AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER by and among PACIFIC SYNDICATED RESOURCES, INC. ZNOMICS ACQUISITION, INC. and ZNOMICS, INC. November 5, 2007
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
by
and
among
ZNOMICS
ACQUISITION, INC.
and
ZNOMICS,
INC.
November
5, 2007
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Page
|
||
ARTICLE
I DEFINITIONS
|
1
|
|
Section
1.1
|
Definitions
|
1
|
ARTICLE
II THE MERGER
|
6
|
|
Section
2.1
|
Merger
|
6
|
Section
2.2
|
Effective
Time
|
6
|
Section
2.3
|
Certificate
of Incorporation
|
7
|
Section
2.4
|
Effects
of the Merger
|
7
|
Section
2.5
|
Closing
|
7
|
Section
2.6
|
Tax-Free
Merger
|
8
|
ARTICLE
III MERGER CONSIDERATION; CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE OF
SECURITIES
|
8
|
|
Section
3.1
|
Manner
and Basis of Converting and Exchanging Capital Stock
|
8
|
Section
3.2
|
Surrender
and Exchange of Certificates
|
8
|
Section
3.3
|
Options,
Warrants
|
10
|
Section
3.4
|
Parent
Common Stock
|
11
|
ARTICLE
IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
|
11
|
|
Section
4.1
|
Organization
|
11
|
Section
4.2
|
Authorization;
Validity of Agreement
|
12
|
Section
4.3
|
Capitalization
|
12
|
Section
4.4
|
Consents
and Approvals; No Violations
|
12
|
Section
4.5
|
Financial
Statements
|
13
|
Section
4.6
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
13
|
Section
4.7
|
Litigation
|
13
|
Section
4.8
|
No
Default; Compliance with Applicable Laws
|
13
|
Section
4.9
|
Broker’s
and Finder’s Fees
|
13
|
Section
4.10
|
Contracts
|
14
|
Section
4.11
|
Tax
Returns and Audits
|
14
|
Section
4.12
|
Patents
and Other Intangible Assets
|
15
|
Section
4.13
|
Employee
Benefit Plans; ERISA
|
15
|
Section
4.14
|
Title
to Property and Encumbrances
|
16
|
Section
4.15
|
Condition
of Properties
|
16
|
Section
4.16
|
Insurance
Coverage
|
16
|
Section
4.17
|
Environmental
Matters
|
16
|
Section
4.18
|
Disclosure
|
17
|
ARTICLE
V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND ACQUISITION
CORP
|
17
|
|
Section
5.1
|
Organization
|
17
|
ii
Section
5.2
|
Authorization;
Validity of Agreement
|
18
|
Section
5.3
|
Consents
and Approvals; No Violations
|
18
|
Section
5.4
|
Litigation
|
18
|
Section
5.5
|
No
Default; Compliance with Applicable Laws
|
19
|
Section
5.6
|
Broker’s
and Finder’s Fees; Broker/Dealer Ownership
|
19
|
Section
5.7
|
Capitalization
of Parent
|
19
|
Section
5.8
|
Acquisition
Corp
|
18
|
Section
5.9
|
Validity
of Shares
|
19
|
Section
5.10
|
SEC
Reporting and Compliance
|
20
|
Section
5.11
|
Financial
Statements
|
21
|
Section
5.12
|
No
General Solicitation
|
21
|
Section
5.13
|
Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities
|
20
|
Section
5.14
|
Changes
|
21
|
Section
5.15
|
Tax
Returns and Audits
|
22
|
Section
5.16
|
Employee
Benefit Plans; ERISA
|
22
|
Section
5.17
|
Interested
Party Transactions
|
23
|
Section
5.18
|
Questionable
Payments
|
23
|
Section
5.19
|
Obligations
to or by Stockholders
|
23
|
Section
5.20
|
Schedule
of Assets and Contracts
|
23
|
Section
5.21
|
Environmental
Matters
|
24
|
Section
5.22
|
Employees
|
25
|
Section
5.23
|
Title
to Property and Encumbrances
|
25
|
Section
5.24
|
Condition
of Properties
|
25
|
Section
5.25
|
Insurance
Coverage
|
25
|
Section
5.26
|
Disclosure
|
25
|
Section
5.27
|
No
Liabilities
|
25
|
ARTICLE
VI CONDUCT OF BUSINESSES PENDING THE MERGER
|
26
|
|
Section
6.1
|
Conduct
of Business by the Company Pending the Merger
|
26
|
Section
6.2
|
Conduct
of Business by Parent and Acquisition Corp
|
27
|
ARTICLE
VII ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
|
28
|
|
Section
7.1
|
Access
and Information
|
28
|
Section
7.2
|
Additional
Agreements
|
28
|
Section
7.3
|
Publicity
|
29
|
Section
7.4
|
Appointment
of Directors
|
29
|
Section
7.5
|
Name
Changes
|
29
|
Section
7.6
|
Stockholder
Consent
|
29
|
ARTICLE
VIII CONDITIONS OF PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS
|
30
|
|
Section
8.1
|
Company
Obligations
|
30
|
Section
8.2
|
Parent
and Acquisition Corp. Obligations
|
31
|
ARTICLE
IX INDEMNIFICATION AND RELATED MATTERS
|
33
|
|
Section
9.1
|
Indemnification
by Parent
|
33
|
Section
9.2
|
Survival
|
33
|
iii
Section
9.3
|
Time
Limitations
|
33
|
Section
9.4
|
Limitation
on Liability
|
33
|
Section
9.5
|
Notice
of Claims
|
34
|
ARTICLE
X TERMINATION PRIOR TO CLOSING
|
34
|
|
Section
10.1
|
Termination
of Agreement
|
34
|
Section
10.2
|
Termination
of Obligations
|
35
|
ARTICLE
XI MISCELLANEOUS
|
35
|
|
Section
11.1
|
Amendments
|
35
|
Section
11.2
|
Notices
|
35
|
Section
11.3
|
Entire
Agreement
|
36
|
Section
11.4
|
Expenses
|
36
|
Section
11.5
|
Severability
|
37
|
Section
11.6
|
Successors
and Assigns; Assignment
|
37
|
Section
11.7
|
No
Third Party Beneficiaries
|
37
|
Section
11.8
|
Counterparts;
Delivery by Facsimile
|
37
|
Section
11.9
|
Waiver
|
37
|
Section
11.10
|
No
Constructive Waivers
|
38
|
Section
11.11
|
Further
Assurances
|
38
|
Section
11.12
|
Recitals
|
38
|
Section
11.13
|
Headings
|
38
|
Section
11.14
|
Governing
Law
|
38
|
Section
11.15
|
Dispute
Resolution
|
38
|
Section
11.16
|
Interpretation
|
39
|
LIST
OF EXHIBITS
Exhibit
|
Description
|
Exhibit
A
|
Certificate
of Incorporation of Surviving Corporation
|
Exhibit
B
|
By-laws
of Surviving Corporation
|
Exhibit
C
|
Directors
of Parent Pre-Effective Time and Post-Effective Time
|
Exhibit
D
|
Certificate
of Incorporation of Parent
|
Exhibit
E
|
Bylaws
of Parent
|
iv
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
THIS
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER is entered into as of
November
5, 2007 by and among PACIFIC SYNDICATED RESOURCES, INC., a Nevada corporation
(“Parent”),
ZNOMICS ACQUISITION, INC., a Nevada corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary
of
Parent (“Acquisition
Corp.”),
and
ZNOMICS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).
W
I T
N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS,
the respective Boards of Directors of each of Parent, Acquisition Corp. and
the
Company have approved, and deem it advisable and in the best interests of their
respective stockholders to consummate, the acquisition of the Company by Parent,
which acquisition is to be effected by the merger of the Company with and into
the Acquisition Corp., with the Acquisition Corp. being the surviving entity
(the “Merger”),
upon
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement (as defined
herein);
WHEREAS,
the parties hereto intend that the Merger
shall
qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(A) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”),
by
reason of Section 368(a)(2)(E) of the Code; and
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements and covenants hereinafter
set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
Section
1.1 Definitions.
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have the following
meanings:
“Acquisition
Corp.”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in the preamble to this
Agreement.
“Acquisition
Proposal”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
6.2
hereof.
“Action”
shall
mean any claim, action, suit, proceeding, investigation or order.
“Affiliate”
shall
mean, with respect to any Person, any Person directly or indirectly controlling,
controlled by or under common control with, such Person. For the purposes of
this definition, “control”
(including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlling,”
“controlled
by”
and
“under
common control with”)
means
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of management and policies of such Person through the ownership of
voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Agreement”
shall
mean this Agreement and Plan of Merger, including the exhibits attached hereto
or referred to herein, as the same may be amended or modified from time to
time
in accordance with the provisions hereof.
“Balance
Sheet”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
4.5
hereof.
“Balance
Sheet Date”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
4.5
hereof.
“By-laws”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.3(b)
hereof.
“Certificate
of Incorporation”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.3(a)
hereof.
“Closing”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.5
hereof.
“Closing
Date”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.5
hereof.
“Code”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in the second recital to this
Agreement.
“Commission”
shall
mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Company”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in the preamble to this
Agreement.
“Company
Capital Stock”
shall
mean, collectively, the Company Common Stock and the Company Preferred Stock,
if
any.
“Company
Common Stock”
shall
mean the common stock, par value $0.01, of the Company.
“Company
Material Adverse Effect”
shall
mean any change, effect or circumstance that is materially adverse or is
reasonably likely to be materially adverse to the business, assets, liabilities,
condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than any such change, effect or
circumstance relating to general economic, regulatory or political conditions,
except to the extent such change, effect or circumstance disproportionately
affects the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
“Company
Preferred Stock”
shall
mean, collectively, all Preferred Stock, if any, issued or issuable by the
Company.
“Company
Stock Options”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
3.3(a)
hereof.
“Contract”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
4.4
hereof.
“Consents”
shall
mean any permits, filings, notices, licenses, consents, authorizations,
accreditation, waivers, approvals and the like of, to, with or by any
Person.
“DGCL”
means
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
“Determination
Date”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
9.6
hereof.
“Dissenting
Shares”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
3.2(d)
hereof.
“Effective
Time”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.2 hereof.
2
“Employee
Benefit Plans”
shall
have the meaning assigned to it in Section
4.13
hereof.
“Environmental
Law”
shall
mean the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act,
42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 et seq.; the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 11001 et seq.; the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq.; the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. §§
2601 et seq.; the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, 7 U.S.C.
§§ 136 et seq. and comparable state statutes dealing with the registration,
labeling and use of pesticides and herbicides; the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C.
§§
7401 et seq.; the Clean Water Act (Federal Water Pollution Control Act), 33
U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300f et seq.;
and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. §§ 1801 et seq., as
any of the above referenced statutes have been amended as of the date hereof,
all rules, regulations and policies promulgated pursuant to any of the above
referenced statutes, and any other foreign, federal, state or local law,
statute, ordinance, rule, regulation or policy governing environmental matters,
as the same have been amended as of the date hereof.
“ERISA”
shall
mean the Employee Retirement Income Securities Act of 1974, as amended, and
the
regulations issued thereunder.
“Exchange
Act”
shall
mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations issued thereunder.
“Fair
Market Value”
shall
mean, with respect to a share of Common Stock on any Determination Date, the
average of the daily closing prices for the 10 consecutive business days prior
to such date. The closing price for each day shall be the last sales price
or in
case no sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing high bid and
low asked prices, in either case (a) as officially quoted on the OTC Bulletin
Board, the NASDAQ Stock Market or such other market on which the Common Stock
is
then listed for trading or quoted, or (b) if, in the reasonable judgment of
the
Board of Directors of Parent, the OTC Bulletin Board or the NASDAQ Stock Market
is no longer the principal United States market for the Common Stock, then
as
quoted on the principal United States market for the Common Stock as determined
by the Board of Directors of Parent, or (c) if, in the reasonable judgment
of
the Board of Directors of the Parent, there exists no principal United States
market for the Common Stock, then as reasonably determined in good faith by
the
Board of Directors of Parent.
“Federal
Securities Laws”
means
the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
“GAAP”
shall
mean generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time
in
the United States consistently applied.
“Hazardous
Material”
means
any substance or material meeting any one or more of the following criteria:
(a)
it is or contains a substance designated as or meeting the characteristics
of a
hazardous waste, hazardous substance, hazardous material, pollutant, chemical
substance or mixture, contaminant or toxic substance under any Environmental
Law; (b) its presence at some quantity requires investigation, notification
or
remediation under any Environmental Law; (c) it contains, without limiting
the
foregoing, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, petroleum
3
hydrocarbons,
petroleum derived substances or waste, pesticides, herbicides, crude oil
or any
fraction thereof, nuclear fuel, natural gas or synthetic gas; or (d)
mold.
“Incentive
Plans”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
3.3(d)
hereof.
“Indebtedness”
shall
mean any obligation of the Company that under GAAP is required to be shown
on
the Balance Sheet of the Company as a Liability. Any obligation secured by
a
Lien on, or payable out of the proceeds of production from, property of the
Company shall be deemed to be Indebtedness even though such obligation is not
assumed by the Company.
