ACQUISITION AGREEMENT by and between eTELECARE GLOBAL SOLUTIONS, INC. and EGS ACQUISITION CO LLC Dated as of September 19, 2008
Exhibit 7.01
by and
between
eTELECARE
GLOBAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
and
EGS
ACQUISITION CO LLC
Dated as
of September 19, 2008
ARTICLE I - |
THE
OFFER
|
2
|
|
1.1
|
The
Offer
|
2
|
|
1.2
|
Company
Actions
|
4
|
|
1.3
|
Directors
|
5
|
|
1.4
|
Stock
Options; Restricted Stock Units
|
6
|
|
1.5
|
Amendments
to Disclosure Documents
|
7
|
|
1.6
|
Withholding
Taxes
|
7
|
|
ARTICLE II - |
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
|
8
|
|
2.1
|
Representations
and Warranties of Company
|
8
|
|
2.2
|
Representations
and Warranties of Purchaser
|
23
|
|
ARTICLE III - |
CONDUCT
OF BUSINESS PENDING THE OFFER
|
26
|
|
3.1
|
Covenants
of Company
|
26
|
|
3.2
|
No
Control of other Party’s Business
|
29
|
|
ARTICLE IV - |
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
|
29
|
|
4.1
|
Access
|
29
|
|
4.2
|
No
Solicitation
|
30
|
|
4.3
|
Further
Assurances
|
33
|
|
4.4
|
Filings;
Other Actions; Notification
|
33
|
|
4.5
|
Publicity
|
35
|
|
4.6
|
Benefits
and Other Employee Matters
|
35
|
|
4.7
|
Indemnification;
Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance
|
36
|
|
4.8
|
Expenses
|
38
|
|
4.9
|
Takeover
Statute
|
38
|
|
4.10
|
Purchaser
Vote
|
38
|
|
4.11
|
Financing
|
38
|
|
4.12
|
Notification
of Certain Matters
|
39
|
|
4.13
|
Stock
Exchange De-listing
|
39
|
|
4.14
|
Section 16
Matters
|
40
|
4.15
|
Tax
Matters
|
40
|
|
ARTICLE V - |
TERMINATION
|
40
|
|
5.1
|
Termination
by Mutual Consent
|
40
|
|
5.2
|
Termination
by Either Purchaser or Company
|
40
|
|
5.3
|
Termination
by Company
|
41
|
|
5.4
|
Termination
by Purchaser
|
41
|
|
5.5
|
Effect
of Termination and Abandonment
|
42
|
|
ARTICLE VI - |
MISCELLANEOUS
AND GENERAL
|
45
|
|
6.1
|
Survival
|
45
|
|
6.2
|
Modification
or Amendment
|
45
|
|
6.3
|
Waiver
of Conditions
|
45
|
|
6.4
|
Counterparts
|
45
|
|
6.5
|
Governing
Law and Venue
|
45
|
|
6.6
|
Notices
|
46
|
|
6.7
|
Entire
Agreement; No Other Representations
|
47
|
|
6.8
|
No
Third-Party Beneficiaries
|
48
|
|
6.9
|
Obligations
of Purchaser and of Company
|
48
|
|
6.10
|
Severability
|
48
|
|
6.11
|
Interpretation
|
48
|
|
6.12
|
Assignment
|
48
|
|
6.13
|
Liability;
Specific Performance
|
49
|
INDEX OF
DEFINED TERMS
Defined
Term
|
Section
|
Acceptance
Date
|
1.1(b)
|
Acquisition
Proposal
|
4.2(a)
|
Action
of Divestiture or Limitation
|
4.4(b)
|
Adverse
Regulatory Effect
|
Annex
I
|
ADS
|
Recitals
|
Affiliate
|
2.1(a)
|
Agreement
|
Forepart
|
Audit
Date
|
2.1(h)
|
Bankruptcy
and Equity Exception
|
2.1(c)
|
business
day
|
1.1(b)
|
Code
|
2.1(j)(i)
|
Commitments
|
2.2(h)
|
Common
Shares
|
Recitals
|
Company
|
Forepart
|
Company
Adverse Recommendation Change
|
4.2(a)
|
Company
Balance Sheet
|
2.1(g)
|
Company
Compensation and Benefit Plans
|
2.1(j)
|
Company
Contracts
|
2.2(q)
|
Company
Disclosure Schedules
|
2.1
|
Company
Indemnity Agreements
|
4.7(a)
|
Company
Intellectual Property Rights
|
2.1(o)(i)
|
Company
Material Adverse Effect
|
2.1(a)
|
Company
Option
|
1.4
|
Company
Operating Plan
|
3.1(e)
|
Company
Recommendation
|
1.2(a)
|
Company
Reports
|
2.1(e)
|
Company
Required Statutory Approvals
|
2.1(d)
|
Company
RSUs
|
1.4
|
Company
Stock Plans.
|
2.1(b)
|
Company
Software
|
2.2(o)(v)
|
Compensation
and Benefit Plan
|
2.1(j)
|
Confidentiality
Agreements
|
6.7
|
Contracts
|
2.1(q)(iii)
|
control
|
2.1
|
Corporate
Documents
|
2.1(a)
|
Costs
|
4.7(a)
|
D&O
Insurance
|
4.7(c)
|
XXXXX
|
2.1(e)
|
Employees
|
2.1(j)
|
Environmental
Law
|
2.1(l)(iii)
|
ERISA
|
2.1(j)
|
ERISA
Affiliate
|
2.1(j)(ii)
|
Event
|
Annex
I
|
Exchange
Act
|
1.1(a)
|
Executive
Officer
|
3.1(r)
|
Expenses
|
5.5(f)
|
Expiration
Date
|
1.1(b)
|
Final
Launch Date
|
1.1(a)
|
Final
Order
|
Annex
I
|
Financing
|
2.2(h)
|
Financing
Document
|
4.11
|
FINRA
|
2.1(d)
|
Foreign
Antitrust Filings
|
2.1(d)
|
Governmental
Entity
|
2.1(d)
|
Hazardous
Substance
|
2.1(l)(iv)
|
HSR
Act
|
2.1(d)
|
Indemnified
Parties
|
4.7(a)
|
IRS
|
2.1(j)(i)
|
Intellectual
Property Rights
|
2.2(o)(i)
|
International
GAAP
|
2.1(e)
|
Investor
|
2.2(h)
|
IT
Systems
|
2.2(o)(iv)
|
knowledge
|
2.1
|
Launch
Date
|
1.1(a)
|
Law;
Laws
|
2.1(k)
|
Limited
Guarantee
|
6.13
|
Liens
|
2.1(b)
|
Material
Contracts
|
2.1(g)(iii)
|
Maximum
Amount
|
4.7(c)
|
Minimum
Condition
|
Annex
I
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
|
1.2(a)
|
NASDAQ
|
1.3
|
No
Action Relief
|
1.1(a)
|
Offer
|
Recitals
|
Offer
Documents
|
1.1(a)
|
Offer
Financing
|
2.2(h)
|
Offer
Price
|
Recitals
|
Order
|
5.2
|
Other
Filings
|
2.1(f)
|
Payment
Date
|
1.1(b)
|
PCC
|
Recitals
|
Pension
Plan
|
2.1(j)(i)
|
Permits
|
2.1(k)
|
Person
|
3.1(a)
|
PEZA
|
2.1(d)
|
Policies
|
2.1(r)
|
Principal
Shareholder
|
Recitals
|
Principal
Shareholders
|
Recitals
|
PSE
|
1.2(c)
|
PSEC
|
1.1(a)
|
Purchaser
|
Forepart
|
Purchaser
Insider
|
1.3(b)
|
Purchaser
Disclosure Schedules
|
2.2
|
Purchaser
Material Adverse Effect
|
2.2(a)
|
Purchaser
Required Statutory Approvals
|
2.2(c)
|
Representatives
|
4.1
|
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act
|
2.1(e)
|
Schedule
14D-9
|
1.2(a)
|
SEC
|
1.1(a)
|
Securities
Act
|
2.1(d)
|
Shares
|
Recitals
|
SRC
|
1.1(a)
|
Subsequent
Offering
|
1.1(b)
|
Subsidiary
|
2.1(a)
|
Superior
Proposal
|
4.2(b)
|
Support
Agreement
|
Recitals
|
Support
Agreements
|
Recitals
|
Takeover
Statute
|
2.2(w)
|
Tax
|
2.1(m)(x)
|
Tax
Return
|
2.1(m)(x)
|
Taxable
|
2.1(m)(x)
|
Taxes
|
2.1(m)(x)
|
Taxing
Authority
|
2.1(m)(x)
|
Tender
Offer Conditions
|
1.1(a)
|
Termination
Date
|
5.2
|
Termination
Fee
|
5.5(b)
|
Trade
Secrets
|
2.2(o)(iii)
|
U.S.
GAAP
|
2.1(a)
|
Voting
Debt
|
2.1(b)
|
This
ACQUISITION AGREEMENT (hereinafter called this “Agreement”), dated as
of September 19, 2008, by and between eTelecare Global Solutions, Inc., a
Philippine corporation (“Company”), and EGS
Acquisition Co LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Purchaser”).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of Company and the Board of Managers of Purchaser have
approved the acquisition of at least a controlling interest in Company by
Purchaser on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement;
WHEREAS,
pursuant to this Agreement, Purchaser has agreed to commence a tender offer
(such offer as it may be amended from time to time as permitted by this
Agreement, the “Offer”) to purchase
all of Company’s issued and outstanding common shares, par value PhP2.00 per
share listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (the “Common Shares”) and
all of Company’s issued and outstanding American Depositary Shares traded on the
Nasdaq Global Market (the “ADSs”) (which ADSs,
together with the Common Shares are hereinafter referred to as the “Shares”), at a price
per Share of $9.00(USD) (the “Offer Price”)
(subject to certain deductions described in Section 1.6), net to the seller
in cash, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement; provided
that, the Offer will provide that the Common Shares may, at the election of the
holder, be purchased by Purchaser in the Offer in Philippine Pesos at a price
per Common Share determined by multiplying the Offer Price by the U.S.
Dollar/Philippine Peso exchange rate then in effect at the closing of the
business day immediately preceding the Acceptance Date as quoted by the Hongkong
Shanghai Banking Corporation (or a published rate of a comparable
bank);
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of Company has (i) determined that the Offer and the
other transactions contemplated hereby are fair to and in the best interests of
Company and its shareholders, (ii) adopted and approved this Agreement and
the transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with the Corporation Code of
the Philippines including its implementing rulings, circulars or memoranda (the
“PCC”) and
(iii) declared the advisability of this Agreement and resolved to recommend
that Company’s shareholders accept the Offer and tender their respective Shares
to Purchaser in the Offer;
WHEREAS,
Purchaser has required, as a condition to its willingness to enter into this
Agreement, that Crimson Velocity Fund, L.P., Crimson Asia Capital L.P, Crimson
Investment LTD., AIG Asian Opportunity Fund LP, and Newbridge International
Investment Ltd (each a “Principal
Shareholder” and collectively the “Principal
Shareholders”) each enter into a Support Agreement, dated as of the date
hereof (each a “Support Agreement”
and collectively, the “Support Agreements”),
simultaneously herewith, pursuant to which, among other things, the Principal
Shareholders have agreed to tender all Shares they beneficially own in the
Offer, on the terms and subject to the conditions provided for in the Support
Agreements; and
1
WHEREAS,
Company and Purchaser desire to make certain representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements in connection with the Offer and to prescribe certain
conditions to the Offer;
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, and of the representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, and intending to be
legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
- THE OFFER
1.1 The
Offer. (a) Provided that this Agreement shall not have
been terminated in accordance with Article V hereof and
none of the events or conditions set forth in Annex I hereto (the
“Tender Offer
Conditions”) shall have occurred or be existing and not have been waived
by Purchaser, Purchaser shall (i)
within the meaning of Rule 14d-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the
“Exchange
Act”) and within the
meaning of The Securities Regulation Code of the Philippines (including the
rules and regulation promulgated thereunder, the “SRC”), as promptly as reasonably practicable (but in
any event no later than the Final Launch Date (as defined below)), commence (such date on which the offer commences
in the United States, the “Launch
Date”) an offer to purchase (or, if required by applicable Law commence separate offers in the United
States and the Philippines to purchase) all outstanding Common Shares and ADSs
at the Offer Price, (ii) as promptly as reasonably practicable (on or
prior to the Launch Date),
file a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO and all other necessary documents
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and a Form 19-1 with the Philippine
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “PSEC”) and make all announcements,
deliveries, mailings and telephonic notices required by Rule 14d-3 under the
Exchange Act and under Rule 19 of the SRC, in each case in connection with the
Offer (together, such documents as may be amended and supplemented, the
“Offer
Documents”) and
(iii) use reasonable efforts to consummate the Offer, subject to the terms
and conditions thereof. Company shall cooperate and give all
reasonable assistance to Purchaser to enable Purchaser to comply with the
foregoing provisions, including promptly and accurately providing to Purchaser
any and all information and documents reasonably requested by Purchaser for this
purpose. The obligation of Purchaser to accept for payment or
pay for any Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer will be subject only to the
satisfaction or waiver by Purchaser of the conditions set forth in Annex I
hereto. Company agrees that no Shares held by Company or any of its
Subsidiaries will be tendered to Purchaser pursuant to the Offer. For
the purpose of this Agreement, the “Final Launch Date”
shall be the date that is twenty-five (25) business days following public
announcement of this Agreement; provided; however, if at
11:59 pm New York City time on the twenty-fifth business day following public
announcement of this Agreement, either the SEC or PSEC has not granted in
writing exemptive relief from compliance with, and taken a “no action” position
with respect to, (with respect to the SEC) the rules promulgated under the
Exchange Act and (with respect to the PSEC) the rules and regulations
promulgated under the PCC and SRC, in connection with the Offer, as described in
Schedule 1.1(a)
attached hereto (the “No Action Relief”),
but Purchaser (i) has submitted to the SEC or PSEC a draft or final request for
such relief and (ii) is using all reasonable efforts to pursue the No Action
Relief, such time period shall automatically extend until the date that is five
(5) business days after Purchaser has received the No Action Relief; provided further that if, on
what would otherwise be the Final Launch Date, Purchaser is still
2
preparing
or finalizing the Offer Documents and/or making or finalizing preparations to
commence the Offer and is using all reasonable efforts to do so, the Final
Launch Date shall automatically extend for an additional ten (10) business days.
The obligation of the Purchaser to commence the Offer as provided in this Section 1.1(a) is
subject to Purchaser not being entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section
5.4(d). Following the date hereof, the parties hereto shall
use their reasonable efforts to commence the Offer as promptly as reasonably
practicable.
(b) Purchaser
expressly reserves the right to amend or waive any of the conditions set forth
in Annex I
hereto (other than the Minimum Condition), to increase the price per Share
payable in the Offer and to make any other changes in the terms of the Offer;
provided that without
the prior written consent of Company, Purchaser shall not decrease the Offer
Price or change the form of consideration payable in the Offer, decrease the
number of Shares sought to be purchased in the Offer, impose additional
conditions to the Offer, amend the Minimum Condition (as defined in Annex I
hereto) or amend any other term of the Offer in any manner adverse to the
holders of Shares. The Offer shall remain open at least until the
date that is 20 business days after the commencement of the Offer (the “Expiration Date”),
unless Purchaser shall have extended the period of time for which the Offer is
open in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in which event the term
“Expiration
Date” shall mean the latest time and date as the Offer, as so extended,
may expire. If, at any Expiration Date, any of the Tender Offer
Conditions are not satisfied or waived by Purchaser, Purchaser may extend the
Offer from time to time; provided, however, Purchaser
may not extend the Offer beyond the 60th day following the Launch Date without
Company’s prior written consent. Subject to the terms of the Offer
and this Agreement and the satisfaction of all the Tender Offer Conditions as of
the Expiration Date, Purchaser will accept for payment and pay for all Shares
validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer as soon as
practicable but in any event no later than ten (10) business days after the
Expiration Date (the date that Purchaser accepts for payment all Shares validly
tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer shall be referred to as
the “Acceptance
Date”), the date that Purchaser pays for such Shares, which shall in any
event occur no later than ten (10) business days after the Acceptance Date,
shall be referred to as the “Payment Date” and for the avoidance of doubt, the
Payment Date for the Offer in respect of the ADSs will be as promptly as
practicable, subject to applicable Law, on the Acceptance Date and references in
this Agreement to Payment Date relating to ADSs will be considered to mean the
relevant Acceptance Date). Without the prior written consent of
Company, Purchaser shall not accept for payment or pay for any Shares in the
Offer if, as a result, Purchaser would acquire less than the number of Shares
necessary to satisfy the Minimum Condition (as defined in Annex
I). Purchaser may provide a subsequent offering period after
the Expiration Date, in accordance with Rule 14d-11 under the Exchange Act and
Rule 19 under the SRC immediately following the Acceptance Date on substantially
the same terms as the Offer and keep such subsequent offer open for at least 20
business days after the commencement of such subsequent offering period (the
“Subsequent
Offering”). As used in this Agreement, a “business day” shall
mean any day of the year other than a Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which
banks located in New York, New York USA or Makati City or Manila, Philippines
are generally closed for business.
(c) Purchaser
represents that the Offer Documents will comply as to form in all material
respects with the provisions of applicable United States federal securities laws
and Philippine securities laws and, on the date filed with the SEC or PSEC, as
applicable, and on the
3
date first
published, sent or given to Company’s shareholders, shall not 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 made therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except
that no representation is made by Purchaser with respect to information supplied
by Company for inclusion in the Offer Documents. Company shall
promptly provide Purchaser with all information concerning Company that is
required to be included in the Offer Documents. Purchaser, on the one
hand, and Company, on the other hand, agrees promptly to correct any information
provided by it for use in the Offer Documents if and to the extent that it shall
have become false or misleading in any material respect and Purchaser further
agrees to take all steps necessary to cause the Offer Documents as so corrected
to be filed with the SEC or PSEC, as applicable and to be disseminated to
shareholders of Company, in each case, as and to the extent required by
applicable United States federal securities laws and Philippines securities
laws, as applicable. Company shall extend all reasonable assistance
to Purchaser for this purpose. Company and its counsel shall be given
a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the Offer Documents and any
amendments thereto prior to the filing thereof with the SEC or PSEC, as
applicable, and shall promptly give their comments to
Purchaser. Purchaser shall give good faith consideration to any
comments made by Company or its counsel. Purchaser agrees to provide
Company and its counsel any comments that Purchaser or its counsel may receive
from the SEC or PSEC or the staff thereof with respect to the Offer Documents
promptly after receipt of such comments.
