve any party from liability
for intentional breach of this Agreement or for fraud in
connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby.
8.3 Expenses and Termination Fee.
(a) Whether or not the Merger and the
Contribution are consummated, all costs and expenses incurred by
Company and the HMI Parties in connection with this Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without
limitation, the fees and expenses of their advisers, agents,
accountants and legal counsel) shall be paid by the Party
incurring such expense, it being understood and agreed that
expenses incurred in connection with printing and distributing
the Proxy Statement, one-half of the filing fees incurred in
connection with the
Form S-4
(including the Proxy Statement) and one-half of any other filing
fees payable to Government Entities in connection with the
transactions provided for in this Agreement shall be expenses of
Company.
(b) In the event that either
(A) Company shall terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section 8.1(e) or (B) Parent shall terminate this
Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1(c)(ii) or (iii), Company
shall pay the Termination Fee to Parent.
(c) In the event that (A) either
(i) Parent shall terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section 8.1(c)(i), or (ii) Parent or Company shall
terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1(f) or (g),
(B) prior to the time of such termination there shall have
been a Takeover Proposal with respect to Company, and
(C) within twelve months after such termination of this
Agreement, either (i) a definitive agreement is entered
into by Company with respect to a Takeover Proposal or
(ii) a Takeover Proposal is consummated, Company shall pay
the Termination Fee to Parent.
(d) In the event that this Agreement is
terminated pursuant to Section 8.1(c) (other than
termination pursuant to (A) Section 8.1(c)(i) based on
breach of representation or warranty due to changes in facts
occurring after the date hereof and not within the control of
Company, or (B) Section 8.1(c)(ii) if the withdrawal
or modification of the Company Board Recommendation is in
connection with a termination of this Agreement by Company
pursuant to 8.1(e) or is based solely on an actual breach of
representation, warranty or covenant by the HMI Parties), or
Section 8.1(g) and no Takeover Proposal has been made prior
thereto, Company shall pay to the HMI Parties all of their
reasonable, actual and documented out-of-pocket fees and
expenses incurred on or prior to the termination of this
Agreement in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement; provided, that such expense reimbursement
obligation shall be limited to a maximum of $500,000 in the
event this Agreement is terminated pursuant to
Section 8.1(g). Company shall pay the expenses of the HMI
Parties as provided herein promptly, and in any event within 5
Business Days, following presentation by the HMI Parties of a
request for such payment accompanied by reasonable documentation
supporting such payment request, which request may only be made
in connection with or after termination of this Agreement.
(e) In the event that a Termination Fee
is payable to Parent, Company shall pay the Termination Fee to
Parent: (i) within five days after the date of termination,
in the event that the Termination Fee is payable pursuant to
Section 8.3(b)(B); (ii) at the earlier of the time
that a definitive agreement is entered into by the Company or
the time the Takeover Proposal is consummated, in the event that
the Termination Fee is payable pursuant to Section 8.3(c),
or (iii) on the date of termination, in the event that the
Termination Fee is payable pursuant to Section 8.1(e).
(f) In the event that Company fails to
pay either or both of the expenses of Parent, the HMI Entities
and the HMI Owners or the Termination Fee when due under this
Section 8.3 and Parent commences a suit which results in a
judgment against Company for such overdue amount, then
(i) Company shall reimburse Parent for all costs and
expenses (including disbursements and reasonable fees of
counsel) incurred in connection with such suit and the
collection of such overdue amount and (ii) Company shall
pay to Parent interest on such overdue amount (for the period
commencing as of the date such overdue amount was originally
required to be paid and ending on the date such overdue amount
is actually paid to Parent in full) at the rate of 7% per annum.
34
(g) The HMI Parties hereby agree, that,
upon any termination of this Agreement under circumstances in
which the Termination Fee is required to be paid, and provided
such Termination Fee is timely paid in full, the HMI Parties and
their Affiliates (including Merger Sub) shall be precluded from
seeking any remedy against the Company and its Affiliates, at
law or in equity or otherwise (except as otherwise provided in
this Agreement, including Sections 8.3(d) and (f)), and
neither the HMI Parties nor any of their Affiliates (including
Merger Sub) may seek (and the HMI Parties shall cause their
Affiliates (including Merger Sub) not to seek) to obtain any
recovery, judgment, or damages of any kind, including
consequential, indirect, or punitive damages, against the
Company or any of its Affiliates, or any of the Company
Representatives in connection with this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby or the termination or breach of
this Agreement. The HMI Parties acknowledge that the agreements
contained in this Section 8.3(g) are an integral part of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that
without these agreements the Company would not enter into this
Agreement, and Parent and the Company acknowledge and agree that
the Termination Fee is reasonable and not a penalty.