“Indebtedness
for Borrowed Money”
shall
mean (a) all Indebtedness in respect of money borrowed including, without
limitation, Indebtedness which represents the unpaid amount of the purchase
price of any property and is incurred in lieu of borrowing money or using
available funds to pay such amounts and not constituting an account payable
or
expense accrual incurred or assumed in the ordinary course of business of the
Company, (b) all Indebtedness evidenced by a promissory note, bond or similar
written obligation to pay money, or (c) all such Indebtedness guaranteed by
the
Company or for which the Company is otherwise contingently liable.
“Information
Statement”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
7.7
hereof.
“Intellectual
Property”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
4.12(b)
hereof.
“Investment
Company Act”
shall
mean the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
“Letter
of Transmittal”
shall
have the meaning assigned to it in Section
3.2
hereof.
“Liability”
shall
mean any and all liability, debt, obligation, deficiency, Tax, penalty, fine,
claim, cause of action or other loss, cost or expense of any kind or nature
whatsoever, whether asserted or unasserted, absolute or contingent, accrued
or
unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated, and whether due or to become due and
regardless of when asserted.
“Lien”
shall
mean any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien or charge of
any
kind, including, without limitation, any conditional sale or other title
retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof and the filing of or
agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code
of
any jurisdiction and including any lien or charge arising by statute or other
law.
“Merger”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in the second recital to this
Agreement.
“NRS”
shall
mean the Nevada Revised Statutes, as amended.
“Offering”
shall
mean the issuance of not less than 2,333,334 shares of Parent Common Stock
(aggregate value not less than $3,500,000) pursuant to a private placement
offering to be closed concurrently with the Effective Time.
“Parent”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in the preamble to this
Agreement.
4
“Parent
Balance Sheet”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.13
hereof.
“Parent
Balance Sheet Date”
shall
have the meaning assigned to it in Section
5.13
hereof.
“Parent
Common Stock”
shall
mean the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Parent.
“Parent
Employee Benefit Plans”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.16
hereof.
“Parent
Financial Statements”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.10
hereof.
“Parent
Material Adverse Effect”
means
any change, effect or circumstance that is materially adverse or is reasonably
likely to be materially adverse to the business, assets, liabilities, condition
(financial or otherwise) or operations of Parent and its subsidiaries, taken
as
a whole, other than any such change, effect or circumstance relating to general
economic, regulatory or political conditions, except to the extent such change,
effect or circumstance disproportionately affects Parent and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole.
“Parent
Preferred Stock”
shall
mean the preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Parent.
“Parent
SEC Documents”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.9
hereof.
“Permitted
Liens”
shall
mean (a) Liens for taxes and assessments or governmental charges or levies
not
at the time due or in respect of which the validity thereof shall currently
be
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; (b) Liens in respect of
pledges or deposits under workmen’s compensation laws or similar legislation,
carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, laborers’ and materialmens’ and similar
Liens, if the obligations secured by such Liens are not then delinquent or
are
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; and (c) Liens
incidental to the conduct of the business of the Company that were not incurred
in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances or
credits and which do not in the aggregate materially detract from the value
of
its property or materially impair the use made thereof by the Company in its
business.
“Parent
Stockholder Consent”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.6 hereof.
“Person”
shall
mean any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other entity or organization, including any government or
political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.
“Securities
Act”
shall
mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
issued thereunder.
5
“Stock
Dividend”
means
the dividend to be issued by the Company immediately prior to the Effective
Time
of 1.44 shares of Company Common Stock per issued and outstanding share of
Company Common Stock (including all shares of Company Common Stock issued upon
conversion of Company Preferred Stock immediately prior to the Effective
Time).
“Stockholder”
shall
mean any record holder of Company Capital Stock.
“Surviving
Corporation”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.1
hereof.
“Tax”
or
“Taxes”
shall
mean (a) any and all taxes, assessments, customs, duties, levies, fees, tariffs,
imposts, deficiencies and other governmental charges of any kind whatsoever
(including, but not limited to, taxes on or with respect to net or gross income,
franchise, profits, gross receipts, capital, sales, use, ad valorem, value
added, transfer, real property transfer, transfer gains, transfer taxes,
inventory, capital stock, license, payroll, employment, social security,
unemployment, severance, occupation, real or personal property, estimated taxes,
rent, excise, occupancy, recordation, bulk transfer, intangibles, alternative
minimum, doing business, withholding and stamp), together with any interest
thereon, penalties, fines, damages costs, fees, additions to tax or additional
amounts with respect thereto, imposed by the United States (federal, state
or
local) or other applicable jurisdiction; (b) any liability for the payment
of
any amounts described in clause (a) as a result of being a member of an
affiliated, consolidated, combined, unitary or similar group or as a result
of
transferor or successor liability, including, without limitation, by reason
of
Code Section 1.1502-6; and (c) any liability for the payments of any amounts
as
a result of being a party to any Tax Sharing Agreement or as a result of any
express or implied obligation to indemnify any other Person with respect to
the
payment of any amounts of the type described in either clauses (a) or
(b).
“Tax
Return”
shall
include all returns and reports (including elections, declarations, disclosures,
schedules, estimates and information returns (including Form 1099 and
partnership returns filed on Form 1065)) required to be supplied to a Tax
authority relating to Taxes.
“Tax
Sharing Agreements”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
4.15
hereof.
ARTICLE
II
THE
MERGER
Section
2.1 Merger.
Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, at the Effective
Time, the Company shall be merged with and into Acquisition
Corp. in
accordance with the Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”).
Following the Effective Time, the separate corporate existence of the Company
shall cease, and Acquisition Corp. shall continue as the corporation surviving
the Merger (sometimes hereinafter referred to as the “Surviving
Corporation”).
Section
2.2 Effective
Time.
The
Parent, the Company and Acquisition Corp. shall cause a certificate of merger
to
be filed on the Closing Date (or on such other date as the Company and Parent
may agree in writing) with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada as
provided in the NRS and the Secretary of the State of Delaware as provided
in
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”),
and
shall make all other filings or recordings required by the NRS or DGCL in
connection with the Merger. The Merger shall
6
become
effective at such time as the certificate of merger is duly filed in accordance
with the NRS and the Secretary of State of Nevada or such later time as
specified in the certificate of merger, and such time is hereinafter referred
to
as the “Effective
Time.”
Section
2.3 Certificate
of Incorporation; By-laws; Directors and Officers.
(a) The
certificate of incorporation of Acquisition Corp. as in effect immediately
prior
to the Effective Time, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit
A
hereto,
shall be the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation (the
“Certificate
of Incorporation”)
from
and after the Effective Time until thereafter changed or amended as provide
therein or in accordance with applicable law.
(b) The
by-laws of Acquisition Corp. as in effect immediately prior to the Effective
Time, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit
B
hereto,
shall be the by-laws of the Surviving Corporation (the “By-laws”)
from
and after the Effective Time until thereafter changed or amended as provided
therein or in accordance with applicable law.
(c) One or
more of the directors
of the Company immediately prior
to the
Effective Time shall be the initial directors of the
Surviving Corporation and shall hold office from
the Effective Time until their
respective successors
have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their earlier death,
resignation or removal in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation
and
By-laws. The officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall
be the initial officers of the Surviving Corporation and shall hold office from the Effective Time
until
their respective
successors have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their
earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the Certificate of
Incorporation and By-laws.
(d) At
the
Effective Time as contemplated by Section 2.2 hereof, the officers and directors
of the Parent designated on Exhibit
C
hereto
shall resign, to be replaced by the officers and directors designated on
Exhibit
C
hereto,
who shall immediately take such offices or who shall take such offices upon
compliance with the Federal Securities Laws, as the case may be. The appointment
of new directors in accordance with the terms of this Section 2.3(d) shall
be
accomplished through the filling of vacancies in the Board of Directors of
the
Parent in compliance with the applicable provisions of the NRS and the by-laws
of the Parent and without the vote (by written consent or otherwise) of the
shareholders of the Parent.
Section
2.4 Effects
of the Merger.
The
Merger shall have the effects set forth in the NRS. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, at the Effective Time, except as otherwise provided
herein, all of the property, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of the
Company and Acquisition Corp. shall vest in the Surviving Corporation, and
all
debts, liabilities and duties of the Company and Acquisition Corp. shall become
the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Corporation. The Company
acknowledges that, from and after the Effective Time, Parent shall have the
absolute and unqualified right to deal with the assets and business of the
Surviving Corporation as its own property without limitation on the disposition
or use of such assets or the conduct of such business.
Section
2.5 Closing.
The
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
the
Merger (the “Closing”),
shall
take place: (a) at the offices of Cane
7
Xxxxx
LLP, 0000 X. Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xx., Xxx Xxxxx, XX at 10:00 a.m. local time on
the
date on which all of the conditions to the Closing set forth in Article
VIII
hereof
shall be fulfilled or waived in accordance with this Agreement (other than
conditions that can be satisfied only at the Closing, but subject to the
fulfillment or waiver of those conditions at the Closing); or (b) at such
other
place, time and date as the Company and Parent may agree in writing (the
“Closing
Date”).
Section
2.6 Tax-Free
Merger.
The
parties hereto intend that the Merger will be treated as a tax-free
reorganization under Section 368 of the Code.
ARTICLE
III
MERGER
CONSIDERATION; CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES
Section
3.1 Manner
and Basis of Converting and
Exchanging
Capital Stock.
At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of
the Company, Parent or Acquisition Corp. or the holders of any outstanding
shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company, Parent or
Acquisition Corp.:
(a) Acquisition
Corp. Stock.
Each
share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Acquisition Corp. issued
and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted
into
and become one validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable share of capital
stock, no par value per share, of the Surviving Corporation, such that Parent
shall be the holder of all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital
stock
of the Surviving Corporation following the Merger.
(b) Company
Common Stock.
Each
share of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time (including (x) all shares of Company Common Stock issued upon
conversion of all Company Preferred Stock immediately prior to the Effective
Time, and (y) all shares of Company Common Stock issued in connection with
the
Stock Dividend) shall be exchanged for the right to receive one (1) share of
Parent Common Stock.
(c) Treasury
Stock.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, each share
of
Company Capital Stock held in the treasury of the Company and each share of
Company Capital Stock, if any, owned by Parent or any direct or indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time shall
be canceled in the Merger and shall not be converted or exchanged into the
right
to receive any shares of capital stock or other securities of
Parent.
(d) No
Fractional Shares.
No
fractional shares of Parent Common Stock shall be issued in, or as a result
of,
the Merger. Any fractional shares of Parent Common Stock that a holder of record
of Company Capital Stock would otherwise be entitled to receive as a result
of
the Merger shall be aggregated. If a fractional share of Parent Common Stock
results from such aggregation, the number of shares required to be issued to
such record holder shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number of shares
of
Parent Common Stock.
Section
3.2 Surrender
and Exchange of Certificates.
(a) Letter
of Transmittal.
Promptly after the Effective Time, Parent shall mail, or cause to be mailed,
to
each record holder of certificate(s) formerly representing
8
ownership
of Company Capital Stock that was converted into the right to receive Parent
Common Stock pursuant to Section
3.1
hereof
(i) a letter of transmittal (“Letter
of Transmittal”)
for
delivery of such certificate(s) to Parent and (ii) instruction for use in
effecting the surrender of certificate(s), in each case in form and substance
mutually agreeable to the Company and Parent. Delivery shall be effected,
and
risk of loss and title to the Parent Common Stock shall pass, only upon delivery
to the Parent (or a duly authorized agent of Parent) of certificate(s) formerly
representing ownership of Company Capital Stock (or an affidavit of lost
certificate and indemnification or surety bond) and a properly completed
and
duly executed Letter of Transmittal, as described in Section
3.2(b)
hereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent shall not be required to mail, or cause
to
be mailed, a Letter of Transmittal to any record holder of certificate(s)
formerly representing ownership of Company Capital Stock if such holder has
previously agreed or consented to the exchange of certificates that are held
in
custody by the Company for the benefit of such holder.
(b) Exchange
Procedures.
Parent
shall issue to each former record holder of Company Capital Stock, upon delivery
to Parent (or a duly authorized agent of Parent) of (i) certificate(s) formerly
representing ownership of Company Capital Stock endorsed in blank or accompanied
by duly executed stock powers (or an affidavit of lost certificate and
indemnification in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Parent stating
that, among other things, the former record holder has lost his or her
certificate(s) or that such certificate(s) have been destroyed) and (ii) a
properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Parent, a certificate or certificates registered
in
the name of such former record holder representing the number of shares of
Parent Common Stock that such former record holder is entitled to receive in
accordance with Section
3.1
hereof.
Subject to Section
3.2(d)
hereof,
until the certificate(s) (or affidavit) is delivered together with the Letter
of
Transmittal in the manner contemplated by this Section
3.2(b),
each
certificate (or affidavit) previously representing ownership of Company Capital
Stock shall be deemed at and after the Effective Time to represent only the
right to receive Parent Common Stock and the former record holders thereof
shall
cease to have any other rights with respect to his or her Company Capital
Stock.
(c) Termination
of Exchange Process.