1.2 Company
Actions. (a) Company shall, as promptly as practicable (but
after affording Purchaser and its counsel a reasonable opportunity to review and
comment thereon and giving good faith consideration to any comments made by
Purchaser or its counsel) file with the SEC and mail to the holders of Shares,
as promptly as practicable on the date of the filing by Purchaser of the Offer
Documents, a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 (together
with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “Schedule 14D-9”)
reflecting the recommendation of the Board of Directors of Company that holders
of Shares tender their Shares into the Offer and shall disseminate the Schedule
14D-9 as required by Rule 14d-9 promulgated under the Exchange
Act. The Schedule 14D-9 will set forth, and Company hereby
represents, that the Board of Directors of Company, at a meeting duly called and
held at which a quorum was present throughout, has (i) unanimously
determined by vote of its directors in attendance that the Offer is fair to and
in the best interests of Company and its shareholders, (ii) adopted and
approved this Agreement in accordance with the PCC and the SRC and (iii)
resolved to recommend to the holders of the Shares to accept the Offer, and
tender their Shares into the Offer (the “Company
Recommendation”). The recommendation of Company’s Board of
Directors described in this section shall not be withdrawn or modified except in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Company further
represents that, prior to the execution hereof, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co.
Incorporated (“Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx”) has delivered to the Board of Directors of Company its opinion
that, as of the date of such opinion, the consideration to be received by the
holders of Shares pursuant to the Offer is fair from a financial point of view
to such holders (other than Purchaser or any of its Affiliates (as defined in
Section 2.1(a)). Company hereby consents to the inclusion in the
Offer Documents of the recommendations of the Board of Directors of Company
described in this Section
1.2(a). Company also represents to Purchaser and authorizes
Purchaser to state in the Offer Documents, that all directors and executive
officers of Company who have knowledge of this Agreement on the date hereof have
advised that they intend to tender all Shares they own into the
Offer.
4
(b) Company
represents that the Schedule 14D-9 shall comply as to form in all material
respects with the provisions of applicable United States federal securities laws
and Philippines securities laws and, on the date filed with the SEC and on the
date first published, sent or given to Company’s shareholders, shall not 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 made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, except that no representation is made by Company with respect to
information supplied by Purchaser for inclusion in the Schedule
14D-9. Each of Company, on the one hand, and Purchaser, on the other
hand, agrees promptly to correct any information provided by it for use in the
Schedule 14D-9 if and to the extent that it shall have become false or
misleading in any material respect, and Company further agrees to take all steps
necessary to cause the Schedule 14D-9 as so corrected to be filed with the SEC
and to be disseminated to shareholders of Company, in each case, as and to the
extent required by applicable securities laws. Company shall provide
to Purchaser and its counsel in writing any comments Company or its counsel may
receive from the SEC or its staff with respect to the Schedule 14D-9 promptly
after receipt of such comments.
(c) Company
shall, as soon as practicable, and on the same or next business day from its
filing of Schedule 14D-9 with the SEC, file the same document (including any
corrections, supplements or amendments thereto) with the PSEC under PSEC Form
17-C, with a copy to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (the “PSE”).
(d) In
connection with the Offer, Company will promptly furnish Purchaser with mailing
labels, security position listings, any available non-objecting beneficial owner
lists and any available listing or computer list containing the names and
addresses of the record holders of the Common Shares and ADSs as of the most
recent practicable date and shall furnish Purchaser with such additional
available information (including updated lists of holders of Common Shares and
ADSs and their addresses, mailing labels and lists of security positions and
non-objecting beneficial owner lists) and such other information and assistance
as Purchaser or its agents may reasonably request in communicating the Offer to
Company’s record and beneficial shareholders. Subject to the
requirements of applicable Law, and except for such steps as are reasonably
necessary to disseminate the Offer Documents, Purchaser and its Affiliates,
associates, agents and advisors shall keep such information confidential and use
the information contained in any such labels, listings and files (except for
those which are already publicly available) only in connection with the Offer
and, should the Offer terminate or if this Agreement shall be terminated, will
destroy all copies of such information then in their possession.
1.3
Directors. (a)
Subject to compliance with applicable Law, promptly upon the payment by
Purchaser for Shares pursuant to the Offer representing at least such number of
Shares as shall satisfy the Minimum Condition, and from time to time thereafter
as Shares are acquired by Purchaser, Purchaser shall be entitled to designate
for appointment or election such number of directors, rounded up to the next
whole number, on the Board of Directors of Company as is equal to the product of
the total number of directors on the Board of Directors of Company (determined
after giving effect to the directors elected as contemplated by this sentence)
multiplied by the percentage that the aggregate number of Shares beneficially
owned by Purchaser or its Affiliates bears to the total number of Shares then
outstanding (including for this purpose all Shares that are accepted for payment
pursuant to the Offer, but excluding
5
any shares
held by Company and its Subsidiaries), and Company shall promptly take all
actions necessary to allow Purchaser’s designees to be so elected, including, if
necessary, (1) calling for a meeting of the Board of Directors and/or
shareholders of Company to elect Purchaser’s designees, (2) to the extent
necessary, calling for a meeting of the Board of Directors and shareholders of
the Company for the purpose of increasing the size of such Board of Directors or
obtaining the resignation of such number of its directors as is necessary to
give effect to the foregoing provision and (3) registering at least one Share,
duly endorsed and delivered by the Purchaser or its Affiliates for this purpose,
in the name of each such designee in the books of Company to qualify him or her
as a director. At such time, Company shall also, upon the request of
Purchaser, cause such persons designated by Purchaser to constitute at least the
same percentage (rounded up to the next whole number) as is on Company’s Board
of Directors of (i) each committee of Company’s Board of Directors, subject to
compliance with applicable securities laws and the rules of the Nasdaq Global
Market (“NASDAQ”), SRC and
PSE, and (ii) each board of directors (or similar body) of each Subsidiary of
Company and each committee of each such board (or similar body).
(b) Following
the election or appointment of Purchaser’s designees pursuant to this Section 1.3, any
amendment or termination of this Agreement by Company, any extension by Company
of the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of
Purchaser or any waiver of any of Company’s rights hereunder, will require the
concurrence of at least a majority of the directors of Company then in office
who are not nominees of Purchaser (“Purchaser Insiders”)
(or in the case where there are two or fewer directors who are not Purchaser
Insiders, the concurrence of one director who is not a Purchaser Insider) if
such amendment, termination, extension or waiver would be reasonably likely to
have an adverse effect on the minority shareholders of Company.
(c) Company
shall promptly take all actions required pursuant to Section 14(f) of the
Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 promulgated thereunder in order to fulfill its
obligations under this Section 1.3,
including mailing to Company’s shareholders the information required by such
Section 14(f) and Rule 14f-1 (which Company shall mail together with the
Schedule 14D-9 if it receives from Purchaser the information below on a basis
timely to permit such mailing). Purchaser shall supply Company such
information with respect to Purchaser and its nominees, officers, directors and
Affiliates required by such Section 14(f) and Rule 14f-1 as is necessary in
connection with the appointment of any of Purchaser’s designees under this Section
1.3. The provisions of this Section 1.3 are in
addition to and shall not limit any rights that Purchaser or any of its
Affiliates may have as a holder or beneficial owner of Shares as a matter of Law
with respect to the election of directors or otherwise.
(d) Prior to
the Payment Date, Company will cause each member of its Board of Directors
(except to the extent agreed by Purchaser) to execute and deliver a letter,
which will not be revoked or amended prior to such date, effectuating his or her
resignation as a director of Company effective on the Payment Date.
1.4 Stock Options; Restricted
Stock Units. Each option to purchase Shares under any employee
stock option or compensation plan or arrangement of Company (a “Company Option”),
outstanding immediately prior to the Acceptance Date, whether vested or
unvested, shall be canceled at the Acceptance Date and shall thereafter
represent the right to receive from
6
Purchaser,
at the Acceptance Date or as soon as practicable thereafter, in full
satisfaction of the rights of the holder with respect thereto, an amount in cash
equal to the product of (A) the number of Shares subject to such Company
Option immediately prior to the Acceptance Date, multiplied by (B) the
amount, if any, by which the Offer Price exceeds the exercise price per share of
Shares previously subject to such Company Option. Each restricted
stock unit with respect to Shares (“Company RSUs”)
outstanding immediately prior to the Acceptance Date, whether vested or
unvested, shall be canceled at the Acceptance Date, and shall thereafter
represent the right to receive, at the Acceptance Date or as soon as practicable
thereafter, in full satisfaction of the rights of the holder with respect
thereto, an amount in cash equal to the product of (A) the number of Shares
subject to such Company RSU immediately prior to the Acceptance Date, multiplied
by (B) the Offer Price. Company shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to effectuate the foregoing, including but not limited to, amending the
Company Stock Plans, sending out the requisite notices and obtaining all
consents necessary to cash out and cancel all Company Options and Company RSUs
necessary to ensure that, after the Acceptance Date, no person shall have any
right under the Company Stock Plans, except otherwise as set forth
herein. Company shall deliver to the holders of Company Options and
Company RSUs appropriate notices at a time and in a form reasonably acceptable
to Purchaser, setting forth such holders’ rights pursuant to this
Agreement. Purchaser shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from
the consideration otherwise payable to any Person pursuant to this Section such
amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of
such payment under any provision of United States federal, state, local or
outside the United States Tax Law, including any withholding from any payment
that is treated as wages or compensation for the performance of
services.
1.5 Amendments to Disclosure
Documents. Without limiting any other provision of this
Agreement, whenever any party hereto becomes aware of any event or change which
is required to be set forth in an amendment or supplement to any of the Offer
Documents, Schedule 14D-9 or PSEC Form 17-C, such party shall promptly inform
the other party thereof and each of the parties shall cooperate in the
preparation, filing with the SEC, PSEC and (as and to the extent required by
applicable securities laws) dissemination to Company’s shareholders of such
amendment or supplement.
1.6 Withholding
Taxes. Each of
Company, Purchaser, and any paying or similar agent shall be entitled to deduct
and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable to any seller pursuant to
this Article
I such amounts as it is
required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under
any provision of United States federal, state, local or outside the United
States Tax Law, including any withholding from any payment that is treated as
wages or compensation for the performance of services. For the
avoidance of doubt, the payment of any stock transaction taxes and/or capital
gains taxes, brokers’ fees (including value added tax thereon) of the sellers of
the Common Shares, and all other costs reasonably agreed by the parties to be
customarily borne by sellers on the PSE shall be for the account of each
shareholder while any documentary stamp taxes, brokers’ fees of the Purchaser
(including value added tax thereon) and all other costs reasonably agreed by the
parties to be customarily borne by purchasers on the PSE for the transfer of the
Common Shares purchased in the Offer shall be for the account of the Purchaser.
To the extent that any such amounts for the account of the selling shareholder
are so withheld, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of
7
this Agreement as having been paid to
the applicable seller in respect of which such deduction and withholding was
made.
ARTICLE II
- REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1 Representations and
Warranties of Company. Except as set forth in the disclosure
schedules delivered to Purchaser by Company on or prior to the date of this
Agreement (with specific reference to the Section or subsection of this
Agreement to which the information stated in such disclosure relates, however,
each section shall be deemed to incorporate by reference all information
disclosed in any other section of the disclosure schedule to the extent it is
reasonably apparent on its face that such information is relevant to such other
section of the disclosure schedule) (the “Company Disclosure
Schedules”) or in Company Reports (as defined in Section 2.1(e)) filed
since January 1, 2006 by it with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act and
prior to the date hereof (excluding any disclosures set forth in
any risk factor section thereof, in any section relating to forward looking
statements and any other disclosures included therein to the extent that they
are cautionary, predictive or forward-looking in nature), Company hereby
represents and warrants to Purchaser that:
(a) Organization, Good Standing
and Qualification. Each of Company and its Subsidiaries (as
defined herein) (i) is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the Laws of its respective jurisdiction of organization and
has all other requisite corporate or similar power and authority to own and
operate its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently
conducted and (ii) is duly licensed and qualified to do business and is in good
standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction where the ownership or
operation of its properties and assets or conduct of its business requires such
qualification, except with respect to (ii) where the failure to be so qualified
as a foreign corporation or be in good standing has not and would not be
reasonably likely to, either individually or in the aggregate, have a Company
Material Adverse Effect (as defined herein). Company has heretofore
made available to Purchaser complete and correct copies of Company’s and each of
its Subsidiaries’ articles of incorporation and by laws (or comparable governing
instruments), in each case as amended to the date of this Agreement (the “Corporate
Documents”). The Corporate Documents are in full force and
effect and neither Company not any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any of
their respective provisions. Section 2.1(a) of the
Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth a list of all the Subsidiaries of
Company, the jurisdictions under which such Subsidiaries are incorporated, and
the percent of equity interest therein owned by Company and each Subsidiary of
Company, as applicable.
As used in
this Agreement, the term “Subsidiary” means,
with respect to Company, or Purchaser, as the case may be, any entity, whether
incorporated or unincorporated, of which at least a majority of the securities
or ownership interests having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a
majority of the board of directors or other Persons performing similar functions
is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such party or by one or more of
its respective Subsidiaries or by such party and any one or more of its
respective Subsidiaries.
As used in
this Agreement, the term “Affiliate” shall
mean, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, such Person; provided, that, for the
purposes of this definition, “control” (including,
with
8
correlative
meanings, the terms “controlled by” and
“under common control
with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the possession,
directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the
management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise.
As used in
this Agreement, the term “Person” shall mean
any individual, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a joint-stock
company, a trust, any unincorporated organization, or a government or political
subdivision thereof.
As used in
this Agreement, the term “Company Material Adverse
Effect” means any change, event, occurrence or state of facts that,
either individually or in the aggregate, is or would reasonably be expected to
be materially adverse to the business, properties, liabilities, financial
condition or assets of Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; provided, however, that any
such change, event, occurrence or state of facts resulting from or arising out
of (i) any change in Law, United States generally accepted accounting
principles (“U.S.
GAAP”) or interpretations thereof, (ii) general economic or business
conditions; provided
that such conditions do not have a disproportionate effect on Company or its
Subsidiaries; (iii) conditions generally affecting the business process
outsourcing industry; provided that such conditions
do not have a disproportionate effect on Company or its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole; (iv) the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby other than with respect to clause (c) of
Annex I as it
applies to Section
2.1(d) (Governmental Filings; No Violations); (v) typhoons, earthquakes
or similar catastrophes, or acts of war (whether declared or undeclared),
sabotage, terrorism, military action or any escalation or worsening thereof;
provided that such
conditions do not have a disproportionate effect on Company or its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole and/or render unusable any material facility or property of
Company or its Subsidiaries for a period more than 20 calendar days; provided that for the
avoidance of doubt such a rendering unsuable of a material facility or property
will merely make inapplicable this clause (v); (vi) Company or any of its
Subsidiaries taking any action permitted hereby; (vii) the public
announcement or the pendency of this Agreement, other than with respect to
clause (c) of Annex
I as it applies to Section 2.1(d)
(Governmental Filings; No Violations); (viii) a decline in the trading
price of Common Shares; provided that the underlying
causes of such decline shall not be excluded; (ix) any failure in and of
itself by Company to meet analysts’ published revenue or earnings predictions or
any internal or disseminated projections, forecasts or revenue or earnings
predictions for any period ending (or for which revenues or earnings are
released) on or after the date of this Agreement; provided that the underlying
causes of such failures shall not be excluded; (x) any costs or expenses
associated with the Offer; (xi) currency exchange rates or any fluctuations
thereof; and (xii) any matter disclosed in the Company Disclosure Schedules
or Company Reports excluding any development, change or other event with respect
to such matter occurring subsequent to the date of the information contained in
such schedules or report may be considered in determining whether there has been
a Company Material Adverse Effect, in each case, shall not be considered when
determining if a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred.
As used in
this Agreement, the term “knowledge” or any
similar formulation of knowledge shall mean the actual knowledge of, with
respect to Company, those persons set forth in Section 2.1(a) of the
Company Disclosure Schedules, and, with respect to Purchaser, those
9
persons
set forth in Section
2.2(a) of the Purchaser Disclosure Schedules (as defined in Section
2.2).
(b) Capital
Structure. The authorized capital stock of Company is
PhP130,000,000 consisting of 65,000,000 common shares with par value of PhP2.00
each, as of which 29,632,114 Common Shares are outstanding as of
September 11, 2008, which Common Shares outstanding include 10,552,196 Common
Shares underlying outstanding American Depositary Shares. An
additional 3,820,482 Common Shares are issuable upon exercise of outstanding
restricted stock units and options, which represent the right to receive or
purchase Common Shares. An additional 1,370,080 Common Shares are
issuable upon exercise of outstanding restricted stock units and options, which
represent the right to receive or purchase ADSs, assuming the conversion of such
ADSs into Common Shares. Each ADS represents the right to receive one
Common Share. All of the issued and outstanding Shares have been duly authorized
and are validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive
rights. Each of the outstanding shares of capital stock or other
securities of each of Company’s Subsidiaries is duly authorized, validly issued,
fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights and is legally and
beneficially owned by Company or a direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiary of
Company, free and clear of any mortgages, liens, pledges, charges, security
interests, encumbrances or other adverse claims of any kind in respect of such
property or asset (collectively, “Liens”). Included
in Section
2.1(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedules is a correct and complete
list, as of September 11, 2008, of all Company RSUs and all outstanding options
or other rights to purchase or receive Shares granted under (i) Company’s
Amended and Restated Key Employee Stock Option Plan and (ii) Company’s 2006
Stock Incentive Plan (collectively, the “Company Stock Plans”)
or otherwise, and, for each such option or other right, the number of Common
Shares subject thereto, the terms of vesting, the grant and expiration dates and
exercise price thereof and the name of the holder thereof. All
Company Options have an exercise price equal to no less than the fair market
value of the underlying Commons Shares on the date of grant. Since
September 11, 2008, Company has not issued any shares of its capital stock,
voting securities or equity interests, or any securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of its capital stock, voting
securities or equity interests, other than pursuant to the outstanding options
referred to above in this Section
2.1(b). Except as set forth above in this Section 2.1(b), there
are not any shares of capital stock, voting securities or equity interests of
Company issued and outstanding or any subscriptions, options, warrants, calls,
convertible or exchangeable securities, stock appreciation rights, phantom
stock, stock participation rights, rights, commitments or agreements of any
character providing for the issuance or sale of any shares of capital stock,
voting securities or equity interests of Company or its Subsidiaries, including
any representing the right to purchase or otherwise receive any Shares, or any
preemptive rights, or any redemption, repurchase or similar rights requiring the
acquisition of Shares or shares or equity interest or any Subsidiary of
Company. Company does not have any shareholder rights plan in effect.