8.4 Amendment. The Parties
may cause this Agreement to be amended at any time by execution
of an instrument in writing signed on behalf of each of the
Parties; provided, however, that after any approval of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement by the stockholders
of Company, there may not be, without further approval of such
stockholders, any amendment of this Agreement that requires
further approval under applicable law.
8.5 Extension; Waiver. At any
time prior to the Effective Time any Party 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
intended for such Party’s benefit, (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. 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.
ARTICLE IX.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
9.1 Nonsurvival of Representations,
Warranties and Agreements. The representations,
warranties and agreements set forth in this Agreement shall
terminate at the Effective Time, except that the agreements set
forth in ARTICLE I, Section 6.4 (Public Disclosure),
Section 6.5 (Cooperation; Further Assurances),
Section 6.6 (Director and Officer Indemnification),
Section 6.8 (Employee Benefits), Section 8.3 (Expenses
and Termination Fee) and this ARTICLE IX shall survive the
Effective Time.
9.2 Notices. All notices and
other communications required or permitted to be given hereunder
shall be sent in writing to the party to whom it is to be given
with copies to all other parties as follows (as elected by the
party giving such notice) and be either personally delivered
against receipt, by facsimile or other wire transmission, by
registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt
requested) or deposited with a nationally recognized express
courier (with confirmation) to the parties at the following
addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be
specified by like notice):
(a) if to Parent, the HMI Entities or the HMI Owners
to:
Here Media Inc.
10000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Xttention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Chairman of the Board
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
35
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxx Xxxxx LLP
350 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx, XX
00000-0000
Xttention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
(b) if to Company, to:
PlanetOut Inc.
1300 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 0411
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxx, Chief Executive Officer
Facsimile:
000-000-0000
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxx Xxxx Nemerovski Xxxxxx Xxxx & Rabkin,
A Professional Corporation
Three Emxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX
00000-0000
Xttention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
All notices and other communications shall be deemed to have
been given (i) when received if given in person,
(ii) on the date of electronic confirmation of receipt if
sent by facsimile or other wire transmission, (iii) three
Business Days after being deposited in the U.S. mail,
certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, or (iv) one
Business Day after being deposited with a reputable overnight
courier.
9.3 Interpretation. When a
reference is made in this Agreement to Exhibits or Schedules,
such reference shall be to an Exhibit or Schedule to this
Agreement 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 phrase “made available” in this Agreement shall
mean that the information referred to has been made available if
requested by the party to whom such information is to be made
available. The phrases “the date of this Agreement”,
“the date hereof” and terms of similar import, unless
the context otherwise requires, shall be deemed to refer to the
date set forth in the first paragraph of this Agreement. 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. Time is of the
essence in determining the rights of, and compliance with the
terms of this Agreement by, the Parties.
9.4 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in two 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 parties,
including delivery by facsimile or other electronic means, it
being understood that all parties need not sign the same
counterpart.
9.5 Entire Agreement. This
Agreement and the documents and instruments and other agreements
specifically referred to herein or delivered pursuant hereto,
including the Exhibits, the Schedules, including the Company
Disclosure Schedule, constitute the entire agreement among the
parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede
all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral,
among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof,
except for the Confidentiality Agreement, which shall continue
in full force and effect, and shall survive any termination of
this Agreement or the Closing, in accordance with its terms.
36
9.6 Remedies. Nothing in this
Agreement is intended either to preclude any Party from seeking
or to authorize any Party to seek specific performance of this
Agreement as a remedy in the event of a breach of this Agreement.
9.7 Assignment. Neither this
Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations shall
be assigned by any of the Parties (whether by operation of law
or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other
Parties. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement will
be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by
the Parties and their respective successors and assigns.
