AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER BY AND AMONG AREP CAR HOLDINGS CORP., AREP CAR ACQUISITION CORP., AND LEAR CORPORATION Dated as of February 9, 2007
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
BY
AND
AMONG
AREP
CAR
HOLDINGS CORP.,
AREP
CAR
ACQUISITION CORP.,
AND
XXXX
CORPORATION
Dated
as
of February 9, 2007
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE I THE MERGER |
2
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SECTION
1.1 The Merger
|
2
|
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SECTION
1.2 Consummation of the Merger
|
2
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|
SECTION
1.3 Effects of the Merger
|
2
|
|
SECTION
1.4 Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
|
2
|
|
SECTION
1.5 Directors and Officers
|
3
|
|
SECTION
1.6 Conversion of Shares
|
3
|
|
SECTION
1.7 Conversion of Common Stock of Merger Sub
|
3
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|
SECTION
1.8 Withholding Taxes
|
3
|
|
SECTION
1.9 Subsequent Actions
|
3
|
|
ARTICLE
II DISSENTING SHARES; PAYMENT FOR SHARES; TREATMENT OF
EQUITY-BASED
AWARDS
|
4
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SECTION
2.1 Dissenting Shares
|
4
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|
SECTION
2.2 Payment for Shares
|
4
|
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SECTION
2.3 Closing of the Company’s Transfer Books
|
6
|
|
SECTION
2.4 Treatment of Equity-Based or Equity-Linked Awards and Deferred
Compensation
|
6
|
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SECTION
2.5 Further Actions
|
7
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|
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY |
8
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|
SECTION
3.1 Organization and Qualification
|
8
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|
SECTION
3.2 Capitalization
|
8
|
|
SECTION
3.3 Authority for this Agreement; Board Action
|
10
|
|
SECTION
3.4 Consents and Approvals; No Violation
|
11
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|
SECTION
3.5 Reports; Financial Statements
|
12
|
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SECTION
3.6 Absence of Certain Changes
|
13
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SECTION
3.7 Proxy Statement; Other Filings
|
14
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SECTION
3.8 Brokers; Certain Expenses
|
14
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|
SECTION
3.9 Employee Matters
|
14
|
|
SECTION
3.10 Employees
|
18
|
|
SECTION
3.11 Litigation
|
19
|
|
SECTION
3.12 Tax Matters
|
19
|
i
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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SECTION
3.13 Compliance with Law; No Default
|
22
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SECTION
3.14 Environmental Matters
|
23
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|
SECTION
3.15 Intellectual Property
|
24
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|
SECTION
3.16 Real Property
|
26
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|
SECTION
3.17 Material Contracts
|
26
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SECTION
3.18 Insurance
|
28
|
|
SECTION
3.19 Opinion
|
28
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|
SECTION
3.20 Required Vote of Company Stockholders
|
28
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|
SECTION
3.21 State Takeover Statutes
|
29
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|
SECTION
3.22 Rights Agreements
|
29
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|
SECTION
3.23 Customers and Suppliers
|
29
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|
SECTION
3.24 Affiliate Transactions
|
29
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|
SECTION
3.25 Product Warranties; Product Liability Claims
|
29
|
|
SECTION
3.26 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
|
30
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|
ARTICLE
IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND
MERGER
SUB
|
30
|
|
SECTION
4.1 Organization
|
30
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|
SECTION
4.2 Authority for this Agreement
|
30
|
|
SECTION
4.3 Proxy Statement; Other Filings
|
30
|
|
SECTION
4.4 Consents and Approvals; No Violation
|
31
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|
SECTION
4.5 Debt Financing.
|
32
|
|
SECTION
4.6 Guarantee
|
32
|
|
SECTION
4.7 Litigation
|
32
|
|
SECTION
4.8 Ownership of Merger Sub; No Prior Activities.
|
32
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|
SECTION
4.9 Vote Required
|
33
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SECTION
4.10 Brokers
|
33
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|
SECTION
4.11 Financial Statements
|
33
|
|
SECTION
4.12 Limitation on Warranties
|
33
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|
ARTICLE V COVENANTS |
34
|
|
SECTION
5.1 Conduct of Business of the Company
|
34
|
|
SECTION
5.2 Solicitation
|
37
|
ii
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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SECTION
5.3 Access to Information
|
43
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|
SECTION
5.4 Stockholder Approval
|
43
|
|
SECTION
5.5 Proxy Statement; Other Filings
|
44
|
|
SECTION
5.6 Reasonable Best Efforts; Consents and Governmental Approvals
|
45
|
|
SECTION
5.7 Indemnification and Insurance
|
46
|
|
SECTION
5.8 Employee Matters
|
48
|
|
SECTION
5.9 Takeover Laws
|
49
|
|
SECTION
5.10 Notification of Certain Matters
|
49
|
|
SECTION
5.11 Financing.
|
49
|
|
SECTION
5.12 Subsequent Filings
|
51
|
|
SECTION
5.13 Press Releases
|
51
|
|
SECTION
5.14 Restructuring Cooperation
|
52
|
|
SECTION
5.15 Resignation of Directors
|
52
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|
ARTICLE VI CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER |
52
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|
SECTION
6.1 Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger
|
52
|
|
SECTION
6.2 Conditions to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub
|
52
|
|
SECTION
6.3 Conditions to Obligations of the Company
|
53
|
|
ARTICLE VII TERMINATION; AMENDMENT; WAIVER |
54
|
|
SECTION
7.1 Termination
|
54
|
|
SECTION
7.2 Written Notice of Termination
|
56
|
|
SECTION
7.3 Effect of Termination
|
56
|
|
SECTION
7.4 Fees and Expenses
|
56
|
|
SECTION
7.5 Amendment
|
59
|
|
SECTION
7.6 Extension; Waiver; Remedies
|
59
|
|
ARTICLE VIII MISCELLANEOUS |
59
|
|
SECTION
8.1 Representations and Warranties
|
59
|
|
SECTION
8.2 Entire Agreement; Assignment
|
59
|
|
SECTION
8.3 Jurisdiction; Venue; Arbitration.
|
60
|
|
SECTION
8.4 Validity
|
62
|
|
SECTION
8.5 Notices
|
62
|
|
SECTION
8.6 Governing Law
|
63
|
iii
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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SECTION
8.7 Descriptive Headings
|
63
|
|
SECTION
8.8 Parties in Interest
|
63
|
|
SECTION
8.9 Rules of Construction
|
63
|
|
SECTION
8.10 Counterparts
|
64
|
|
SECTION
8.11 Certain Definitions
|
64
|
iv
Defined
Terms
|
Defined
in
|
|
409A
Authorities
|
SECTION
3.9(k)
|
|
Acceptable
Confidentiality Agreement
|
SECTION
8.11(a)
|
|
Acquisition
Proposal
|
SECTION
5.2(i)
|
|
Action
|
SECTION
5.7(a)
|
|
Affiliate
|
SECTION
8.11(b)
|
|
Agreement
|
Preamble
|
|
AJCA
|
SECTION
3.9(k)
|
|
Alternative
Acquisition Agreement
|
SECTION
5.2(e)(i)
|
|
Associate
|
SECTION
8.11(b)
|
|
Bank
Amount
|
SECTION
7.4(f)(B)(II)
|
|
beneficial
ownership
|
SECTION
8.11(c)
|
|
Business
Day
|
SECTION
8.11(d)
|
|
Breach
Fee
|
SECTION
7.4(f)(A)
|
|
Bylaws
|
SECTION
8.11(e)
|
|
Certificate
of Incorporation
|
SECTION
8.11(f)
|
|
Certificate
of Merger
|
SECTION
1.2
|
|
Change
of Board Recommendation
|
SECTION
5.2(e)
|
|
Closing
|
SECTION
1.2
|
|
Closing
Date
|
SECTION
1.2
|
|
Code
|
SECTION
1.8
|
|
Commitment
Parties
|
SECTION
7.4(f)
|
|
Company
|
Preamble
|
|
Company
Board Recommendation
|
SECTION
3.3(b)
|
|
Company
Breakup Fee
|
SECTION
7.4(c)
|
|
Company
Fairness Opinion
|
SECTION
3.19
|
|
Company
Financial Advisor
|
SECTION
3.8
|
|
Company
Intellectual Property
|
SECTION
3.15(a)
|
|
Company
Joint Venture
|
SECTION
8.11(g)
|
|
Company
Owned Intellectual Property
|
SECTION
3.15(a)
|
|
Company
SEC Reports
|
SECTION
8.11(h)
|
|
Company
Securities
|
SECTION
3.2(a)
|
|
Confidentiality
Agreement
|
SECTION
8.11(i)
|
|
Controlled
Group Liability
|
SECTION
8.11(j)
|
|
Corporation
Law
|
Recitals
|
|
Covered
Event
|
SECTION
8.11(k)
|
|
Current
Employees
|
SECTION
5.8(b)
|
|
Debt
Financing
|
SECTION
4.5
|
|
Debt
Financing Commitments
|
SECTION
4.5
|
|
Deferred
Unit Account
|
SECTION
2.4(c)
|
|
Delaware
Secretary
|
SECTION
1.2
|
|
Disclosure
Letter
|
ARTICLE
III
|
|
Disputed
Matter
|
SECTION
8.3(d)
|
i
Defined
Terms
|
Defined
in
|
|
Dissenting
Shares
|
SECTION
2.1
|
|
Effective
Time
|
SECTION
1.2
|
|
Environment
|
SECTION
3.14(c)(i)
|
|
Environmental
Claim
|
SECTION
3.14(c)(ii)
|
|
Environmental
Law
|
SECTION
3.14(c)(iii)
|
|
ERISA
|
SECTION
8.11(x)
|
|
ERISA
Affiliate
|
SECTION
3.9(c)
|
|
Exchange
Act
|
SECTION
3.4(b)
|
|
Excluded
Party
|
SECTION
5.2(b)
|
|
Excluded
Shares
|
SECTION
1.6
|
|
Expenses
|
SECTION
7.4(e)
|
|
Foreign
Antitrust Laws
|
SECTION
3.4(b)
|
|
Force
Majeure Event
|
SECTION
8.11(l)
|
|
GAAP
|
SECTION
8.11(m)
|
|
Governmental
Entity
|
SECTION
3.4(b)
|
|
Guarantee
|
Recitals
|
|
Guarantor
|
Recitals
|
|
Hazardous
Materials
|
SECTION
3.14(c)(iv)
|
|
hereby
|
SECTION
8.11(n)
|
|
herein
|
SECTION
8.11(n)
|
|
hereinafter
|
SECTION
8.11(n)
|
|
HSR
Act
|
SECTION
3.4(b)
|
|
including
|
SECTION
8.11(o)
|
|
Indemnified
Persons
|
SECTION
5.7(a)
|
|
Initiation
Date
|
SECTION
8.11(p)
|
|
Intellectual
Property Rights
|
SECTION
3.15(a)
|
|
knowledge
|
SECTION
8.11(q)
|
|
Laws
|
SECTION
3.13
|
|
Liens
|
SECTION
8.11(r)
|
|
LTSIP
|
SECTION
2.4(a)
|
|
Marketing
Period
|
SECTION
8.11(s)
|
|
Material
Adverse Effect
|
SECTION
8.11(t)
|
|
Material
Contract
|
SECTION
3.17(a)
|
|
Merger
|
SECTION
1.1
|
|
Merger
Consideration
|
SECTION
1.6
|
|
Merger
Sub
|
Preamble
|
|
MSPP
|
SECTION
2.4(d)
|
|
Nonqualified
Deferred Compensation Plan
|
SECTION
3.9(k)
|
|
Notice
Period
|
SECTION
5.2(e)(i)
|
|
Option
|
SECTION
2.4(a)
|
|
Option
Plans
|
SECTION
2.4(a)
|
|
Other
Filings
|
SECTION
3.7
|
|
Outside
Date
|
SECTION
7.1(c)
|
|
Owned
Real Property
|
SECTION
3.16(a)
|
ii
Defined
Terms
|
Defined
in
|
|
Parent
|
Preamble
|
|
Parent
Disclosure Letter
|
ARTICLE
IV
|
|
Parent
Material Adverse Effect
|
SECTION
8.11(u)
|
|
Paying
Agent
|
SECTION
2.2(a)
|
|
Payment
Fund
|
SECTION
2.2(a)
|
|
PBGC
|
SECTION
3.9(d)
|
|
Performance
Shares
|
SECTION
2.4(e)
|
|
Permits
|
SECTION
3.13
|
|
Permitted
Liens
|
SECTION
8.11(v)
|
|
Person
|
SECTION
8.11(w)
|
|
Plan
|
SECTION
8.11(x)
|
|
Preferred
Shares
|
SECTION
3.2(a)
|
|
Proxy
Statement
|
SECTION
3.7
|
|
Real
Property Leases
|
SECTION
3.16(b)
|
|
Release
|
SECTION
3.14(c)(v)
|
|
Representatives
|
SECTION
8.11(y)
|
|
Required
Information
|
SECTION
5.11(a)(iii)
|
|
Requisite
Stockholder Vote
|
SECTION
3.20
|
|
Retiree
Welfare Programs
|
SECTION
3.9(i)
|
|
RSUs
|
SECTION
2.4(b)
|
|
SAR
|
SECTION
2.4(a)
|
|
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act
|
SECTION
3.5(a)
|
|
SEC
|
SECTION
3.5(a)
|
|
Securities
Act
|
SECTION
3.5(a)
|
|
Shares
|
SECTION
1.6
|
|
Significant
Customers
|
SECTION
3.23
|
|
Significant
Subsidiary
|
SECTION
8.11(z)
|
|
Significant
Suppliers
|
SECTION
3.23
|
|
Solicitation
Period End-Date
|
SECTION
8.11(aa)
|
|
Special
Committee
|
SECTION
8.11(bb)
|
|
Special
Meeting
|
SECTION
5.4
|
|
Stock
Purchase Agreement
|
SECTION
3.3(b)
|
|
Subsidiary
|
SECTION
8.11(cc)
|
|
Subsidiary
Securities
|
SECTION
3.2(b)
|
|
Superior
Fee
|
SECTION
7.4(d)
|
|
Superior
Proposal
|
SECTION
5.2(i)
|
|
Supporting
Stockholders
|
Recitals
|
|
Surviving
Corporation
|
SECTION
1.1
|
|
Takeover
Laws
|
SECTION
3.3(b)
|
|
Tax
|
SECTION
3.12(r)(i)
|
|
Tax-Controlled
Joint Venture
|
SECTION
3.12(r)(iii)
|
|
Tax
Returns
|
SECTION
3.12(r)(ii)
|
|
Title
IV Plans
|
SECTION
3.9(b)
|
|
U.S.