Company does not have outstanding any Contracts or other obligations the holders
of which have the right to vote (or convertible into or exercisable for
securities having the right to vote) with the shareholders of Company or any of
Company’s Subsidiaries on any matter (“Voting
Debt”).
(c) Corporate
Authority. Company has all requisite corporate power and
authority and has taken all corporate action necessary in order to execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate, on
the terms and subject to the conditions
10
of this
Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has
been duly executed and delivered by Company and, assuming due authorization,
execution and delivery by Purchaser, is a valid and legally binding
agreement of Company enforceable against Company in accordance with its terms,
subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization,
moratorium and similar Laws of general applicability relating to or affecting
creditors’ rights and to general equity principles (the “Bankruptcy and Equity
Exception”).
(i) The Board
of Directors of Company has unanimously approved and adopted this Agreement and
the transactions contemplated hereby, determined that the Offer is in the best
interests of Company and its shareholders and, subject to Section 4.2, resolved
to recommend that the shareholders of Company tender their Shares into the
Offer.
(ii) All
approvals as may be required or advisable to satisfy the requirements of the
non-exclusive safe harbor described in Rule 14d-10 under the Exchange Act with
respect to all employment compensation, severance and other employee benefit
arrangements (and payments made or to be made or benefits granted or to be
granted according to such arrangements) have been duly given or
obtained.
(d) Governmental Filings; No
Violations. Other than any reports, filings, registrations,
approvals and/or notices (A) required to be made pursuant to Section 1.2,
(B) under the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as
amended (the “HSR
Act”), the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the
Exchange Act and state securities, takeover and “blue sky” laws, (C) the
filings with or approvals from Governmental Entities required solely by virtue
of the jurisdictions in which Company or its Subsidiaries conduct business or
own any assets listed on Section 2.1(d) of the
Company Disclosure Schedules (collectively, the “Foreign Antitrust
Filings”), (D) to comply with the rules and regulations of the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), and
(E) filings within the rules and regulations of NASDAQ, the PSEC and the
corresponding disclosures required by the PSE and the Philippine Economic Zone
Authority (“PEZA”) (items
(B) through (E) (inclusive), the “Company Required Statutory
Approvals”), no notices, reports, registrations or other filings are
required to be made by Company with, nor are any consents, registrations,
approvals, permits or authorizations required to be obtained by Company from,
any United States federal, state or local, Philippine or other foreign, state,
or local governmental or regulatory authority, agency, commission, body or other
governmental entity (each a “Governmental
Entity”), in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and the consummation of the Offer and the other transactions contemplated
hereby, except for those that the failure to make or obtain are not reasonably
likely to, either individually or in the aggregate, to be material to Company
and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or prevent, materially delay or
materially impair the ability of Company to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(i) Except as
set forth on Section
2.1(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the Offer and the other
transactions contemplated hereby will not constitute or result in (A) a
breach or violation of, or a default under, any of the Corporate Documents,
(B) a breach or violation of, a default under, the acceleration of any
obligations under, the loss of any right or benefit under, a termination or
right of termination under, the creation or acceleration of any obligation
under, or the creation of a Lien on the assets of Company or any Subsidiary of
11
Company
(with or without notice, lapse of time or both) pursuant to, any Contract of
Company or any Subsidiary of Company or any Law or governmental or
non-governmental permit or license to which Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is subject or (C) any change in the rights or obligations of any party
under any of the Contracts, except, in the case of clause (B) or (C) above, for
any breach, violation, default, acceleration, creation or change that would not
be reasonably likely to, either individually or in the aggregate, have a Company
Material Adverse Effect or prevent, or materially impair the ability of Company
to perform its obligations under the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(e) Company Reports; Financial
Statements. The filings required to be made by Company since
January 1, 2006 under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act have been
filed with the SEC and under the SRC have been filed with the PSEC, with copy to
the PSE, including all forms, statements, reports, agreements (oral or written)
and all documents, exhibits, amendments and supplements appertaining thereto,
and complied, as of their respective dates or as of the date of final amendment,
as applicable, and in the case of such filings made after the date hereof will
comply, in all material respects with all applicable requirements of applicable
Law. Company has made available (except to the extent available
through the SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system
(“XXXXX”), to
Purchaser each registration statement, report, proxy statement and information
statement filed by it with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act and with the PSEC pursuant to the SRC, with copy to the PSE since
January 1, 2006 (all such filings, including all amendments and supplements
thereto, the “Company
Reports”). Company is a “foreign private issuer” as such term
is defined under Rule 3b-4 of the Exchange Act. None of the Company Reports (in
the case of Company Reports filed pursuant to the Securities Act), as of their
effective dates, contained, nor in the case of such Company Reports filed after
the date hereof will contain, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements made therein not misleading. None of the Company Reports
(in the case of Company Reports filed pursuant to the Exchange Act) as of the
respective dates filed with the SEC or first mailed to shareholders, as
applicable, contained, nor in the case of such Company Reports filed after the
date hereof will contain, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. None of the Company Reports (in the case of Company
Reports filed with the PSEC or PSE) as of the respective dates filed with
the PSEC, PSE or first mailed to shareholders, as applicable, contained, nor in
the case of such Company Reports filed after the date hereof will contain, any
untrue statement of material fact or omitted or will omit, as applicable, to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The consolidated financial statements of Company and its
Subsidiaries included in or incorporated by reference into the Company Reports
comply, and in the case of consolidated financial statements included in or
incorporated by reference into the Company Reports filed after the date hereof
will comply, as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting
requirements and published rules and regulations of the SEC or PSEC, as
applicable, with respect thereto. Each of the consolidated balance
sheets included in or incorporated by reference into the Company Reports
(including the related notes and schedules) presents, and in the case of
consolidated balance sheets included in or incorporated by reference into
Company Reports filed after the date hereof will present, fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position of Company and its Subsidiaries as of
its date, and each of the consolidated statements of income and consolidated
12
statements
of cash flows included in or incorporated by reference into the Company Reports
(including any related notes and schedules) presents, and in the case of
consolidated statements of income and consolidated statements of cash flows
included in or incorporated by reference into Company Reports filed after the
date hereof will present, fairly, in all material respects, the results of
operations, retained earnings and changes in financial position, as the case may
be, of Company and its Subsidiaries for the periods set forth therein (subject,
in the case of unaudited statements, to the absence of notes and normal year-end
audit adjustments), in each case in accordance with U.S. GAAP with respect to
any Company Reports filed under the Securities Act or Exchange Act with the SEC
or with international general accepted accounting principles (“International GAAP”)
with respect to any Company Reports filed under the SRC with the PSEC, with copy
to the PSE, consistently applied during the periods involved, except as may be
noted therein. Company is in compliance in all material respects with
the applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of NASDAQ
and the PSE. Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
in sections 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) effectively enable
Company to comply with, and the appropriate officers of Company to make all
certifications required under, the United States Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and
the regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”)
and otherwise with applicable Law.
(f) Disclosure
Documents. None of the information provided by Company
specifically for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (i) the Offer
Documents or (ii) any other document to be filed with the SEC, the PSEC or
any other Governmental Entity in connection with the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement (the “Other Filings”) will,
at the respective times filed with the SEC, the PSEC or other Governmental
Entity 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 made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(g) No Undisclosed Material
Liabilities. There are no liabilities or obligations of
Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any kind whatsoever in existence, whether
accrued, contingent, absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise, other
than: (i) liabilities or obligations disclosed and provided for
in Company’s balance sheet as of June 30, 2008 included in the Company Reports
(the “Company Balance
Sheet”) or in the notes thereto or in the Company
Reports; (ii) liabilities or obligations incurred in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practices since June 30, 2008;
(iii) liabilities or obligations not required to be disclosed on the
Company Balance Sheet under U.S. GAAP; and (iv) liabilities or obligations
that would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(h) Absence of Certain
Changes. Since December 31, 2007 (the “Audit Date”), except
as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, Company and its Subsidiaries, taken
as a whole, have conducted their business only in the ordinary and usual course
of such business consistent with past practices and there has not been
(i) any Company Material Adverse Effect; (ii) any declaration, setting
aside or payment of any dividend or other distribution in respect of the capital
stock of Company or any repurchase, redemption or other acquisition by Company
or any Subsidiary of any securities of Company or (iii) any change by
Company in accounting principles, practices or methods which is not required or
permitted by U.S. GAAP.
13
Since the
Audit Date, there has not been any material increase in the compensation payable
or that could become payable by Company or any of its Subsidiaries to officers
or key employees or any material amendment of any of the Compensation and
Benefit Plans (as defined in Section 2.1(j)) other
than increases or amendments in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice.
(i) Litigation. There
are no civil, criminal or administrative actions, suits, claims, hearings,
investigations, reviews or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of Company,
threatened against Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the United States or
abroad, that would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(j) Employee
Benefits. The term “Compensation and Benefit
Plan” shall mean any (i) equity or equity-based plans and (ii) bonus,
deferred compensation, pension, retirement, profit-sharing, thrift, savings,
change in control, retention, employment, termination, severance, compensation,
medical, health or other compensation or benefit plan, arrangement, document,
practice, agreement, program or policy, including each “employee benefit plan”
within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that covers
employees or former employees (“Employees”), or
directors or former directors of Company and/or its Subsidiaries; and any trust
agreement or insurance contract forming a part of such Compensation and Benefit
Plan. Section 2.1(j) of the
Company Disclosure Schedules lists all Compensation and Benefit Plans of Company
and its Subsidiaries other than those that, in the aggregate, are not material
to Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (“Company Compensation and
Benefit Plans”), and any Company Compensation and Benefit Plans
containing “change of control” or similar provisions therein are specifically
identified in Section
2.1(j) of the Company Disclosure Schedules. Company has made
available to Purchaser a copy of (i) all Company Compensation and Benefit Plans,
(ii) the most recent annual reports on Form 5500 required to be filed with
respect to each Compensation and Benefit Plan and (iii) each agreement, policy,
program or arrangement that covers key employees or former key employees of
Company and its Subsidiaries.
All
Company Compensation and Benefit Plans, including those subject to ERISA and the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), are in
compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the
Code and any other applicable Law, including Philippine Law. Each
Company Compensation and Benefit Plan that is an “employee pension benefit plan”
within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA (a “Pension Plan”) and
that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a
favorable determination letter or opinion letter from the U.S. Department of the
Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), and nothing
has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, that would cause the loss of
such qualification or that would result in costs to Company or any of its
Subsidiaries under the IRS’s Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System that
would be reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect. There is no material pending or, to the knowledge of Company,
threatened litigation relating to the Company Compensation and Benefit
Plans. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in a
transaction with respect to any Pension Plan that, assuming the taxable period
of such transaction expired, would subject Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
a material tax or penalty imposed by either Section 4975 of the Code or Section
502(i) of ERISA or any applicable Law.
14
(ii) No
liability under Subtitle C or D of Title IV of ERISA has been or is expected to
be incurred by Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any ongoing,
frozen or terminated “single-employer plan,” within the meaning of Section
4001(a)(15) of ERISA, currently or formerly maintained by any of them, or the
single-employer plan of any entity which is considered one employer with Company
under Section 4001 of ERISA or Section 414 of the Code (an “ERISA
Affiliate”). Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred
and do not expect to incur any withdrawal liability with respect to a
multi-employer plan under Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA (regardless of whether
based on the contributions of an ERISA Affiliate). No notice of a
“reportable event,” within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA for which the
thirty (30) day reporting requirement has not been waived or extended, other
than an extension pursuant to Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Reg. Section
4043.66, has been required to be filed for any Pension Plan or by any ERISA
Affiliate within the preceding twelve (12) month period.
(iii) All
contributions required to be made under the terms of any Company Compensation
and Benefit Plan have been timely made or have been reflected on the most recent
consolidated balance sheet filed or incorporated by reference in Company
Reports. Neither any Pension Plan nor any single-employer plan of an
ERISA Affiliate has an “accumulated funding deficiency” (whether or not waived)
within the meaning of Sections 412 or 430 of the Code or Sections 302 or 303 of
ERISA and no ERISA Affiliate has an outstanding funding
waiver. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has provided, or
is required to provide, security to any Pension Plan or to any single-employer
plan of an ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) of the
Code.
(iv) Neither
Company nor its Subsidiaries have any material obligations for, or liabilities
with respect to, retiree health and life benefits under any Company Compensation
and Benefit Plan, except for benefits required to be provided under Section
4980B of the Code or any other applicable law requiring continuation of health
coverage.
(v) The
Company is in good faith compliance with Section 409A of the Code and the
applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(vi) Neither
the negotiation and execution of this Agreement nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby will (either alone or upon the occurrence of
any additional or subsequent events) constitute an event under any Company
Compensation and Benefit Plan that will or may result in any payment (whether of
severance pay or otherwise), acceleration of payment, forgiveness of
indebtedness, vesting, distribution, increase in benefits or obligation to fund
benefits with respect to any employee or former employee of Company or any of
its Subsidiaries. There is no contract, agreement, plan or
arrangement with an employee or former employee of Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to which Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party as of the
date of this Agreement that, individually or collectively and as a result of the
transactions contemplated hereby (whether alone or upon the occurrence of any
additional or subsequent events) or otherwise, would reasonably be likely to
give rise to the payment of any amount that would not be deductible pursuant to
Sections 280G or 162(m) of the Code.
15
(k) Compliance with
Laws. Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all
material respects with all United States federal, state or local, Philippine or
other foreign, state or local law, statute, ordinance, code, rule, regulation,
judgment, order, injunction, decree, arbitration award, agency requirement,
license or permit or authorization of any Governmental Entity and any binding
administrative or judicial interpretations thereof (individually, “Law” and
collectively, “Laws”) applicable to
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any of their properties or other assets or
any of their businesses or operations, except for violations that would not
be reasonably likely to, either individually or in the aggregate, materially
impair the ability of Company to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. No investigation or review by any Governmental Entity
or assessment or any adverse procedure with respect to Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is pending or, to the knowledge of Company, threatened, nor has any
Governmental Entity indicated in writing an intention to conduct the same,
except for those the outcome of which would not be reasonably likely to, either
individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect or
prevent or materially impair the ability of Company to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Company and each of its
Subsidiaries holds, or has applied for, all permits, licenses, certificates,
franchises, variances, exemptions, orders and other governmental authorizations,
consents and approvals from Governmental Entities necessary to conduct its
business as currently conducted (collectively, “Permits”), except for those that would not be reasonably likely
to be material to the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, either individually or in
the aggregate, or
materially impair the
ability of Company to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.
Company and its Subsidiaries are (and since January 1, 2006 have been) in
compliance in all material respects with the terms of all
Permits. Since January 1, 2006, neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has received written notice to the effect that a Governmental
Entity (i) claimed or alleged that Company or any of its Subsidiaries was not in
compliance with all Laws applicable to Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any
of their properties or other assets or any of their businesses or operations or
(ii) was considering the amendment, termination, revocation or cancellation of
any Permit, except for those that
would not be reasonably likely to, either individually or in the aggregate,
result in any material harm or liability to Company or its Subsidiaries, taken
as a whole. The provisions of this Section 2.1(k) shall
not apply to employee benefits Laws which are covered exclusively in Section 2.1(j),
Environmental Laws (as defined in Section 2.1(l)(iii))
which are covered exclusively in Section 2.1(l), Tax
Laws which are covered exclusively in Section 2.1(m), labor
Laws which are covered exclusively in Section 2.1(n) or
intellectual property Laws which are covered exclusively in Section
2.1(o).
(l) Environmental
Matters.
(i) Except
for such matters that would not, either individually or in the aggregate, be
reasonably likely to cause a Company Material Adverse
Effect: (A) the operations of Company and its Subsidiaries are
and since January 1, 2006, have been in compliance with all applicable
Environmental Laws; (B) each of Company and each of its Subsidiaries
possesses and maintains in effect all environmental Permits required under
applicable Environmental Laws with respect to the business of Company and its
Subsidiaries; (C) neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received
any written environmental claim, notice or request for information during the
past three (3) years concerning any violation or alleged violation of any
applicable Environmental Law; and (D) there are no material writs,
injunctions, decrees, orders or judgments outstanding, or any actions, suits or
proceedings pending and, to the knowledge of
16
Company,
none are threatened relating to compliance by Company or any of its Subsidiaries
with any environmental Permits required under applicable Environmental Laws or
liability of Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any applicable
Environmental Law.
(ii) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary (including, but not
limited to, Section
2.1(k)), the representations and warranties of Company in this Section 2.1(l)
constitute the sole representations and warranties of Company with respect to
any Environmental Law or Hazardous Substance.
(iii) As
used herein, the term “Environmental Law”
means any United States federal, state or local, and Philippine or other
foreign, state or local Laws, regulations, codes, rules, ordinances, Permits,
authorizations, decrees, orders, injunctions or judgments and any binding
administrative or judicial interpretations thereof relating
to: (A) pollution; (B) the protection of the environment
(including air, water, soil, subsurface strata and natural resources) or human
health and safety from exposure to Hazardous Substances; and (C) the
regulation of the generation, use, storage, handling, transportation, treatment,
release, remediation or disposal of Hazardous Substances.
(iv) As
used herein, the term “Hazardous Substance”
means (A) any material, substance, or waste, defined, classified, or
otherwise characterized under Environmental Law as “hazardous,” “toxic,”
“pollutant,” “contaminant,” “flammable,” “corrosive,” “reactive,” “explosive” or
“radioactive;” or (B) any petroleum, petroleum products or by-products,
friable asbestos or any material or equipment containing regulated
concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls.
(m) Tax
Matters.
(i) Company
and each of its Subsidiaries (A) have duly and timely filed (taking into
account any extension of time within which to file) all material Tax Returns (as
defined in Section
2.1(m)(x)(B)) required to be filed by any of them and all such filed Tax
Returns are complete and accurate in all material respects; (B) (1) have
timely paid all Taxes that are due and owing by them (whether or not shown as
due on such filed Tax Returns), except with respect to matters contested in good
faith and with which adequate reserves have been established and (2) are not
subject to any penalties or charges with respect to the failure to file or late
filing of any Tax Return required to be filed by or with respect to any of them
on or before the Acceptance Date; (C) have not waived any statute of
limitations with respect to Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with
respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency; and (D) do not have any
deficiency, or any audits, examinations, investigations or other proceedings in
respect of Taxes or Tax matters pending or proposed or threatened in
writing.