Any
Parent Common Stock that remains unclaimed by a former record holder of Company
Capital Stock at the first anniversary of the Effective Time may be deemed
“abandoned property” subject to applicable abandoned property, escheat and other
similar laws in the State in which the former record holder resides. None of
the
Company, Parent, Acquisition Corp. or the Surviving Corporation shall be liable
to any person in respect of any Parent Company Stock delivered to a public
official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar
law.
(d) Dissenting
Shares.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, shares of
Company Capital Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time and held by a Stockholder who has not voted in favor of the Merger or
consented thereto in writing and who has demanded appraisal for such shares
of
Company Capital Stock in accordance with the DGCL (“Dissenting
Shares”)
shall
not be entitled to vote for any purpose or receive dividends, shall not be
converted into the right to receive Parent Common Stock in accordance with
Section
3.1
hereof,
and shall only be entitled to receive such consideration as shall be determined
pursuant to the DGCL; provided,
however,
that
if, after the Effective Time, such Stockholder fails to perfect or withdraws
or
loses his or her right to appraisal or otherwise
9
fails
to
establish the right to be paid the value of such Stockholder’s shares of Company
Capital Stock under the DGCL, such shares of Company Capital Stock shall
be
treated as if they had converted as of the Effective Time into the right
to
receive Parent Common Stock in accordance with Section
3.1
hereof,
and such shares of Company Capital Stock shall no longer be Dissenting Shares.
All negotiations with respect to payment for Dissenting Shares shall be handled
jointly by Parent and the Company prior to the Closing and exclusively by
Parent
thereafter. In
the
event that one percent (1%) or more of the outstanding shares of the Company
are
Dissenting Shares, the Parent has the sole discretion to terminate this
Agreement, which shall forthwith become void and of no further force and
effect
and the parties hereto shall be released from any and all obligations hereunder;
provided, however, that nothing herein shall relieve any party hereto from
liability for the breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants
or
agreements set forth in this Agreement.
(e) Stock
Transfer Books.
At the
Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the Company will be closed and
there
will be no further registration of transfers of shares of Company Capital Stock
thereafter on the records of the Company. If, after the Effective Time,
certificates formerly representing Company Capital Stock are presented to the
Surviving Corporation, these certificates shall be canceled and exchanged for
the number of shares of Parent Common Stock to which the former record holder
may be entitled pursuant to Section
3.1
hereof.
(f) Further Rights in Company Stock.
All shares of Parent Common Stock issued
upon exchange of shares of Company Capital Stock in accordance with the terms hereof
shall be deemed to have been issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such shares of
Company Capital Stock.
Section
3.3 Options,
Warrants.
(a) As
of the
Effective Time, all options to purchase Company Common Stock issued by
the Company, whether vested or unvested, (the “Old
Options”)
shall
be automatically converted to become options to purchase shares of Parent Common
Stock (“Parent
Options”)
without further action by the holder thereof, all in accordance with the
applicable provisions of the Company’s currently effective incentive
stock option plan (the “Option Plan”). Each Parent Option shall constitute an
option to acquire the same number of shares of Parent Common Stock as
is equal to the number of Company Common Stock subject to the unexercised
portion of the Old Options (as adjusted for the Stock Dividend) (with any
fraction resulting from such multiplication to be rounded down to the nearest
whole number [share]). The exercise price per share of each Parent Option
shall be the same as the current exercise price of such Old Option as
adjusted pursuant to the Stock Dividend (with any fraction resulting from such
multiplication to be rounded up to the nearest whole cent). Upon
conversion, each Parent Option shall be subject to the same terms and conditions
applicable to the corresponding Old Option immediately prior to the conversion
thereof including, without limitation, exercisability, vesting schedule, and
status as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code, if
applicable, and the Parent shall assume and adopt the Option Plan. It is the
Parties intention that any Old Options intended to be “incentive stock options”
under Section 422 of the Code shall remain incentive stock options as Parent
Options. The Old Options shall be converted in accordance with the applicable
requirements of Section 409A and Section 424 of the Code and the regulations
promulgated thereunder so that the conversion will
10
not
be
treated as a new grant or modification under Section 409A of the Code, and
the
regulations thereunder, and will qualify as a substitution or assumption
under
Section 424 of the Code, and the regulations thereunder. As soon as practicable
after the Effective Time, Parent shall deliver to the holders of Old Options,
notices describing the conversion of such Old Options, and the agreements
evidencing the Old Options shall continue in effect on the same terms and
conditions. Prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall reserve for issuance
the
number of shares of Parent Common Stock necessary to satisfy Parent’s
obligations hereunder.
(b) As
of the
Effective Time, all warrants to purchase Company Common Stock issued by the
Company, whether vested or unvested, (the “Old
Warrant”
and
together with the Old Options, the “Old
Securities”)
shall
be automatically converted to become warrants to purchase shares of Parent
Common Stock (“Parent
Warrant”)
without further action by the holder thereof, all in accordance with the
applicable provisions of the Old Warrant. The Parent Warrant shall
constitute a warrant to acquire the same number of shares of Parent Common
Stock
as is equal to the number of Company Common Stock subject to the unexercised
portion of the Old Warrant (as adjusted for the Stock Dividend) (with any
fraction resulting from such multiplication to be rounded down to the nearest
whole number). The strike price per share of each Parent Warrant shall be the
same as the current strike price of such Old Warrant as adjusted pursuant to
the
Stock Dividend.
(c) As
soon
as practicable after the Effective Time, the Parent or the Surviving Corporation
shall take appropriate actions to collect the Old Securities and the agreements
evidencing the Old Securities, which shall be deemed to be canceled and shall
entitle the holder to exchange the Old Securities for Parent Options and Parent
Warrants in the Parent.
(d) The
Parent shall take all corporate action necessary to reserve for issuance a
sufficient number of shares of Parent Common Stock for delivery upon exercise
of
the Parent Options and Parent Warrants to be issued for Old Securities in
accordance with this Section 3.3.
Section
3.4 Parent
Common Stock.
Parent
shall reserve a sufficient number of shares of Parent Common Stock to complete
the conversion and exchange of Company Capital Stock into Parent Common Stock
contemplated by Sections
3.1
and
3.2
hereof,
and the issuance of any Parent Common Stock underlying options and warrants,
notes or other rights to acquire Parent Common Stock in accordance with
Section
3.3
hereof.
Parent covenants and agrees that immediately prior to the Effective Time there
will be 6,809,450 shares of Parent Common Stock issued and outstanding, and
that
no other common or preferred stock or equity securities of the Parent, or any
options, warrants, rights or other agreements or instruments convertible,
exchangeable or exercisable into common or preferred stock or equity securities
of the Parent, shall be issued or outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The
Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent as follows:
Section
4.1 Organization.
The
Company (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing (or its
equivalent) under the laws of the State of Delaware, (ii) has all licenses,
permits, authorizations and other Consents necessary to own, lease and operate
its properties and
11
assets
and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and (iii) has all
requisite corporate or other applicable power and authority to own, lease
and
operate its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now
being conducted and presently proposed to be conducted, except where such
failure would not have, or be reasonably likely to have, a Company Material
Adverse Effect. The Company is duly qualified or authorized to conduct business
and is in good standing (or its equivalent) as a foreign corporation or other
entity in all jurisdictions in which the ownership or use of its assets or
nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification or authorization
necessary, except where the failure to be so duly qualified, authorized and
in
good standing would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.2 Authorization;
Validity of Agreement.
The
Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The
execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized
by the Board of Directors of the Company and no other action (except the
approval of the requisite Stockholders solely with respect to consummation
of
the Merger) on the part of the Company or any of its Stockholders or
subsidiaries is necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming
due
and valid authorization, execution and delivery hereof by Parent and Acquisition
Corp.) is a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against
the
Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement is limited
by
bankruptcy, insolvency and other similar laws affecting the enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity.
Section
4.3 Capitalization.
After
conversion of all Company Preferred Stock and the Stock Dividend, as of the
Effective Date the authorized capital stock of the Company shall consist of
5,574,182 shares of Company Common Stock and 0 shares of the Company Preferred
Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has received a cash advance from
a prospective investor in the aggregate principal amount of $250,000, all of
which will be converted into 166,667 shares of Company Common Stock at the
Effective Time. After adjustment for the Stock Dividend, as of the Effective
Date the Company will have Old Options outstanding to purchase 672,346 shares
of
Company Common Stock. After adjustment for the Stock Dividend, as of the
Effective Date the Company will have Old Warrants outstanding to purchase
293,626 shares of Company Common Stock.
All the
outstanding shares of Company Capital Stock are duly authorized, validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable.
Section
4.4 Consents
and Approvals; No Violations.
Except
for (a) approval of the Merger by the requisite Stockholders and (b) filing
of
the certificate of merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware,
neither the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by the Company
nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) violate
any provision of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws; (ii) violate,
conflict with or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute a default
(or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute
a
default) under, require the consent of or result in the creation of any
encumbrance upon any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
under any material note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, license,
franchise, permit, lease, contract, agreement or other instrument (collectively,
“Contract”)
to
which the Company or any its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties
may be bound; (iii) require any Consent, approval or authorization of, or notice
to, or declaration, filing or registration with,
12
any
governmental entity by or with respect to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries; or (iv) violate any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree,
law, statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets; except, in
the
cases of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), any such violations, conflicts, breaches,
defaults or encumbrances, or any failure to receive any such Consent, approval
or authorization, or to make any such notice, declaration, filing or
registration as will not result in, or could reasonably be expected to result
in, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.5 Financial
Statements.
The
Company has delivered or made available as of the date hereof or shall, prior
to
the Closing Date, deliver or make available to Parent the audited balance sheets
of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 (the “Balance
Sheet Date”)
and an
unaudited balance sheet, statement of operation, and cash flow analysis (with
footnotes, for the six month period ended June 30, 2007 and the related
consolidated and consolidating statements of income, stockholders’ equity and
cash flows of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 and the
six month period ended June 30, 2007. The foregoing financial statements
(including any notes thereto) (i) have been prepared based upon the books and
records of the Company, (ii) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except
as otherwise noted therein), and (iii) present fairly, in all material respects,
the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company
as
at their respective dates and for the periods then ended. To the knowledge
of
the Company, since the Balance Sheet Date, no fact or condition exists that
has
not been disclosed to Parent that has had or could reasonably be expected to
have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.6 No
Undisclosed Liabilities.
As of
the date hereof, except (a) for Liabilities reflected on the face of the balance
sheet for the nine month period ended September 30, 2007 (the “Balance
Sheet”)
and
(b) Liabilities of the same type, magnitude and scope as those reflected on
the
Balance Sheet which have arisen since the Balance Sheet Date in the ordinary
course of business, and which would not, in the aggregate, result in a Company
Material Adverse Effect, the Company does not have any Liability.
Section
4.7 Litigation.
There
is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, involving
the Company or its subsidiaries or affecting any of the officers, directors
or
employees of the Company or its subsidiaries with respect to the Company’s or
any subsidiary’s business by or before any governmental entity or by any third
party that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Company Material
Adverse Effect and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have received
written notice that any such Action is threatened. Neither the Company nor
any
of its subsidiaries is in default under any judgment, order or decree of any
governmental entity applicable to its business, which default could reasonably
be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.8 No
Default; Compliance with Applicable Laws.
The
Company is not in default or violation of any material term, condition or
provision of (i) its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or (ii) to the
Company’s knowledge, any law applicable to the Company or its property and
assets, and the Company has not received written notice of any violation of
or
Liability under any of the foregoing (whether material or not).
Section
4.9 Broker’s
and Finder’s Fees.
To the
knowledge of the Company, no Person has, or as a result of the transactions
contemplated or described herein will have, any right or
13
valid
claim against the Company for any commission, fee or other compensation as
a
finder or broker, or in any similar capacity.
Section
4.10 Contracts.
(a) The
Company is not in violation or breach of any material contract, except such
violations that, in the aggregate, would not result in, or would not reasonably
be expected to result in, a Company Material Adverse Effect. There does not
exist any event or condition that, after notice or lapse of time or both, would
constitute an event of default or breach under any material Contract on the
part
of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto
or
would permit the modification, cancellation or termination of any material
Contract or result in the creation of any lien upon, or any person acquiring
any
right to acquire, any assets of the Company, other than any events or conditions
that, in the aggregate would not result in, or would not reasonably be expected
to result in, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not received
in
writing any claim or threat that the Company has breached any of the terms
and
conditions of any material Contract, other than any material Contracts the
breach of which, in the aggregate, would not result in, or would not reasonably
be expected to result in, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The
consent of, or the delivery of notice to or filing with, any party to a material
Contract is not required for the execution and delivery by the Company of this
Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated under the
Agreement.. The
Company has made available to Parent and Acquisition Corp. true and complete
copies of all Contracts and other documents requested by Parent or Acquisition
Corp.
Section
4.11 Tax
Returns and Audits.