Tax-Controlled Joint Venture
|
SECTION
3.12(r)(iv)
|
iii
Defined
Terms
|
Defined
in
|
|
Voting
Agreement
|
Recitals
|
|
Written
Notice of Claim
|
SECTION
8.3(b)
|
|
Written
Notice of Disagreement
|
SECTION
8.3(b)
|
iv
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of February 9, 2007 (this “Agreement”),
by
and among AREP Car Holdings Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”),
AREP
Car Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary
of
Parent (“Merger
Sub”),
and
Xxxx Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of the Company (with one member who is also a
director of
Guarantor abstaining), acting upon the unanimous recommendation of the
Special
Committee, has determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby, including the Merger, are advisable and fair to, and in the best
interests of, the stockholders of the Company;
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of the Company (with one member abstaining), acting
upon
the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee, has unanimously
adopted
resolutions approving the acquisition of the Company by Parent, the execution
of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby and
recommending that the Company’s stockholders adopt this Agreement pursuant to
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation
Law”)
and
approve the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger;
WHEREAS,
the Boards of Directors of Parent and Merger Sub have each approved,
and the
Board of Directors of Merger Sub has declared it advisable for Merger
Sub to
enter into, this Agreement providing for the Merger in accordance with
the
Corporation Law, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
herein;
WHEREAS,
Parent, Merger Sub and the Company desire to make certain representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with this
Agreement;
WHEREAS,
certain terms are used in this Agreement as defined subsequently in this
Agreement (including Section
8.11);
WHEREAS,
concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, as a condition and
inducement
to the Company’s willingness to enter into this Agreement, the Company and Icahn
Partners LP, Icahn Partners Master Fund LP, Koala Holding Limited Partnership
and High River Limited Partnership (the “Supporting
Stockholders”)
have
entered into a voting agreement (the “Voting
Agreement”);
and
WHEREAS,
concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, as a condition and
inducement
to the Company’s willingness to enter into this Agreement, American Real Estate
Partners, L.P. (“Guarantor”)
has
provided a limited guarantee (the “Guarantee”)
in
favor of the Company, in the form set forth on Section
4.6
of the
Parent Disclosure Letter.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants, agreements, representations
and warranties set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties
hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
THE
MERGER
SECTION
1.1 The
Merger.
Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, and in accordance with
the
relevant provisions of the Corporation Law, at the Effective Time, Merger
Sub
shall be merged with and into the Company (the “Merger”).
The
Company shall be the surviving corporation in the Merger (the “Surviving
Corporation”)
and
the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall cease.
SECTION
1.2 Consummation
of the Merger.
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the closing of the transactions
contemplated hereby (the “Closing”)
will
take place at 10:00 a.m., local time, as promptly as practicable but
in no event
later than the third Business Day after the satisfaction or waiver (by
the party
entitled to grant such waiver) of the conditions (other than those conditions
that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject
to the
fulfillment or waiver of those conditions) (the date of the Closing,
the
“Closing
Date”)
set
forth in Article
VI,
at the
offices of DLA Piper US LLP, 0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx
00000; provided,
however,
that
notwithstanding the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth
in
Article
VI
as of
any date, the parties shall not be required to effect the Closing until
the
earlier of (a) a date during the Marketing Period specified by Parent
on no less
than three Business Days’ notice to the Company and (b) the final day of the
Marketing Period (subject in each case to the satisfaction or waiver
(by the
party entitled to grant such waiver) of all of the conditions (other
than those
conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but
subject
to the fulfillment or waiver of those conditions) set forth in Article
VI
as of
the date determined pursuant to this proviso). Subject to the terms and
conditions hereof, Merger Sub and the Company shall cause the Merger
to be
consummated on the Closing Date by filing with the Secretary of State
of the
State of Delaware (the “Delaware
Secretary”),
on or
prior to the Closing Date, a duly executed and verified certificate of
merger
(the “Certificate
of Merger”),
as
required by the Corporation Law, and shall take all such further actions
as may
be required by Law to make the Merger effective. The time the Merger
becomes
effective in accordance with applicable Law is referred to as the “Effective
Time.”
SECTION
1.3 Effects
of the Merger.
The
Merger shall have the effects set forth herein and in the applicable
provisions
of the Corporation Law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing
and
subject thereto, at the Effective Time, all the property, rights, privileges,
immunities, powers and franchises of the Company and Merger Sub shall
vest in
the Surviving Corporation and all debts, liabilities and duties of the
Company
and Merger Sub shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the
Surviving
Corporation.
SECTION
1.4 Certificate
of Incorporation and Bylaws.
The
Certificate of Incorporation shall, by virtue of the Merger, be amended
in its
entirety to read as the certificate of incorporation of Merger Sub in
effect
immediately prior to the Effective Time, except that Article
I
thereof
shall provide that the name of the Corporation shall be “Xxxx Corporation.” Such
certificate of incorporation, as so amended, shall be the certificate
of
incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended as
permitted
by Law and such certificate of incorporation. The bylaws of Merger Sub,
as in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be the bylaws of
the
Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended in accordance with the
terms of
the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation, the certificate of incorporation
of the
Surviving Corporation and as permitted by Law.
2
SECTION
1.5 Directors
and Officers.
The
directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time and the
officers
of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the directors
and officers, respectively, of the Surviving Corporation (other than
those who
Merger Sub determines shall not remain as officers of the Surviving Corporation)
until their 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 bylaws of the Surviving
Corporation.
SECTION
1.6 Conversion
of Shares.
Each
share of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (each,
a
“Share”
and
collectively, the “Shares”),
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other
than (x)
Shares owned by Parent, Merger Sub or any Subsidiary of Parent (collectively,
the “Excluded
Shares”),
all
of which, at the Effective Time, shall be cancelled without any consideration
being exchanged therefor, and (y) Dissenting Shares) shall, by virtue
of the
Merger and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, be converted
at
the Effective Time into the right to receive in cash an amount per Share
(subject to any applicable withholding Tax specified in Section
1.8)
equal
to $36, without interest (the “Merger
Consideration”),
upon
the surrender of such Shares as provided in Section
2.2.
At the
Effective Time, all such Shares shall no longer be outstanding and shall
automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist, and the names of
the former
registered holders shall be removed from the registry of holders of such
shares
and, subject to Section
2.1,
each
holder of a Share shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto,
except
the right to receive the Merger Consideration, without interest, as provided
herein.
SECTION
1.7 Conversion
of Common Stock of Merger Sub.
Each
share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Merger Sub issued
and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, by virtue
of the
Merger and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, be converted
into and become one share of common stock of the Surviving
Corporation.
SECTION
1.8 Withholding
Taxes.
Parent,
the Surviving Corporation and the Paying Agent shall be entitled to deduct
and
withhold from the consideration otherwise payable to a holder of Shares,
Options, SARs, RSUs, Performance Shares and units held in Deferred Unit
Accounts
pursuant to the Merger or this Agreement, any stock transfer Taxes and
such
amounts as are required to be withheld under the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986,
as amended (the “Code”),
or
any applicable provision of state, local or foreign Tax law. To the extent
that
amounts are so withheld and remitted to the applicable Governmental Entity,
such
withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement
as having
been paid to the holder of the Shares, Options, SARs, RSUs, Performance
Shares
and units held in Deferred Unit Accounts in respect of which such deduction
and
withholding was made.
SECTION
1.9 Subsequent
Actions.
If at
any time after the Effective Time the Surviving Corporation shall consider
or be
advised that any deeds, bills of sale, assignments, assurances or any
other
actions or things are necessary or desirable to continue, vest, perfect
or
confirm of record or otherwise the Surviving Corporation’s right, title or
interest in, to or under any of the rights, properties, privileges, franchises
or assets of the Company as a result of, or in connection with, the Merger,
or
otherwise to carry out the intent of this Agreement, the officers and
directors
of the Surviving Corporation shall be authorized to execute and deliver,
in the
name and on behalf of the Company, all such deeds, bills of sale, assignments
and assurances and to take and do, in the name and on behalf of the Company
or
otherwise, all such other actions and things as may be necessary or desirable
to
vest, perfect or confirm any and all right, title and interest in, to
and under
such rights, properties, privileges, franchises or assets in the Surviving
Corporation or otherwise to carry out the intent of this Agreement.
3
ARTICLE
II
DISSENTING
SHARES; PAYMENT FOR SHARES;
TREATMENT
OF EQUITY-BASED AWARDS
SECTION
2.1 Dissenting
Shares.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Shares that
are
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and which
are
held by stockholders who shall not have voted to adopt this Agreement
and who
properly demand appraisal for such Shares in accordance with Section
262 of the
Corporation Law (the “Dissenting
Shares”)
shall
not be converted into or be exchangeable for the right to receive the
Merger
Consideration, but shall be converted into the right to receive such
consideration as may be determined to be due to holders of Dissenting
Shares
pursuant to Section 262 of the Corporation Law, unless such holder fails
to
perfect or withdraws or otherwise loses his rights to appraisal. If,
after the
Effective Time, a holder of Dissenting Shares fails to perfect or withdraws
or
loses his right to appraisal, such Dissenting Shares shall thereupon
be deemed
to have been converted, at the Effective Time, into the right to receive
the
Merger Consideration, without any interest thereon. The Company shall
give
Parent and Merger Sub (a) prompt written notice (but in any event within
forty-eight (48) hours) of any demands for appraisal of any Shares, attempted
withdrawals of such demands and any other instruments served pursuant
to the
Corporation Law and received by the Company relating to rights to be
paid the
“fair value” of Dissenting Shares, as provided in Section 262 of the Corporation
Law and (b) the opportunity to participate in and direct all negotiations
and
proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal under the Corporation
Law. The
Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent, voluntarily
make or agree to make any payment with respect to any demands for appraisals
of
capital stock of the Company, offer to settle or settle any such demands
or
approve any withdrawal of any such demands except to the extent required
by
applicable law.