(ii) Neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has participated (within the meaning of
Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(c)(3)) in any “listed transaction” within
the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b) (and all predecessor
regulations).
(iii) Neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any material Tax
allocation, sharing or indemnity agreements or arrangements other than
17
those
entered into in the ordinary course of its business. Neither Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liability for the Taxes of any Person under
Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any corresponding provisions of state,
local or foreign Tax law), or as a transferee or successor.
(iv) Company
and each Subsidiary have complied in all material respects with all applicable
Laws relating to the payment and withholding of Taxes and have duly and timely
withheld and paid over to the appropriate Taxing Authority all amounts required
to be so withheld and paid under all applicable Laws.
(v) No
claim has been made by a Taxing Authority in a jurisdiction where Company or any
Subsidiary does not file Tax Returns such that it is or may be subject to
taxation by that jurisdiction.
(vi) All
deficiencies asserted or assessments made as a result of any examinations by any
Taxing Authority of the Tax Returns of, or including, Company or any Subsidiary,
have been fully paid.
(vii) Neither
Company nor any Subsidiary is subject to any private letter ruling of the United
States Internal Revenue Service or comparable rulings of the Philippine Bureau
of Internal Revenue or any other Taxing Authority.
(viii) There
are no Liens as a result of any unpaid Taxes upon any of the assets of Company
or any Subsidiary other than Liens for Taxes not yet due.
(ix) Company
(and as applicable, its Subsidiaries) has complied in all material respects with
(A) PEZA rules, regulations, circulars and directives; (B) the terms and
conditions of its registration and supplemental agreements with PEZA covering
its registered projects; and (C) all PEZA requests for information and
submission of statutory or interim reports. Company (and as
applicable, its Subsidiaries) has not given cause for PEZA to withdraw, cancel
or deny any of the tax holidays or other incentives granted under its
registration or supplemental agreements covering its registered facilities or
deny any pending or future application for the extension of any fiscal incentive
(i.e., tax holiday) of the same, or to the knowledge of Company is any
modification of such incentives pending.
(x) As
used in this Agreement, the term (A) “Tax” (including, with
correlative meaning, the terms “Taxes,” and “Taxable”) includes
all United States federal, state and local, Philippine and other foreign
jurisdiction income, profits, franchise, gross receipts, environmental, customs
duty, capital stock, severances, stamp, payroll, capital, sales, license, social
security, transfer, employment, unemployment, disability, use, property,
withholding, excise, production, value added, occupancy, real property,
percentage, estimated and other taxes, duties or assessments of any nature
whatsoever, together with all interest, penalties and additions imposed with
respect to such amounts and any interest in respect of such penalties and
additions and any transferee or successor liability in respect of any items
described above payable by reason of contract, assumption, operation of Law,
Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6(a) (or any predecessor or successor thereof
of any analogous or similar provision under Law) or otherwise, (B) “Tax Return” includes
all returns and reports (including elections, declarations,
18
disclosures,
schedules, estimates and information returns) supplied or required to be
supplied to a Taxing Authority relating to Taxes, and (C) “Taxing Authority”
means the Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue, the United States Internal
Revenue Service and any other Governmental Entity responsible for the
administration of any Tax or fiscal incentives such as, but not limited to
income tax holidays.
(n) Labor
Matters. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a
party to or otherwise bound by any collective bargaining agreement with a labor
union or labor organization, nor are there any employees of Company or any of
its Subsidiaries represented by a works’ council, representative body or other
labor organization, and there are, to the knowledge of Company, no material
activities or material proceedings of any labor union, works council,
representative body or other organization to organize any employees of Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or compel Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
bargain with any such union, works council or representative
body. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has committed an
unfair labor practice or any other violation of law relating to employee matters
or is the subject of any material proceeding asserting that Company or any of
its Subsidiaries has committed such practice or violation, nor since
January 1, 2006 has there been any labor strike, dispute, walk-out, work
stoppage, slow-down or lockout involving Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
except for those that, either individually or in the aggregate, are not
reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(o) Intellectual
Property.
(i) Company or one of its Subsidiaries owns, or is
licensed or otherwise possesses sufficient legally enforceable rights to use,
all patents, trademarks, trade names, service marks, trade dress, copyrights,
Internet domain names, technology, trade secrets, know-how, inventions, works of
authorship, scripts, procedures, computer software programs or applications,
databases, customer lists and tangible or intangible proprietary information or
materials (“Intellectual
Property Rights”) that are
currently used or held for use in its and its Subsidiaries’ businesses
(collectively, “Company
Intellectual Property Rights”), except for any such failures to own,
be licensed or possess that, either individually or in the aggregate, are not
reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The
Company Intellectual Property Rights owned by or licensed to Company and its
Subsidiaries include all Intellectual Property Rights necessary and sufficient
to enable Company and its Subsidiaries to conduct their respective businesses as
currently conducted. To the knowledge of the Company, the Company
Intellectual Property Rights and Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ rights therein
are valid and enforceable. The consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby will not result in the loss or impairment of the right of
Purchaser, Company or any of Company’s Subsidiaries to own or use any material
Company Intellectual Property Rights.
(ii) Except
for such matters that, either individually or in the aggregate, are not
reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect (A) neither the use
of any Company Intellectual Property Rights by Company or its Subsidiaries nor
the conduct of the businesses of Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including
the development, licensing, marketing, importation, exportation, offer for sale,
sale, use or other exploitation of any products or services in connection with
such businesses) conflicts with, infringes, violates or interferes with or
constitutes or results from an appropriation or misappropriation of any right,
title, interest
19
or
goodwill, including any Intellectual Property Right or proprietary right, of any
other Person, (B) to the knowledge of the Company, no person or entity is
conflicting with, infringing, violating, interfering with or misappropriating
any Company Intellectual Property Rights, (C) to the knowledge of the Company,
there have been no claims made or threatened, and neither Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim or otherwise knows, that
any Company Intellectual Property Right is invalid or unenforceable, or
conflicts with, infringes, violates or interferes with or constitutes or results
from an appropriation or misappropriation of any right of any other Person and
(D) neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has made any written claims or,
to the knowledge of Company, unwritten claims against any person or entity
alleging that any person or entity is conflicting with, infringing, violating,
interfering with or misappropriating any Company Intellectual Property
Rights.
(iii) No
trade secrets and confidential and proprietary information (collectively, “Trade Secrets”) or
other material confidential and proprietary information of Company or any of its
Subsidiaries has been authorized to be disclosed or to the knowledge of Company
has been actually disclosed by Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other
person or entity other than pursuant to a written non-disclosure agreement
restricting the disclosure and use thereof. Each of Company and its
Subsidiaries has established privacy policies and is, and since January 1, 2006
has been, in compliance with its respective privacy policies and any Laws
relating to personally identifiable information. In addition, Company
and the Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable measures to protect the
confidentiality of all Trade Secrets or other material confidential and
proprietary information (and any confidential information owned by any third
person to whom Company or any of its Subsidiaries has a confidentiality
obligation).
(iv) The
IT Systems (as defined below) are adequate and sufficient in all material
respects (including with respect to working condition and capacity) for the
operation of the businesses of Company and its Subsidiaries as currently
conducted and as currently contemplated or proposed to be
conducted. Since January 1, 2006 (A) no error or fault has occurred
in or to any IT Systems that has resulted in a material interruption to the
operations of Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (B) to the knowledge of the
Company, there has been no unauthorized use or access to the IT Systems (or any
data or information stored thereon). Company and its Subsidiaries
have established a plan in the event of a failure of the IT Systems (whether due
to natural disaster, power failure or otherwise) intended to minimize any
disruption to the operations of Company and its Subsidiaries. “IT Systems” means all
communications systems, computer systems, servers, network equipment and other
hardware owned or controlled and used by Company or any of its Subsidiaries in
the conduct of its or their businesses.
(v) Neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has licensed or provided to any person or
entity, or otherwise permitted any person or entity to access or use, any source
code or related materials for any and all software developed by or for Company
or any of its Subsidiaries (“Company
Software”). Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is
currently a party to any source code escrow contract or other contract requiring
the deposit of source code or related materials for any Company
Software. No “open source,” “freeware,” “shareware” or software
distributed under similar licensing or distribution models forms part of, was or
is used in connection with, was or is incorporated in whole or in part in, has
been or is distributed in whole or in part with, or was or is used in the
development of any Company
20
Software,
in a manner that (A) materially compromises the Company’s Intellectual Property
Rights in the Company Software; (B) requires that the Company Software be made
available or distributed in source code form; or (C) requires that the Company
Software be redistributable.
(p) Title to
Properties. Company and each of its Subsidiaries has good and
valid title to all of its material properties and assets which are, individually
or in the aggregate, material to Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ business or
financial condition on a consolidated basis, free and clear of all Liens, except
Liens for Taxes not yet due and payable or being contested in good faith and
other Liens that would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually
or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. All leases
pursuant to which Company and each of its Subsidiaries leases from others
material real or personal property are valid and effective in accordance with
their respective terms, and there is not, under any of such leases, any existing
default or event of default of Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the
knowledge of Company, any other party (or any event which with notice or lapse
of time, or both, would constitute a material default), that would not
reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a
Company Material Adverse Effect.
(q) Contracts.
(i) Set
forth in Section
2.1(q) of the Company Disclosure Schedule is a list of (A) each Contract
that would be required to be filed as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on
Form S-1 under the Securities Act or an Annual Report on Form 10-K under the
Exchange Act if such registration statement or report was filed by Company with
the SEC on the date hereof, and (B) each of the following to which Company or
any of its Subsidiaries is a party: (1) Contract that purports to
limit, curtail or restrict the ability of Company or any of its existing or
future Subsidiaries or Affiliates to compete in any geographic area or line of
business or restrict the Persons to whom Company or any of its existing or
future Subsidiaries or Affiliates may sell products or deliver services; (2)
partnership or joint venture agreement; (3) Contract for the acquisition, sale
or lease of material properties or assets (by merger, purchase or sale of stock
or assets or otherwise) entered into since January 1, 2006; (4) Contract with
any Governmental Entity; (5) loan or credit agreement, mortgage, indenture, note
or other Contract or instrument evidencing indebtedness for borrowed money by
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Contract or instrument pursuant to
which indebtedness for borrowed money may be incurred or is guaranteed by
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Liens on material property or assets
granted; (6) voting agreement or registration rights agreement; (7) customer
Contract that involves the list of customers disclosed in Section 2.1(v) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule; (8) Contract (other than customer Contracts) that
involve consideration (whether or not measured in cash) of greater than
$1,000,000 per fiscal year, or $3,000,000 over the term of the Contract; (9)
each other Contract that is material to the business or financial condition of
Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (the Contracts and other
documents required to be listed on Section 2.1(q) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, together with any and all other Contracts of such
type entered into in accordance with Section 3.1, each a
“Material
Contract”).
(ii) Each
of the Material Contracts is valid, binding and in full force and effect and is
enforceable in accordance with its terms by Company and its Subsidiaries party
thereto, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception. Neither
Company nor any of its
21
Subsidiaries
is in default under any Material Contract or other Contract to which Company or
any of its Subsidiaries is a party (collectively, the “Company Contracts”),
nor does any condition exist that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would
constitute a default thereunder by Company and its Subsidiaries party thereto,
except for such defaults as, individually or in the aggregate, have not had and
would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect. To the knowledge of Company, no other party to any Company
Contract is in default thereunder, nor does any condition exist that with notice
or lapse of time or both would constitute a default by any such other party
thereunder, except for such defaults as, individually or in the aggregate, have
not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any
notice of termination or cancellation under any Material Contract, received any
notice of breach or default in any material respect under any Material Contract
which breach has not been cured, or granted to any third party any rights,
adverse or otherwise, that would constitute a breach of any Material Contract,
in each case except for such matters as, individually, or in the aggregate have
not had a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(iii) As
used in this Agreement the term “Contract” shall mean
any contract, agreement, indenture, note, bond, mortgage, loan, instrument,
lease, license, commitment or other arrangement, understanding, undertaking,
commitment or obligation, whether written or oral.
(r) Insurance. Company
maintains for itself and its Subsidiaries insurance policies (the “Policies”) covering
the assets, business, equipment, properties, operations, employees, directors
and officers, and product warranty and liability claims, and such other forms of
insurance in such amounts, with such deductibles and against such risks and
losses as, in its judgment, are reasonable for the business and assets of
Company and its Subsidiaries, such Policies are in full force and effect, all
premiums due and payable thereon have been paid, and Company and its
Subsidiaries are otherwise in compliance with the terms and conditions of such
Policies except for failures to so comply that would not reasonably be expected,
individually or in the aggregate, to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in material
breach or default, and neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have taken
any action or failed to take any action which, with notice or the lapse of time,
would constitute such a material breach or default, or permit termination or
material modification, of any of the Policies.
(s) No Vote
Required. Except as set forth on Section 2.1(s) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, no approval of the Company’s shareholders is
required to approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby.
(t) Brokers and
Finders. Except for Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, neither Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries, officers, directors or employees has retained any broker or
finder or incurred any liability for any brokerage fees, commissions or finders’
fees in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
(u) Opinion of Financial
Advisor. Company has received an opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx to
the effect that, as of the date of the opinion, the consideration to be received
by the holders of Shares pursuant to the Offer is fair from a financial point of
view to such
22
holders of
Shares (other than Purchaser or any of its Affiliates). A correct and complete
copy of this opinion will be delivered to Purchaser for information purposes
only as soon as practicable after the date of this Agreement. Company has been
authorized by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx to permit inclusion of this opinion and reference
thereto in the Offer Documents and the Company’s Schedule 14D-9 and PSEC Form
17-C, and any amendments thereto, provided that such references are reasonably
acceptable to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx.
(v) Customers. Section 2.1(v) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of the five (5) largest customers
of Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as measured by the dollar
amount of purchases therefrom or thereby, during each of the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007 and the six months ended June 30, 2008. Since the
Audit Date, no customer listed on Section 2.1(v) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule has terminated its relationship with Company or any
of the Subsidiaries or materially reduced or materially changed the pricing or
other terms of its business with Company or any of its Subsidiaries and, to the
actual knowledge of Company, no customer listed on Section 2.1(v) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule has notified Company or the Subsidiaries that it
intends to terminate or materially reduce or materially change the pricing or
other terms of its business with Company or any of the
Subsidiaries.
(w) No Takeover
Statute. No Takeover Statute enacted under state or federal
laws in the Unites States applicable to Company or its Subsidiaries or any other
applicable Law (including Laws of the Philippines) is applicable to the Offer or
the transactions contemplated hereby. “Takeover Statute”
shall mean any restrictive provision of any applicable “fair price,”
“moratorium,” “control share acquisition,” “interested shareholder” or other
similar anti-takeover Law.
(x) No Other Representations or
Warranties. Except for the representations and warranties
contained in this Section 2.1, neither
Company nor any other Person makes any other express or implied representation
or warranty on behalf of Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The
representations or warranties of Company herein shall be effective and binding
against it notwithstanding any investigation or due diligence conducted by
Purchaser.
2.2 Representations and
Warranties of Purchaser. Except as set forth in the disclosure
schedules delivered to Company by Purchaser on or prior to the date of this
Agreement (with specific reference to the Section or subsection of this
Agreement to which the information stated in such disclosure relates, however,
each section shall be deemed to incorporate by reference all information
disclosed in any other section of the disclosure schedule to the extent it is
reasonably apparent on its face that such information is relevant to such other
section of the disclosure schedule) (the “Purchaser Disclosure
Schedules”), Purchaser represents and warrants to Company
that:
(a) Organization, Good Standing
and Qualification. Purchaser is a limited liability company
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of its
jurisdiction of organization. Purchaser has all requisite power to
own or operate its material properties and assets and to carry on its business
as currently conducted in all material respects and is qualified to do business
and is in good standing as a foreign company in each jurisdiction where the
ownership or operation of its properties and assets or conduct of its business
requires
23
such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified as a foreign company
or be in good standing would not be reasonably likely, either individually or in
the aggregate, to have a Purchaser Material Adverse Effect (as defined
herein).
As used in
this Agreement, the term “Purchaser Material Adverse
Effect” means a material adverse effect on the ability of Purchaser to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Authority. Purchaser
has all requisite power and authority and has taken all action necessary in
order to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement
has been duly executed and delivered by Purchaser and, assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by Company, is a valid and legally binding
agreement of Purchaser, enforceable against Purchaser in accordance with its
terms, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception.
(i) The
members of Purchaser have approved and adopted this Agreement and the Offer and
the other transactions set forth herein.
(c) Governmental Filings; No
Violations. Except as set forth on Section 2.2(c) of the
Purchaser Disclosure Schedule, other than any reports, filings, registrations,
approvals and/or notices (A) required to be made pursuant to Section 1.2,
(B) required to be made under the HSR Act, the Securities Act, the Exchange
Act, state securities, takeover and “blue sky” laws, (C) required to be
made with the PSEC and corresponding disclosures required by the PSE (items
(B) through (C) (inclusive), the “Purchaser Required Statutory
Approvals”), no notices, reports, registrations or other filings are
required to be made by Purchaser with, nor are any Permits required to be
obtained by Purchaser from, any Governmental Entity, in connection with the
execution and delivery by Purchaser of this Agreement and the consummation by
Purchaser of the Offer and the other transactions contemplated hereby, except
for those that the failure to make or obtain would not be reasonably likely to,
either individually or in the aggregate, have a Purchaser Material Adverse
Effect.
(i) Except
for the matters described in Section 2.2(c), the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by Purchaser does not, and
the consummation by Purchaser of the Offer and the other transactions
contemplated hereby will not, constitute or result in (A) breach or
violation of, or a default under, either the certificate of incorporation or by
laws of Purchaser, (B) a breach or violation of, or a default under, the
acceleration of any obligations, the loss of any right or benefit or the
creation of a lien, pledge, security interest or other encumbrance on the assets
of Purchaser (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) pursuant to any
contracts binding upon Purchaser or any Law or governmental or non-governmental
Permit to which Purchaser is subject or (C) any change in the rights or
obligations of any party under any of the contracts binding upon Purchaser,
except, in the case of clause (B) or (C) above, for any breach,
violation, default, acceleration, creation or change that would not be
reasonably likely to, either individually or in the aggregate, have a Purchaser
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Disclosure
Documents. None of the information provided by Purchaser
specifically for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (A) the Offer
Documents or (B) any
24
other
document to be filed with the SEC, PSEC or any Other Filings will, at the
respective times filed with the SEC, PSEC or other Governmental Entity 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 made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(e) No Business
Activities. Purchaser is not a party to any material Contract
and has not conducted any activities other than in connection with the
organization of Purchaser, the negotiation and execution of this Agreement and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby. Purchaser has no Subsidiaries.