All
required federal, state and local Tax Returns of the Company have been
accurately prepared and duly and timely filed, and all federal, state and local
Taxes required to be paid with respect to the periods covered by such returns
have been paid. The Company is not and has not been delinquent in the payment
of
any Tax. The Company has not had a Tax deficiency proposed or assessed against
it and has not executed a waiver of any statute of limitations on the assessment
or collection of any Tax. None of the Company’s federal income Tax Returns nor
any state or local income or franchise Tax Returns has been audited by
governmental authorities. The reserves for Taxes reflected on the Balance Sheet
are and will be sufficient for the payment of all unpaid Taxes payable by the
Company as of the Balance Sheet Date. Since the Balance Sheet Date, the Company
has made adequate provisions on its books of account for all Taxes with respect
to its business, properties and operations for such period. The Company has
withheld or collected from each payment made to each of its employees the amount
of all Taxes (including, but not limited to, federal, state and local income
taxes, Federal Insurance Contribution Act taxes and Federal Unemployment Tax
Act
taxes) required to be withheld or collected therefrom, and has paid the same
to
the proper Tax receiving officers or authorized depositaries. There are no
federal, state, local or foreign audits, actions, suits, proceedings,
investigations, claims or administrative proceedings relating to Taxes or any
Tax Returns of the Company now pending, and the Company has not received any
notice of any proposed audits, investigations, claims or administrative
proceedings relating to Taxes or any Tax Returns. The Company is not obligated
to make a payment, nor is it a party to any agreement that under certain
circumstances could obligate it to make a payment, that would not be deductible
under Section 280G of the Code. The Company has not agreed nor is required
to
make any adjustments under Section 481(a) of the Code (or any similar provision
of
14
state,
local and foreign law) by reason of a change in accounting method or otherwise
for any Tax period for which the applicable statute of limitations has not
yet
expired. The Company is not a party to, is not bound by and does not have
any
obligation under, any Tax sharing agreement, Tax indemnification agreement
or
similar contract or arrangement, whether written or unwritten (collectively,
“Tax
Sharing Agreements”),
nor
does it have any potential liability or obligation to any Person as a result
of,
or pursuant to, any Tax Sharing Agreements.
Section
4.12 Patents
and Other Intangible Assets.
(a) To
the
knowledge of the Company, the Company (i) owns or has the right to use, pursuant
to a valid
license, sublicense, agreement, or permission,
free and
clear of all Liens, all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names,
copyrights, licenses and rights with respect to the foregoing used in or
necessary for the conduct of its business as now conducted or proposed to be
conducted without infringing upon
or
otherwise acting adversely to the right or claimed right of any Person under
or
with respect to any of the foregoing.
(b) To
the
knowledge of the Company, the Company owns and has the right to use all trade
secrets, if any, including know-how, negative know-how, formulas, patterns,
programs, devices, methods, techniques, inventions, designs, processes, computer
programs and technical data and all information that derives independent
economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known or known
by
competitors (collectively, “Intellectual
Property”)
required for or incident to the development, operation and sale of all products
and services sold by the Company, free and clear of any right, Lien or claim
of
others. All Intellectual Property can and will be transferred by the Company
to
the Surviving Corporation as a result of the Merger and without the consent
of
any Person other than the Company.
Section
4.13 Employee
Benefit Plans; ERISA.
(a) All
“employee benefit plans” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the ERISA) of
the Company and other employee
benefit
or fringe benefit arrangements, practices, contracts, policies or programs
of
every type, other than programs merely involving the regular payment of wages,
commissions, or bonuses established, maintained or contributed to by the
Company, whether written or unwritten and whether or not funded, are
in
material compliance with the applicable requirements of ERISA, the Code and
any
other applicable state, federal or foreign law.
(b) There
are
no pending claims or lawsuits that have been asserted or instituted against
any
Employee Benefit Plan, the assets of any of the trusts or funds under the
Employee Benefit Plans, the plan sponsor or the plan administrator of any of
the
Employee Benefit Plans or against any fiduciary of an Employee Benefit Plan
with
respect to the operation of such plan, nor does the Company have any knowledge
of any incident, transaction, occurrence or circumstance which might reasonably
be expected to form the basis of any such claim or lawsuit.
(c) There
is
no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened investigation, or
pending or possible enforcement action by the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation, the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service or any other
government agency with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan and the Company
has
no knowledge of any
15
incident,
transaction, occurrence or circumstance which might reasonably be expected
to
trigger such an investigation or enforcement action.
(d) No
actual
or, to the knowledge of the Company, contingent Liability exists with respect
to
the funding of any Employee Benefit Plan or for any other expense or obligation
of any Employee Benefit Plan, except as disclosed on the Balance Sheet, and
no
contingent Liability exists under ERISA with respect to any “multi-employer
plan,” as defined in Section 3(37) or Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
(e) No
events
have occurred or are reasonably expected to occur with respect to any Employee
Benefit Plan that would cause a material change in the costs of providing
benefits under such Employee Benefit Plan or would cause a material change
in
the cost of providing such Employee Benefit Plan.
Section
4.14 Title
to Property and Encumbrances.
The
Company has good and valid title to all properties and assets used in the
conduct of its business (except for property held under valid and subsisting
leases which are in full force and effect and which are not in default) free
of
all Liens except Permitted Liens and such ordinary and customary imperfections
of title, restrictions and encumbrances as do not in the aggregate constitute
a
Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.15 Condition
of Properties.
All
facilities, machinery, equipment, fixtures and other properties owned, leased
or
used by the Company are in operating condition, subject to ordinary wear and
tear, and are adequate and sufficient for the Company’s existing
business.
Section
4.16 Insurance
Coverage.
There
is in full force and effect one or more policies of insurance issued by insurers
of recognized responsibility insuring the Company and its properties, products
and business against such losses and risks, and in such amounts, as are
customary for corporations of established reputation engaged in the same or
similar business and similarly situated. The Company has not been refused any
insurance coverage sought or applied for, and the Company has no reason to
believe that it will be unable to renew its existing insurance coverage as
and
when the same shall expire upon terms at least as favorable to those currently
in effect, other than possible increases in premiums that do not result from
any
act or omission of the Company. No suit, proceeding or action or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threat of suit, proceeding or action has been asserted
or made against the Company due to alleged bodily injury, disease, medical
condition, death or property damage arising out of the function or malfunction
of a product, procedure or service designed, manufactured, sold or distributed
by the Company.
Section
4.17 Environmental
Matters.
(a) To
the
knowledge of the Company, the Company has never generated, used, handled,
treated, released, stored or disposed of any Hazardous Materials on any real
property on which it now has or previously had any leasehold or ownership
interest, except in compliance with all applicable Environmental
Laws.
(b) To
the
knowledge of the Company, the historical and present operations of the business
of the Company are in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, except
16
where
any
non-compliance has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a
Company Material Adverse Effect.
(c) There
are
no material pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, demands,
claims, information requests or notices of noncompliance or violation against
or
to the Company relating to any Environmental Law; and, to the knowledge of
the
Company, there are no conditions or occurrences on any of the real property
used
by the Company in connection with its business that would reasonably be expected
to lead to any such demands, claims or notices against or to the Company, except
such as have not had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) To
the
knowledge of the Company, (i) the Company has not, sent or disposed of,
otherwise had taken or transported, arranged for the taking or disposal of
(on
behalf of itself, a customer or any other party) or in any other manner
participated or been involved in the taking of or disposal or release of a
Hazardous Material to or at a site that is contaminated by any Hazardous
Material or that, pursuant to any Environmental Law, (A) has been placed on
the
“National Priorities List”, the “CERCLIS” list, or any similar state or federal
list, or (B) is subject to or the source of a claim, an administrative order
or
other request to take “removal”, “remedial”, “corrective” or any other
“response” action, as defined in any Environmental Law, or to pay for the costs
of any such action at the site; (ii) the Company is not involved in (and has
no
basis to reasonably expect to be involved in) any suit or proceeding and has
not
received (and has no basis to reasonably expect to receive) any written notice,
request for information or other communication from any governmental authority
or other third party with respect to a release or threatened release of any
Hazardous Material or a violation or alleged violation of any Environmental
Law,
and has not received (and has no basis to reasonably expect to receive) written
notice of any claims from any Person relating to property damage, natural
resource damage or to personal injuries from exposure to any Hazardous Material;
and (iii) the Company has timely filed every report required to be filed,
acquired all necessary certificates, approvals and permits, and generated and
maintained all required data, documentation and records under all Environmental
Laws, in all such instances except where the failure to do so would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.18 Disclosure.
There
is no fact relating to the Company that the Company has not disclosed to Parent
in writing that has had or is currently having a Company Material Adverse
Effect. No representation or warranty by the Company herein and no information
disclosed in the exhibits hereto by the Company contains any untrue statement
of
a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements contained herein or therein not misleading.
ARTICLE
V
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND ACQUISITION CORP.
Parent
and Acquisition Corp. hereby represent and warrant to the Company as
follows:
Section
5.1 Organization.
Each of
Parent and Acquisition Corp. (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in
good
standing under the laws of its State of incorporation or organization, (ii)
has
all licenses, permits, authorizations and other Consents necessary to own,
lease
and
17
operate
its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now being
conducted and (iii) has all requisite corporate or other applicable power
and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to carry
on
its business as it is now being conducted and presently proposed to be
conducted, in each case except where such failures would not have, or be
reasonably likely to have, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Each of Parent
and
Acquisition Corp. is duly qualified or authorized to conduct business and
is in
good standing (or its equivalent) as a foreign corporation or other entity
in
all jurisdictions in which the ownership or use of its assets or nature of
the
business conducted by it makes such qualification or authorization necessary,
except where the failure to be so duly qualified, authorized and in good
standing would not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.2 Authorization;
Validity of Agreement.
Each of
Parent and Acquisition Corp. has all requisite corporate power and authority
to
execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. The execution, delivery and performance by each of Parent
and Acquisition Corp. of this Agreement and all other agreements and instruments
to be executed pursuant to this Agreement, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, have been duly authorized by
the
Board of Directors of each of Parent and Acquisition Corp. and the stockholder
of Acquisition Corp., and no other action on the part of either of Parent or
Acquisition Corp. is necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and all other agreements and instruments to be executed pursuant
to
this Agreement and the consummation by either of Parent or Acquisition Corp.
of
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. This Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by the Parent and Acquisition Corp. and (assuming due
and
valid authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Company) is a valid
and binding obligation of each of Parent and Acquisition Corp., enforceable
against each of them in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement
is
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency and other similar laws affecting the
enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of
equity.
Section
5.3 Consents
and Approvals; No Violations.
Except
for filing of the certificate of merger with the Secretary of State of the
State
of Nevada, neither the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement
by
either of Parent and Acquisition Corp. nor the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby will (i) violate any provision of the certificate of
incorporation or by-laws of Parent or Acquisition Corp.; (ii) violate, conflict
with or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute a default (or
an
event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default)
under, require the consent of or result in the creation of any Lien upon any
of
the properties of Parent or Acquisition Corp. under any Contract to which Parent
or Acquisition Corp. or any of their properties may be bound; (iii) require
any
Consent, approval or authorization of, or notice to, or declaration, filing
or
registration with, any governmental entity by or with respect to Parent or
any
subsidiary of Parent, or (iv) violate any order, writ, judgment, injunction,
decree, law, statute, rule or regulation applicable to any of Parent or
Acquisition Corp. or any of their respective properties or assets; except,
in
the cases of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), any such violations, conflicts,
breaches, defaults or encumbrances, or any failure to receive any such Consent,
approval or authorization, or to make any such notice, declaration, filing
or
registration as will not result in, or could reasonably be expected to result
in, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.4 Litigation.
There
is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of the Parent, threatened, involving
Parent or Acquisition Corp. or any subsidiary of Parent or affecting the
18
officers,
directors or employees of Parent or Acquisition Corp. or any subsidiary of
Parent with respect to Parent’s, Acquisition Corp.’s, or any of Parent’s
subsidiaries’, businesses by or before any governmental entity or by any third
party and none of Parent, Acquisition Corp. nor any subsidiary of Parent
has
received written notice that any such Action is threatened. None of Parent,
Acquisition Corp. nor any subsidiary of Parent is in default under any judgment,
order or decree of any governmental entity applicable to its business which
could reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
5.5 No
Default; Compliance with Applicable Laws.
Neither
Parent nor any of Parent’s subsidiaries is in default or violation of any
material term, condition or provision of (i) their respective certificate of
incorporation, by-laws or similar organizational documents or (ii) any law
applicable to Parent or any of Parent’s subsidiaries or its property and assets
and neither Parent nor any of Parent’s subsidiaries has received written notice
of any violation of or Liability under any of the foregoing (whether material
or
not).
Section
5.6 Broker’s
and Finder’s Fees; Broker/Dealer Ownership.
No
person(s), firm, corporation or other entity is entitled by reason of any act
or
omission of Parent or Acquisition Corp. to any broker’s or finder’s fees,
commission or other similar compensation, nor, with respect to the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement or with respect to the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby will any such person have any right
or
valid claim against the Company, Parent or Acquisition Corp. to any such
payment.
Section
5.7 Capitalization
of Parent.