SECTION
2.2 Payment
for Shares.
(a)
At or
prior to the Effective Time, Parent will deposit or cause to be deposited
with a
bank or trust company designated by Parent (and reasonably acceptable
to the
Company) (the “Paying
Agent”)
cash
in amounts and at times necessary to make the payments due pursuant to
Section
1.6
to
holders of Shares that are issued and outstanding immediately prior to
the
Effective Time (such amounts being hereinafter referred to as the “Payment
Fund”).
As
directed by Parent, the Payment Fund shall be invested by the Paying
Agent in
(i) direct obligations of the United States of America, (ii) obligations
for
which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged
to
provide for payment of all principal and interest, (iii) money market
accounts,
certificates of deposit, bank repurchase agreements or banker’s acceptance of,
or demand deposits with, commercial banks having a combined capital and
surplus
of at least $1,000,000,000 (based on the most recent financial statements
of
such bank which are publicly available) or (iv) commercial paper obligations
rated A-1 or P-1 or better from either Xxxxx’x Investor Services, Inc. or
Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw Hill Companies, or a combination
thereof, for the benefit of the Surviving Corporation; provided,
that no
such investment shall relieve Parent, the Surviving Corporation or the
Paying
Agent from making the payments required by this Article
II.
The
Payment Fund shall not be used for any purpose other than to fund payments
due
pursuant to Section
1.6,
except
as provided in this Agreement. Any profit or loss resulting from, or
interest
and other income provided by, such investments shall be for the account
of
Parent.
4
(b) As
soon
as reasonably practicable but no later than three Business Days after
the
Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall cause the Paying Agent
to mail
to each record holder of a Share, as of the Effective Time which immediately
prior to the Effective Time represented Shares (other than Excluded Shares),
a
form of letter of transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall
be
effected, and risk of loss and title to the Shares shall pass, only upon
proper
delivery of the Shares to the Paying Agent) and instructions for use
in
effecting the surrender of a Share and receiving payment therefor. Following
surrender to the Paying Agent of such letter of transmittal duly executed,
the
holder of such Share shall be paid in exchange therefor cash in an amount
(subject to any applicable withholding Tax as specified in Section
1.8)
equal
to the product of the number of Shares represented by such letter of
transmittal
multiplied by the Merger Consideration, and such Shares shall forthwith
be
canceled. No interest will be paid or accrued on the cash payable upon
the
surrender of the Shares. If payment is to be made to a Person other than
the
Person in whose name the Share surrendered is registered, it shall be
a
condition of payment that the letter of transmittal be in proper form
for
transfer and that the Person requesting such payment pay any transfer
or other
Taxes required by reason of the payment to a Person other than the registered
holder of the Share surrendered or establish to the satisfaction of the
Surviving Corporation that such Tax has been paid or is not applicable.
From and
after the Effective Time and until surrendered in accordance with the
provisions
of this Section
2.2,
each
Share shall represent for all purposes solely the right to receive, in
accordance with the terms hereof, the Merger Consideration in cash, without
any
interest thereon.
(c) At
the
option of the Surviving Corporation, any portion of the Payment Fund
(including
the proceeds of any investments thereof) that remains unclaimed by the
former
stockholders of the Company for one year after the Effective Time shall
be
repaid to the Surviving Corporation. Any former stockholders of the Company
who
have not complied with this Section
2.2
prior to
the end of such one-year period shall thereafter look only to the Surviving
Corporation (subject to abandoned property, escheat or other similar
Laws) but
only as general creditors thereof for payment of their claim for the
Merger
Consideration, without any interest thereon. Neither Parent nor the Surviving
Corporation shall be liable to any holder of Shares for any monies delivered
from the Payment Fund or otherwise to a public official pursuant to any
applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar Law. If any Shares
shall not
have been surrendered as of a date immediately prior to such time that
unclaimed
funds would otherwise become subject to any abandoned property, escheat
or
similar Law, any unclaimed funds payable with respect to such Shares
shall, to
the extent permitted by applicable Law, become the property of the Surviving
Corporation, free and clear of all claims or interest of any Person previously
entitled thereto.
5
(d) No
dividends or other distributions with respect to capital stock of the
Surviving
Corporation with a record date after the Effective Time shall be paid
to the
holder of any unsurrendered certificate.
(e) In
the
event that any certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the
making
of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such certificate
to be lost,
stolen or destroyed, in addition to the posting by such holder of any
bond in
such reasonable amount as the Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent
may
direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Surviving
Corporation or the Paying Agent with respect to such certificate, the
Paying
Agent will issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate
the
Merger Consideration in respect thereof entitled to be received pursuant
to this
Agreement.
SECTION
2.3 Closing
of the Company’s Transfer Books.
At the
Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed
and no
transfer of Shares shall thereafter be made. If, after the Effective
Time,
Shares are presented to the Surviving Corporation for transfer, they
shall be
canceled and exchanged for the Merger Consideration as provided in this
Article
II,
subject
to applicable Law in the case of Dissenting Shares.
SECTION
2.4 Treatment
of Equity-Based or Equity-Linked Awards and Deferred
Compensation.
(a)
The
Company shall provide that, immediately prior to the Effective Time,
each option
to purchase Shares (an “Option”)
and
each stock appreciation right (a “SAR”)
granted under the Xxxx Corporation Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan (the
“LTSIP”),
the
Xxxx Corporation 1994 Stock Option Plan and the Xxxx Corporation 1996
Stock
Option Plan (the “Option
Plans”)
that
is outstanding and unexercised as of the Effective Time (whether vested
or
unvested), except for Options and SARs as to which the treatment in the
Merger
is hereafter separately agreed in writing by Parent and the holder thereof,
which Options and SARs shall be treated as so agreed, shall be cancelled,
and
the holder thereof shall receive at the Effective Time from the Company,
or as
soon as practicable thereafter from the Surviving Corporation, in consideration
for such cancellation, an amount in cash equal to the product of (i)
the number
of Shares previously subject to such Option or SAR and (ii) the excess,
if any,
of the Merger Consideration over the exercise price per Share previously
subject
to such Option or SAR.
(b) At
the
Effective Time, each restricted stock unit granted under the Option Plans
(collectively, the “RSUs”),
including pursuant to any Management Stock Purchase Plan thereunder,
whether
vested or unvested, that is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time,
except for RSUs as to which the treatment in the Merger is hereafter
separately
agreed in writing by Parent and the holder thereof, which RSUs shall
be treated
as so agreed, shall cease to represent a right or award with respect
to Shares
and shall be cancelled and of no further force and effect, and the holder
thereof shall receive at the Effective Time, or as soon as practicable
thereafter from the Surviving Corporation, in consideration for such
cancellation, an amount in cash equal to the product of (i) the number
of Shares
previously subject to such RSU and (ii) the Merger Consideration.
(c) At
the
Effective Time, all deferred amounts held in the unit accounts denominated
in
Shares under the Xxxx Corporation Outside Directors Compensation Plan
(each, a
“Deferred
Unit Account”),
except for deferred amounts as to which the treatment in the Merger is
hereafter
separately agreed in writing by Parent and the holder thereof, which
deferred
amounts shall be treated as so agreed, shall be converted into an obligation
to
pay cash with a value equal to the product of (i) the Merger Consideration
and
(ii) the number of Shares deemed held in such Deferred Unit Account.
Such
obligation shall be payable or distributable in accordance with the terms
of the
agreement, plan or arrangement relating to the Deferred Unit
Account.
6
(d) The
Company shall take all action as is necessary to cause the Company’s Management
Stock Purchase Plan (the “MSPP”)
to be
suspended effective as of a date not later than the end of the first
full
calendar month beginning after the date of this Agreement, such that
the
“offering period” in effect as of the date of this Agreement will be the final
offering period under the MSPP, and, as of the Effective Time and subject
to the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the
Company
shall terminate the MSPP.
(e) At
the
Effective Time, each performance share awarded under the LTSIP (collectively,
the “Performance
Shares”),
whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding immediately prior to
the
Effective Time, except for Performance Shares as to which the treatment
in the
Merger is hereafter separately agreed by Parent and the holder thereof,
which
Performance Shares shall be treated as so agreed, shall cease to represent
a
right or award with respect to Shares and shall be cancelled and of no
further
force and effect, and the holder thereof shall receive at the Effective
Time, or
as soon as practicable thereafter from the Surviving Corporation, in
consideration for such cancellation, an amount in cash equal to the product
of
(i) the target number of Shares or units previously subject to such Performance
Shares and (ii) the Merger Consideration, with respect to that percentage
of
such Performance Shares which vest upon a change in control as provided
in the
LTSIP.
(f) The
Board
of Directors of the Company (or the appropriate committee thereof) shall,
and
such Board of Directors (or committee thereof) shall cause the Company
to, take
any actions necessary to effectuate the foregoing provisions of this
Section
2.4;
it
being understood that the intention of the parties is that following
the
Effective Time no holder of an Option, SAR, RSU, units in Deferred Unit
Accounts, Performance Shares or any participant in any Plan, including
the
LTSIP, or other employee benefit arrangement of the Company shall have
any right
thereunder to acquire (or receive amounts measured by reference to) any
capital
stock (including any “phantom” stock or stock appreciation rights) of the
Company, any Subsidiary or the Surviving Corporation. Prior to the Effective
Time (and to the extent requested by Parent, at the time that the amounts
provided by this Section
2.4
are paid
to the holders of the Options, SARs, RSUs, units in Deferred Unit Accounts
and
Performance Shares), the Company shall deliver to the holders of the
Options,
SARs, RSUs, units in Deferred Unit Accounts and Performance Shares appropriate
notices, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Parent, setting
forth
such holders’ rights pursuant to this Agreement.
SECTION
2.5 Further
Actions.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if, between
the date
of this Agreement and the Effective Time, there shall have been declared,
made
or paid any dividend or distribution on the Shares or the issued and
outstanding
Shares shall have been changed into a different number of shares or a
different
class by reason of any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend,
reclassification, redenomination, recapitalization, split-up, combination,
exchange of shares or other similar transaction, the Merger Consideration
shall
be appropriately adjusted and as so adjusted shall, from and after the
date of
such event, be the Merger Consideration, subject to further adjustment
in
accordance with this Section
2.5;
provided
that
nothing herein shall be construed to permit the Company to take any action
with
respect to its securities that is prohibited or not expressly permitted
by the
terms of this Agreement.
7
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
OF
THE
COMPANY
Except
as
disclosed in the Section of the disclosure letter dated the date of this
Agreement and delivered by the Company to Parent with respect to this
Agreement
prior to the date of this Agreement (the “Disclosure
Letter”)
that
specifically relates to such Section or if disclosed in any other Section
of the
Disclosure Letter is reasonably apparent on its face to relate to such
Section,
of Article
III
below,
the Company represents and warrants to each of Parent and Merger Sub
as
follows:
SECTION
3.1 Organization
and Qualification.