(f) No Vote
Required. No approval of the shareholders of Purchaser is
required to approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby.
(g) Ownership of Company
Shares. Except as set forth in the Section 2.2(g) of the
Purchaser Disclosure Schedules, neither Purchaser nor any of its Subsidiaries
or, to the knowledge of Purchaser, any of its Affiliates or associates (as such
term is defined under the Exchange Act) (i) beneficially owns, directly or
indirectly, or (ii) is a party to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of, in
case of either clause (i) or (ii), any Shares, in each case, except in
accordance with this Agreement, including the Offer.
(h) Financial
Capability. Purchaser has delivered to Company true and
complete copies of the equity commitment letters, dated as of the date hereof
between Purchaser and each of Providence Equity Partners VI International L.P.
and Newbridge International Investment Ltd (together, the “Commitments”),
pursuant to which each of the investor parties thereto (each, an “Investor”) has
committed, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, to invest the
amount set forth therein (the “Financing”). As
of the date hereof, the Commitments have not been amended or modified and, as of
the date of the Agreement, the respective commitments contained in the
Commitments have not been withdrawn or rescinded in any material
respect. There are no conditions precedent or other contingencies
related to the funding of the full amount of the Financing, other than as set
forth in the Commitments. After giving effect to the amounts expected
to be funded under the Commitments, and assuming compliance by Company with its
obligations hereunder, the proceeds from the Financing constitute all of the
financing required to be provided by Purchaser for the consummation of the Offer
upon the terms set forth in this Agreement. Subject to the terms and
conditions of the Commitments, upon receipt of the funds under the Commitments,
Purchaser will have at the
Acceptance Date the financial capacity to perform its obligations under this
Agreement and Purchaser will have available all funds necessary to pay the
consideration set forth in Article I and any other amounts contemplated by
this Agreement. Other than with respect to the Commitments,
Purchaser’s ability to consummate
the transactions contemplated hereby is not contingent on Purchaser’s ability to
complete any public offering or private placement of equity or debt securities
or to obtain any other type of financing prior to or on the Acceptance
Date.
(i) No Other Representations or
Warranties. Except for the representations and warranties
contained in this Section 2.2, neither
Purchaser nor any other Person makes any other express or implied representation
or warranty on behalf of Purchaser.
25
ARTICLE
III - CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE OFFER
3.1 Covenants of
Company. Company covenants and agrees as to itself and its
Subsidiaries (as applicable) that, except as specifically set forth in Section 3.1 of the
Company Disclosure Schedules, from the date hereof and continuing until the
Acceptance Date, except as (1) expressly contemplated or permitted by this
Agreement, (2) as required by Law or (3) to the extent Purchaser shall otherwise
consent in writing, which decision regarding consent shall not be unreasonably
delayed or withheld:
(a) Company
and its Subsidiaries shall conduct their respective businesses only in the
ordinary and usual course of business consistent with past practice and, to the
extent consistent therewith, it and its Subsidiaries shall use their respective
commercially reasonable efforts to (i) subject to prudent management of
workforce needs and ongoing programs currently in force, preserve their business
organization intact and maintain their existing relations and goodwill with
customers, suppliers, distributors, creditors, lessors, employees and business
associates, (ii) maintain and keep their material properties and assets in
good repair and condition, subject to ordinary wear and tear, (iii) comply
with all material Laws and (iv) maintain in effect all material governmental
Permits pursuant to which it or any of its Subsidiaries currently
operates;
(b) Company
and its Subsidiaries shall not (i) amend its articles of incorporation or by
laws or any comparable governing instruments of any of its Subsidiaries; (ii)
split, combine or reclassify its outstanding shares of capital stock;
(iii) declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution payable
in cash, stock, property or otherwise in respect of any capital stock (other
than dividends from its direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries to it or a
wholly-owned Subsidiary); (iv) repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
shares of its capital stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable
or exercisable for any shares of its capital stock or permit any of its
Subsidiaries to purchase or otherwise acquire, any shares of its capital stock
or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares
of its capital stock (other than for the repurchase of unvested Shares, unvested
options to purchase Shares or other unvested equity awards under Company Stock
Plans in connection with the termination of employment); or (v) enter into any
agreement with respect to the voting of its capital stock;
(c) neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall issue, sell, grant, pledge, dispose of
or otherwise encumber any shares of, or securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for, or options, warrants, calls, commitments or
rights of any kind to acquire, any shares of its capital stock of any class or
any Voting Debt (other than shares of capital stock issuable pursuant to options
or restricted share units (whether or not vested) outstanding on the date hereof
under the Company Stock Plans);
(d) neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall incur or assume any indebtedness for
borrowed money or guarantee any indebtedness or issue or sell any debt
securities or options, warrants, calls or other rights to acquire any debt
securities of Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than borrowings by
Company in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in
amounts not in excess of $1,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time
under Company’s existing credit agreement listed on Section
2.1(q)(i)(B)(5) of the
26
Company
Disclosure Schedule and guarantees of such borrowings issued by the Subsidiaries
to the extent required under the terms of such credit facility;
(e) neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, other than in the ordinary and usual
course of business consistent with past practice or as contemplated in Company’s
operating plan provided to Purchaser (the “Company Operating
Plan”) or other than transactions not in excess of $1,000,000 in the
aggregate in any calendar year, transfer, lease, license, guarantee, sell,
mortgage, pledge, dispose of or encumber any of its property or assets
(including capital stock of any of its Subsidiaries);
(f) neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, by any means, make any acquisition
of, or investment in, assets or stock (whether by way of merger, consolidation,
tender offer, share exchange, capital contribution or other activity), or loan
or advance to any Person, in any transaction or any series of transactions
(whether or not related) for an aggregate purchase price or prices, including
the assumption of any debt, in excess of $1,000,000 in the aggregate in any
calendar year, except for acquisitions or loans mandated by binding legal
commitments existing on the date hereof as listed on Section 3.1(f) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule;
(g) neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall make any capital expenditure or
expenditures which (A) involves the purchase of real property or (B) is in
excess of $500,000 individually or $1,500,000 in the aggregate, except for any
such capital expenditures provided for in the Company Operating
Plan;
(h) neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall (i) materially modify, amend, or
terminate any Material Contract, (ii) waive, release, relinquish or assign
any such Material Contract (or any of the material rights of Company or any of
its Subsidiaries thereunder), right or claim, that is material to Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iii) enter into any contract or agreement
that limits or restricts Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
future affiliates from engaging or competing in the business in any location,
(iv) enter into any collective bargaining agreement or other labor agreement, or
(v) cancel or forgive any material indebtedness owed to Company or any of
its Subsidiaries;
(i) Company
and its Subsidiaries shall not (i) adopt a plan of complete or partial
liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, recapitalization or other
similar reorganization of Company or any Subsidiary of Company, or
(ii) other than in the usual and ordinary course of business consistent
with past practice, accelerate or delay collection of notes or accounts
receivable in advance of or beyond their regular due dates;
(j) subject
to Section 1.4,
neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall terminate, establish, adopt,
amend (including by reducing an exercise price or extending a term), enter into,
make any new grants or awards under, amend or otherwise modify any Compensation
and Benefit Plans (other than issuances of shares of common stock pursuant to
existing grants pursuant to the terms of stock plans as in effect on the date
hereof in the ordinary and usual course of the operation of such stock plans
consistent with past practice), or increase the salary, wage, bonus, benefits,
or other compensation of any employees, or waive any of its rights under, or
accelerate the vesting under, any such Compensation and Benefit Plan programs,
policies or
27
agreement
evidencing any outstanding stock option or other right to acquire capital stock
of Company or any restricted stock purchase agreement or any similar or related
contract, including granting or providing any severance or termination payments
or benefits to any current or former director, executive officer or employee of
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except (i) in the
ordinary and usual course of business consistent with past practice, applicable
Law or existing policy or agreement (which shall include normal periodic
performance reviews and related compensation and benefit increases),
(ii) for annual reestablishment of Compensation and Benefit Plans and the
provision of individual compensation or benefit plans and agreements for newly
hired or appointed officers and employees or (iii) for actions necessary to
satisfy existing contractual obligations under Compensation and Benefit Plans or
agreements existing as of the date hereof;
(k) neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall pay, discharge, settle or satisfy any
claims, liabilities or obligations (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted,
contingent or otherwise), other than the payment, discharge, settlement or
satisfaction (i) in accordance with their terms of liabilities, claims or
obligations reflected or reserved against in the most recent consolidated
financial statements (or the notes thereto) of Company included in the Company
Reports, (ii) incurred since the date of such financial statements in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or (iii) in an amount
less than $250,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate;
(l) neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall issue any broadly distributed
communication of a general nature to employees (including general communications
relating to benefits and compensation) or customers without the prior approval
of Purchaser, except for communications in the ordinary course of business that
do not relate to the Offer;
(m) neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall settle or compromise any litigation or
proceeding material to Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a
whole;
(n) Company
shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, maintain with financially
responsible insurance companies (or through self insurance) insurance in such
amounts and against such risks and losses as are consistent with the insurance
maintained by it and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice;
(o) except
in the ordinary and usual course of business consistent with past practice or as
may be required by applicable Law and except to the extent required by U.S. GAAP
or International GAAP as advised by its regular independent accountants, neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall change any accounting principle,
practice or method in a manner that is inconsistent with past
practice;
(p) each
of Company and its Subsidiaries shall (i) file all material Tax Returns
required to be filed with any taxing authority in accordance with all applicable
laws, (ii) timely pay all Taxes due and payable as shown in the respective
Tax Returns that are so filed, (iii) promptly notify Purchaser of any
action, suit, proceeding, investigation, audit or claim pending against or with
respect to Company or any Subsidiary of Company in respect of any material Tax,
and (iv) provide such assistance and cooperation as Purchaser and its Affiliates
may reasonably request with respect to correspondence with, responding to
requests from, or
28
obtaining
rulings from (a) the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue on any matter
relating to Taxes, and (b) PEZA with respect to any agreements by and between
Company and PEZA. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall
settle or compromise any material Tax liability, make or change any material
election concerning Taxes or Tax Returns, file any material amended Tax Return,
enter into any closing agreement with respect to Taxes, surrender any right to
claim a material refund of Taxes, or obtain any Tax ruling. None of
Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall relinquish or surrender any Tax holiday
or exemption or shall take or case to be taken, or fail to take or cause to be
taken, any action, which action or failure to act could reasonably be expected
to result in relinquishing, surrendering or otherwise losing a Tax holiday or
exemption;
(q) neither
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries will authorize or enter into an agreement to
do anything prohibited by the foregoing; and
(r) Company
shall consult with Purchaser reasonably in advance of any decision to hire any
“Executive
Officer” (as such term is defined in Rule 3b-7 promulgated under the
Exchange Act), promote any existing Executive Officer to a more senior position
or otherwise appoint or promote any current director, employee, independent
contractor or consultant to an Executive Officer position and shall consider in
good faith the reasonable comments of Purchaser in connection
therewith.
3.2 No Control of other Party’s
Business. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall give
Purchaser directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct Company’s or
its Subsidiaries’ operations prior to the Payment Date (other than such rights
that Purchaser or its Affiliates may have by virtue of such party’s ownership of
Shares in Company and/or such party’s position at Company or its Subsidiaries),
and nothing contained in this Agreement shall give Company, directly or
indirectly, the right to control or direct Purchaser’s operations prior to the
Payment Date. Prior to the Payment Date, each of Company and
Purchaser shall exercise, consistent with the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, complete control and supervision over its and its Subsidiaries'
respective operations.
ARTICLE IV
- ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
4.1 Access. Company
agrees that upon reasonable notice, and except as may otherwise be required or
restricted by applicable Law, it shall (and shall cause its Subsidiaries to)
afford Purchaser’s officers, employees, counsel, accountants, financing sources
and other authorized representatives (“Representatives”)
reasonable access, during normal business hours throughout the period prior to
the Acceptance Date, to its executive officers, to its properties, books,
contracts and records and, during such period, Company shall (and Company shall
cause its Subsidiaries to) furnish promptly to Purchaser and its Representatives
all information concerning its business, properties and personnel as may
reasonably be requested but only to the extent such access does not unreasonably
interfere with the business or operations of Company; provided that no
investigation pursuant to this Section shall affect or be deemed to modify any
representation or warranty made by Company or Purchaser in this
Agreement. All requests for information made pursuant to this Section 4.1 shall be
directed to an executive officer of Company, or such Person as may be designated
by an executive officer. All such information shall be governed by
the terms of the Confidentiality Agreements.
29
4.2 No
Solicitation.
(a) Prior
to the Acceptance Date, Company agrees that neither it nor any of its
Subsidiaries, nor any of Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ directors, officers or
employees shall, and that Company shall direct and use its reasonable best
efforts to cause its and its Subsidiaries’ agents and other representatives
(including any investment banker, attorney or accountant retained by it or any
of its Subsidiaries) not to, directly or indirectly, (i) initiate, solicit,
knowingly encourage (including by way of furnishing information) or otherwise
facilitate any inquiries or the making of any proposal or offer that constitutes
or would reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal (as defined
below), (ii) enter into, or participate in any discussions or negotiations
regarding, any Acquisition Proposal, furnish to any Person any non-public
information (whether orally or in writing) in response to or in furtherance of
any Acquisition Proposal, afford any Person access to the business, properties,
assets, books or records of Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or otherwise
cooperate in any way with or knowingly assist, encourage or otherwise facilitate
any effort or attempt to make or implement an Acquisition Proposal, (iii)
recommend, adopt or approve, or publicly propose to recommend, adopt or approve,
an Acquisition Proposal, or (A) fail to make (including by failing to include
the Company Recommendation in the Schedule 14D-9, as required pursuant to Section 1.2), (B)
withdraw or propose publicly to withdraw, or (C) modify or propose publicly to
modify in a manner adverse to the Offer, the Company Recommendation (it being
understood that publicly announcing that Company is taking a neutral position or
no position with respect to the Offer shall be considered an adverse
recommendation) (any of the foregoing in this clause (iii), a “Company Adverse
Recommendation Change”), or (iv) grant any Person a waiver or release
under any standstill or similar agreement with respect to any class of equity
securities or voting securities of Company or any of its
Subsidiaries. Company agrees that it will take the necessary steps to
promptly inform the individuals or entities referred to in the first sentence
hereof of the obligations undertaken by Company in this Section 4.2(a).
“Acquisition Proposal”
means any inquiry, proposal, offer, agreement-in-principle, letter of intent,
term sheet, merger agreement, joint venture agreement, option agreement,
partnership agreement or other similar instrument with or from any third party
relating to any (i) merger, reorganization, share exchange, consolidation,
amalgamation, business combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution
or similar transaction involving Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
(ii) acquisition, sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or
purchase, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, of a
minimum of 20% or more of the assets of Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, or of a minimum of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock
or any other voting securities of Company, or (iii) tender offer or
exchange offer that, if successful, would result in any Person or “group”
becoming a “beneficial owner” (as such terms are defined under Regulation 13D
under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of capital
stock or any other voting securities of Company; provided, that the term
“Acquisition Proposal” shall not include the Offer or any of the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything in Section
4.2(a) to the contrary, prior to the Acceptance Date (and in no event
after the Acceptance Date), the Board of Directors of Company may, subject to
compliance with this Section 4.2(b) and
Section
4.2(c):
30
(i) engage
in discussions or negotiations with any third party that has made after the date
of this Agreement a bona fide, unsolicited, written Acquisition Proposal that
the Board of Directors of Company determines in good faith, after consultation
with its outside legal and financial advisors, constitutes, or would be
reasonably expected to lead to, a Superior Proposal (as defined below); provided that, prior to
taking any such action, the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good
faith after consultation with its outside legal counsel and an internationally
recognized financial advisor that its failure to take such action would be
inconsistent with its fiduciary obligations under applicable Law; provided, further, that such
Acquisition Proposal or Superior Proposal was not solicited, encouraged or
facilitated in violation of Section 4.2(a) or any
standstill agreement;
(ii) thereafter,
furnish to such third party non-public information relating to Company or any of
its Subsidiaries pursuant to a confidentiality agreement with terms no less
restrictive on such third party (including with respect to standstill
provisions) than those of the Confidentiality Agreement with Providence Equity
Asia Limited (a copy of which shall be provided, promptly after its execution,
to Purchaser for its informational purposes only, the terms and existence
thereof shall be subject to the confidentiality obligations imposed on
Providence Equity Asia Limited in the Confidentiality Agreement); provided, that such
confidentiality agreement may not include any provision calling for an exclusive
right to negotiation with Company; provided, further, that any
such information delivered to such third party shall be provided to Purchaser
substantially concurrently with its delivery to such third party;
and
(iii) following
receipt of a Superior Proposal after the date of this Agreement, make a Company
Adverse Recommendation Change if (A) Company has received a bona fide,
unsolicited, written Acquisition Proposal that the Board of Directors of Company
determines in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel and
an internationally recognized financial advisor, constitutes a Superior
Proposal, (B) such Superior Proposal was not received as a direct or indirect
result of a breach of this Section 4.2 and
Company is not otherwise in breach of Section 4.2 with
respect to the Superior Proposal and the Board of Directors of Company
determines in good faith, after reviewing applicable Law, and after consultation
with its outside legal counsel and an internationally recognized financial
advisor that its failure to make such a Company Adverse Recommendation Change
would be inconsistent with its fiduciary obligations under applicable Law; provided, however, that the
Board of Directors of Company shall not make such Company Adverse Recommendation
Change unless (x) Company promptly notifies Purchaser in writing at least five
(5) business days (or three (3) business days in the event of each
subsequent material revision to a Superior Proposal) before taking that action,
of its intention to do so in response to an Acquisition Proposal that
constitutes a Superior Proposal, attaching the most current version of any
proposed agreement or a detailed summary of the material terms of any such
proposal and the identity of the offeror, (y) during such five business day
period (or three business day period in the event of each subsequent material
revision to a Superior Proposal), Company, if requested by Purchaser, negotiates
with Purchaser in good faith to make such adjustments to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement as would enable Company to proceed with its
recommendation of this Agreement and the Offer and not make a Company Adverse
Recommendation Change, and (z) Purchaser does not make, within such five
business day period (or three business day period in the event of each
subsequent material revision to a Superior Proposal), a firm offer that is at
least as favorable to the holders of Shares (who are not Affiliates of Company),
as determined by
31
Company’s
Board of Directors in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal
counsel and an internationally recognized financial advisor after taking into
account any such adjusted terms as may have been proposed by Purchaser since its
receipt of such written notice, as such Superior Proposal (it being understood
that Company shall not take any action described in this clause (iii) of Section 4.2(b) during
such five business day period (or three business day period in the event of each
subsequent material revision to a Superior Proposal), and that any material
amendment to the financial terms or other material terms of such Superior
Proposal shall require a new written notification from Company and an additional
three business day period). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein,
Company shall not be entitled to enter into any agreement (other than a
confidentiality agreement in accordance with Section 4.2(b)(ii))
with respect to a Superior Proposal unless this Agreement shall have been or is
concurrently terminated pursuant to and in accordance with Section 5.3(b) and
Company shall have paid to Purchaser or its designee the Termination Fee payable
pursuant to Section
5.5 and provided that any purported termination of the Agreement pursuant
to Section
5.3(b) shall be void and of no force and effect unless concurrently with,
or in advance of, such termination, Company shall have paid Purchaser the
Termination Fee.