As of
the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of Parent consists of 75,000,000
shares of Parent Common Stock. As of the date hereof and immediately prior
to
the Effective Time, there are 6,809,450 shares of Parent Common Stock, par
value
$0.001, issued and outstanding. Other than as provided in Article
III
of this
Agreement in connection with securities to be issued or to become issuable
in
connection with or as a result of the Merger, Parent has no outstanding options,
warrants, rights or commitments to issue shares of Parent Common Stock or any
capital stock or other securities of Parent or Acquisition Corp., and there
are
no outstanding securities convertible or exercisable into or exchangeable for
shares of Parent Common Stock or any capital stock or other securities of Parent
or Acquisition Corp. There is no voting trust, agreement or arrangement among
any of the beneficial holders of Parent Common Stock affecting the nomination
or
election of directors or the exercise of the voting rights of Parent Common
Stock. There are no registration rights or similar rights applicable to any
shares of Parent Common Stock or any capital stock or other securities of Parent
or Acquisition Corp. All outstanding shares of the capital stock of Parent
are
validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable, and none of
such
shares have been issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any
person.
All of
the shares of Parent Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior
to
the Effective Time have been issued in compliance with the Securities Act and
applicable state securities laws and (i) pursuant to effective registration
statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and/or (ii) in
reliance on valid exemptions from registration or qualification thereunder.
Section
5.8 Acquisition
Corp.
Acquisition Corp. is a Nevada corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent that was formed on October 2, 2007 specifically for the purpose of the
Merger and that has not conducted any business or acquired any property, and
will not conduct an business or acquire any property prior to the Closing Date,
except in preparation for and otherwise in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this
19
Agreement.
Parent owns all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Acquisition
Corp., as no outstanding options, warrants or rights to purchase capital
stock
or other securities of Acquisition Corp., other than the capital stock of
Acquisition Corp. owned by Parent. Except for Acquisition Corp., Parent has
no
subsidiaries. Acquisition Corp. has no subsidiaries.
Section
5.9 Validity
of Shares.
The
shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in accordance with Article
III
hereof,
when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, shall be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
Section
5.10 SEC
Reporting and Compliance.
(a) Parent
filed a registration statement on Form SB-2 under the Securities Act which
became effective on August 24, 2006. Since that date, Parent has timely filed
with the Commission all registration statements, proxy statements, information
statements and reports required to be filed by Parent pursuant to the Exchange
Act (collectively, the “Parent
SEC Documents”).
Parent has not filed with the Commission a certificate on Form 15 pursuant
to
the Exchange Act.
(b) None
of
the Parent SEC Documents, as of their respective dates, contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary
in
order to make the statements contained therein not misleading. Each of the
Parent SEC Documents complied, and each Parent SEC Document to be filed with
the
Commission prior to the Effective Date shall comply, in all material respects,
with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities
Exchange, as the case may be. Each of the financial statements (including,
in
each case, any related notes), contained in the Parent SEC Documents, including
any Parent SEC Documents filed after the date of this Agreement until the
Closing, complied, as of its respective filing date, in all material respects
with all applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and
regulations of the Commission with respect thereto.
(c) Parent
has not filed, and nothing has occurred with respect to which Parent would
be
required to file, any report on Form 8-K prior to the date hereof. Prior to
and
until the Closing, Parent will provide to the Company copies of any and all
amendments or supplements to the Parent SEC Documents filed with the Commission
and all subsequent registration statements and reports filed by Parent
subsequent to the filing of the Parent SEC Documents with the Commission and
any
and all subsequent information statements, proxy statements, reports or notices
filed by the Parent with the Commission or delivered to the stockholders of
Parent.
(d) Parent
is
not an “investment company” within the meaning of Section 3 of the Investment
Company Act.
(e) The
Parent Common Stock is presently eligible for quotation and trading on the
NASD
Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board.
.
(f) Between
the date hereof and the Closing Date, Parent shall continue to satisfy any
applicable filing requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as
the
case may be, and all other requirements of applicable securities
laws.
(g) To
the
knowledge of Parent, Parent has complied with the Securities Act, Exchange
Act
and all other applicable federal and state securities laws.
20
Section
5.11 No
General Solicitation.
In
issuing Parent Common Stock in the Merger hereunder, neither Parent nor anyone
acting on its behalf has offered to sell Parent Common Stock by any form of
general solicitation or advertising.
Section
5.12 Financial
Statements.
The
balance sheets, and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows
(including any notes thereto) contained in the Parent SEC Documents (the
“Parent
Financial Statements”)
(i)
have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, (ii) are in accordance with the
books and records of the Parent, and (iii) present fairly in all material
respects the financial condition of the Parent at the dates therein specified
and the results of its operations and changes in financial position for the
periods therein specified.
Section
5.13 Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities.
Neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. has any Liability at or prior to the Closing,
except (a) as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents, (b) to the extent set
forth
on or reserved against in the balance sheet of Parent as of August 31, 2007
(the
“Parent
Balance Sheet”)
or the
notes to the Parent Financial Statements, (c) current Liabilities incurred
and
obligations under agreements entered into in the usual and ordinary course
of
business, consistent with past practice, since August 31, 2007 (the
“Parent
Balance Sheet Date”),
none
of which, individually or in the aggregate, constitutes a Parent Material
Adverse Effect, (d) attorney’s fees and accounting fees incurred by the Parent
since the Parent Balance Sheet Date, including those related to this Agreement
and all of the transactions related thereto and contemplated thereby, including
but not limited to preparation and filing of disclosures with the SEC, and
(e)
by the specific terms of any written agreement, document or arrangement attached
as an exhibit to the Parent SEC Documents.
Section
5.14 Changes.
Since
the Parent Balance Sheet Date, except as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents,
Parent has not (a) incurred any debts, obligations or Liabilities, absolute,
accrued or, to the Parent’s knowledge, contingent, whether due or to become due,
except for current Liabilities incurred in the usual and ordinary course of
business, (b) discharged or satisfied any Liens other than those securing,
or
paid any obligation or Liability other than, current liabilities shown on the
Parent Balance Sheet and current Liabilities incurred since the Parent Balance
Sheet Date, in each case in the usual and ordinary course of business, (c)
mortgaged, pledged or subjected to Lien any of its assets, tangible or
intangible, other than in the usual and ordinary course of business, (d) sold,
transferred or leased any of its assets, except in the usual and ordinary course
of business, (e) cancelled or compromised any debt or claim, or waived or
released any right of material value, (f) suffered any physical damage,
destruction or loss (whether or not covered by insurance) that could reasonably
be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect, (g) entered into any
transaction other than in the usual and ordinary course of business, (h)
encountered any labor union difficulties, (i) made or granted any wage or salary
increase or made any increase in the amounts payable under any profit sharing,
bonus, deferred compensation, severance pay, insurance, pension, retirement
or
other employee benefit plan, agreement or arrangement, other than in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, or entered into
any
employment agreement, (j) issued or sold any shares of capital stock, bonds,
notes, debentures or other securities or granted any options (including employee
stock options), warrants or other rights with respect thereto, (k) declared
or
paid any dividends on or made any other distributions with respect to, or
purchased or redeemed, any of its outstanding capital stock, (l) suffered or
experienced any change in, or condition affecting, the financial condition
of
the Parent other than changes, events or conditions in the usual and ordinary
course of its business, none of which (either by itself or in conjunction with
all such
21
other
changes, events and conditions) could reasonably be expected to have a Parent
Material Adverse Effect, (m) made any change in the accounting principles,
methods or practices followed by it or depreciation or amortization policies
or
rates theretofore adopted, (n) made or permitted any amendment or termination
of
any material Contract, agreement or license to which it is a party, (o) suffered
any material loss not reflected in the Parent Balance Sheet or its statement
of
income for the year ended on the Parent Balance Sheet Date, (p) paid, or
made
any accrual or arrangement for payment of, bonuses or special compensation
of
any kind or any severance or termination pay to any present or former officer,
director, employee, stockholder or consultant, (q) made or agreed to make
any
charitable contributions or incurred any non-business expenses in excess
of
$1,000 in the aggregate, or (r) entered into any Contract, agreement or license,
or otherwise obligated itself, to do any of the foregoing.
Section
5.15 Tax
Returns and Audits.
All
required federal, state and local Tax Returns of the Parent have been accurately
prepared in all material respects and duly and timely filed, and all federal,
state and local Taxes required to be paid with respect to the periods covered
by
such returns have been paid to the extent that the same are material and have
become due, except where the failure so to file or pay could not reasonably
be
expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. The Parent is not and has
not
been delinquent in the payment of any Tax. The Parent has not had a Tax
deficiency assessed against it. None of the Parent’s federal income Tax Returns
nor any state or local income or franchise Tax Returns has been audited by
governmental authorities. The reserves for Taxes reflected on the Parent Balance
Sheet are sufficient for the payment of all unpaid Taxes payable by the Parent
with respect to the period ended on the Parent Balance Sheet Date. There are
no
federal, state, local or foreign audits, actions, suits, proceedings,
investigations, claims or administrative proceedings relating to Taxes or any
Tax Returns of the Parent now pending, and the Parent has not received any
notice of any proposed audits, investigations, claims or administrative
proceedings relating to Taxes or any Tax Returns.
Section
5.16 Employee
Benefit Plans; ERISA.
(a) Except
as
disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents, there are no “employee benefit plans”
(within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) nor any other employee benefit
or
fringe benefit arrangements, practices, contracts, policies or programs other
than programs merely involving the regular payment of wages, commissions, or
bonuses established, maintained or contributed to by the Parent,
whether
written or unwritten and whether or not funded.
Any
plans listed in the Parent SEC Documents are hereinafter referred to as the
“Parent
Employee Benefit Plans.”
(b) Any
current and prior material documents, including all amendments thereto, with
respect to each Parent Employee Benefit Plan have been made available to the
Company.
(c) All
Parent Employee Benefit Plans are in material compliance with the applicable
requirements of ERISA, the Code and any other applicable state, federal or
foreign law.
(d) There
are
no pending, or to the knowledge of the Parent, threatened, claims or lawsuits
that have been asserted or instituted against any Parent Employee Benefit
22
Plan,
the
assets of any of the trusts or funds under the Parent Employee Benefit Plans,
the plan sponsor or the plan administrator of any of the Parent Employee
Benefit
Plans or against any fiduciary of a Parent Employee Benefit Plan with respect
to
the operation of such plan.
(e) There
is
no pending, or to the knowledge of the Parent, threatened, investigation or
pending or possible enforcement action by the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation, the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service or any other
government agency with respect to any Parent Employee Benefit Plan and Parent
has no knowledge of any incident, transaction, occurrence or circumstance which
might reasonably be expected to trigger such an investigation or enforcement
action.
(f) No
actual
or, to the knowledge of Parent, contingent Liability exists with respect to
the
funding of any Parent Employee Benefit Plan or for any other expense or
obligation of any Parent Employee Benefit Plan, except as disclosed on the
Parent Financial Statements or the Parent SEC Documents, and to the knowledge
of
the Parent, no contingent Liability exists under ERISA with respect to any
“multi-employer plan,” as defined in Section 3(37) or Section 4001(a)(3) of
ERISA.
Section
5.17 Interested
Party Transactions.
Except
as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents, no officer, director or stockholder
of
the Parent or any Affiliate of any such Person or the Parent has or has had,
either directly or indirectly, (a) an interest in any Person that (i) furnishes
or sells services or products that are furnished or sold or are proposed to
be
furnished or sold by the Parent or (ii) purchases from or sells or furnishes
to
the Parent any goods or services, or (b) a beneficial interest in any Contract
to which the Parent is a party or by which it may be bound or
affected.
Section
5.18 Questionable
Payments.
Neither
the Parent, Acquisition Corp. nor to the knowledge of the Parent, any director,
officer, agent, employee or other Person associated with or acting on behalf
of
the Parent or Acquisition Corp., has used any corporate funds for (a) unlawful
contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to
political activity, (b) made any direct or indirect unlawful payments to
government officials or employees from corporate funds, (c) established or
maintained any unlawful or unrecorded fund of corporate monies or other assets,
(d) made any false or fictitious entries on the books of record of any such
corporations, or (e) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback
or other unlawful payment.
Section
5.19 Obligations
to or by Stockholders.
Except
as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents, the Parent has no Liability or
obligation or commitment to any stockholder of Parent or any Affiliate or
“associate” (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of
any stockholder of Parent, nor does any stockholder of Parent or any such
Affiliate or associate have any Liability, obligation or commitment to the
Parent.
Section
5.20 Schedule
of Assets and Contracts.
Except
as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Parent Balance Sheet or the notes
thereto, the Parent is not a party to any Contract not made in the ordinary
course of business that is material to the Parent. Parent does not own any
real
property. Parent is not a party to any Contract (a) with any labor union, (b)
for the purchase of fixed assets or for the purchase of materials, supplies
or
equipment in excess of normal operating requirements, (c) for the employment
of
any officer, individual employee or
23
other
Person on a full-time basis or any contract with any Person for consulting
services, (d) with respect to bonus, pension, profit sharing, retirement,
stock
purchase, stock option, deferred compensation, medical, hospitalization or
life
insurance or similar plan, contract or understanding with any or all of the
employees of Parent or any other Person, (e) relating to or evidencing
Indebtedness for Borrowed Money or subjecting any asset or property of Parent
to
any Lien or evidencing any Indebtedness, (f) guaranteeing of any Indebtedness,
(g) under which Parent is lessee of or holds or operates any property, real
or
personal, owned by any other Person, (h) under which Parent is lessor or
permits
any Person to hold or operate any property, real or personal, owned or
controlled by Parent, (i) granting any preemptive right, right of first refusal
or similar right to any Person, (j) with any Affiliate of Parent or any present
or former officer, director or stockholder of Parent, (k) obligating Parent
to
pay any royalty or similar charge for the use or exploitation of any tangible
or
intangible property, (1) containing a covenant not to compete or other
restriction on the parent’s ability to conduct a business or engage in any other
activity, (m) with respect to any distributor, dealer, manufacturer’s
representative, sales agency, franchise or advertising contract or commitment,
(n) regarding the registration of securities under the Securities Act, (o)
characterized as a collective bargaining agreement, or (p) with any Person
continuing for a period of more than three months from the Closing Date that
involves an expenditure or receipt by Parent in excess of $1,000. The Parent
maintains no insurance policies and insurance coverage of any kind with respect
to Parent, its business, premises, properties, assets, employees and agents.