The
Company and each of its Significant Subsidiaries is a duly organized
and validly
existing corporation or other legal entity in good standing under the
Laws of
its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization. The Company and each
Significant Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, each Company
Joint
Venture has all corporate or similar power and authority to own its properties
and conduct its business as currently conducted. The Company and each
of its
Subsidiaries is duly qualified and in good standing as a foreign corporation
authorized to do business in each of the jurisdictions in which the character
of
the properties owned or held under lease by it or the nature of the business
transacted by it makes such qualification necessary, except as has not
had and
would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate,
a
Material Adverse Effect. The Company has heretofore made available to
Parent
true, correct and complete copies of the certificate of incorporation
and bylaws
(or similar governing documents) as currently in effect for the Company
and each
of its Significant Subsidiaries and Company Joint Ventures. Except as
set forth
in Section
3.1
of the
Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries,
directly or indirectly, owns any interest in any Person having a value
in excess
of $10,000,000 other than wholly-owned Subsidiaries and the Company Joint
Ventures. Neither the Company, any Significant Subsidiary nor, to the
Company’s
knowledge, any Company Joint Venture is in violation of its organizational
or
governing documents in any material respect.
SECTION
3.2 Capitalization.
(a)
The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (i) 150,000,000 Shares
and
(ii) 15,000,000 shares of preferred stock of the Company, par value $0.01
per
share (the “Preferred
Shares”).
As of
February 2, 2007, 76,293,779 Shares and no Preferred Shares were issued
and
outstanding; and 5,696,827 Shares and no Preferred Shares were held in
the
Company’s treasury. As of December 31, 2006, there were (i) Options to purchase
2,790,305 Shares and no Preferred Shares; 1,964,571 Shares and no Preferred
Shares covering RSUs; 1,751,854 Shares and no Preferred Shares covering
SARs;
169,909 Shares and no Preferred Shares covering Performance Shares; and
80,444
Shares and no Preferred Shares covering Deferred Unit Accounts. As of
December
31, 2006, there were 463,748 SARs to be settled in cash and $6,764,580
of
performance cash awards outstanding. Since such date and except as set
forth in
Section
3.2(a)
of the
Disclosure Letter, the Company has not issued any Shares, Preferred Shares
or
Shares held in treasury, other than the issuance of Shares upon the exercise
of
Options or SARs outstanding on such date and the issuance of Shares held
in
treasury upon the settlement of RSUs and the exercise of Options or SARs
outstanding on such date. Since February 2, 2007, the Company has not
granted any options, restricted stock or RSUs, SARs, Performance Shares,
warrants or rights or entered into any other agreements or commitments
to issue
any Shares, Preferred Shares or derivatives of Shares, and has not split,
combined or reclassified any of its shares of capital stock. All of the
outstanding Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully
paid and nonassessable and are free of preemptive rights. Section
3.2(a)
of the
Disclosure Letter contains a true, correct and complete list, as of December
31,
2006, of the aggregate Options, RSUs, SARs, Performance Shares, Deferred
Unit
Accounts, performance cash awards and other equity-based awards outstanding.
Except as set forth in Section
3.2(a)
of the
Disclosure Letter, there are no outstanding (i) securities of the Company
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or voting
securities or ownership interests in the Company; (ii) options, warrants,
rights
or other agreements or commitments to acquire from the Company, or obligations
of the Company to issue, any capital stock, voting securities or other
ownership
interests in (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for capital
stock
or voting securities or other ownership interests in) the Company; (iii)
obligations of the Company to grant, extend or enter into any subscription,
warrant, right, convertible or exchangeable security or other similar
agreement
or commitment relating to any capital stock, voting securities or other
ownership interests in the Company (the items in clauses (i), (ii) and
(iii),
together with the capital stock of the Company, being referred to collectively
as “Company
Securities”);
or
(iv) obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to make any
payments
directly or indirectly based (in whole or in part) on the price or value
of the
Shares or Preferred Shares. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has
any outstanding stock appreciation rights, phantom stock, performance
based
rights or similar rights or obligations (other than as set forth in Section
3.2(a)
of the
Disclosure Letter). Other than with respect to the awards set forth in
Section
3.2(a)
of the
Disclosure Letter, there are no outstanding obligations, commitments
or
arrangements, contingent or otherwise, of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Company Securities. There
are no
voting trusts or other agreements or understandings to which the Company
or any
of its Subsidiaries is a party with respect to the voting of capital
stock of
the Company other than the Voting Agreement.
8
(b) The
Company or one or more of its Subsidiaries is the record and beneficial
owner of
all the equity interests of each Significant Subsidiary, free and clear
of any
Lien other than Permitted Liens, including any limitation or restriction
on the
right to vote, pledge or sell or otherwise dispose of such equity interests
(other than any such restrictions as may be deemed to be imposed by generally
applicable federal or state securities laws), and the capital structure
(including ownership) of each of the Significant Subsidiaries is set
forth in
Section
3.2(b)
of the
Disclosure Letter. All equity interests of the Significant Subsidiaries
held by
the Company or any other Significant Subsidiary are validly issued, fully
paid
and non-assessable and were not issued in violation of any preemptive
or similar
rights, purchase option, call, or right of first refusal or similar rights.
There are no outstanding (i) securities of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock
or
other voting securities or ownership interests in any Significant Subsidiary;
(ii) options, restricted stock, warrants, rights or other agreements
or
commitments to acquire from the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries,
or obligations of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries
to issue,
any capital stock, voting securities or other ownership interests in
(or
securities convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock or voting
securities or other ownership interests in) any Significant Subsidiary;
(iii)
obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to grant, extend
or enter
into any subscription, warrant, right, convertible or exchangeable security
or
other similar agreement or commitment relating to any capital stock,
voting
securities or other ownership interests in any Significant Subsidiary
(the items
in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), together with the capital stock of such
Significant Subsidiaries, being referred to collectively as “Subsidiary
Securities”);
or
(iv) obligations of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries
to make
any payment directly or indirectly based (in whole or in part) on the
value of
any shares of capital stock of any Significant Subsidiary. There are
no
outstanding obligations, commitments or arrangements, contingent or otherwise,
of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries to purchase, redeem
or
otherwise acquire any outstanding Subsidiary Securities. There are no
voting
trusts or other agreements or understandings to which the Company or
any of its
Significant Subsidiaries is a party with respect to the voting of capital
stock
of any Significant Subsidiary.
9
(c) Section
3.2(c)
of the
Disclosure Letter sets forth, as of the date of this Agreement, a true,
correct
and complete list of each Company Joint Venture. All equity interests
of the
Company Joint Ventures held by the Company or any other Subsidiary of
the
Company are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and were not
issued in
violation of any preemptive or similar rights, purchase option, call,
or right
of first refusal or similar rights.
SECTION
3.3 Authority
for this Agreement; Board Action.
(a)
The
Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and
deliver
this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby,
including
the Merger. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company
and the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby have
been
duly and validly authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company,
and no
other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary
to
authorize this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby,
other than, with respect to completion of the Merger, the adoption of
this
Agreement by the Requisite Stockholder Vote, prior to the consummation
of the
Merger. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered
by the
Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by each
of
Parent and Merger Sub, constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement
of the
Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
subject
to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium
and
similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights
and to general equity principles.
(b) The
Company’s Board of Directors (at a meeting or meetings duly called and held,
and
acting upon the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee) has
unanimously (with one member abstaining) (i) determined that this Agreement
and
the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, are advisable
and
fair to, and in the best interests of, the stockholders of the Company;
(ii)
approved this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby; (iii)
directed
that this Agreement be submitted to the stockholders of the Company for
their
adoption and resolved to recommend the approval and adoption of this
Agreement
(including the agreement of merger contained herein) and the transactions
contemplated hereby, including the Merger, by the stockholders of the
Company
(including the recommendation of the Special Committee, the “Company
Board Recommendation”);
(iv)
assuming there has been no breach by any of the Supporting Stockholders
of their
obligations under Section 6(a) of the Stock Purchase Agreement dated
as of
October 17, 2006 by and among the Company and certain of the Supporting
Stockholders (the “Stock
Purchase Agreement”)
and
assuming neither Parent nor Merger Sub during the past three years has
been an
“interested stockholder” of the Company as defined in Section 203 of the
Corporation Law, irrevocably taken all necessary steps to render the
restrictions on “business combinations” set forth in Section 203 of the
Corporation Law and in the applicable provisions of the Stock Purchase
Agreement
inapplicable to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger; and (v) irrevocably
resolved to elect, to the extent permitted by Law, for the Company not
to be
subject to any “moratorium,” “control share acquisition,” “business
combination,” “fair price” or other form of anti-takeover Laws or regulations
(collectively, “Takeover
Laws”)
of any
jurisdiction that may purport to be applicable to this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby.
10
SECTION
3.4 Consents
and Approvals; No Violation.
(a)
Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) violate or conflict
with or
result in any breach of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation
or
Bylaws or the respective certificates of incorporation or bylaws or other
similar governing documents of any Subsidiary of the Company or any Company
Joint Venture; (ii) assuming all consents, approvals and authorizations
contemplated by clause (i) through (iv) of subsection (b) below have
been
obtained, and all filings described in such clauses have been made, conflict
with or violate any Law; (iii) except as set forth on Section
3.4(a)(iii)
of the
Disclosure Letter, violate, or conflict with, or result in a breach of
any
provision of, or require any consent, waiver or approval, or result in
a default
or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation, modification
or
acceleration (or an event that, with the giving of notice, the passage
of time
or otherwise, would constitute a default or give rise to any such right)
under
any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage,
lease,
license, agreement, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation
to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the
Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets
may
be bound; (iv) result (or, with the giving of notice, the passage of
time or
otherwise, would result) in the creation or imposition of any Lien on
any asset
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (v) violate any order,
writ,
injunction, decree, statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company
or any
of its Subsidiaries or by which any of their respective assets are bound,
except, in case of clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v), as would not reasonably
be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company
and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger,
by
the Company do not and will not require any consent, approval, authorization
or
permit of, or filing with or notification to, any foreign, federal, state
or
local government or subdivision thereof, or governmental, judicial, legislative,
executive, administrative or regulatory authority, agency, commission,
tribunal
or body (a “Governmental
Entity”)
except
(i) the pre-merger notification requirements under the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx
Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR
Act”),
or
applicable foreign antitrust, competition or investment Laws (“Foreign
Antitrust Laws”),
(ii)
the applicable requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange
Act”),
(iii)
the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Delaware Secretary and
(iv) any
such consent, approval, authorization, permit, filing or notification
the
failure of which to make or obtain (A) would not prevent or materially
delay the
Company’s performance of its obligations under this Agreement or (B) has not
had
and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate,
a Material Adverse Effect. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company
is not
aware of any fact, event or circumstance specifically relating to the
Company or
any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates that would reasonably be expected
to
prevent or delay the receipt of any consent, approval, authorization
or permit
of any Governmental Entity required pursuant to Article
VI
to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
11
SECTION
3.5 Reports;
Financial Statements.
(a)
The
Company has timely filed or furnished all forms, reports, statements,
certifications and other documents required to be filed or furnished
by it with
or to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)
since
January 1, 2004, all of which have complied, as to form, as of their
respective
filing dates in all material respects with all applicable requirements
of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder (the “Securities
Act”),
the
Exchange Act and the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act”).
None
of the Company SEC Reports, including any financial statements or schedules
included or incorporated by reference therein, at the time filed or furnished,
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state
a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. No executive officer of the Company has failed in any respect
to
make the certifications required of him or her under Section 302 or 906
of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act with respect to any Company SEC Report. The Company
has made
available to Parent true, correct and complete copies of all material
written
correspondence between the SEC, on the one hand, and the Company and
any of its
Subsidiaries, on the other hand. As of the date of this Agreement, there
are no
outstanding or unresolved comments in comment letters received from the
SEC
staff with respect to the Company SEC Reports. To the knowledge of the
Company,
none of the Company SEC Reports is the subject of ongoing SEC review
or
outstanding SEC comment. None of the Company’s Subsidiaries is required to file
periodic reports with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act.