9.8 Third Party
Beneficiaries. Except for the right of Persons who are
entitled to coverage under the Company’s directors and
officers liability insurance immediately prior to the Effect
Time to enforce the provisions of Section 6.6 (Director and
Officer Indemnification), (i) the parties signatory hereto
hereby agree that their respective representations, warranties
and covenants set forth herein are solely for the benefit of the
other such parties hereto, in accordance with and subject to the
terms of this Agreement, and (ii) this Agreement is not
intended to, and does not, confer upon any Person other than the
parties hereto any rights or remedies hereunder, including the
right to rely upon the representations and warranties set forth
herein.
9.9 Governing Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of Delaware without reference to such
state’s principles of conflicts of law.
9.10 Consent to
Jurisdiction. Each of the parties to this Agreement
hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and
its assets and properties, to the exclusive jurisdiction of any
Delaware state court or Federal court of the United States of
America sitting within the State of Delaware, and any respective
appellate court, in any action or proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement, the agreements delivered in
connection with this Agreement, or the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby, or for recognition or enforcement of any
judgment relating thereto, and each of the parties to this
Agreement hereby irrevocably and unconditionally:
(i) agrees not to commence any such action or proceeding
except in such courts; (ii) agrees that any claim in
respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and
determined in such Delaware State court or, to the extent
permitted by law, in such Federal court; (iii) waives, to
the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any
objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of
venue of any such action or proceeding in any such Delaware
State or Federal court; and (iv) waives, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, the defense of lack of personal
jurisdiction or an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such
action or proceeding in any such Delaware State or Federal
court. Each of the parties to this Agreement hereby agrees that
a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be
conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on
the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Each of the
parties to this Agreement hereby irrevocably consents to service
of process in the manner provided for notices in
Section 9.2. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the
right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any
other manner permitted by applicable law.
9.11 Rules of
Construction. The parties hereto agree that they have
been represented by counsel during the negotiation, preparation
and execution of this Agreement and, therefore, waive the
application of any law, regulation, holding or rule of
construction providing that ambiguities in an agreement or other
document shall be construed against the party drafting such
agreement or document.
9.12 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, invalid or unenforceable, the
remainder of this Agreement shall continue in full force and
effect and the application of such provision to other persons or
circumstances shall be interpreted so as reasonably to effect
the intent of the parties hereto.
9.13 Attorneys’ Fees. In
any action at law or suit in equity to enforce this Agreement or
the rights of any of the parties hereunder, the prevailing party
in such action or suit shall be entitled to receive its
reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs and expenses incurred
in such action or suit.
[Signature page follows]
37
In Witness Whereof, the Parties have caused this
Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto
duly authorized as of the date first above written.
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxx
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Title:
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Chief Executive Officer
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Here Media Inc.
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By:
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/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
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Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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Title:
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Chairman of the Board
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HMI Merger Sub
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By:
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/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
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Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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Title:
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Chairman of the Board
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HMI Owners:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Here Management LLC
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by:
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/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
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Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, its Manager
HMI Entities:
Here Networks LLC
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By:
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Here Management
LLC, its Manager
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by:
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/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
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Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, its Manager
Regent Entertainment Media Inc.
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by:
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/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
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Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Chairman of the Board
EXHIBIT A
Parent Stock to be Issued and Reserved for Issuance upon Closing
of Contribution and
Merger1
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Common Stock
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Special Stock
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Number of
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% of
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Number of
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% of
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Stockholder
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Shares
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Total
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Shares
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Total
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HMI Owners (issued in Contribution)
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Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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613,313
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3
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%
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0.0
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0.0
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%
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Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
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408,875
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2
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%
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0.0
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|
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0.0
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%
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Here Management, LLC
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15,332,828
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75
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%
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0.0
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0.0
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%
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Total HMI Owners
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16,355,016
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80.0
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%
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0.0
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0.0
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%
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Former Company Stockholders and Holders of
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4,088,754
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20.0
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%
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4,088,754
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100.0
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%
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the Excluded Warrants (issued in Merger)
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Total
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20,443,770
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100.0
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%
|
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4,088,754
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100.0
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%
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1
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Numbers of shares, but not
percentages, shown are subject to adjustment pursuant to
Section 2.1 of the Agreement to the extent that the number
of shares of Company Common Stock is greater or fewer than
4,088,754 immediately prior to the Effective Time.
|
A-1
EXHIBIT B
Certificate
of Incorporation of Parent
CERTIFICATE
OF INCORPORATION
OF
HERE MEDIA, INC.