“Superior Proposal”
means any bona fide unsolicited written Acquisition Proposal (with all of the
percentages included in the definition of Acquisition Proposal increased, solely
for purposes of this definition, to 66.67%), that (x) includes per-share
consideration that is higher (including, to the extent the per-share
consideration is not all cash, a determination by Company’s Board of Directors
in good faith to such effect) than the Offer Price and is otherwise on terms
that Company’s Board of the Directors has determined in its good faith judgment,
after consultation with its outside legal counsel and an internationally
recognized financial advisor, and after taking into account all legal,
financial, regulatory and other aspects of the proposal, including the type of
consideration and the availability of financing therefor is more favorable and
superior to the holders of Shares (who are not Affiliates of Company) than the
Offer and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement from a financial
point of view, and (y) which Company’s Board of Directors has determined in good
faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel and an internationally
recognized financial advisor, is reasonably capable of being consummated on the
terms proposed without unreasonable delay.
(c) From
and after the date hereof, Company shall advise Purchaser orally and in writing
of the receipt of any Acquisition Proposal or any inquiry with respect to, or
that could reasonably be expected to lead to, any Acquisition Proposal (in each
case as soon as is reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than 24
hours from initial receipt or occurrence), specifying the material terms and
conditions thereof and the identity of the party making such Acquisition
Proposal or inquiry and Company shall provide to Purchaser (within such
timeframe), a copy of all written materials provided to Company or any
Subsidiary of Company or any Representative of any of them in connection with
any such Acquisition Proposal or inquiry. Company agrees that neither
it nor any of its Subsidiaries will enter into any confidentiality agreement
with any Person subsequent to the date hereof which prohibits Company from
providing such information to Purchaser. From and after the date
hereof, Company shall notify Purchaser (as soon as is reasonably practicable,
but in any event no later than 24 hours from initial receipt or occurrence)
orally and in writing of any material modifications to the financial or other
material terms of any Acquisition Proposal or inquiry and shall provide to
Purchaser (within such timeframe), a copy of all written materials
subsequently
32
provided
to or by Company or any Subsidiary of Company or any Representative of any of
them in connection with any such Acquisition Proposal or inquiry and of the
status of any such discussions or negotiations.
(d) Company
further agrees that it will, and will cause its Subsidiaries and its and its
Subsidiaries’ officers, directors and Representatives to, immediately cease and
cause to be terminated any existing activities, discussions or negotiations with
any parties (other than Purchaser and its Affiliates) conducted heretofore with
respect to any Acquisition Proposal and use reasonable best efforts to obtain
the return from all such Persons or cause the destruction of all copies of
confidential information previously provided to such parties by Company, its
Subsidiaries or Representatives, subject to the terms of any applicable
confidentiality agreement with such party.
(e) Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall prevent the Board of Directors of Company from
making any disclosure or filing,
in its reasonable judgment, the failure of which to so disclose would constitute
a violation of applicable Law (including the PCC and the rules and regulations
promulgated under the United States federal or Philippine securities laws),
FINRA rules, stock exchange rules or the rules, regulations, order or request of
any Governmental Entity (including the SEC and the PSEC), including, following
receipt of a bona fide Acquisition Proposal, taking and disclosing to its
shareholders a position contemplated by Rule 14d-9 or Rule 14e-2(a) under the
Exchange Act or otherwise making disclosure to its shareholders; provided however, that a
Company Recommendation shall be deemed to have been withdrawn if the Board of
Directors (or any special committee) of the Company makes any such disclosure
(other than a “stop, look and listen” letter or similar communication of the
type contemplated by Rule 14d-9(f) under the Exchange Act) unless the Board of
Directors (or any special committee) of the Company expressly publicly
reaffirms, without qualification, the Company Recommendation; provided, further, that in no
event shall Company or its Board of Directors or any committee thereof take, or
agree or resolve to take any action prohibited by Section 4.2 Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary contained in this Section 4.2 or
elsewhere in this Agreement or the Confidentiality Agreements, prior to the
Acceptance Date, Company may, in connection with a possible Acquisition
Proposal, refer any third party to this Section 4.2 and
Section 5.5(a)
and make a copy of this Section 4.2 and
Section 5.5(a)
available to a third party.
(f) Without
limiting the foregoing, it is understood that any material violation of the
foregoing restrictions in this Section 4.2 by the
Company’s or Subsidiaries’ respective agents and other representatives
(including any investment banker, attorney or accountant retained by it or any
of its Subsidiaries) shall be deemed to be a breach of this Section 4.2 by
Company.
4.3 Further
Assurances. Each party hereby agrees to use its reasonable
efforts to perform any further acts and to execute and deliver any documents
which may be reasonably necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Agreement.
4.4 Filings; Other Actions;
Notification. (a) Each party hereto shall file or cause to be
filed with (i) the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice
any notifications required to be filed under the HSR Act and (ii) the
appropriate Governmental Entity, any Foreign
33
Antitrust
Filings, in each case in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations
promulgated under the relevant Law, with respect to the transactions
contemplated hereby. Each party hereto will use all commercially
reasonable efforts to make such filings in a timely manner and to respond on a
timely basis to any requests for additional information made by either of such
agencies.
(b) Company
and Purchaser shall cooperate with each other and use (and shall cause their
respective Subsidiaries to use) their respective reasonable best efforts to take
or cause to be taken all actions, and do or cause to be done all things,
necessary, proper or advisable on its part under this Agreement and applicable
Laws to consummate and make effective the Offer and the other transactions
contemplated hereby as soon as practicable, including preparing and filing as
soon as practicable all documentation to effect all necessary notices, reports
and other filings and using their respective reasonable best efforts to obtain
as soon as practicable all Company Required Statutory Approvals or Purchaser
Required Statutory Approvals, as the case may be, and all consents,
registrations, approvals, permits and authorizations necessary or advisable to
be obtained from any third party (including pursuant to any Material Contract)
in order to consummate the Offer or any of the other transactions contemplated
hereby. Subject to applicable Laws relating to the exchange of
information and the preservation of any applicable attorney-client privilege,
work-product doctrine, self-audit privilege or other similar privilege,
Purchaser and Company shall have the right to review and comment on in advance,
and to the extent practicable each will consult the other on, all the
information relating to Purchaser or Company, as the case may be, and any of
Company’s Subsidiaries, that appear in any filing made with, or written
materials submitted to, any third party and/or any Governmental Entity in
connection with the Offer and the other transactions contemplated
hereby. In exercising the foregoing right, each of Company and
Purchaser shall act reasonably and as promptly as practicable. Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing contained in this Agreement
shall be deemed to require Purchaser or Company (unless requested by Purchaser)
or any of its Subsidiaries to take or agree to take any Action of Divestiture or
Limitation. For purposes of this Agreement, an “Action of Divestiture or
Limitation” shall mean (i) executing or carrying out agreements or
submitting to the requirements of any Governmental Entity providing for a
license, sale or other disposition of any assets or businesses or categories of
assets or businesses of Company and its Subsidiaries or the holding separate of
any assets or businesses or Company capital stock or imposing or seeking to
impose any limitation on the ability of Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
own such assets or to acquire, hold or exercise full rights of ownership of the
Company’s business or on the ability of the Company to conduct the business of
the Company and its Subsidiaries, or (ii) the imposition by a Governmental
Entity of any material condition or limitation that restricts the business of
Purchaser or its Affiliates.
(c) Subject
to any confidentiality obligations and the preservation of any attorney-client
privilege, Company and Purchaser each shall keep the other apprised of the
status of matters relating to completion of the transactions contemplated
hereby, including promptly furnishing the other with copies of notices or other
communications received by Purchaser or Company, as the case may be, or any of
Company’s Subsidiaries, from any third party and/or any Governmental Entity with
respect to the Offer and the other transactions contemplated
hereby.
34
(d) In the event that any
administrative or judicial action or proceeding is instituted (or threatened to
be instituted) by a Governmental Entity or private party challenging any
transaction contemplated by this Agreement, or any other agreement contemplated
hereby each of Purchaser and Company shall cooperate in all respects with
each other and use its respective reasonable best efforts to contest and resist
any such action or proceeding and to have vacated, lifted, reversed or
overturned any decree, judgment, injunction or other order, whether temporary,
preliminary or permanent, that is in effect and that prohibits, prevents or
restricts consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
4.5 Publicity. The
initial press release with respect to the execution of this Agreement shall be a
joint press release to be reasonably agreed upon by Purchaser and Company, and
thereafter, Company and Purchaser each shall consult with the other prior to
issuing any press releases or otherwise making public announcements with respect
to the Offer and the other transactions contemplated hereby and shall obtain the
other party’s prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably
withheld or delayed) prior to making any such announcement or filings with any
third party and/or any Governmental Entity with respect thereto, except as may
be required by Law or by obligations pursuant to any listing agreement with or
rules of any national securities exchange or national market system on which
such party’s securities are listed or traded.
4.6 Benefits and Other Employee
Matters. (a) Employee Benefits. Purchaser agrees
that, during the period commencing at the Acceptance Date and ending on the
first anniversary thereof, the current and former employees of Company and its
Subsidiaries will continue to be provided with, in the aggregate, compensation
and benefits under employee benefit plans (excluding equity and equity-based
arrangements) that are substantially comparable to those provided by Company and
its Subsidiaries to such employees immediately prior to the Acceptance
Date. Following the Acceptance Date, Purchaser shall cause service by
employees of Company and its Subsidiaries (and any predecessor entities) to be
taken into account for all purposes (including eligibility to participate,
eligibility to commence benefits, vesting, severance, and benefits accrual that
does not result in duplication of benefits) under the Compensation and Benefits
Plans or any other benefit plans of Purchaser or its Subsidiaries in which such
employees participate.
(i) From
and after the Acceptance Date, Purchaser shall use its commercially reasonable
efforts to (A) cause to be waived any pre-existing condition limitations
under benefit plans, policies or practices of Purchaser or its Subsidiaries in
which employees of Company or its Subsidiaries participate and (B) cause to
be credited any deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such
employees and their beneficiaries and dependents during the portion of the
calendar year prior to participation in the benefit plans provided by Purchaser
and its Subsidiaries.
(ii) Prior
to the Acceptance Date, Company (acting through the Board, including any special
committee, and its compensation committee) will take all such steps as may be
required to cause to be exempt under amended Rule 14d-10(c) promulgated
under the Exchange Act any employment compensation, severance or employee
benefit arrangements (including any payments made or to be made or benefits
granted or to be granted according to such arrangements) that have been or will
be entered into by Company or Purchaser or any of
35
their
respective Affiliates with any security holder of Company and to insure that any
such arrangements fall within the safe harbor provisions of such
rule.
(b) This
Section 4.6
shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each of the parties to
this Agreement, and nothing in this Section 4.6,
expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any other Person any rights or
remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Section
4.6. Nothing in this Section 4.6 is
intended to amend any Company Compensation and Benefit Plan, or interfere with
Purchaser’s right from and after the Acceptance Date to amend or terminate any
Company Compensation and Benefit Plan or the employment or provision of services
by any director, employee, independent contractor or consultant.
4.7 Indemnification; Directors’
and Officers’ Insurance. From and after the Payment Date (a)
Company shall indemnify and hold harmless, (i) to the fullest extent
permitted under the PCC and (ii) without limitation of clause (i), as
required pursuant to the indemnity agreement of Company (the “Company Indemnity
Agreement”) listed on Section 4.7 of the
Company Disclosure Schedules (and Company shall advance attorneys' fees and
expenses as incurred (x) to the fullest extent permitted under the PCC and
(y) without limitation of clause (x), as required pursuant to the Company
Indemnity Agreements; provided
that any person to whom expenses are advanced provides an undertaking to
repay such advance if it is ultimately determined that such person is not
entitled to indemnification), each present and former director and officer of
Company and its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”)
against any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and expenses),
judgments, fines, losses, claims, settlements, damages or liabilities
(collectively, “Costs”) incurred in
connection with any claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising out of or pertaining
to matters existing or occurring at or prior to the Payment Date, including the
transactions contemplated hereby. No initial finding by Company, Purchaser,
their respective counsel, independent counsel, arbitrators or the shareholders
of Company or Purchaser shall be effective to deprive the Indemnified Parties of
the protection of this indemnity, nor shall a court or other forum to which an
Indemnified Party may apply for enforcement of this indemnity give any weight to
any such adverse finding in deciding any issue before
it. Upon making a request for
indemnification, an Indemnified Party shall be presumed to be entitled to
indemnification under this Section
4.7 and a challenging party
shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in reaching any
contrary determination. The termination of any claim, action, suit, proceeding or
investigation by judgment, Order, settlement,
arbitration award or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its
equivalent, in each case
against the Indemnified Party, shall not, of itself, (i) adversely
affect the rights of the Indemnified Party to indemnification except as
indemnification may be expressly prohibited under this Section
4.7, (ii) create a
presumption that the Indemnified Party did not act in good faith and in a manner
which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of
Company and its shareholders or (iii) with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, create a presumption that the Indemnified Party had reasonable cause
to believe that his conduct was unlawful; provided that no such settlement of any claim,
action, suit or proceeding shall be effected by an Indemnified Party without
Company’s prior written consent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the
event that a court of competent jurisdiction finds that an Indemnified Party is
not entitled to indemnification, such party shall reimburse Company for any
advance of expenses or other indemnification made pursuant to this Section
4.7.
36
(b) Any
Indemnified Party wishing to claim indemnification under paragraph (a) of this
Section 4.7,
upon receiving written notification of any such claim, action, suit, proceeding
or investigation, shall promptly notify Company thereof, but the failure to so
notify shall not relieve Company of any liability it may have to such
Indemnified Party except if, and only to the extent that, such failure
materially and irreversibly prejudices Company. In the event of any
such claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation (whether arising before or
after the Acceptance Date), (i) Company shall pay the reasonable fees and
expenses of counsel selected by the Indemnified Party, promptly after reasonably
detailed statements therefor are received, and otherwise advance to such
Indemnified Party upon request reimbursement of documented expenses reasonably
incurred; provided that
any person to whom expenses are advanced provides an undertaking to repay such
advance if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to
indemnification; (ii) Company will cooperate in the defense of any such
matter; and (iii) any determination required to be made with respect to
whether an Indemnified Party’s conduct complies with the standards set forth
under the PCC shall be made by independent counsel mutually acceptable to
Company and the Indemnified Party; provided, however, that
(A) Company shall be obligated pursuant to this Section 4.7(b) to pay
for only one firm of counsel for all Indemnified Parties in any jurisdiction,
except to the extent there is, in the opinion of counsel to an Indemnified
Party, under applicable standards of professional conduct, a conflict on any
significant issue between the positions of such Indemnified Party and any other
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Parties, in which case each Indemnified Party
with a conflicting position on a significant issue shall be entitled to retain
separate counsel mutually satisfactory to Company and such Indemnified Party,
(B) the Indemnified Parties shall cooperate in the defense of any such
matter and (C) Company shall not be liable for any settlement effected
without its prior written consent (which consent may not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed).
(c) As
of the Acceptance Date, Company shall have purchased directors’ and officers’
liability insurance (or, at Purchaser’s election, purchase a “run-off” or tail
policy”) (“D&O
Insurance”) coverage for Company’s directors and officers for a period of
six (6) years after the Acceptance Date which provides the same coverage as the
D&O Insurance provided by Company for its directors and officers; provided, however, that in
no event shall Company be required to expend per year of coverage more than 300%
of the amount currently expended by Company per year of coverage as of the date
of this Agreement (the “Maximum Amount”) to
maintain or procure insurance coverage pursuant hereto. If
notwithstanding the use of commercially reasonable efforts to do so, Company is
unable to maintain or obtain the insurance called for by this paragraph, Company
shall obtain as much comparable insurance as available for the Maximum
Amount. The Indemnified Parties may be required to make reasonable
application and provide reasonable and customary representations and warranties
to applicable insurance carriers for the purpose of obtaining such
insurance.
(d) For
six (6) years after the Acceptance Date, Company shall maintain in effect the
provisions in its Articles of Incorporation providing for indemnification of
Indemnified Parties, with respect to facts and circumstances occurring at or
prior to the Acceptance Date, to the fullest extent permitted from time to time
under the PCC, which provisions shall not be amended except as required by the
PCC or except to make changes permitted by the PCC that would increase the scope
of the Indemnified Parties’ indemnification rights thereunder.
37
(e) If
Company or any of its successors or assigns shall (i) consolidate with or
merge into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving
corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger or (ii) transfer all
or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, and in
each such case, proper provisions shall be made so that the successors and
assigns of Company, as the case may be, shall assume all of the obligations of
Company set forth in this Section
4.7.
(f) The
rights of each Indemnified Party under this Section 4.7 shall be
in addition to any right such Person might have under the articles of
incorporation or by-laws of Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or under
applicable Law (including the PCC) or under any agreement of any
Indemnified Party with Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The
provisions of this Section 4.7 are
intended to be for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each of the
Indemnified Parties, their respective heirs and representatives.
4.8 Expenses. Subject
to Section 4.11
and Section
5.5, whether or not the Offer is consummated, all costs and expenses
incurred in connection with the Offer and the other transactions contemplated
hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such expense, except that each of
Company and Purchaser shall bear and pay one-half of the costs and expenses
incurred in connection with the filing, printing and mailing of the Offer
Documents; provided
that, any fees, costs and expenses for preparation and filing of Form
19-1 with the PSEC should be born solely by Purchaser.