(b) The
audited and unaudited consolidated financial statements (including the
related
notes thereto) of the Company included (or incorporated by reference)
in the
Company SEC Reports, as amended or supplemented prior to the date of
this
Agreement, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent
basis and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial
position of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of their respective dates,
and
the consolidated stockholders’ equity, results of operations and cash flows for
the periods presented therein (subject, in the case of unaudited statements,
to
normal and recurring year-end adjustments that are not expected to be
material
in amount or effect). All of the Company’s Significant Subsidiaries are
consolidated for accounting purposes.
(c) The
Company (i) has implemented and maintains disclosure controls and procedures
(as
defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to ensure that material
information relating to the Company, including its consolidated Subsidiaries,
is
made known to the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer
of the
Company by others within those entities and (ii) has disclosed, based
on its
most recent evaluation prior to the date of this Agreement, to the Company’s
outside auditors and the audit committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (A)
any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
operation
of internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f)
of
the Exchange Act) that would reasonably be expected to adversely affect
the
Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information
and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
or other
employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over
financial reporting.
12
(d) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the
Company,
any director, officer, employee, auditor, accountant or representative
of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received or otherwise had or obtained
knowledge of any material complaint, allegation, assertion or claim,
whether
written or oral, regarding deficiencies in the accounting or auditing
practices,
procedures, methodologies or methods of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
or their respective internal accounting controls, including any material
complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries has engaged in improper accounting or auditing practices.
To the
Company’s knowledge, no attorney representing the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, whether or not employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
has reported evidence of a material violation of federal or state securities
Laws, breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation by the Company or
any of its
officers or directors to the Board of Directors of the Company or any
committee
thereof or to any director or officer of the Company.
(e) Except
as
disclosed in the Company SEC Reports filed prior to the date of this
Agreement,
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liabilities of
any
nature, whether accrued, absolute, fixed, contingent or otherwise (including
as
may be owing under indemnity or contribution arrangements), whether due
or to
become due, that would be required to be recorded or reflected on a balance
sheet under GAAP that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be
expected to be material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as
a whole,
other than such liabilities (i) as and to the extent reflected or reserved
against on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company dated as of
September
30, 2006 (including the notes thereto) included in the Company SEC Reports,
(ii)
that have been incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past
practice since September 30, 2006 or (iii) incurred to the extent permitted
by
Section
5.1.
SECTION
3.6 Absence
of Certain Changes.
(a)
Except
as expressly set forth in the Company SEC Reports filed prior to the
date of
this Agreement since December 31, 2005, the Company and its Subsidiaries
have
conducted their respective businesses in all material respects in the
ordinary
course.
(b) Since
December 31, 2005, except as expressly set forth in the Company SEC Reports
filed prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company and its Subsidiaries
have
not suffered any Material Adverse Effect, and there has not been any
change,
condition, event or development that would reasonably be expected to
have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Since
April 25, 2006, the Company and its Subsidiaries have not entered into
or
consummated any transaction in violation of Section 13.9 of the Company’s
Amended and Restated Credit and Guarantee Agreement dated April 25,
2006.
13
SECTION
3.7 Proxy
Statement; Other Filings.
The
letter to stockholders, notice of meeting, proxy statement and form of
proxy
that will be provided to stockholders of the Company in connection with
the
Merger (including any amendments or supplements) and any schedules required
to
be filed with the SEC in connection therewith (collectively, the “Proxy
Statement”),
at
the time the Proxy Statement is first mailed and at the time of the Special
Meeting, and any other document to be filed by the Company with the SEC
in
connection with the Merger (the “Other
Filings”),
at
the time of its filing with the SEC, will not contain any untrue statement
of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under
which they are made, not misleading. The Proxy Statement and the Other
Filings
will comply as to form in all material respects with the provisions of
the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated
thereunder.
The
representations and warranties contained in this Section
3.7
will not
apply to the failure of the Proxy Statement or any Other Filing to comply
as to
form as a result of, or statements or omissions included in the Proxy
Statement
or any Other Filings based upon, information supplied in writing to the
Company
by Parent or Merger Sub or any of their respective directors, officers,
Affiliates, agents or other representatives.
SECTION
3.8 Brokers;
Certain Expenses.
No
agent, broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other firm or
Person is
or shall be entitled, as a result of any action, agreement or commitment
of the
Company or any of its Affiliates, to any broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s
or other similar fee or commission in connection with any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, except X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. (the
“Company
Financial Advisor”),
whose
fees and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and except as set forth
on
Section
3.8
of the
Disclosure Letter. A true and correct copy of the engagement letter with
the
Company Financial Advisor in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereby has been delivered to Parent and has not been subsequently, modified,
waived, supplemented or amended.
SECTION
3.9 Employee
Matters.
(a) Section
3.9(a)
of the
Disclosure Letter contains a true, correct and complete list of all material
Plans and indicates those Plans that are maintained primarily for the
benefit of
employees who are located in any jurisdiction outside the United States
(excluding any such non-United States plans that are statutory plans).
Prior to
the date of this Agreement, the Company has made available to Parent
true,
correct and complete copies of each of the following, as applicable,
with
respect to each material Plan: (i) the plan document or agreement or,
with
respect to any Plan (or an amendment thereof) that is not in writing,
a written
description of the material terms thereof; (ii) the trust agreement,
insurance
contract or other documentation of any related funding arrangement; (iii)
the
summary plan description; (iv) the two most recent annual reports, actuarial
reports and/or financial reports; (v) the two most recent required Internal
Revenue Service Forms 5500, including all schedules thereto; (vi) any
material
communication to or from any Governmental Entity or to or from any Plan
participant; (vii) all material amendments or material modifications
to any such
documents; (viii) the most recent determination letter received from
the
Internal Revenue Service with respect to each Plan that is intended to
be a
“qualified plan” under Section 401 of the Code; and (ix) any comparable
documents with respect to Plans subject to any foreign Laws that are
required to
be prepared or filed under the applicable Laws of such foreign
jurisdiction.
14
(b) With
respect to each Plan, (i) all contributions due from the Company or any
of its
ERISA Affiliates (as defined below) to date have been timely made in
all
material respects and all material amounts properly accrued to date or
as of the
Effective Time as liabilities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
which
are not yet due have been properly recorded on the books of the Company
and, to
the extent required by GAAP, adequate reserves are reflected on the financial
statements of the Company, (ii) all premiums due or payable with respect
to
insurance policies funding any Plan, for any period through the date
of this
Agreement, have been timely made or paid in full, (iii) each such Plan
which is
an “employee pension benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) and
intended to qualify under Section 401 of the Code has received a favorable
determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (or an application
for a
determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service has been requested
and
pending, and, to the Company’s knowledge, nothing has occurred and no
circumstance exists that has or would reasonably be expected to cause
the
Internal Revenue Service to not issue a favorable determination letter)
with
respect to such qualification and, to the Company’s knowledge, nothing has
occurred since the date of such letter that has or would reasonably be
expected
to adversely affect such qualification, (iv) with respect to any Plan
maintained
outside the United States, all applicable foreign qualifications or registration
requirements have been satisfied, except where any failure to comply
would not
result in any material liability to the Company or its ERISA Affiliates
(as
defined below), (v) there are no material actions, suits or claims pending
(other than routine claims for benefits) or, to the knowledge of the
Company,
threatened with respect to such Plan, any fiduciaries of such Plan with
respect
to their duties to any Plan, or against the assets of such Plan or any
trust
maintained in connection with such Plan (other than as disclosed in Section
3.9(b)(v)
of the
Disclosure Letter), and (vi) such Plan has been operated and administered
in
compliance in all material respects with its terms and all applicable
Laws and
regulations, including ERISA and the Code. Except with respect to the
Company’s
employee pension benefit plans that are sponsored by the Company or its
ERISA
Affiliates (as defined below) and subject to Title IV of ERISA (the
“Title
IV Plans”),
there
is not now, and to the knowledge of the Company there are no existing
circumstances that would reasonably be expected to give rise to, any
requirement
for the posting of security with respect to a Plan or the imposition
of any
pledge, lien, security interest or encumbrance on the assets of the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates (as
defined
below) under ERISA or the Code, or similar Laws of foreign jurisdictions,
or
that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any Controlled Group
Liability
for Parent or Merger Sub after the Effective Date.
(c) Neither
the Company nor its Subsidiaries nor any trade or business, whether or
not
incorporated, that, together with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
would
be deemed to be a “single employer” within the meaning of Section 4001(b) of
ERISA or would be deemed to have a relationship described in Section
414(m) or
414(o) of the Code (an “ERISA
Affiliate”),
(i)
maintains or contributes to, or has maintained or contributed to, (x)
any
“employee benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA that is
subject to Section 302 or Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code
or (y) a
“multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 3(37) and 4001(a)(3) of ERISA
or a “multiple employer plan” within the meaning of Sections 4063/4064 of ERISA
or Section 413(c) of the Code or (ii) except with respect to the Title
IV Plans,
has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any material liability pursuant
to
Title I or Title IV of ERISA (including any Controlled Group Liability)
or any
foreign Law or regulation relating to employee benefit plans, whether
contingent
or otherwise.
15
(d) With
respect to each Plan that is subject to Title IV or Section 302 of ERISA
or
Section 412 or 4971 of the Code: (i) there does not exist any accumulated
funding deficiency within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section
302
of ERISA, whether or not waived; (ii) no reportable event within the
meaning of
Section 4043(c) of ERISA for which the 30-day notice requirement has
not been
waived has occurred; (iii) all premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation (the “PBGC”)
have
been timely paid in full; and (iv) the PBGC has not instituted proceedings
to
terminate any such Plan and, to the Company’s knowledge, no condition exists
that presents a material risk that such proceedings will be instituted
or which
would constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination
of, or
the appointment of a trustee to administer, any such Plan.
(e) With
respect to each Plan that is a “multiemployer plan,” no complete or partial
withdrawal from such Plan has been made by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate,
or by any other Person, that could result in any material liability to
the
Company or any ERISA Affiliate, whether such liability is contingent
or
otherwise, and if the Company or any ERISA Affiliate were to withdraw
from any
such Plan, such withdrawal would not result in any material liability
to the
Company or any ERISA Affiliate.
(f) With
respect to each Plan that is a “multiple employer” plan, (i) the Company has
performed all of its respective obligations under such Plan and (ii)
the Company
does not have, and no event has occurred or circumstances exist that
could
result in, any liability other than liability limited to the participation
of
any Company employee or former Company employee in the ordinary course.
Section
3.9(f)
of the
Disclosure Letter identifies each Plan that is a “multiple employer” plan and
indicates the other participating employers with respect to such
Plan.
(g) No
Plan
is under audit or, to the knowledge of the Company, is the subject of
an
investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of
Labor, the
PBGC, the SEC or any other Governmental Entity, nor, to the knowledge
of the
Company, is any such audit or investigation pending or, to the Company’s
knowledge, threatened. Except with respect to underfunding related to
the Title
IV Plans, to the Company’s knowledge, no act or omission has occurred and no
condition exists that would subject the Company or an ERISA Affiliate
to any
material fine, penalty, tax or liability of any kind imposed under ERISA
or the
Code. With respect to each Plan for which financial statements are required
by
ERISA, there has been no material adverse change in the financial status
of such
Plan since the date of the most recent such statements provided to Parent
by the
Company.
(h) Neither
the execution or delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement will, either alone or in
conjunction
with any other event (whether contingent or otherwise), (i) result in
any
payment or benefit becoming due or payable, or required to be provided,
to any
director, employee or independent contractor of the Company or any of
its ERISA
Affiliates, (ii) increase the amount or value of any benefit or compensation
otherwise payable or required to be provided to any such director, employee
or
independent contractor, (iii) result in the acceleration of the time
of payment,
vesting or funding of any such benefit or compensation or (iv) result
in
payments in excess of the amounts set forth in Section
3.9(h)
of the
Disclosure Letter that would fail to be deductible by reason of 280G
of the Code
and except as disclosed in Section
3.9(h)
of the
Disclosure Letter no plan provides for a “gross up” or similar payments in
respect of any Taxes that may become payable under Section 409A or Section
4999(a) of the Code.