I.
The name of the corporation is Here Media, Inc.
II.
The address of the registered office of the corporation in the
State of Delaware is The Corporation Trust Center, 1200
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, County of New Castle,
and the name of the registered agent of the corporation in the
State of Delaware at such address is The Corporation
Trust Company.
III.
The purpose of the corporation is to engage in any lawful act or
activity for which a corporation may be organized under the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
IV.
A. The corporation is authorized to issue
three classes of stock, to be designated, respectively,
“Common Stock,” “Preferred Stock” and
“Special Stock.” The total number of shares which the
corporation is authorized to issue is [•] Million
([•]) shares, of which [•] Million ([•])
shares shall be Common Stock, each having a par value of
one-tenth of one cent ($.001), [•] Million ([•])
shares shall be Preferred Stock, each having a par value of
one-tenth of one cent ($.001), and [•] Million
([•]) shares shall be Special Stock, each having a par
value of one-tenth of one cent ($.001).
B. The Preferred Stock may be issued from
time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors is
hereby authorized, by filing a certificate (a “Preferred
Stock Designation”) pursuant to the Delaware General
Corporation Law, to fix or alter from time to time the
designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of
each such series and the qualifications, limitations or
restrictions of any wholly unissued series of Preferred Stock,
and to establish from time to time the number of shares
constituting any such series or any of them; and to increase or
decrease the number of shares of any series subsequent to the
issuance of shares of that series, but not below the number of
shares of such series then outstanding. In case the number of
shares of any series shall be decreased in accordance with the
foregoing sentence, the shares constituting such decrease shall
resume the status that they had prior to the adoption of the
resolution originally fixing the number of shares of such series.
C. The Special Stock shall have the
rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions specified
herein.
(1) Dividends and
Distributions. The Special Stock shall not be entitled
to dividends or any other distributions, other than
distributions under the circumstances and to the extent provided
in paragraph (4) below.
(2) Voting Rights. Except as
otherwise required by law or expressly provided herein, the
holders of Special Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any
matter to be voted on by the stockholders of the corporation.
B-1
(3) Protective Provisions. In
addition to any other vote or consent required herein or by law,
the corporation shall not (whether by merger, consolidation or
otherwise), without first obtaining the affirmative vote of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Special
Stock, voting together as a single class:
(a) alter or change the powers,
preferences or special rights of the Special Stock so as to
affect the holders thereof adversely;
(b) issue any additional shares of
Special Stock after the date of initial issuance of the Special
Stock; or
(c) amend this paragraph (3).
(4) Liquidation, Dissolution or
Winding Up.
(a) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the corporation, if distribution of the Total
Liquidation Value to holders of Common Stock ratably in
accordance with the number of shares held by each such holder
would result in the receipt of cash, property or cash and
property having an aggregate value per share of Common Stock
that is less than $4.00* per share, then, prior to any
distribution to holders of Common Stock, the holders of Special
Stock shall be entitled to receive liquidation proceeds per
share of Special Stock in an amount equal to the amount derived
from the following equation; provided, that in no event
shall such amount exceed $4.00:
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Proceeds per Share of Special Stock
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=
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$4.00
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−
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|
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Total Liquidation Value − ($4.00 x Total Number of
Outstanding Shares of Special Stock)
Total
Outstanding Shares of Common Stock − Total Number of
Outstanding Shares of Special Stock
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If payments are required to be made on the Special Stock, the
payment per share of Common Stock which is payable after payment
to the holders of Special Stock (the “Liquidation Balance
per Common Share”) shall be derived from the following
equation:
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Liquidation Balance per Common Share
|
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=
|
|
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Total Liquidation Value − ($4.00 x Total Number of
Outstanding Shares of Special Stock)
Total
Outstanding Shares of Common Stock − Total Number of
Outstanding Shares of Special Stock
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For the purposes of this paragraph (4), “Total Liquidation
Value” shall mean the value remaining after payment in full
of the claims of all of the corporation’s creditors, the
liquidation preferences of any and all classes of Preferred
Stock and all accrued but unpaid dividends which the holders of
Preferred Stock are then entitled to receive pursuant to the
terms of such Preferred Stock, if any. If, upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the corporation, distributions are
made other than in cash, the value of such distributions shall
be the fair market value thereof, as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors.