4.9 Takeover
Statute. If any Takeover Statute is or may become applicable
to the Offer, or the other transactions contemplated hereby, each of Company and
Purchaser and their respective Board of Directors or Managers, as the case may
be, shall grant such approvals and take such actions as are necessary so that
such transactions may be consummated as promptly as practicable hereafter on the
terms contemplated hereby and otherwise act to eliminate or minimize the effects
of such statute or regulation on such transactions.
4.10 Purchaser
Vote. To the extent any vote of Company’s shareholder is
required or advisable with respect to this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, Purchaser shall vote (or consent with respect to) or cause
to be voted (or a consent to be given with respect to) any Shares and any shares
of capital stock of Company beneficially owned by it or any of its Affiliates
(as such term is defined under the Exchange Act) or with respect to which it or
any of such Affiliates has the power (by agreement, proxy or otherwise) to cause
to be voted (or to provide a consent), in favor of the approval of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby at any meeting of
shareholders of Company at which this Agreement shall be submitted for approval
and at all adjournments or postponements thereof (or, if applicable, by any
action of shareholders of Company by consent in lieu of a meeting).
4.11 Financing. To
the extent that Purchaser wishes to raise debt financing in connection with or
as part of the financing of the Offer, or in connection with the operations of
the Company’s business following the Acceptance Date, in order to assist with
obtaining any such financing, Company shall and Company shall cause its
Subsidiaries to (at Purchaser’s sole expense) provide such assistance
and cooperation that Purchaser may reasonably request and Company shall, and
shall cause its Subsidiaries and its and their directors, officers, employees,
accountants and agents to, cooperate with Purchaser in connection therewith and
use their
38
commercially
reasonable efforts to take all actions reasonably requested by Purchaser in
connection therewith, including (a) providing such financial and other
information with respect to Company and its Subsidiaries as Purchaser may
reasonably request for inclusion in any offering memorandum, prospectus or other
document relating to a financing (each, a “Financing Document”),
(b) using commercially reasonable efforts to make appropriate officers and other
personnel reasonably available (upon reasonable advance notice to permit
scheduling) to review, comment upon and discuss matters relating to Company or
its Subsidiaries that Purchaser proposes to include in any Financing Document,
and (c) using commercially reasonable efforts to cause Company’s and its
Subsidiaries’ respective independent public accountants to deliver such (i)
audit reports and consents as may reasonably be necessary in connection with any
financing and (ii) “comfort letters” in form, substance and scope as
is customary for financings similar to the applicable financing. If
at any time prior to the Acceptance Date Company shall learn that any
information pertaining to Company or any of its Subsidiaries contained (or
incorporated by reference) in, or omitted from, a Financing Document makes any
of the statements therein false or misleading, Company shall promptly inform
Purchaser thereof and use its commercially reasonable efforts to promptly
provide Purchaser with all information necessary to make the statements
contained in Financing Documents not false or
misleading.
4.12 Notification of Certain
Matters. Company shall give prompt notice to Purchaser and
Purchaser shall give prompt notice to Company, of (i) any notice or other
communication received by such party from any Governmental Entity in connection
with the Offer or from any Person alleging that the consent of such Person is or
may be required in connection with the Offer, if the subject matter of such
communication or the failure of such party to obtain such consent could be
material to Company or Purchaser, (ii) any actions, suits, claims,
investigations or proceedings commenced or, to such party’s knowledge,
threatened against, relating to or involving or otherwise affecting such party
or any of its Subsidiaries which relate to the Offer, (iii) the discovery of any
fact or circumstance that, or the occurrence or non-occurrence of any event the
occurrence or non-occurrence of which, would cause any representation or
warranty made by such party contained in this Agreement (A) that is qualified as
to materiality or Company Material Adverse Effect or Purchaser Material Adverse
Effect, as the case may be, to be untrue and (B) that is not so qualified to be
untrue in any material respect, and (iv) any material failure of such party to
comply with or satisfy any covenant or agreement to be complied with or
satisfied by it hereunder; provided, however, that the
delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 4.12 shall
not (x) cure any breach of, or non-compliance with, any other provision of this
Agreement or (y) limit the remedies available to the party receiving such
notice. Company shall give Purchaser the opportunity to participate
in the defense or settlement of any securityholder litigation against Company
and/or its directors relating to the Offer, and no such settlement shall be
agreed to without Purchaser’s prior consent.
4.13 Stock Exchange
De-listing. After the date hereof and prior to the Payment
Date, Company shall use reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken,
all actions, and do or cause to be done all things, reasonably necessary, proper
or advisable on its part under applicable Laws and rules and policies of the
NASDAQ and PSE to maintain Company’s listing thereon. Following the
Payment Date, Company shall cooperate with Purchaser and use reasonable efforts
to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do or cause to be done all
things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable on its part under applicable
Laws and rules and policies of the NASDAQ and PSE to enable the delisting by
Company of the Shares from the NASDAQ and
39
PSE and
the deregistration of the Shares under the Exchange Act, the SRC and other
applicable Law as promptly as reasonably practicable after the Payment Date, in
each case in accordance with applicable Law and rules and policies of the NASDAQ
and PSE.
4.14 Section 16
Matters. Prior
to the Expiration Date, Company shall take all necessary steps to approve in
advance in accordance with the procedures set forth in Rule 16b-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act and the Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP SEC No-Action Letter (January 12, 1999) any
dispositions of Shares (including derivative securities with respect to Shares)
resulting from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (other than
pursuant to the Offer) by each officer or director of Company who is subject to
Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to equity securities of Company
such that such disposition will be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated
under the Exchange Act.
4.15 Tax
Matters. In connection with the Offer, Company shall use all
commercially reasonable efforts to assist a shareholder who opts to file, where
applicable: (i) an application for tax treaty relief, where applicable, in cases
where the holder of Shares is a nonresident of the Philippines and is domiciled
in a country with which the Philippines has concluded a tax treaty and (ii) an
application for such certificate authorizing registration or tax
clearance that will allow the transfer of ownership of the shares to be recorded
in the books of the Company.
ARTICLE V
- TERMINATION
5.1 Termination by Mutual
Consent. This Agreement may be terminated and the Offer may be
abandoned at any time prior to the Expiration Date, by mutual written consent of
Company and Purchaser by action of their respective Boards of Directors or
Managers, as the case may be.
5.2 Termination by Either
Purchaser or Company. This Agreement may be terminated and the
Offer, if commenced, shall be terminated forthwith, at any time prior to the
Acceptance Date by action of the Board of Directors of Company or Board of
Managers of Purchaser if:
(a) the Offer is terminated or
withdrawn by Purchaser pursuant to its terms without any Shares being purchased
thereunder; or
(b) the Offer shall not have been
consummated by 11:59 p.m. New York City time on the date that is 90 days
following the Launch Date (the “Termination Date”),
provided that the
Termination Date shall be automatically extended for thirty (30) days if, on the
Termination Date any of the conditions set forth in clause (ii) or
(iii) of the first paragraph of Annex I or paragraph
(a) of Annex I
shall not have been satisfied or waived but (i) each of the other
conditions to the Offer set forth in Annex I has been
satisfied or waived or remains capable of satisfaction, and (ii) any
approvals required by clause (ii) or (iii) of the first paragraph of
Annex I that
have not yet been obtained are being pursued diligently and in good faith by at
least one of the parties hereto; or
(c) any Order permanently restraining,
permanently enjoining or otherwise permanently prohibiting consummation of the
Offer shall become final and non-appealable;
40
provided that the right to
terminate this Agreement pursuant to clause (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 5.2 shall not
be available to any party that is in breach in any material respect of its
obligations under this Agreement in any manner that shall have proximately
caused the occurrence of the failure of the Offer to be consummated and, if such
breach is capable of being cured, such breach has not been cured. As
used in this Agreement, the term “Order” shall mean any
statute, Law, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction or other
order that is in effect enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced, or entered by
any court or Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction or the taking of any
other action by a court or Government Entity of competent jurisdiction
permanently enjoining, permanently restraining or otherwise permanently
prohibiting the consummation of the Offer or which has the effect of making the
purchase of the Shares in the Offer illegal.
5.3 Termination by
Company. This Agreement may be terminated and the Offer, if
commenced, shall be terminated forthwith by action of the Board of Directors of
Company at any time prior to the Acceptance Date, if:
(a)
Purchaser fails to commence the Offer as provided in Section 1.1 hereof by
11:59 pm New York City time on the Final Launch Date; provided that Company may not
terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 5.3(a) if (x)
such failure to have commenced the Offer shall have been proximately caused by
(i) Company’s failure to perform any of its obligations under this
Agreement, (ii) facts or circumstances that constitute a material breach of
any representation or warranty of Company under this Agreement, or
(iii) the occurrence of any of the events specified in paragraph (a) of
Annex I or (y)
Company is then in breach of Section 4.2;
or
(b) the Company is not in breach of its
obligations under Section 4.2 hereof
and the Board of Directors of the Company approves a Superior Proposal; provided, the Company pays
the Termination Fee to Purchaser or its designee in accordance with Section 5.5(b);
or
(c)
there has been a breach by Purchaser of any representation, warranty, covenant
or agreement contained in this Agreement that would, individually or aggregated
with all such breaches, reasonably be expected to have a Purchaser Material
Adverse Effect and is not curable or, if curable, is not cured within twenty
(20) business days after written notice of such breach is given by Company to
the party committing such breach; provided that Company shall
not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 5.3(c) if
Company is then in material breach of any of its covenants or agreements
contained in this Agreement and, if such breach is capable of being cured, such
breach has not been cured; provided; however that this
Section 5.3(c)
is not applicable with respect to the matters covered by Section 5.3(a); or
(d) the Board of Managers of Purchaser
withdraws or materially and adversely modifies its adoption of this
Agreement.
5.4 Termination by
Purchaser. This Agreement may be terminated and the Offer, if
commenced, shall be terminated forthwith by action of the Board of Managers of
Purchaser at any time prior to the Acceptance Date, if:
41
(a)
(i) there shall have occurred a Company Adverse Recommendation Change or (ii)
Company shall have otherwise breached Section 4.2 in any
material respect; or
(b)
a tender offer or exchange offer that, if successful, would result in any Person
or “group” becoming a “beneficial owner” (such terms having the meaning in this
Agreement as is ascribed under Regulation 13D under the Exchange Act) of 66.67%
or more of the outstanding Shares is commenced (other than by Purchaser or an
Affiliate of Purchaser) and the Board of Directors of Company recommends that
the shareholders of Company tender their shares in such tender or exchange
offer; or
(c)(i)
there shall have occurred a Company Material Adverse Effect or (ii) there has
been a breach by Company of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement
contained in this Agreement that would, individually or aggregated with all such
breaches, reasonably be expected to cause a failure to meet any of the
conditions of Annex
I and is not curable or, if curable, is not cured within twenty (20)
business days after written notice of such breach is given by Purchaser to
Company; provided that
Purchaser shall not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section
5.4(c)(ii) if Purchaser is then in material breach of any of its
respective covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement and, if such
breach is capable of being cured, such breach has not been
cured; or
(d) due to circumstances or occurrences
that if occurring after the Launch Date would make it impossible (and therefore
incapable of being cured prior to the Termination Date) to satisfy one or more
of the conditions set forth in Annex I hereto,
Purchaser shall have failed to commence the Offer on or prior to the date
provided therefore in Section 1.1; provided that Purchaser shall
not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 5.4(d) if
Purchaser is then in material breach of any of its respective covenants or
agreements contained in this Agreement and, if such breach is capable of being
cured, such breach has not been cured.
5.5 Effect of Termination and
Abandonment.
(a) In
the event of termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Article V, written
notice thereof shall be given by the party effecting the termination to the
other party specifying the provision of this Agreement pursuant to which such
termination is made, and this Agreement (other than as set forth in Section 6.1) shall
become void and of no effect with no liability on the part of any party hereto
(or of any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, legal and financial
advisors or other representatives); provided, however, that
except as otherwise provided herein (including Sections 5.5 and
6.13), no such
termination shall relieve any party hereto of any liability or damages resulting
from any breach of this Agreement prior to such termination.
(b) (i) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated by (A) Company pursuant to Section
5.3(b) or (B) Purchaser pursuant to Section
5.4(a) or (b), then Company shall pay Purchaser or
its designee a termination fee (as liquidated damages) of $14,500,000
(the “Termination
Fee”) (which includes reimbursement of expenses incurred by Purchaser in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby);
or
42
(ii) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated by Purchaser pursuant to Section 5.4(c)(ii),
then Company shall reimburse Purchaser or its designee for Expenses incurred in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby; provided that if (x) prior to
the breach giving rise to the right of termination, and after the date hereof,
an Acquisition Proposal has been made known to Company, publicly announced,
publicly made known or an intention to do the foregoing has been publicly
announced or made known whether or not conditional or withdrawn and (y) within
twelve (12) months after such termination, Company or any of its Subsidiaries
enters into a definitive agreement with respect to any Acquisition Proposal or
any Acquisition Proposal is otherwise consummated (whether or not the same as
originally announced or made known), then in the event that a definitive
agreement with respect such Acquisition Proposal is entered into, on the date of
such execution (or if no agreement is entered into on the date of consummation),
Company shall pay the Termination Fee to Purchaser or its designee, less any amount of Purchaser
Expenses actually
reimbursed by Company
pursuant to this clause;
provided that in the case of
each of clause (i) and (ii) hereof, such payments shall be made by wire
transfer of same day funds to an account previously designated in writing by
Purchaser to Company, within two (2) business days after such termination,
except that (A) in the case of termination by the Company in the case of clause
(i)(A), such payment shall be made concurrently with, or in advance of, such
termination, and (B) in the case of the proviso of clause (ii), such payment
shall be made by wire transfer of same day funds to an account previously
designated by Purchaser to Company on or promptly after the date of execution of
the applicable agreement or consummation of the Acquisition Proposal, as the
case may be.
(c) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated by Company pursuant to Section 5.3(a) (in
circumstances where the Purchaser’s failure to commence the Offer by 11:59 p.m.
New York City time on the Final Launch Date was a breach by Purchaser of its
obligation to commence the Offer hereunder), (c) or (d), then Purchaser
shall pay (as liquidated damages) the Termination Fee (which includes
reimbursement of expenses incurred by Company in connection with this Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby) by wire transfer of same day funds to
an account previously designated in writing by Company to Purchaser, within two
(2) business days after such termination.
(d) In
the event that (x) an Acquisition Proposal shall have been made known to
Company, publicly announced, publicly made known or an intention to do the
foregoing has been publicly announced or made known, whether or not conditional
or withdrawn, and thereafter this Agreement is terminated by Company or
Purchaser pursuant to Section 5.2(a) or (b)
and (y) within twelve (12) months after such termination, Company or any of
its Subsidiaries enters into a definitive agreement with respect to any
Acquisition Proposal or an Acquisition Proposal is otherwise consummated
(whether or not the same as that originally announced or made known), then, in
the event that a definitive agreement with respect to an Acquisition Proposal is
entered into, on the date of such execution (or if no agreement is entered into
on the date of consummation), Company shall pay Purchaser or its designee the
Termination Fee (less any Expenses already paid under the proviso to this Section 5.5(d)) by
wire transfer of same day funds to an account previously designated in writing
by Purchaser to Company; provided that, in the event
that this Agreement is terminated by Purchaser or Company pursuant to Section 5.2 (a) or
(b) under
circumstances in which the Termination Fee described in this Section 5.5(d) is not
43
then
payable (that is, the circumstances in clause (x) above exist, but at the time
of termination a definitive agreement with respect to any Acquisition Proposal
has not been executed and an Acquisition Proposal has not been consummated),
then Company shall pay promptly (but in any event within two (2) business days)
following receipt of an invoice of all of Purchaser’s Expenses on or prior to
the termination of this Agreement in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement as directed by Purchaser in writing, which amount
shall not be greater than the Termination Fee; provided, further, that the
existence of circumstances that could require the Termination Fee to become
subsequently payable by Company pursuant to this Section 5.5(d) shall
not relieve Company of its obligations to pay the Expenses pursuant to this
Section 5.5(d);
provided further, that
the payment by Company of the Purchaser’s Expenses pursuant to this Section 5.5(d) shall
not relieve Company of any subsequent obligation to pay the Termination Fee
(less Expenses already paid) pursuant to this Section
5.5.
(e) For
the purposes of this Section 5.5 the
references to (i) “Expenses” shall mean
all out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including all fees and expenses of counsel,
accountants, financial advisors and investment bankers to a party hereto and its
Affiliates), up to $14,500,000, incurred by a party or on its behalf in
connection with or related to the authorization, preparation, negotiation,
execution and performance of this Agreement, the preparation, printing, filing
and mailing of the Offer Documents, the filing of any required notices under
applicable Laws or other regulations and all other matters related to the Offer
and the other transactions contemplated hereby and (ii) the references to
“twenty percent (20%)” in the definition of “Acquisition Proposal”
shall be deemed to be references to “sixty six and sixty seven one-hundredths
percent (66.67%).”
(f) Notwithstanding
anything otherwise to the contrary in this Agreement: (i) the payment of the
Termination Fee by Company shall be the sole and exclusive remedy
of Purchaser for any loss or damage suffered as a result of the
breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this
Agreement by Purchaser, (ii) in the circumstances in which Purchaser becomes
obligated to pay the Termination Fee, Company’s termination of this Agreement
pursuant to the applicable section and receipt of payment of the Termination Fee
pursuant to this Section 5.5 shall be
the sole and exclusive remedy of Company and its Subsidiaries against Purchaser
or any of its Affiliates for any loss or damage suffered as a result of the
breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this
Agreement by Purchaser and the failure of the Acceptance Date to occur and (iii)
in the circumstances in which Company is obligated to reimburse Purchaser for
its Expenses pursuant to Section 5.5(b)(ii), subject to Section 6.13, such
payment of Expenses shall not preclude any claim by Purchaser for additional
damages caused as a result of a breach of the Agreement by Company.