16
(i) Other
than as disclosed in the Company SEC Reports, neither the Company nor
any of its
ERISA Affiliates has any material liability with respect to postretirement
welfare benefit plans (the “Retiree
Welfare Programs”)
with
respect to any Person other than coverage mandated by Section 4980B of
the Code
or state Law. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result in
material
liability to the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates, there has been
no
written communication to employees of the Company or its ERISA Affiliates
that
promises or guarantees such employees retiree health or life insurance
benefits
or other retiree death benefits on a permanent basis. Each Retiree Welfare
Program can be amended or terminated at any time in accordance with the
terms of
such plan. Each Plan that is a “group health plan” (as defined in Section 607(1)
of ERISA or Section 5001(b)(1) of the Code) has been operated at all
times in
material compliance with COBRA and the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996 and any related regulations or applicable
state
laws.
(j) Each
individual who renders services to the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates
who is classified by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates, as applicable,
as having the status of an independent contractor or other non-employee
status
for any purpose (including for purposes of taxation and tax reporting
and under
Plans) is to the knowledge of the Company properly so
characterized.
(k) Each
Plan
that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of
Section 409A(d)(1) of the Code (a “Nonqualified
Deferred Compensation Plan”)
and
any award thereunder, in each case that is subject to Section 409A of
the Code,
has been operated in compliance in all material respects with Section
409A of
the Code, based upon a good faith, reasonable interpretation of (A) Section
409A
of the Code and (B)(1) the proposed regulations issued thereunder, (2)
Internal
Revenue Service Notice 2005-1 or (3) Internal Revenue Service Notice
2006-100
(clauses (A) and (B), together, the “409A
Authorities”).
Except as would not have or reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in
the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, no Plan that would be a Nonqualified
Deferred Compensation Plan subject to Section 409A of the Code but for
the
effective date provisions that are applicable to Section 409A of the
Code, as
set forth in Section 885(d) of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004,
as
amended (the “AJCA”),
has
been “materially modified” within the meaning of Section 885(d)(2)(B) of the
AJCA after October 3, 2004, based upon a good faith, reasonable interpretation
of the AJCA and the 409A Authorities. Section
3.9(k)
of the
Disclosure Letter identifies the Plans that the Company has determined,
based on
a good faith, reasonable interpretation of the 409A Authorities, may
constitute
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans.
(l) Each
Company Option or other similar right to acquire Company Shares or other
equity
of the Company (i) to the extent it was granted after December 31, 2004,
has an
exercise price that has never been and may never be less than the fair
market
value of the underlying equity as of the date such Company Option or
other right
was granted in accordance with all governing documents and in compliance
with
all applicable law, (ii) to the extent it was granted after December
31, 2004,
has no feature for the deferral of compensation other than the deferral
of
recognition of income until the later of exercise or disposition of such
Company
Option or other right, (iii) to the extent it was granted after December
31,
2004, was granted with respect to a class of stock of the Company that
is
“service recipient stock” (within the meaning of applicable regulations under
Section 409A), and (iv) has at all times been properly accounted for
in
accordance with GAAP in the Company’s audited financial statements included in
documents filed with the SEC and provided to Parent.
17
(m) The
aggregate contributions that would have been required to allow the Company
to
terminate all Title IV Plans in involuntary terminations as of February
2, 2007,
did not exceed $125,000,000. Section
3.9(m)
of the
Disclosure Letter discloses the following amounts in connection with
the Title
IV Plan liabilities: (i) the total pension expense to be reported on
the
Company’s financial reports for 2006; (ii) for the 2006 plan year, the aggregate
contributions required to satisfy the ERISA minimum contribution requirements
for all Title IV Plans, the aggregate amount of the contributions that
have
already been made for 2006, and the aggregate amount of the required
minimum
contributions not yet made; and (iii) for the 2007 plan year, the anticipated
aggregate contributions required to satisfy the ERISA minimum contribution
requirements for all Title IV Plans.
SECTION
3.10 Employees.
(a)
There is
no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened labor strike,
walkout, work stoppage, slowdown, collective conflict, governmental
investigation or lockout with respect to employees of the Company or
any of its
Subsidiaries, and no such strike, walkout, slowdown, collective conflict,
governmental investigation or lockout has occurred with respect to the
Company,
that in any such case could be material to the business of the Company
and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Section
3.10(a)
of the
Disclosure Letter sets forth a true, complete and correct list in all
material
respects of each collective bargaining agreement and/or labor union contract
to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or bound.
(b) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to, or otherwise bound
by,
any consent decree with, or citation by, any Governmental Entity relating
to its
current or former employees, officers or directors or employment
practices.
(c) Except
as
would not be reasonably expected to result in any material liability
to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries
are
in compliance in all material respects with all applicable local, state,
federal
and foreign Laws relating to labor and employment, including but not
limited to
Laws relating to discrimination, disability, labor relations, contracting
and
subcontracting of activities, hours of work, payment of wages and overtime
wages, pay equity, immigration, workers compensation, working conditions,
employee scheduling, social security, union rights, occupational safety
and
health, family and medical leave, and employee terminations.
(d) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any liability or
obligation
which remains unsatisfied under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining
Notification Act or any state or local Laws regarding the termination
or layoff
of employees.
18
SECTION
3.11 Litigation.
Except
as is expressly disclosed in the Company SEC Reports filed prior to the
date of
this Agreement, there is no claim, action, suit, proceeding, arbitration,
mediation or governmental investigation pending or, to the knowledge
of the
Company, threatened against (or for which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
has assumed liability) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any
properties
or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including by way
of
indemnity or contribution, other than any such claim, action, suit, proceeding,
arbitration, mediation or governmental investigation that (i) would reasonably
be expected to result in a liability in excess of $10,000,000, (ii) seeks
injunctive relief that would materially and adversely affect the business
of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (iii) if resolved in
accordance
with plaintiff’s demands, would have or reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. Neither
the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective properties or
assets is
subject to any material outstanding order, writ, injunction or decree.
To the
knowledge of the Company, no officer or director of the Company or any
of its
Subsidiaries is a defendant in any claim, action, suit, proceeding, arbitration,
mediation or governmental investigation in connection with his or her
status as
an officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. There
are no
SEC legal actions, audits, inquiries or investigations, other governmental
actions, audits, inquiries or investigations by other Governmental Entities
or
material internal investigations pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company,
threatened, in each case regarding any accounting practices of the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries or any malfeasance by any director or executive
officer
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
SECTION
3.12 Tax
Matters.
Except
as expressly disclosed in the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2005 or
the Form 10-Q for the three-month period ended September 30, 2006 filed
by the
Company with the SEC and except as set forth in the Disclosure
Letter:
(a) The
Company, each of its Subsidiaries and each Tax-Controlled Joint Venture
have
timely filed (or there has been filed on its behalf) all material returns
and
reports relating to Taxes required to be filed by applicable Law with
respect to
the Company, each of its Subsidiaries and each Tax-Controlled Joint Venture
or
any of their income, properties or operations. Except
as
reserved on the Company’s financial statements,
all
such returns are true, correct and complete in all material respects
and
accurately set forth all items required to be reflected or included in
such
returns by applicable federal, state, local or foreign Tax Laws, rules
or
regulations. Except as reserved on the Company’s financial statements, the
Company, each of its Subsidiaries and each Tax-Controlled Joint Venture
have
timely paid all material Taxes attributable to the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries or any Tax-Controlled Joint Venture that were due and payable,
without regard to whether such Taxes have been assessed or have been
shown on
such Tax Returns. To the extent requested by Parent, the Company has
made
available to Parent true, correct and complete copies of all material
income Tax
Returns, and any amendments thereto, filed by or on behalf of the Company,
any
of its Subsidiaries or any Tax-Controlled Joint Venture or any member
of a group
of corporations including the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any
Tax-Controlled Joint Venture, and any correspondence with any Taxing
authority
relating thereto.
(b) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries have made adequate provisions in
accordance
with GAAP, consistently applied, in the consolidated financial statements
included in the Company SEC Reports for the payment of all material Taxes
for
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may be liable for the periods
covered thereby that were not yet due and payable as of the dates thereof,
regardless of whether the liability for such Taxes is disputed. Since
the date
of the most recent consolidated financial statements included in the
Company SEC
Reports filed prior to the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of
its
Subsidiaries has accrued any liability for Tax, other than in the ordinary
course of business.
19
(c) All
federal income Tax Returns and all material state, local and foreign
Tax Returns
of the Company, each of its Subsidiaries and each Tax-Controlled Joint
Venture
have been audited and settled, or are closed to assessment, for all years
through (i) 2002, in the case of United States Federal Tax Returns,
(ii) 2000, in the case of Michigan Tax Returns, (iii) 1999, in the
case of foreign Tax Returns and (iv) 1998, in the case of all other Tax
Returns.
There is no claim or assessment pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened in writing against the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or
any
Tax-Controlled Joint Venture for any alleged material deficiency in Taxes,
and
neither the Company, any Subsidiary nor any Tax-Controlled Joint Venture
has
been informed in writing of the commencement of any audit or investigation
with
respect to any material liability of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries
or any
Tax-Controlled Joint Venture for Taxes that have not been reserved for
on the
Company’s financial statements. Except for any Taxes reserved for on the
Company’s financial statements, no issue has been raised in writing in any prior
examination or audit that was not resolved favorably and that, by application
of
similar principles, reasonably can be expected to result in the assertion
of a
material deficiency for any other Tax period not so examined or audited
and for
which the statute of limitations (taking into account extensions) has
not
expired. There are no agreements in effect to waive or extend the period
of
limitations for the assessment or collection of any material amount of
Tax for
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may be liable, nor have
any such
agreements been requested. No material assets of the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries are subject to any liens for material Taxes, other than
for Tax not
yet due and payable or being contested in good faith.
(d) The
Company, each of its Subsidiaries and, to the Company’s knowledge, each
Tax-Controlled Joint Venture have withheld from payments to their employees,
independent contractors, creditors, stockholders and any other applicable
Person
(and timely paid to the appropriate Tax authority) proper and accurate
amounts
for all periods and, to the extent required, have remitted such amounts
to the
appropriate governmental authorities, in compliance in all material respects
with all Tax withholding provisions of applicable federal, state, local
and
foreign Laws (including income, social security, and employment Tax withholding
for all types of compensation); provided,
however,
that in
the case of income taxes, this Section
3.12(d)
shall
not apply to the extent such Taxes have been reserved for in the Company’s
financial statements.
(e) There
is
no material obligation of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any
Tax-Controlled Joint Venture to pay or to contribute to the payment of
any Tax
or any portion of a Tax (or any amount calculated with reference to any
portion
of a Tax) of any Person other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
including under Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar
provision
of state, local or foreign law), as transferee or successor, by contract
or
otherwise.
(f) In
the
six years immediately preceding the date of this Agreement, no claim
for any
material amount of Taxes that remains unresolved has been made by any
authority
in a jurisdiction where neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has
filed Tax Returns that the Company or such Subsidiary (as relevant) is
or may be
subject to taxation by that jurisdiction.
20
(g) The
Company is not (and during the five year period ending on the date hereof,
has
not been) a United States real property holding corporation within the
meaning
of Section 897 of the Code.
(h) Neither
the Company, any of its Subsidiaries nor any U.S. Tax-Controlled Joint
Venture
has been a party to or a participant in, or a material advisor (within
the
meaning of Section 6111(b)(1) of the Code) with respect to a transaction
which
is listed, or otherwise reportable, within the meaning of Section 6011
of the
Code and Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
(i) Neither
the Company, any of its Subsidiaries nor any U.S. Tax-Controlled Joint
Venture
has executed any closing agreement pursuant to Section 7121 of the Code
or any
predecessor provision thereof, or any similar provision of state or local
Law
which, based on current facts and circumstances, could have a material
effect on
any period after the Effective Time.