Parent has furnished to the Company true and complete copies of all agreements
and other documents requested by the Company.
Section
5.21 Environmental
Matters.
(a) The
Parent has never generated, used, handled, treated, released, stored or disposed
of any Hazardous Materials on any real property on which it now has or
previously had any leasehold or ownership interest, except in compliance with
all applicable Environmental Laws.
(b) The
historical and present operations of the business of the Parent compliance
with
all applicable Environmental Laws, except where any non-compliance has not
had
and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
(c) (i)
The
Parent has not, sent or disposed of, otherwise had taken or transported,
arranged for the taking or disposal of (on behalf of itself, a customer or
any
other party) or in any other manner participated or been involved in the taking
of or disposal or release of a Hazardous Material to or at a site that is
contaminated by any Hazardous Material or that, pursuant to any Environmental
Law, (A) has been placed on the “National Priorities List”, the “CERCLIS” list,
or any similar state or federal list, or (B) is subject to or the source of
a
claim, an administrative order or other request to take “removal”, “remedial”,
“corrective” or any other “response” action, as defined in any Environmental
Law, or to pay for the costs of any such action at the site; (ii) the Parent
is
not involved in (and has no basis to reasonably expect to be involved in) any
suit or proceeding and has not received (and has no basis to reasonably expect
to receive) any written notice, request for information or other communication
from any governmental authority or other third party with respect to a release
or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or a violation or alleged
violation of any Environmental Law, and has not received (and has no basis
to
reasonably expect to receive) written notice of any claims from any
24
Person
relating to property damage, natural resource damage or to personal injuries
from exposure to any Hazardous Material; and (iii) the Parent has timely
filed
every report required to be filed, acquired all necessary certificates,
approvals and permits, and generated and maintained all required data,
documentation and records under all Environmental Laws, in all such instances
except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
(d) There
are
no material pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened, demands, claims,
information requests or notices of noncompliance or violation against or to
the
Parent relating to any Environmental Law; and, to the knowledge of Parent,
there
are no conditions or occurrences on any of the real property used by Parent
in
connection with its business that would reasonably be expected to lead to any
such demands, claims or notices against or to Parent, except such as have not
had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
5.22 Employees.
Other
than pursuant to ordinary arrangements of employment compensation, Parent is
not
under any obligation or liability to any officer, director, employee or
Affiliate of Parent.
Section
5.23 Title
to Property and Encumbrances.
Parent
has
good
and valid title to all properties and assets used in the conduct of its business
(except for property held under valid and subsisting leases which are in full
force and effect and which are not in default) free of all Liens except
Permitted Liens and such ordinary and customary imperfections of title,
restrictions and encumbrances as do not, individually or in the aggregate
constitute a Parent
Material
Adverse Effect.
Section
5.24 Condition
of Properties.
All
facilities, machinery, equipment, fixtures and other properties owned, leased
or
used by Parent
are
in
operating condition, subject to ordinary wear and tear, and are adequate and
sufficient for the Parent’s
existing
business.
Section
5.25 Insurance
Coverage.
There
is in full force and effect one or more policies of insurance issued by insurers
of recognized responsibility insuring Parent
and
its
properties, products and business against such losses and risks, and in such
amounts, as are customary for corporations of established reputation engaged
in
the same or similar business and similarly situated. Parent
has
not
been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for, and Parent
has no
reason to believe that it will be unable to renew its existing insurance
coverage as and when the same shall expire upon terms at least as favorable
to
those currently in effect, other than possible increases in premiums that do
not
result from any act or omission of Parent.
No
suit, proceeding or action or, to the best current actual knowledge of
Parent,
threat
of suit, proceeding or action has been asserted or made against Parent
due to
alleged bodily injury, disease, medical condition, death or property damage
arising out of the function or malfunction of a product, procedure or service
designed, manufactured, sold or distributed by Parent.
Section
5.26 Disclosure.
There
is no fact relating to Parent or Acquisition Corp. that Parent has not disclosed
to the Company in writing that has had, is having or is reasonably likely to
have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. No representation or warranty by Parent
or Acquisition Corp. herein and no information disclosed in the exhibits hereto
by Parent or
25
Acquisition
Corp. contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state
a
material fact necessary to make the statements contained herein or therein
not
misleading.
Section
5.27 No
Liabilities.
As of
the Closing Date, there are no Liabilities or Indebtedness of the Parent or
Acquisition Corp. of any kind whatsoever, whether recorded on the Balance Sheet
of Parent or Acquisition Corp. or not, whether accrued, contingent, absolute,
determined, determinable or otherwise, and there is no existing condition,
situation or set of circumstances which could reasonably be expected to result
in such Liability or Indebtedness. Neither the Parent nor the Acquisition Corp.
is a guarantor of any Indebtedness of any other person, firm or
corporation.
ARTICLE
VI
CONDUCT
OF BUSINESSES PENDING THE MERGER
Section
6.1 Conduct
of Business by the Company Pending the Merger.
Prior
to the Effective Time, unless Parent or Acquisition Corp. shall otherwise agree
in writing or as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement:
(i) the
business of the Company shall be conducted only in the ordinary course
consistent with the past practice;
(ii) except
with respect to (x) the issuance of Company Common Stock in connection with
the
conversion of Company Preferred Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time,
and (y) the Stock Dividend, the Company shall not (A) directly or indirectly
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire or agree to redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire any shares of
Company Capital Stock; (B) amend its certificate of incorporation or by-laws
except to effectuate the transactions contemplated in this Agreement; or (C)
split, combine or reclassify the outstanding Company Capital Stock or declare,
set aside or pay any dividend payable in cash, stock or property or make any
distribution with respect to any such stock;
(iii) except
with respect to (x) the issuance of Company Common Stock in connection with
the
conversion of Company Preferred Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time,
and (y) the Stock Dividend, the Company shall not (A) issue any additional
shares of, or options, warrants or rights of any kind to acquire any shares
of,
Company Capital Stock, except to issue shares of Company Capital Stock in
connection with the exercise of Common Stock Options and except as disclosed
to
Parent with respect to the issuance and sale of up to $250,000 of capital shares
to be issued at the Closing; (B) acquire or dispose of any fixed assets or
acquire or dispose of any other substantial assets other than in the ordinary
course of business; (C) incur additional Indebtedness or any other Liabilities
or enter into any other transaction other than in the ordinary course of
business; (D) enter into any Contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement
with
respect to any of the foregoing except this Agreement; or (E) except as
contemplated by this Agreement, enter into any Contract, agreement, commitment
or arrangement to dissolve, merge, consolidate or enter into any other material
business combination; and
26
(iv) the
Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to preserve intact the business
of
the Company, to keep available the service of its present officers and key
employees, and to preserve the good will of those having business relationships
with it.
Section
6.2 Conduct
of Business by Parent and Acquisition Corp. Pending the Merger.
Prior
to the Effective Time, unless the Company shall otherwise agree in writing
or as
otherwise contemplated expressly permitted by this Agreement:
(i) the
business of Parent and Acquisition Corp. shall be conducted only in the ordinary
course consistent with past practice;
(ii) neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. shall (A) directly or indirectly redeem, purchase
or otherwise acquire or agree to redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any
shares of its capital stock; (B) amend its certificate of incorporation or
by-laws; or (C) split, combine or reclassify its capital stock or declare,
set
aside or pay any dividend payable in cash, stock or property or make any
distribution with respect to such stock; and
(iii) except
for the Offering, neither Parent nor Acquisition Corp. shall (A) issue or agree
to issue any additional shares of, or options, warrants or rights of any kind
to
acquire shares of, its capital stock; (B) acquire or dispose of any assets
other
than in the ordinary course of business; (C) incur additional Indebtedness
or
any other Liabilities or enter into any other transaction except in the ordinary
course of business; (D) enter into any Contract, agreement, commitment or
arrangement with respect to any of the foregoing except this Agreement, or
(E)
except as contemplated by this Agreement, enter into any Contract, agreement,
commitment or arrangement to dissolve, merge; consolidate or enter into any
other material business contract or enter into any negotiations in connection
therewith.
(iv) Parent
shall use its best efforts to preserve intact the business of Parent and
Acquisition Corp., to keep available the service of its present officers and
key
employees, and to preserve the good will of those having business relationships
with Parent and Acquisition Corp. and to file all required SEC Reports under
the
Exchange Act;
(v) neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. will, nor will they authorize any director or
authorize or permit any officer or employee or any attorney, accountant or
other
representative retained by them to, make, solicit, encourage any inquiries
with
respect to, or engage in any negotiations concerning, any Acquisition Proposal
(as defined below). Parent will promptly advise the Company in writing of any
such inquiries or Acquisition Proposal (or requests for information) and the
substance thereof. As used in this paragraph, “Acquisition
Proposal”
shall
mean any proposal for a merger or other business combination involving the
Parent or Acquisition Corp. or for the acquisition of a substantial equity
interest in either of them or any material assets of either of them other than
as contemplated by this Agreement. Parent will immediately cease and cause
to be
terminated any existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any Person
conducted heretofore with respect to any of the foregoing; and
27
(vi) neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. will enter into any new employment agreements
with
any of their officers or employees or grant any increases in the compensation
or
benefits of their officers and employees.
ARTICLE
VII
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
Section
7.1 Access
and Information.
The
Company, Parent and Acquisition Corp. shall each afford to the other and to
the
other’s accountants, counsel and other representatives reasonable access during
normal business hours throughout the period prior to the Effective Time of
all
of its properties, books, contracts, commitments and records (including but
not
limited to Tax Returns) and during such period, each shall furnish promptly
to
the other all information concerning its business, properties and personnel
as
such other party may reasonably request, provided that no investigation pursuant
to this Section
7.1
shall
affect any representations or warranties made herein. Each party shall hold,
and
shall cause its employees and agents to hold, in confidence all such information
(other than such information that (i) becomes generally available to the public
other than as a result of a disclosure by such party or its directors, officers,
managers, employees, agents or advisors, or (ii) becomes available to such
party
on a non-confidential basis from a source other than a party hereto or its
advisors, provided that such source is not known by such party to be bound
by a
confidentiality agreement with or other obligation of secrecy to a party hereto
or another party until such time as such information is otherwise publicly
available; provided,
however,
that:
(A) any such information may be disclosed to such party’s directors, officers,
employees and representatives of such party’s advisors who need to know such
information for the purpose of evaluating the transactions contemplated hereby
(it being understood that such directors, officers, employees and
representatives shall be informed by such party of the confidential nature
of
such information); (B) any disclosure of such information may be made as to
which the party hereto furnishing such information has consented in writing;
and
(C) any such information may be disclosed pursuant to a judicial, administrative
or governmental order or request provided,
that
the requested party will promptly so notify the other party so that the other
party may seek a protective order or appropriate remedy and/or waive compliance
with this Agreement and if such protective order or other remedy is not obtained
or the other party waives compliance with this provision, the requested party
will furnish only that portion of such information which is legally required
and
will exercise its best efforts to obtain a protective order or other reliable
assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded the information
furnished. If this Agreement is terminated, each party will deliver to the
other
all documents and other materials (including copies) obtained by such party
or
on its behalf from the other party as a result of this Agreement or in
connection herewith, whether so obtained before or after the execution
hereof.
Section
7.2 Additional
Agreements.
Subject
to the terms and conditions herein provided, each of the parties hereto agrees
to use its commercially reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken,
all action and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or
advisable under applicable laws and regulations to consummate and make effective
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including using its
commercially reasonable best efforts to satisfy the conditions precedent to
the
obligations of any of the parties hereto to obtain all necessary waivers, and
to
lift any injunction or other legal bar to the Merger (and, in such case, to
proceed with the Merger as expeditiously as possible). In order to obtain any
necessary governmental or regulatory action or non-action, waiver, Consent,
extension or approval, each of
28
Parent,
Acquisition Corp. and the Company agrees to take all reasonable actions and
to
enter into all reasonable agreements as may be necessary to obtain timely
governmental or regulatory approvals and to take such further action in
connection therewith as may be necessary. In case at any time after the
Effective Time any further action is necessary or desirable to carry out
the
purposes of this Agreement, the proper officers and/or directors of Parent,
Acquisition Corp. and the Company shall take all such necessary
action.
Section
7.3 Publicity.
No
party shall issue any press release or public announcement pertaining to the
Merger that has not been agreed upon in advance by Parent and the Company,
except as Parent reasonably determines to be necessary in order to comply with
the rules of the Commission; provided
that in
such case Parent will use its best efforts to allow Company to review and
reasonably approve any of the same prior to its release.