(g) The
parties hereto acknowledge that the agreement contained in this Section 5.5 is an
integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that,
without this agreement Purchaser and Company would not have entered into this
Agreement or commenced the Offer. Accordingly, if Purchaser or
Company, as the case may be, fails to promptly pay any amounts due pursuant to
this Section
5.5 and in order to obtain such payment Purchaser or Company, as the case
may be, commences a suit which results in a judgment against the other party for
payment of all or a portion of an amount set forth in such section, the
non-prevailing party shall pay to the prevailing party its costs and expenses
(including its
44
reasonable
attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with such suit, together with interest
from the date of termination of this Agreement on the amounts owed at the prime
rate in effect from time to time and quoted in The Wall Street Journal
during such period. A Termination Fee provided for in this Section 5.5 is
payable whether or not there has been a breach of this Agreement. The
parties hereto agree and understand that in no event shall Company or Purchaser
be required to pay the Termination Fee on more than one occasion.
ARTICLE VI
- MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL
6.1 Survival. This
Article VI and
the agreements of Company and Purchaser contained herein that by their terms
apply or that are to be performed in whole or in part after the Acceptance Date
shall survive the Acceptance Date. This Article VI, the
agreements of Company and Purchaser contained in Sections 4.5
(Publicity), 4.8 (Expenses), 5.5 (Effect of Termination
and Abandonment) and the Confidentiality Agreements shall survive the
termination of this Agreement. All other representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements in this Agreement shall not survive
the Acceptance Date or the termination of this
Agreement.
6.2 Modification or
Amendment. Subject to the provisions of applicable Law, at any
time prior to the Acceptance Date, the parties hereto may modify or amend this
Agreement, by written agreement executed and delivered by duly authorized
officers of the respective parties; provided that, after
acceptance of and payment for any tendered Shares in the Offer, this Agreement
may not be amended in any manner so as to adversely affect the shareholders of
Company.
6.3 Waiver of
Conditions. The conditions to each of the parties’ obligations
to consummate the Offer are for the sole benefit of such party and may be waived
by such party in whole or in part to the extent permitted by applicable
Law. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid if set forth in an
instrument in writing signed by the party or parties to be bound
thereby. The failure of any party to assert any rights or remedies
shall not constitute a waiver of such rights or remedies.
6.4 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts including by facsimile
signature or by electronic means such as a .pdf file, each such counterpart
being deemed to be an original instrument, and all such counterparts shall
together constitute the same agreement.
6.5 Governing Law and
Venue. THIS AGREEMENT AND ALL CLAIMS OR CAUSES OF ACTION
(WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT) THAT MAY BE BASED UPON, ARISE OUT OF OR RELATE TO
THIS AGREEMENT, SHALL BE INTERPRETED, CONSTRUED AND GOVERNED BY AND IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF
LAW PRINCIPLES; provided,
that, for the avoidance of doubt, the tender offer in the Philippines,
and all matters relating to the fiduciary duties of the Board of Directors of
Company, shall be governed by Philippines law. The parties hereby
irrevocably submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware
and the Federal courts of the United States of America located in the State of
Delaware in respect of the interpretation and enforcement of the provisions of
this Agreement and of the documents referred to in this Agreement, and in
respect of the Offer and other
45
transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby, and hereby waive, and agree not to assert, as a
defense in any action, suit or proceeding for the interpretation or enforcement
hereof or of any such document, that it is not subject thereto or that such
action, suit or proceeding may not be brought or is not maintainable in said
courts or that the venue thereof may not be appropriate or that this Agreement
or any such document may not be enforced in or by such courts, and the parties
hereto irrevocably agree that all claims with respect to such action or
proceeding shall be heard and determined in such a State of Delaware or Federal
court to the exclusion of all other courts and venues. The parties
hereby consent to and grant any such court jurisdiction over the Person of such
parties and over the subject matter of such dispute and agree that mailing of
process or other papers in connection with any such action or proceeding in the
manner provided in Section 6.6 or in
such other manner as may be permitted by Law shall be valid and sufficient
service thereof.
6.6 Notices. Any
notice, request, instruction or other document to be given hereunder by any
party to the others shall be in writing and delivered personally or sent by
courier, or by facsimile (upon receipt of telephonic or electronic confirmation
of successful transmission):
if to
Purchaser,
EGS
Acquisition Co LLC
c/o
Providence Equity L.L.C.
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
with a
copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
EGS
Acquisition Co LLC
c/o
Newbridge International Investment Ltd
c/x Xxxxx
Corporation
32/F Tower
One Exchange Plaza, Xxxxx Avenue
Makati
City, Metro Manila, Philippines 1226
Attention:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
with a
copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Weil,
Gotshal & Xxxxxx LLP
29th
Floor, Gloucester Tower
The
Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central
Hong
Kong
Attention:
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 0000 0000
Facsimile:
(000) 0000-0000
with a
copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
46
SyCip
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx
SSHG
Center, 000 Xxxxx Xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxx 0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx
Attention: Xxxxxx
xx Xxxx, Xx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
if to
Company,
eTelecare
Global Solutions, Inc.
0000 Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Chief
Financial Officer
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
with a
copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Pillsbury
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx LLP
0000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx of America
Attention: Xxxxx
X. del Xxxxx and Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Telephone: (000)
000-0000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
with a
copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx & De Los Angeles
30th
Floor, Citibank Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx, 0000 Xxxxx Xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx
Attention: Atty.
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, XX
Telephone: (00)
000-0000
Facsimile: 632)
815-3172
or to such
other Persons or addresses as may be designated in writing by the party to
receive such notice as provided above.
6.7 Entire Agreement; No Other
Representations. This Agreement (including any annexes,
schedules and exhibits hereto), the Company Disclosure Schedules, the Purchaser
Disclosure Schedules, the Nondisclosure Agreement, dated as of June 11, 2008,
between Providence Equity Asia Limited and Company, and the Nondisclosure
Agreement, dated as of June 11, 2008, between Newbridge International Investment
Ltd and Company (the “Confidentiality
Agreements”) constitute the entire agreement by and among the parties
hereto and supersede all other prior agreements, understandings, representations
and warranties, both
47
written
and oral, among the parties, with respect to the subject matter
hereof. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES THAT, EXCEPT FOR THE REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT, NEITHER PURCHASER NOR COMPANY MAKES
ANY OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, AND EACH HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY OTHER
REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES MADE BY ITSELF OR ANY OF ITS RESPECTIVE OFFICERS,
DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ADVISORS OR OTHER
REPRESENTATIVES, WITH RESPECT TO THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR
THE OFFER, NOTWITHSTANDING THE DELIVERY OR DISCLOSURE TO THE OTHER OR THE
OTHER’S REPRESENTATIVES OF ANY DOCUMENTATION OR OTHER INFORMATION WITH RESPECT
TO ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOREGOING.
6.8 No Third-Party
Beneficiaries. Other than with respect to the matters set
forth in 4.7 (Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance), this
Agreement is not intended to confer upon any Person other than the parties
hereto any rights or remedies hereunder.
6.9 Obligations of Purchaser and
of Company. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein,
whenever this Agreement requires a Subsidiary of Purchaser to take any action,
such requirement shall be deemed to include an undertaking on the part of
Purchaser to cause such Subsidiary to take such action. Whenever this
Agreement requires a Subsidiary of Company to take any action, such requirement
shall be deemed to include an undertaking on the part of Company to cause such
Subsidiary to take such action and, after the Payment Date, on the part of
Purchaser to cause such Subsidiary to take such action.
6.10 Severability. The
provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed severable and the invalidity or
unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity or
enforceability of the other provisions hereof. If any provision of
this Agreement, or the application thereof to any Person or any circumstance, is
invalid or unenforceable, (a) a suitable and equitable provision shall be
substituted therefor in order to carry out, so far as may be valid and
enforceable, the intent and purpose of such invalid or unenforceable provision
and (b) the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such
provision to other Persons or circumstances shall not be affected by such
invalidity or unenforceability, nor shall such invalidity or unenforceability
affect the validity or enforceability of such provision, or the application
thereof, in any other jurisdiction.
6.11 Interpretation. The
table of contents and headings herein are for convenience of reference only, do
not constitute part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or
otherwise affect any of the provisions hereof. Where a reference in
this Agreement is made to a Section or Exhibit, such reference shall be to a
Section of or Exhibit to this Agreement unless otherwise
indicated. Whenever the words “include,” “includes” or “including”
are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words
“without limitation.” All references to “$” shall be to United States
Dollars.
6.12 Assignment. This
Agreement shall not be assignable by operation of Law or otherwise; provided, however, that
Purchaser may designate, by written notice to Company, another wholly-owned
direct or indirect subsidiary, or other entity owned directly or indirectly by
the beneficial owners of Purchaser, to be a purchaser in the Offer in lieu of
Purchaser, so long
48
as such
designation would not reasonably be expected to (i) impose any material
delay in the obtaining of, or significantly increase the risk of not obtaining
any Purchaser Required Statutory Approval or Company Required Statutory Approval
or the expiration or termination of any applicable waiting period,
(ii) significantly increase the risk of any Governmental Entity entering an
order prohibiting the consummation of the Offer, (iii) significantly
increase the risk of not being able to remove any such order on appeal or
otherwise or (iv) materially delay the consummation of the
Offer. If the requirements of the previous sentence are met and
Purchaser wishes to designate another wholly-owned direct or indirect subsidiary
or other entity owned directly or indirectly by beneficial owners of Purchaser
to be a purchaser in the Offer in lieu of Purchaser, then, all references herein
to Purchaser shall be deemed references to such other entity, except that all
representations and warranties made herein with respect to Purchaser as of the
date of this Agreement shall be deemed representations and warranties made with
respect to such other entity as of the date of such designation.
6.13 Liability; Specific
Performance.
(a) Each party
agrees that, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) to
the extent a party has incurred losses or damages in connection with this
Agreement, (A) the maximum aggregate liability of the other party for such
losses or damages shall be limited to $14,500,000 and any amounts owed by such
other party pursuant to Section 5.5(g), (B)
in no event shall such party seek to recover any money damages in excess of such
amount from the other party, and (C) the maximum liability of each Investor,
directly or indirectly, shall be limited to the express obligations of such
Investor under its Limited Guarantee entered into as of the date hereof with the
Company (in each case, the “Limited Guarantee”),
and (ii) in no event shall either party seek to recover any money damages in
excess of the foregoing from the other party, any Investor or their respective
former, current or future direct or indirect stockholders, members, managers,
general or limited partners or Affiliates, or any former, current or future
officers, directors, employees, agents or representatives of any of the
foregoing in connection therewith. Upon payment of the Termination Fee by
Purchaser or Company in accordance with Section 5.5, none of
Purchaser, Company, nor any
former, current or future direct or indirect stockholder, member, manager,
general or limited partner or Affiliate of Purchaser or Company, nor any former, current or future
officer, director, employee, agent or representative of any of the foregoing
shall have any further liability or obligation relating to or arising out
of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement for all losses and damages
arising from or in connection with breaches of this Agreement by Purchaser or
Company or otherwise relating to or arising out of this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and upon payment of such amount,
Purchaser or Company, as
the case may be, shall not
have any further liability or obligation relating to or arising out of
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby and in no event,
whether or not this Agreement shall have been terminated, shall either party be
entitled to monetary damages in excess of the amount of the $14,500,000 in the
aggregate, inclusive of the Termination Fee, if applicable, for all losses and
damages arising from or in connection with breaches of this Agreement by the
other party or otherwise relating to or arising out of this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The amount paid or payable by
Purchaser to Company pursuant to Section 5.5 with
respect to a termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article V, the amount
paid or payable by any Investor pursuant to its Limited Guarantee with respect
thereto and any other monetary damages paid or payable by Purchaser or its
Affiliates to
49
Company
relating thereto, shall be reduced by the amount of damages or losses paid to
shareholders of Company with respect to any litigation arising from Purchaser’s
failure to accept and make payment with respect to Shares validly tendered and
not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer.
(b) The parties
hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that (i) any of
the provisions of this Agreement were not performed by Company in accordance
with their specific terms or were otherwise breached or (ii) on or after the
Acceptance Date, Purchaser was in breach of its obligations under this Agreement
to consummate the Offer. It is accordingly agreed that Purchaser, in the case of
clause (i), and Company, in the case of clause (ii), shall be entitled to an
injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce
specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement in addition to any other
remedy to which such party is entitled at law or in equity. The parties
acknowledge that, except as provided in Section 6.13(b)(ii),
Company shall not be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent
breaches of this Agreement by Purchaser or to enforce specifically the terms and
provisions of this Agreement (other than with respect to the Confidentiality
Agreements for which Company shall be entitled to an injunction) and that
Company’s sole and exclusive remedy with respect to any such breach shall be the
remedy set forth in Sections 5.5 and
6.13.
[Remainder
of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
50
IN WITNESS
WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed, acknowledged and delivered by
the duly authorized officers of the parties hereto as of the date first written
above.
ETELECARE GLOBAL SOLUTIONS, INC. | |||
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||
Title: President & Chief Executive Officer | |||
[Signature
Page to Acquisition Agreement]
EGS ACQUISITION CO LLC | |||
|
By:
|
/s/ R. Xxxxx Xxxxx | |
Name: R. Xxxxx Xxxxx | |||
Title: Vice President |
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Title: Vice President | |||
ANNEX I
1. Conditions to the
Offer. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the
Offer, and subject to the terms of the Agreement, Purchaser shall not be
required to accept for payment or, subject to any applicable rules and
regulations of the SEC, including Rule 14e-1(c) promulgated under the Exchange
Act, and rule 19 of the PSEC, pay for any tendered Shares and may terminate or
withdraw, or subject to the terms of the Agreement, amend the Offer, if
(i) there shall not be validly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to
the Expiration Date for the Offer that number of Shares which, when combined
with any Shares owned by Purchaser or any Affiliate thereof, represents at least
66.67% of the total number of outstanding Shares, on a fully diluted basis,
after giving effect to the exercise, conversion or termination of all options,
warrants, rights and securities exercisable or convertible into or for Shares on
the date of purchase (provided that for purposes of such calculation any Shares
beneficially owned by Xxxxx Corporation, Purchaser or any of their respective
Affiliates shall be deemed to have been tendered if not actually tendered and
not withdrawn)(the “Minimum Condition”),
(ii) any applicable waiting period under the HSR Act or under any
applicable foreign statutes or regulations shall not have expired or been
terminated, (iii) any of the Purchaser Required Statutory Approvals or the
Company Required Statutory Approvals that is required to be obtained prior to
the consummation of the Offer shall not have been obtained, any of such
approvals shall not have become Final Orders (as defined below) or any of such
Final Orders shall impose terms or conditions that have an Adverse Regulatory
Effect (as defined below), (iv) the Agreement shall have been terminated in
accordance with its terms; (v) Purchaser shall have failed to receive as
of the Expiration Date, a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer and
Chief Financial Officer of Company, dated as the Expiration Date, to the effect
that none of the conditions set forth in clauses (c) or (d) below exist; or (vi)
at any time on or after the date of the Agreement and prior to the Acceptance
Date, any of the following events (each, an “Event”) shall have
occurred and (other than with respect to clauses (b) and (e)) be
continuing:
(a) there
shall be any action taken, or any statute, rule, regulation, legislation,
interpretation, judgment, order or injunction enacted, enforced, promulgated,
amended, issued, pending or deemed applicable to the Offer, by any legislative
body, court, government or governmental, administrative or regulatory authority
or agency, domestic or foreign, other than the application of the waiting period
provisions of the HSR Act to the Offer, that
shall: (i) restrain, enjoin, prevent, prohibit, make illegal or
otherwise permanently prohibit consummation of the Offer, (ii) prohibit or
limit the ownership or operation by Purchaser (or its Affiliates) of all or any
portion of the business or assets of Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
compel Purchaser to dispose of or hold separately all or any portion of the
business or assets of Purchaser or Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
(iii) restrain, enjoin, prevent, prohibit or make illegal, or impose
limitations on the ability of Purchaser to effectively to acquire, hold or
exercise full rights of ownership of the Shares, including the right to vote any
Shares acquired or owned by Purchaser (or its Affiliates) on all matters
properly presented to Company’s shareholders on an equal basis with all other
shareholders, (iv) require divestiture by Purchaser (or its Affiliates) of
any Shares; (v) result in a Company Material Adverse Effect; or (vi)
result, or is reasonably likely to result in any of the consequences referred to
in this paragraph (a)(any of the effects described in any of clause (i) through
(vi) hereof, an “Adverse Regulatory
Effect”); or
(b) Company
and Purchaser shall have reached an agreement that the Offer or the Agreement be
terminated, or the Agreement shall have been terminated in accordance with its
terms; or
(c) there
shall have occurred a Company Material Adverse Effect or (ii) any of the
representations and warranties of Company set forth in Section 2.2(a)
(Organization), Section 2.2(b)
(Capitalization); Section 2.2(c)(i) and
(ii) (Corporate
Authority); Section
2.2(t) (Brokers and Finders); and Section 2.2(w)
(Takeover Statute) shall not be true and correct in all material respects as of
the date of this Agreement and as of the Expiration Date as though made on and
as of such date; or (iii) any of the other representations and warranties of
Company set forth in the Agreement, when read without any exception or
qualification as to materiality or Company Material Adverse Effect, shall not be
true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Expiration Date
(except as to any such representation or warranty which speaks as of a specific
date, which must be untrue or incorrect as of such specific date) except in the
case of clause (iii) where the failure to be so true and correct does not,
individually or in the aggregate with all such failures, have a Company Material
Adverse Effect; or
(d) Company
shall have failed to perform in any material respect or to comply in any
material respect with any of its obligations, covenants or agreements under this
Agreement; or
(e) there
shall have occurred a Company Adverse Recommendation Change.
The
capitalized terms used in this Annex I shall have
the meanings set forth in the Agreement to which it is annexed, and “Final Order” shall
mean action by the relevant regulatory authority that has not been reversed,
stayed, enjoined, set aside, annulled or suspended, with respect to which any
waiting period prescribed by Law before the transactions contemplated hereby may
be consummated has expired, and as to which all conditions to the consummation
of such transactions prescribed by Law, regulation or order have been
satisfied.
Subject
to the terms of this Agreement, the foregoing conditions are for the sole
benefit of Purchaser and may be asserted by
Purchaser regardless of the circumstances (including any action or
inaction by Purchaser, other than action or inaction in breach of the Agreement)
giving rise to any such conditions and may be waived by Purchaser in whole or in
part at any time and from time to time, in each case except for the Minimum
Condition, in the sole discretion of Purchaser and subject to the terms of the
Agreement, and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, SRC, PSEC and
PSE. The failure by Purchaser at any time to exercise any of the foregoing
rights will not be deemed a waiver of any right, the waiver of such right with
respect to any particular facts or circumstances shall not be deemed a waiver
with respect to any other facts or circumstances, and each right will be deemed
an ongoing right which may be asserted at any time and from time to
time.
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