(j) The
Company, each of its Subsidiaries and each U.S. Tax-Controlled Joint
Venture has
disclosed on its federal income Tax Returns all positions taken therein
that
could give rise to a substantial understatement of federal income Tax
within the
meaning of Section 6662 of the Code.
(k) Neither
the Company, any of its Subsidiaries nor any U.S. Tax-Controlled Joint
Venture
is required (or will be required as a result of the Merger) to include
a
material item of income or to exclude a material item of deduction for
any
period after the Effective Time pursuant to Section 481(a) of the Code
or any
similar provision of state or local Law by reason of a change in accounting
method initiated by it or any other relevant party, and neither the Company,
any
of its Subsidiaries nor any U.S. Tax-Controlled Joint Venture has any
knowledge
that the Internal Revenue Service has proposed in writing any such adjustment
or
change in accounting method. Neither the Company, any of its Subsidiaries
nor
any U.S. Tax-Controlled Joint Venture has any application pending with
any
Governmental Entity requesting permission for any changes in accounting
methods.
(l) Section
3.12(l)
of the
Disclosure Letter lists each foreign Subsidiary of the Company for which
an
election has been made pursuant to Section 7701 of the Code and regulations
thereunder to be treated as other than its default classification for
U.S.
federal income tax purposes, and except as set forth on such schedule,
each
foreign Subsidiary of the Company is classified for U.S. federal income
tax
purposes according to its default classification.
(m) Neither
the Company, any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any
Tax-Controlled Joint Venture, has entered into a transaction under which
gain or
income has been realized but the taxation of such gain has been deferred
under
any provision of federal, state, local or foreign Tax Law or by agreement
with
any Tax authority (including for example an installment sale, a deferred
intercompany transaction or a gain recognition agreement), or a transaction
under which previously used Tax losses or credits may be recaptured (including
for example a dual consolidated loss or an excess loss account), in each
case if
such gain recognition or such loss or credit recapture, if triggered,
would give
rise to a material Tax liability.
21
(n) At
no
time has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries had an ownership change
described in Section 382(l)(5)(A) of the Code.
(o) There
are
no Tax sharing or similar agreements or arrangements to which the Company
or any
of its Subsidiaries is a party and which require a payment to any Person
other
than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(p) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has distributed to its stockholders
or
security holders stock or securities of a controlled corporation, nor
has stock
or securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries been distributed,
in a
transaction to which Section 355 of the Code applies (i) in the two
years prior to the date of this Agreement or (ii) in a distribution that
could otherwise constitute part of a “plan” or “series of related transactions”
(within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code) that includes the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(q) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries owns an interest in a passive
foreign
investment company within the meaning of Sections 1291-1297 of the
Code.
(r) For
purposes of this Agreement, (i) “Tax”
shall
mean all taxes, charges, fees, levies, imposts, duties, and other assessments,
including any income, alternative minimum or add-on tax, estimated, gross
income, gross receipts, sales, use, transfer, transactions, intangibles,
ad
valorem, value-added, escheat, franchise, registration, title, license,
capital,
paid-up capital, profits, withholding, employee withholding, payroll,
worker’s
compensation, unemployment insurance, social security, employment, excise,
severance, stamp, transfer occupation, premium, recording, real property,
personal property, federal highway use, commercial rent, environmental
(including taxes under Section 59A of the Code) or windfall profit tax,
custom,
duty or other tax, fee or other like assessment or charge of any kind
whatsoever, together with any interest, penalties, related liabilities,
fines or
additions to tax that may become payable in respect thereof imposed by
any
country, any state, county, provincial or local government or subdivision
or
agency thereof, (ii) “Tax
Returns”
shall
mean any and all reports, returns, computations, declarations, or statements
relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto and any
related
or supporting workpapers or information with respect to any of the foregoing,
including any amendment thereof, in each case, filed or required to be
filed
with any Governmental Authority, (iii) “Tax-Controlled
Joint Venture”
means
any Company Joint Venture as to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
(x)
is the “tax matters partner,” within the meaning of Section 6231(a)(7) of the
Code or (y) has effective control over the preparation of Tax Returns,
and (iv)
“U.S.
Tax-Controlled Joint Venture”
means
any Tax-Controlled Joint Venture which is organized under the laws of
the United
States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, or which is engaged
in a
trade or business in the United States.
SECTION
3.13 Compliance
with Law; No Default.
Except
as would not reasonably be expected to be material to the Company and
its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
is or has during the past three years been in conflict with, in default
with
respect to or in violation of any statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation,
order, writ, judgment, decree, stipulation, determination, award or requirement
of a Governmental Entity (“Laws”)
applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which any
property or
asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is, bound or affected.
The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries have all material permits, licenses,
authorizations, consents, certificates, approvals and franchises from
Governmental Entities required to own, lease and operate their properties
and
conduct their businesses in all material respects as currently conducted
(“Permits”),
and
there has occurred no violation of, suspension, reconsideration, imposition
of
penalties or fines, imposition of additional conditions or requirements,
default
(with or without notice or lapse of time or both) under, or event giving
rise to
any right of termination, amendment or cancellation of, with or without
notice
or lapse of time or both, any such Permit. The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries are in material compliance with the terms of such Permits.
No event
has occurred and no circumstance exists that would reasonably be expected
to
result in the revocation, cancellation, non-renewal or adverse modification
of
any such material Permit.
22
SECTION
3.14 Environmental
Matters.
(a)
Except
as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in
the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect:
(i) each
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries (A) is and has been in compliance with
applicable Environmental Laws and (B) has received and is and has been
in
compliance with all Permits required under Environmental Laws for the
conduct of
its business;
(ii) neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been in the past ten years
or is
presently the subject of any Environmental Claim and, to the knowledge
of the
Company, no Environmental Claim is pending or threatened against either
the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or against any Person whose liability
for the
Environmental Claim was or may have been retained or assumed either
contractually or by operation of law by either the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries;
(iii) neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any other Person has managed,
used,
stored or disposed of Hazardous Materials on, at or beneath any properties
currently owned, leased, operated or used or previously owned, leased,
operated
or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(iv) no
properties presently owned, leased or operated by either the Company
or any of
its Subsidiaries contain any landfills, surface impoundments, disposal
areas,
underground storage tanks, aboveground storage tanks, asbestos or
asbestos-containing material, polychlorinated biphenyls, radioactive
materials
or other Hazardous Materials; and
(v) no
Lien
imposed by any Governmental Entity pursuant to any Environmental Law
is
currently outstanding and no financial assurance obligation is in force
as to
any property leased or operated by either the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
(b) This
Section
3.14
contains
the exclusive representations and warranties with respect to environmental
matters.
(c) For
purposes of the Agreement:
(i) “Environment”
means
any ambient, workplace or indoor air, surface water, drinking water,
groundwater, land surface (whether below or above water), subsurface
strata,
sediment, plant or animal life, natural resources, and the sewer, septic
and
waste treatment, storage and disposal systems servicing real property
or
physical buildings or structures.
23
(ii) “Environmental
Claim”
means
any claim, cause of action, investigation or notice by any Person or
any
Governmental Entity alleging potential liability (including potential
liability
for investigatory costs, cleanup or remediation costs, governmental or
third
party response costs, natural resource damages, property damage, personal
injuries, or fines or penalties) based on or resulting from (a) the presence
or
Release of any Hazardous Materials at any location, whether or not owned
or
operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (b) any violation
of any
Environmental Law.
(iii) “Environmental
Law”
means
any Law, common Law or any binding agreement issued or entered by or
with any
Governmental Entity or Person relating to: (a) the Environment, including
pollution, contamination, cleanup, preservation, protection and reclamation
of
the Environment, (b) exposure of employees or third parties to any Hazardous
Materials, (c) any Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials,
including investigation, assessment, testing, monitoring, containment,
removal,
remediation and cleanup of any such Release or threatened Release, (d)
the
management of any Hazardous Materials, including the use, labeling, processing,
disposal, storage, treatment, transport, or recycling of any Hazardous
Materials
or (e) the presence of Hazardous Materials in any building.
(iv) “Hazardous
Materials”
means
any pollutant, contaminant, petroleum or any fraction thereof, asbestos
or
asbestos-containing material, polychlorinated biphenyls, lead paint,
any solid
or hazardous, waste, and any toxic, radioactive, or hazardous substance,
or
material including any substance, material or waste which is defined,
regulated
or classified as hazardous under any Environmental Law.
(v) “Release”
means
any release, spill, emission, leaking, pumping, injection, deposit, disposal,
discharge, dispersal, leaching or migration into the indoor or outdoor
Environment, or into or out of any property, including movement through
air,
soil, surface water, groundwater or property.
24
SECTION
3.15 Intellectual
Property.
(a)
The
Company and its Subsidiaries own all right, title and interest clear
of all
Liens other than Permitted Liens, or are validly licensed or otherwise
have the
right to use or sell, all patents, patent rights, inventions and discoveries
(whether or not patentable or reduced to practice), trademarks, trade
names,
trade dresses, corporate names, company names, business names, fictitious
business names, domain names, trade styles, service marks, logos and
other
source or business identifiers, and the goodwill symbolized thereby,
copyrights,
trade secrets and all other confidential or proprietary information and
know-how, whether or not reduced to writing or any other tangible form,
and
other proprietary intellectual property rights and computer programs
arising
under the Laws of the United States (including any state or territory),
any
other country or group of countries or any political subdivision of any
of the
foregoing, whether registered or unregistered (collectively, “Intellectual
Property Rights”)
used
in the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as of the date
of this
Agreement, other than such Intellectual Property Rights that are not
material to
the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (the
“Company
Intellectual Property”).
Except as would not reasonably be expected to be material to the business
of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as whole, (i) during the three years
preceding the date of this Agreement, no written claim of invalidity
or
conflicting ownership rights with respect to any Company Intellectual
Property
that is owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (the “Company
Owned Intellectual Property”)
has
been made by a third party to the Company and no such Company Owned Intellectual
Property is the subject of any pending or, to the Company’s knowledge,
threatened action, suit, claim, investigation, arbitration, interference,
petition to cancel, reexamination, reissue, opposition or other similar
proceeding, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no third party is infringing,
misappropriating, or otherwise violating any of the Company Owned Intellectual
Property, (ii) during the three years preceding the date of this Agreement,
no
Person has given written notice to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
that
the use of any Company Intellectual Property by the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries, or that any other activity by any of the foregoing, is
or may be
infringing or has or may have infringed any domestic or foreign registered
patent, patent application, trademark, service xxxx, trade name, trade
dress or
copyright or design right, or that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
has
misappropriated any trade secret or other confidential information, (iii)
to the
knowledge of the Company, the making, using, importation, offering for
sale,
selling, manufacturing, marketing, licensing, reproduction, distribution,
or
publishing of any method, process, machine, manufacture or product included
in
the Company Intellectual Property, or any other activity undertaken,
by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, does not infringe any domestic or
foreign
registered patent, patent application, trademark, service xxxx, trade
name,
trade dress, copyright or other Intellectual Property Right of any third
party,
and does not misappropriate any trade secrets or other confidential information
of any third party, (iv) except as would not reasonably be expected to
be
material to the business of the Company and of its Subsidiaries taken
as a
whole, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and
the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not cause the
forfeiture or termination or give rise to a right of first offer, forfeiture
or
termination of any of the Company Intellectual Property or impair the
right of
Parent to make, use, sell, license or dispose of, or to bring any action
for the
infringement of, any Company Intellectual Property.
(b) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have taken all necessary and desirable actions
to
maintain and protect each item of the Intellectual Property Rights, except
for
failures to take such actions that, individually or in the aggregate,
would not
be reasonably be expected to be material to the business of the Company
and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. The Company and its Subsidiaries have
taken all
reasonable precautions to protect the secrecy, confidentiality, and value
of
its, trade secrets and the proprietary nature and value of them included
in the
Intellectual Property Rights, except for failures to take such precautions
that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not resulted in and would not
reasonably
be expected to be material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole.