(b) For the purposes of this paragraph
(4), neither the consolidation or merger of the corporation with
or into one or more other entities, nor the sale, conveyance,
exchange or transfer of all or substantially all of the property
and assets of the corporation shall be deemed a liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the corporation; provided,
however, that the consolidation or merger of the
corporation with or into one or more other entities, or the
sale, conveyance, exchange or transfer of all or substantially
all of the property and assets of the corporation, in which in
each of the foregoing cases, (i) 50% or more of the value
(as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith) of the
consideration paid or issued in exchange for the common stock of
the corporation or such property or assets consists of cash,
publicly traded securities or a combination of cash and publicly
traded securities, and (ii) such transaction results in a
change in “control” of the corporation (as the term
“control” is defined in SEC
Rule 12b-2
promulgated by the Securities and
* This amount is based on an
assumed number of outstanding shares of Company Common Stock of
4,088,889 and an aggregate liquidation preference of
$16,355,556. In the event the aggregate of the number of shares
of Company Common Stock outstanding at the Closing and shares of
Company Common Stock issuable under warrants or other rights,
other than the Excepted Warrants, exceeds that number by more
than 10,000 shares, the $4.00 amount shall be
proportionately reduced by dividing $16,355,556 by the correct
number of such shares of Company Common Stock.
B-2
Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934),
shall be deemed a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
corporation. In the event a transaction of the type referred to
in the proviso to the preceding sentence occurs, the
consideration payable to holders of the common stock of the
corporation in such transaction shall, for purposes of applying
the provisions of subparagraph (a) of this paragraph (4),
be treated as liquidation proceeds.
(c) All references in this paragraph
(4) and in the following paragraph (5)(b) to
“$4.00” or “$4.00 per share” shall be
adjusted to the extent appropriate, as determined by the Board
of Directors, to reflect stock splits, reverse stock splits,
dividends or distributions made in shares of Common Stock, or
reclassifications, in each case with respect to the Common Stock.
(5) Cancellation.
(a) All outstanding shares of Special
Stock shall be cancelled automatically on the date in 2013 that
is the fourth anniversary of the initial issuance of the special
stock (the “Special Stock Cancellation Date”), if not
cancelled prior that date pursuant to subparagraph (b) or
(c) of this paragraph 5, without payment of any
consideration therefor and without necessity of any notice or
other action by the corporation; provided, that such
cancellation shall not extinguish the right, if any, of holders
of shares of Special Stock to receive amounts provided for in
the immediately preceding paragraph (4) of this
Article IV as a result of a liquidation, dissolution or
winding-up
of the corporation that occurred prior to Special Stock
Cancellation Date.
(b) If, at any time prior to the Special
Stock Cancellation Date, the corporation shall have offered and
sold its Common Stock in a Public Equity Offering, then all
outstanding shares of Special Stock shall be automatically
cancelled, without payment of any consideration therefor and
without any necessity of any notice or other action by the
corporation. For purposes of this paragraph (b), the term
“Public Equity Offering” shall mean an underwritten
public offer and sale, or a private placement in the form
commonly known as a “Private Investment in Public
Equity” or “PIPE” transaction, of Common Stock of
the corporation at a per share price of at least $4.00 per share
and resulting in gross proceeds to the corporation of at least
$20.0 million (including any sale of common shares
purchased upon the exercise of any over-allotment option granted
in connection therewith); provided, that an acquisition
of the corporation by a special purpose acquisition company or
similar transaction, as determined by the Board of Directors of
the corporation, other than an acquisition solely for cash, that
values the Common Stock of the corporation at a per share price
of at least $4.00 per share, shall be deemed a “Public
Equity Offering” for purposes of this subparagraph (b).
(c) The shares of Special Stock shall be
cancelled upon the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority
of the outstanding shares of Special Stock, voting together as a
single class.
(6) Rank. The Special Stock
shall rank, with respect to the distribution of assets upon
liquidation, dissolution or
winding-up
of the corporation, senior and prior in right to the Common
Stock and junior to all series of the corporation’s
Preferred Stock.
V.