Section
7.4 Appointment
of Directors.
Immediately upon the Effective Time, Parent shall, in accordance with
Section
2.3(d),
accept
the resignations and cause the appointments of those officers and directors
of
Parent identified in Exhibit
C
hereto,
subject to any notice and waiting period requirements of federal law. At the
first annual meeting of Parent’s stockholders and thereafter, the election of
members of Parent’s Board of Directors shall be accomplished in accordance with
the by-laws of Parent.
Section
7.5 Name
Change.
As soon
as practicable on or after the Effective Time, Parent shall take all required
legal actions to change Parent’s corporate name to “Znomics, Inc.”
(the
“Name
Change”).
Section
7.6 Stockholder
Consent.
(a) So
long
as the Board of Directors of the Company shall not have withdrawn, modified
or
changed its recommendation in accordance with the provisions of Section
7.8(b)
hereof,
the Company, acting through its Board of Directors, shall, in accordance with
Delaware law and its certificate of incorporation and by-laws, take all actions
reasonably necessary to establish a record date for, duly call, give notice
of,
convene and hold a stockholders meeting for the purpose of obtaining the
requisite approval and adoption of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby by the Stockholders. The Company shall notify each
Stockholder, whether or not entitled to vote, of the proposed Company
stockholders’ meeting. Such meeting notice shall state that the purpose, or one
of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the Merger and shall contain
or
be accompanied by a copy or summary of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be required to take
all actions reasonably necessary to establish a record date for, duly call,
give
notice of, convene and hold a stockholders meeting for the purpose of obtaining
the requisite approval and adoption of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby by the Stockholders if the Company’s Board of Directors and
the requisite Stockholders otherwise take all actions reasonably necessary
to
approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby by written
consent in lieu of a meeting of the stockholders of the Company to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
(b) The
Board
of Directors of the Company shall unanimously recommend such approval and shall
use all reasonable efforts to solicit and obtain such approval; provided,
however,
that
the Board of Directors of the Company may at any time prior to approval of
the
29
Stockholders
(i) decline to make, withdraw, modify or change any recommendation or
declaration regarding this Agreement or the Merger or (ii) recommend and
declare
advisable any other offer or proposal, to the extent the Board of Directors
of
the Company determines in good faith, based upon advice of legal counsel,
that
withdrawing, modifying, changing or declining to make its recommendation
regarding this Agreement or the Merger or recommending and declaring advisable
any other offer or proposal is necessary to comply with its fiduciary duties
under applicable law (which declinations, withdrawal, modification or change
shall not constitute a breach by the Company of this Agreement). The Company
shall provide written notice to Parent promptly upon the Company taking any
action referred to in the foregoing proviso.
(c) Pursuant
to the NRS, at any time before the certificate of merger is filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of Nevada, including any time after the Merger
is authorized by the Stockholders, the Merger may be abandoned and this
Agreement may be terminated in accordance with the terms hereof, without further
action by the Stockholders.
ARTICLE
VIII
CONDITIONS
OF PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS
Section
8.1 Company
Obligations.
The
obligations of Parent and Acquisition Corp. under this Agreement are subject
to
the fulfillment at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions, any
of
which may be waived in whole or in part by Parent.
(a) No
Errors, etc.
The
representations
and
warranties of the Company under this Agreement shall be deemed to have been
made
again on the Closing Date and shall then be true and correct in all material
respects.
(b) Compliance
with Agreement.
The
Company shall have performed and complied in all material respects with all
agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied
with by it on or before the Closing Date.
(c) No
Company Material Adverse Effect.
Since
the date hereof, there shall not have been any event or circumstance that has
resulted in a Company Material Adverse Effect, and no event has occurred or
circumstance exists that would reasonably be expected to result in a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Certificate
of Officers.
The
Company shall have delivered to Parent and Acquisition Corp. a certificate
dated
the Closing Date, executed on its behalf by the Chief Executive Officer of
the
Company, certifying the satisfaction of the conditions specified in paragraphs
(a), (b) and (c) of this Section 8.1.
(e) No
Restraining Action.
No
Action or proceeding before any court, governmental body or agency shall have
been threatened, asserted or instituted to restrain or prohibit, or to obtain
substantial damages in respect of, this Agreement or the carrying out of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(f) Conversion
of Company Preferred Stock; Stock Dividend.
The
Company shall have completed (x) the conversion of all issued and outstanding
Company Preferred Stock to Company Common Stock, and (y) the issuance of the
Stock Dividend.
30
(g) Supporting
Documents.
Parent
and Acquisition Corp. shall have received the following:
(1) Copies
of
resolutions of the Board of Directors and the stockholders of the Company,
certified by the President of the Company, authorizing and approving the Merger
and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and all other
documents and instruments to be delivered pursuant hereto and
thereto.
(2) A
certificate of incumbency executed by the Secretary of the Company certifying
the names, titles and signatures of the officers authorized to execute any
documents referred to in this Agreement and further certifying that the
certificate of incorporation and by-laws of the Company delivered to Parent
and
Acquisition Corp. at the time of the execution of this Agreement have been
validly adopted and have not been amended or modified since the date
hereof.
(3) Evidence
as of a recent date of the good standing and corporate existence of the Company
issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
Section
8.2 Parent
and Acquisition Corp. Obligations.
The
obligations of the Company under this Agreement are subject to the fulfillment
at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions any of which may be
waived in whole or in part by the Company:
(a) No
Errors, etc.
The
representations
and
warranties of Parent and Acquisition Corp. under this Agreement shall be deemed
to have been made again on the Closing Date and shall then be true and correct
in all material respects.
(b) Compliance
with Agreement.
Parent
and Acquisition Corp. shall have performed and complied in all material respects
with all agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed
or
complied with by them on or before the Closing Date.
(c) No
Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Since
the date hereof, there shall not have been any event or circumstance that has
resulted in a Parent Material Adverse Effect and no event has occurred or
circumstance exists that would be reasonably expected to result in such a Parent
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Certificate
of Officers.
Parent
and Acquisition Corp. shall have delivered to the Company a certificate dated
the Closing Date, executed on their behalf by their respective Presidents,
certifying the satisfaction of the conditions specified in paragraphs (a),
(b),
and (c) of this Section
8.2.
(e) Completion
of Offering.
Parent
shall have completed the Offering, to be closed concurrent with the Effective
Time.
(f) Assignment.
Parent
shall have completed, if necessary, an assignment of all assets and liabilities
of the Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than its ownership
interest in Acquisition Corp.) to an unrelated third party in a transaction
satisfactory to the Company.
31
(g) Supporting
Documents.
The
Company shall have received the following:
(1) Copies
of
resolutions of Parent’s and Acquisition Corp.’s respective board of directors
and the sole stockholder of Acquisition Corp., certified by their respective
Secretaries, authorizing and approving the Merger and the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement and all other documents and instruments to
be
delivered by them pursuant hereto.
(2) A
certificate of incumbency executed by the respective Secretaries of Parent
and
Acquisition Corp. certifying the names, titles and signatures of the officers
authorized to execute the documents referred to in paragraph (1) above and
further certifying that the certificates of incorporation and by-laws of Parent
and Acquisition Corp. appended thereto have not been amended or
modified.
(3) A
certificate, dated the Closing Date, executed by the Secretary of each of the
Parent and Acquisition Corp., certifying that, except for the filing of the
certificate of merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada: (i)
all consents, authorizations, orders and approvals of, and filings and
registrations with, any court, governmental body or instrumentality that are
required to be obtained by Parent or Acquisition Corp. for the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the Merger shall have been
duly made or obtained; and (ii) no action or proceeding before any court,
governmental body or agency has been threatened, asserted or instituted against
Parent or Acquisition Corp. to restrain or prohibit, or to obtain substantial
damages in respect of, this Agreement or the carrying out of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(4) A
certificate of Parent’s transfer agent and registrar, certifying as of the
business day prior to the Closing Date, a true and complete list of the names
and addresses of the record owners of all of the outstanding shares of Parent
Common Stock, together with the number of shares of Parent Common Stock held
by
each record owner.
(5) The
executed resignations of all directors and officers of Parent, with the director
resignations to take effect following the notice period required by federal
law,
and (ii) executed releases from each such director and officer in the form
and
substance acceptable to the Company in its sole discretion.
(6) Evidence
as of a recent date of the good standing and corporate existence of each of
the
Parent and Acquisition Corp. issued by the Secretary of State of their
respective states of incorporation.
(7) Such
additional supporting documentation and other information with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby as the Company may reasonably
request.
32
ARTICLE
IX
INDEMNIFICATION
AND RELATED MATTERS
Section
9.1 Indemnification
by Parent.
Parent
shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Stockholders
(collectively, the “Company
Indemnified Parties”),
and
shall reimburse the Company Indemnified Parties for, any loss, liability, claim,
damage, expense (including, but not limited to, costs of investigation and
defense and reasonable attorneys’ fees) or diminution of value (collectively,
“Damages”)
arising from or in connection with (a) any inaccuracy, in any material respect,
in any of the representations and warranties of Parent and Acquisition Corp.
in
this Agreement or in any certificate delivered by Parent and Acquisition Corp.
to the Company pursuant to this Agreement, or any actions, omissions or
statements of fact inconsistent with any such representation or warranty, (b)
any failure by Parent or Acquisition Corp. to perform or comply in any material
respect with any covenant or agreement in this Agreement, (c) any claim for
brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions or similar payments based upon any
agreement or understanding alleged to have been made by any such party with
Parent or Acquisition Corp. in connection with any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, (d) Taxes attributable to any transaction or
event occurring on or prior to the Closing, (e) any claim relating to or arising
out of any Liabilities of either Parent or Acquisition Corp. on or prior to
Closing or with respect to accounting fees arising thereafter, or (f) any
litigation, action, claim, proceeding or investigation by any third party
relating to or arising out of the business or operations of Parent, or the
actions of Parent or any holder of Parent capital stock prior to the Effective
Time.
Section
9.2 Survival.
All
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of Parent and Acquisition
Corp. contained in this Agreement or in any instrument delivered pursuant to
this Agreement shall survive until twelve (12) months after the Effective Date.
The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement
or
in any instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement will terminate at, and
have no further force and effect after, the Effective Time.
Section
9.3 Time
Limitations.
Neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. shall have any liability (for indemnification
or
otherwise) with respect to any representation or warranty, or covenant or
agreement to be performed and complied with prior to the Effective Time, unless
on or before the twelve month anniversary of the Effective Time (the
“Claims
Deadline”),
Parent is given notice of a claim with respect thereto, in accordance with
Section
9.5,
specifying the factual basis therefore in reasonable detail to the extent then
known by the Company Indemnified Parties.
Section
9.4 Limitation
on Liability.
The
obligations of Parent and Acquisition Corp. to the Company Indemnified Parties
set forth in Section
9.1
shall be
subject to the following limitations:
(a) The
aggregate liability of Parent and Acquisition Corp. to the Company shall not
exceed $50,000.
(b) Other
than claims based on fraud or for specific performance, injunctive or other
equitable relief, the Company Indemnified Parties’ sole and exclusive remedy for
any and
33
all
claims for Damages pursuant to Section
9.1
hereof
shall be the indemnification provided under the terms and subject to the
conditions of this Article
IX.
Section
9.5 Notice
of Claims.
(a) If,
at
any time on or prior to the Claims Deadline, Company Indemnified Parties shall
assert a claim for indemnification pursuant to Section
9.1,
such
Company Indemnified Parties shall submit to Parent a written claim stating:
(i)
that a Company Indemnified Party incurred or reasonably believes it may incur
Damages and the amount or reasonable estimate thereof of any such Damages;
and
(ii) in reasonable detail, the facts alleged as the basis for such claim and
the
section or sections of this Agreement alleged as the basis or bases for the
claim.
(b) In
the
event that any action, suit or proceeding is brought against any Company
Indemnified Party with respect to which Parent may have liability under this
Article
IX,
the
Parent shall have the right, at its cost and expense, to defend such action,
suit or proceeding in the name and on behalf of the Company Indemnified Party;
provided,
however,
that a
Company Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, with
fees and expenses paid by Parent, if representation of the Company Indemnified
Party by counsel retained by Parent would be inappropriate because of actual
or
potential differing interests between Parent and the Company Indemnified Party.
In connection with any action, suit or proceeding subject to this Article
IX,
Parent
and each Company Indemnified Party agree to render to each other such assistance
as may reasonably be required in order to ensure proper and adequate defense
of
such action, suit or proceeding. Parent shall not, without the prior written
consent of the applicable Company Indemnified Parties, which consent shall
not
be unreasonably withheld or delayed, settle or compromise any claim or demand
if
such settlement or compromise does not include an irrevocable and unconditional
release of such Company Indemnified Parties for any liability arising out of
such claim or demand.
ARTICLE
X
TERMINATION
PRIOR TO CLOSING
Section
10.1 Termination
of Agreement.