For the management of the business and for the conduct of the
affairs of the corporation, and in further definition,
limitation and regulation of the powers of the corporation, of
its directors and of its stockholders or any class thereof, as
the case may be, it is further provided that:
A. (1) The
management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the
corporation shall be vested in its Board of Directors. The
number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board of
Directors shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions
adopted by the Board of Directors.
(2) Subject
to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to
elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the
directors shall be divided into three classes designated as
Class I, Class II and Class III, respectively.
Directors shall be assigned to each class in accordance with a
resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors. At
the first annual meeting of stockholders following the adoption
and filing of this Certificate of Incorporation, the term of
office of the Class I directors shall expire and
Class I directors shall be elected for a full term of three
years. At the second annual meeting of
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stockholders following the adoption and filing of this
Certificate of Incorporation, the term of office of the
Class II directors shall expire and Class II directors
shall be elected for a full term of three years. At the third
annual meeting of stockholders following the adoption and filing
of this Certificate of Incorporation, the term of office of the
Class III directors shall expire and Class III
directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At
each succeeding annual meeting of stockholders, directors shall
be elected for a full term of three years to succeed the
directors of the class whose terms expire at such annual
meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Article, each director shall serve until his or her successor is
duly elected and qualified or until his or her death,
resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of directors
constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of
any incumbent director.
(3) Subject
to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock,
no director shall be removed without cause. Subject to any
limitations imposed by law, the Board of Directors or any
individual director may be removed from office at any time with
cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of
the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of voting
stock of the corporation, entitled to vote at an election of
directors (the “Voting Stock”).
(4) Subject
to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock,
any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death,
resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any
newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the
number of directors, shall, unless the Board of Directors
determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly
created directorships shall be filled by the stockholders,
except as otherwise provided by law, be filled only by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office,
even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, and
not by the stockholders. Any director elected in accordance with
the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of
the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created
or occurred and until such director’s successor shall have
been elected and qualified.
B. (1) The Bylaws
may be altered or amended or new Bylaws adopted by the
affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent
(662/3%)
of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the
Voting Stock. The Board of Directors shall also have the power
to adopt, amend, or repeal Bylaws.
(2) The
directors of the corporation need not be elected by written
ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.
(3) No
action may be taken by the stockholders of the corporation
except at an annual or special meeting of stockholders called in
accordance with the Bylaws. No action may be taken by the
stockholders by written consent.
(4) Special
meetings of the stockholders of the corporation may be called,
for any purpose or purposes, by (i) the Chairman of the
Board of Directors, (ii) the Chief Executive Officer, or
(iii) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution
adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized
directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in
authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is
presented to the Board of Directors for adoption), and shall be
held at such place, on such date, and at such time as the Board
of Directors shall fix.
(5) Advance
notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors
and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting
of the stockholders of the corporation shall be given in the
manner provided in the Bylaws of the corporation.
VI.
A. A director of the corporation shall
not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders
for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a
director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the
director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its
stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith
or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation
of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware
General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any transaction from
which the director derived an improper personal benefit. If the
Delaware General Corporation Law is amended after approval by
the stockholders of this Article to authorize corporate action
further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of
directors, then the
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liability of a director shall be eliminated or limited to the
fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General corporation
Law, as so amended.
B. Any repeal or modification of this
Article VI shall be prospective only and shall not affect
the rights of any person under this Article VI in effect at
the time of the alleged occurrence of any act or omission to act
giving rise to any alleged liability or indemnification.
VII.
A. The corporation reserves the right to
amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this
Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter
prescribed by statute, except as provided in paragraph B.
of this Article VII, and all rights conferred upon the
stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.
B. Notwithstanding any other provisions
of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law
which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in
addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any
particular class or series of the Voting Stock required by law,
this Certificate of Incorporation or any Preferred Stock
Designation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least
sixty-six and two-thirds percent
(662/3%)
of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the
Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, shall be
required to alter, amend or repeal Articles V, VI, and VII.
VIII.
The name and the mailing address of the Sole Incorporator is as
follows:
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In Witness Whereof, this Certificate has been subscribed this
[•] day of [•], 2008 by the undersigned who
affirms that the statements made herein are true and correct.
[•]
Sole Incorporator
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