This
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing:
(a) by
the
mutual written consent of the Company, Acquisition Corp. and
Parent;
(b) by
the
Company, if Parent or Acquisition Corp. (i) fails to perform in any material
respect any of its agreements contained herein required to be performed by
it on
or prior to the Effective Time, (ii) materially breaches any of its
representations, warranties or covenants contained herein, which failure or
breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after the Company has notified
Parent and Acquisition Corp. of its intent to terminate this Agreement pursuant
to this paragraph (b);
(c) by
Parent
and Acquisition Corp., if the Company (i) fails to perform in any material
respect any of its agreements contained herein required to be performed by
it on
or prior to the Closing Date, (ii) materially breaches any of its
representations, warranties or covenants contained herein, which failure or
breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after
34
Parent
or
Acquisition Corp. has notified the Company of its intent to terminate this
Agreement pursuant to this paragraph (c);
(d) by
either
the Company, on the one hand, or Parent and Acquisition Corp., on the other
hand, if there shall be any order, writ, injunction or decree of any court
or
governmental or regulatory agency binding on Parent, Acquisition Corp. or the
Company, which prohibits or materially restrains any of them from consummating
the transactions contemplated hereby; provided
that the
parties hereto shall have used their best efforts to have any such order, writ,
injunction or decree lifted and the same shall not have been lifted within
ninety (90) days after entry, by any such court or governmental or regulatory
agency;
(e) by
either
the Company, on the one hand, or Parent and Acquisition Corp., on the other
hand, if the Closing has not occurred on or prior to November 30, 2007, for
any
reason other than delay or nonperformance of the party seeking such
termination;
(f) by
the
Company if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith,
based
upon advice of legal counsel, that termination pursuant to this Section
10.1(f)
is
necessary to comply with its fiduciary duties under applicable law as provided
in Section
7.8
hereof.
Section
10.2 Termination
of Obligations.
Termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.1 hereof shall terminate
all obligations of the parties hereunder, except for the obligations under
Article
IX,
Article
X,
and
Sections 11.4,
11.7,
11.14, 11.15
and
11.16
hereof;
provided,
however,
that
termination pursuant to paragraphs (b) or (c) of Section
10.1
shall
not relieve the defaulting or breaching party or parties from any liability
to
the other parties hereto.
ARTICLE
XI
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
11.1 Amendments.
Subject
to applicable law, this Agreement may be amended or modified by the parties
hereto by written agreement executed by each party to be bound thereby and
delivered by duly authorized officers of the parties hereto at any time prior
to
the Effective Time; provided,
however,
that
after the approval of the Merger by the requisite Stockholders, no amendment
or
modification of this Agreement shall be made that by law requires further
approval from any Stockholders without such further approval.
Section
11.2 Notices.
Any
notice, request, instruction, other document or communications to be given
hereunder by any party hereto to any other party hereto shall be in writing
and
shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) when delivered personally, (b)
upon
confirmation of delivery if by electronic mail, (c) upon receipt of a
transmission confirmation (with a confirming copy delivered personally or sent
by overnight courier) if sent by facsimile or like transmission, or (d) on
the
next business day when sent by Federal Express, United Parcel Service, U.S.
Express Mail or other reputable overnight courier for guaranteed next day
delivery, as follows:
35
If
to Parent or Acquisition Corp., to:
|
Attention:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, CEO
00000
00xx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx,
X.X., Xxxxxx X0X 0X0
|
with
a copy to:
|
|
Cane
Xxxxx, LLP
Attention:
Xxxxxx Xxxx
0000
Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxxx XX 00000
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Email:
Xxxxx@XxxxXxxxx.xxx
|
|
If
to the Company, to:
|
Znomics,
Inc.
Attention:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, CEO
0000
X.X. 0xx
Xxx.
Xxxxx
000
Xxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
|
with
a copy to:
|
|
Xxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, Esq.
DLA
Piper US LLP
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000
000-000-0000
000-000-0000
(fax)
xxx.xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
|
or
to
such other persons or addresses as may be designated in writing by the party
to
receive such notice. Nothing in this Section
11.2
shall be
deemed to constitute consent to the manner and address for service of process
in
connection with any legal proceeding (including arbitration arising in
connection with this Agreement), which service shall be effected as required
by
applicable law.
Section
11.3 Entire
Agreement.
This
Agreement and the exhibits attached hereto or referred to herein constitute
the
entire agreement of the parties hereto, and supersede all prior agreements
and
undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto, with respect
to
the subject matter hereof and thereof.
Section
11.4 Expenses.
Except
as otherwise expressly provided herein, whether or not the Merger occurs, all
expenses and fees incurred by Parent and Acquisition Corp. on one hand, and
the
Company on the other, shall be borne solely and entirely by the party that
has
incurred the same; provided,
that if
the Merger occurs, Parent agrees to pay, and shall cause the Surviving
Corporation to pay, any unpaid fees and expenses of the Company (including
fees
and expenses
36
of
its
counsel and other advisors) in connection with the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section
11.5 Severability.
If any
term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable
of
being enforced by any rule of law or public policy, all other conditions and
provisions of this Agreement will nevertheless remain in full force and effect
so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated
hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon
such
determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable
of being enforced, the parties hereto will negotiate in good faith to amend
or
modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as
closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that transactions
contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.
Section
11.6 Successors
and Assigns; Assignment.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto
and their respective successors and assigns. Neither this Agreement nor any
of
the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned or delegated
by
any of the parties hereto without, in the case of Parent and Acquisition Corp.,
the prior written approval of the Company and, in the case of the Company,
the
prior written approval of Parent.
Section
11.7 No
Third Party Beneficiaries.
Except
as set forth in Section
9.1
and
Section
11.6,
nothing
herein expressed or implied shall be construed to give any person other than
the
parties hereto (and their successors and assigns as permitted herein) any legal
or equitable rights hereunder.
Section
11.8 Counterparts;
Delivery by Facsimile.
This
Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, and by the different parties
hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed will be deemed
to
be an original but all of which taken together will constitute one and the
same
agreement. This Agreement and each other agreement or instrument entered into
in
connection herewith or therewith or contemplated hereby or thereby, and any
amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent signed and delivered by means of
a
facsimile machine or by electronic mail, shall be treated in all manner and
respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to
have
the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof
delivered in person. At the request of any party hereto or to any such agreement
or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto shall re-execute original
forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties. No party hereto or to
any
such agreement or instrument shall raise the use of a facsimile machine or
electronic mail to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or
agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of
a
facsimile machine or electronic mail as a defense to the formation or
enforceability of a contract and each such party forever waives any such
defense.
Section
11.9 Waiver.
At any
time prior to the Effective Time, any party hereto may (a) extend the time
for
the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other party
hereto; (b) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and breaches of the
warranties of the other party contained herein or in any document delivered
pursuant hereto; and (c) waive compliance by the other party with any of the
agreements or conditions contained herein. Any such extension or waiver will
be
valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or
parties to be bound thereby.
37
Section
11.10 No
Constructive Waivers.
No
failure or delay on the part of any party hereto in the exercise of any right
hereunder will impair such right or be construed to be a waiver of, or
acquiescence in, any breach of any representation, warranty, agreement or
covenant herein, nor will any single or partial exercise of any such right
preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right. No waiver
by
any party of any default, misrepresentation, or breach of warranty or covenant
hereunder, whether intentional or not, shall be deemed to extend to any prior
or
subsequent default, misrepresentation, or breach of warranty or covenant
hereunder or affect in any way any rights arising by virtue of any prior or
subsequent such occurrence.
Section
11.11 Further
Assurances.
The
parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to do and perform
or cause to be done and performed all such further acts and things and shall
execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments or
documents as any other party hereto may reasonably request in order to carry
out
fully the intent and purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
Section
11.12 Recitals.
The
recitals set forth above are incorporated herein and, by this reference, are
made part of this Agreement as if fully set forth herein.
Section
11.13 Headings.
The
headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall
not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
Section
11.14 Governing
Law.
This
Agreement and the agreements, instruments and documents contemplated hereby
shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws
of
the State of Nevada without regard to its conflicts of law
principles.
Section
11.15 Dispute
Resolution.
The
parties hereto shall initially attempt to resolve all claims, disputes or
controversies arising under, out of or in connection with this Agreement by
conducting good faith negotiations amongst themselves. If the parties hereto
are
unable to resolve the matter following good faith negotiations, the matter
shall
thereafter be resolved by binding arbitration and each party hereto hereby
waives any right it may otherwise have to the resolution of such matter by
any
means other than binding arbitration pursuant to this Section
11.15.
Whenever a party shall decide to institute arbitration proceedings, it shall
provide written notice to that effect to the other parties hereto. The party
giving such notice shall, however, refrain from instituting the arbitration
proceedings for a period of sixty (60) days following such notice. During this
period, the parties shall make good faith efforts to amicably resolve the claim,
dispute or controversy without arbitration. Any arbitration hereunder shall
be
conducted in the English language under the commercial arbitration rules of
the
American Arbitration Association. Any such arbitration shall be conducted in
Las
Vegas, Nevada by a panel of three arbitrators: one arbitrator shall be appointed
by each of Parent and Company; and the third shall be appointed by the American
Arbitration Association. The panel of arbitrators shall have the authority
to
grant specific performance. Judgment upon the award so rendered may be entered
in any court having jurisdiction or application may be made to such court for
judicial acceptance of any award and an order of enforcement, as the case may
be. In no event shall a demand for arbitration be made after the date when
institution of a legal or equitable proceeding based on the claim, dispute
or
controversy in question would be barred under this Agreement or by the
applicable statute of limitations. The prevailing party in any arbitration
in
accordance with this Section
11.15
shall be
entitled to recover from the other party, in addition to any other remedies
38
specified
in the award, all reasonable costs, attorneys’ fees and other expenses incurred
by such prevailing party to arbitrate the claim, dispute or
controversy.
Section
11.16 Interpretation.
(a) When
a
reference is made in this Agreement to a section or article, such reference
shall be to a section or article of this Agreement unless otherwise clearly
indicated to the contrary.
(b) Whenever
the words “include”,
“includes”
or
“including”
are
used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words
“without limitation.”
(c) The
words
“hereof”,
“hereby”,
“herein”
and
“herewith”
and
words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer
to
this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement,
and article, section, paragraph, exhibit and schedule references are to the
articles, sections, paragraphs, exhibits and schedules of this Agreement unless
otherwise specified.
(d) The
words
“knowledge,”
or
“known
to,”
or
similar terms, when used in this Agreement to qualify any representation or
warranty, refer to the knowledge or awareness of certain specific facts or
circumstances related to such representation or warranty of the persons in
the
Applicable Knowledge Group (as defined herein) which a prudent business person
would have obtained after reasonable investigation or due diligence on the
part
of any such person. For the purposes hereof, the “Applicable
Knowledge Group”
with
respect to the Company shall be Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx XX. For the purposes hereof,
the “Applicable
Knowledge Group”
with
respect to Parent and the Acquisition Corp. shall be Xx.
Xxxxxx Xxx.
(e) The
word
“subsidiary”
shall
mean any entity of which at least a majority of the outstanding shares or other
equity interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors
or
comparable managers of such entity is owned, directly or indirectly by another
entity or person.
(f) For
purposes of this Agreement, “ordinary
course of business”
means
the ordinary course of business consistent with past custom and practice
(including with respect to quantity and frequency).
(g) The
plural of any defined term shall have a meaning correlative to such defined
term, and words denoting any gender shall include all genders. Where a word
or
phrase is defined herein, each of its other grammatical forms shall have a
corresponding meaning.
(h) A
reference to any legislation or to any provision of any legislation shall
include any modification or re-enactment thereof, any legislative provision
substituted therefor and all regulations and statutory instruments issued
thereunder or pursuant thereto, unless the context requires
otherwise.
(i) The
parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of
this
Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation
arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties,
and no presumption or burden
39
of
proof
shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship
of any
provisions of this Agreement.
[The
remainder of this page is intentionally left blank]
40
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be
executed as of the date first above written by their respective officers
thereunto duly authorized.
COMPANY:
|
||
ZNOMICS,
INC.
|
||
By:/s/
Xxxxxxx X. Sessions
|
||
Name:Xxxxxxx
X. Sessions
|
||
Title:CEO
|
||
PARENT:
|
||
By: /s/
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Name:Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:President,
CEO, and sole Director
|
||
ACQUISITION
CORP.:
|
||
ZNOMICS
ACQUISITION, inc.
|
||
By:
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Name:Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:President
and sole Director
|
41
Exhibit
A
Certificate
of Incorporation of Surviving
Corporation
See
attached.
Exhibit
B
By-Laws
of Surviving
Corporation
See
attached.
Exhibit
C
Officers
and Directors of Parent
—
Pre-Effective Time and Post-Effective Time—
Pre-Effective
Time:
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, President, Secretary/ Treasurer, CEO, CFO and sole
Director
Following
Notice Filings:
The
following persons shall be appointed as Officers and Directors of
Parent:
Name
|
Office(s)
|
Xxxxx
X. Xxxx
|
President,
Director, and Chief Scientific Officer
|
Xxxxxxx
X. Sessions
|
Chief
Executive Officer and Director
|
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
|
Director
|
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
|
Controller;
principal accounting officer
|
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
Chairman
of the Board of Directors
|
Exhibit
D
Certificate
of Incorporation of
Parent
See
attached.
Exhibit
E
By-Laws
of Parent
See
attached.