(c) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, nor, as a result of the execution
and delivery of this Agreement or its performance of its obligations
hereunder,
will be, in violation of any agreement relating to the Intellectual Property
Rights using in the business except for violations that individually
or in the
aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to be material to the business
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Immediately after
the
completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Company
will
own all right, title and interest in and to or have a license to use
all
Intellectual Property Rights used in the business or that is necessary
for the
operation of the business on identical terms and conditions as the Company
enjoyed immediately prior to such transactions, except for failures to
own or
have available for use that, individually or in the aggregate, would
not
reasonably be expected to be material to the business of the Company
and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
25
SECTION
3.16 Real
Property.
(a) Section
3.16(a)
of the
Disclosure Letter sets forth a true, correct and complete list of all
material
real property owned by the Company as of the date of this Agreement (the
“Owned
Real Property”).
With
respect to each Owned Real Property, (i) either the Company or one of
its
Subsidiaries has good and marketable title in fee simple to such Owned
Real
Property, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens, (ii)
there are
no outstanding options or rights of first refusal in favor of any other
party to
purchase such Owned Real Property or any portion thereof and (iii) there
are no
material leases, subleases, licenses, options, rights, concessions or
other
agreements affecting any portion of such Owned Real Property. Except
as has not
had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (a) each material lease pursuant
to which
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries lease all or a portion of any
owned Real
Property to a third party is valid, binding and in full force and effect
and all
rent and other sums and charges payable to the Company and its Subsidiaries
as
landlords thereunder are current, (b) there are no purchase options,
rights of
first refusal or similar rights outstanding with respect to any of the
Owned
Real Properties, and (c) no termination event or condition or uncured
default of
a material nature on the part of the Company or, if applicable, its Subsidiary
or, to the knowledge of the Company, the tenant thereunder exists under
any such
lease. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written
notice of any pending and, to the knowledge of the Company, there is
no
threatened, condemnation with respect to any of the Owned Real
Properties.
(b) Except
as
has not had and would not be reasonably expected to have, individually
or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each lease, sublease and other
agreement under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries uses or
occupies or
has the right to use or occupy, now or in the future (the “Real
Property Leases”),
is
valid, binding and in full force and effect and all rent and other sums
and
charges payable by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as tenants
thereunder
are current, (ii) no termination event or condition or uncured default
of a
material nature on the part of the Company or, if applicable, its Subsidiary
or,
to the knowledge of the Company, the landlord thereunder exists under
any Real
Property Lease and (iii) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has
a good and
valid leasehold interest in each parcel of real property leased by it
free and
clear of all Liens, except for Permitted Liens. Neither the Company nor
any of
its Subsidiaries has received written notice of any pending and, to the
knowledge of the Company, there is no threatened, condemnation with respect
to
any property leased pursuant to any of the Real Property Leases.
SECTION
3.17 Material
Contracts.
(a) Section
3.17(a)
of the
Disclosure Letter lists all contracts, agreements, commitments, arrangements,
leases (including with respect to personal property) and other instruments
to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the
Company,
any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets
is bound
(other than Plans) as of the date of this Agreement that:
(i) are
or
would be required to be filed by the Company as a “material contract” pursuant
to Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act or disclosed
by
the Company on a Current Report on Form 8-K;
26
(ii) contain
non-compete covenants that restrict in any material respect the operations
of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or which, immediately following
the
consummation of the Merger, would restrict in any material respect the
operations of the Surviving Corporation or any of its Affiliates);
(iii) with
respect to a joint venture, partnership, limited liability or other similar
agreement or arrangement, relate to the formation, creation, operation,
management or control of any partnership or joint venture that is material
to
the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(iv) relate
to
(A) indebtedness for borrowed money or the deferred purchase price of
property
and having an outstanding principal amount in excess of $20,000,000 as
of
December 31, 2006 or (B) conditional sale arrangements, the sale, securitization
or servicing of loans or loan portfolios, in each case in connection
with which
the aggregate actual or contingent obligations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries under such contract are greater than $20,000,000;
(v) were
entered into after September 30, 2006 or not yet consummated, and involve
the
acquisition from another Person or disposition to another Person, directly
or
indirectly (by merger or otherwise), of assets or capital stock or other
equity
interests of another Person for aggregate consideration under such contract
in
excess of $20,000,000 (other than acquisitions or dispositions of assets
in the
ordinary course of business, including acquisitions and dispositions
of
inventory);
(vi) relate
to
an acquisition, divestiture, merger or similar transaction that contains
representations, covenants, indemnities or other obligations (including
indemnification, “earn-out” or other contingent obligations), that are still in
effect and, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected
to
result in payments in excess of $20,000,000;
(vii) contain
material restrictions with respect to payment of dividends or any distributions
in respect of the capital stock or other equity interests of the Company
or any
of its Subsidiaries outside the ordinary course of business;
(viii) other
than in the ordinary course of business and an acquisition permitted
under
clause (vi) above, obligate the Company to make any capital commitment
or
expenditure (including pursuant to any joint venture);
(ix) relate
to
any guarantee or assumption of other obligations or reimbursement of
any maker
of a letter of credit, except for joint venture agreements and other
agreements
entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(x) relate
to
the purchase or sale of material real property; or
(xi) are
license agreements that are material to the business of the Company and
its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, pursuant to which the Company or any
of its
Subsidiaries is a party and licenses in Company Intellectual Property
Rights or
licenses out Company Intellectual Property owned by the Company, other
than
license agreements for software that is generally commercially
available.
27
Each
contract of the type described in clauses (i) through (xi) is referred
to herein
as a “Material
Contract.”
(b) Except
as
has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Material Contract is valid
and
binding on the Company or the Subsidiary that is a party thereto and,
to the
knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto and is in full force
and
effect, and (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have performed and
complied
with all obligations required to be performed or complied with by them
under
each Material Contract. There is no default under any Material Contract
by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company,
by any
other party, and no event has occurred that with the lapse of time or
the giving
of notice or both would constitute a default thereunder by the Company
or any of
its Subsidiaries, or to the knowledge of the Company, by any other party,
except
which has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or
in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
3.18 Insurance.
The
Company and its Subsidiaries maintain insurance policies that are customary
for
companies of similar size in the industries in which the Company and
its
Subsidiaries participate. With respect to each such insurance policy,
except as
has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the policy is in full force
and effect
and all premiums due thereon have been paid, (ii) neither the Company
nor any of
its Subsidiaries is in breach or default, and neither the Company nor
any of its
Subsidiaries has taken any action or failed to take any action which,
with
notice or the lapse of time, would constitute such a breach or default,
or
permit termination or modification of, any such policy, and (iii) to
the
knowledge of the Company, no insurer on any such policy has been declared
insolvent or placed in receivership, conservatorship or liquidation,
and no
notice of cancellation or termination has been received with respect
to any
policy.
SECTION
3.19 Opinion.
Prior
to the execution of this Agreement, the Company Financial Advisor has
delivered
to the Special Committee and the Board of Directors of the Company its
written
opinion (the “Company
Fairness Opinion”)
to the
effect that, as of the date thereof and based upon and subject to the
matters
set forth therein, the Merger Consideration is fair to the stockholders
of the
Company from a financial point of view. A true, correct and complete
copy of
Company Fairness Opinion has been delivered to Parent for informational
purposes
only. The Company has obtained the authorization of the Company Financial
Advisor to include a copy of the Company Fairness Opinion in the Proxy
Statement
and Other Filings. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company Fairness
Opinion has not been withdrawn, revoked, waived, amended, modified or
supplemented in any respect.
SECTION
3.20 Required
Vote of Company Stockholders.
The
only vote of the holders of outstanding securities of the Company required
by
the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, by Law or otherwise to complete
the
Merger is the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
Shares. The vote required by the previous sentence is referred to together
as
the “Requisite
Stockholder Vote.”
28
SECTION
3.21 State
Takeover Statutes.
Assuming there has been no breach by any of the Supporting Stockholders
of their
obligations under Section 6(a) of the Stock Purchase Agreement and assuming
neither Parent nor Merger Sub during the past three years has been an
“interested stockholder” of the Company as defined in Section 203 of the
Corporation Law, the Board of Directors of the Company has taken all
actions
necessary so that the restrictions on business combinations contained
in Section
203 of the Corporation Law and as a result of the applicable provisions
of the
Stock Purchase Agreement shall be inapplicable to the execution, delivery
or
performance of this Agreement, the consummation of the Merger and the
other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No other Takeover Law is
applicable
to the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement, the consummation
of
the Merger, or the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
SECTION
3.22 Rights
Agreements.
As of
the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
is a
party to, or has otherwise adopted, any stockholder rights agreements,
stockholder rights plans, “poison pills” or other similar arrangements. The
Company shall not, for so long as this Agreement remains in effect, (i)
become a
party to or adopt any such arrangements or (ii) alter or suspend its
announced
policy requiring the adoption of such arrangements to be submitted to
a vote of
the Company’s stockholders.
SECTION
3.23 Customers
and Suppliers.
Section 3.23 of
the Disclosure Letter sets forth a true, complete and correct list of
the Company’s 10 largest customers (“Significant
Customers”)
and 10
largest suppliers (“Significant
Suppliers”)
by
volume of sales (by dollar volume) and purchases (by dollar volume),
respectively, for each of 2005 and the first ten months of 2006. Since
December 31, 2005, none of the Company or the Significant Subsidiaries
has received any written indication from any Significant Customer or
Significant
Supplier to the effect that such customer or supplier will stop buying
or
supplying materials, products or services from or to the Company or the
Significant Subsidiaries, which would reasonably be expected to have
a Material
Adverse Effect.
SECTION
3.24 Affiliate
Transactions.
Except
for this Agreement and the Merger, there are no transactions, or series
of
related transactions, agreements, arrangements or understandings, nor
are there
any currently proposed transactions, or series of related transactions,
between
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the Company’s
Affiliates (other than any Subsidiary of the Company), on the other hand,
that
would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated
under the Securities Act that has not been properly disclosed.
SECTION
3.25 Product
Warranties; Product Liability Claims.
As of
the date of this Agreement, no product warranty, product liability, product
recall or similar claims have been made against or with respect to
the Company’s business since December 31, 2005 except for claims that
are not material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries
taken as a
whole. No Person (including, but not limited to, Governmental Entities of
any kind) has asserted in writing any material claim against the Company or
any Significant Subsidiary under any Law relating to unfair competition,
false
advertising or other similar claims arising out of product warranties,
guarantees, specifications, manuals or brochures or other advertising
materials
used by or in the conduct of the Company’s business.
29
SECTION
3.26 Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act.
To the
knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries,
nor
any their Affiliates or any other Persons acting on their behalf has,
in
connection with the operation of their respective businesses, (i) used
any
corporate or other funds for unlawful contributions, payments, gifts
or
entertainment, or made any unlawful expenditures relating to political
activity
to government officials, candidates or members of political parties or
organizations, or established or maintained any unlawful or unrecorded
funds in
violation of Section 104 of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977,
as
amended, or any other similar applicable foreign, Federal or state law,
(ii)
paid, accepted or received any unlawful contributions, payments, expenditures
or
gifts, or (iii) violated or failed to comply in any material respect
with any
export restrictions, anti-boycott regulations, embargo regulations or
other
applicable domestic or foreign laws and regulations.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND
WARRANTIES
OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
Except
as
disclosed in the disclosure letter delivered by Parent to the Company
immediately prior to the execution of this Agreement (the “Parent
Disclosure Letter”),
Parent and Merger Sub jointly and severally represent and warrant to
the Company
as follows:
SECTION
4.1 Organization.
Each of
Parent and Merger Sub is a duly organized and validly existing corporation
in
good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization.
As of the
date hereof, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Merger
Sub is
owned directly or indirectly by Parent.
Each of
Parent and Merger Sub has the requisite corporate power and authority
to own,
lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as currently
conducted. Each of Parent and Merger Sub is duly qualified and in good
standing
as a foreign corporation authorized to do business in each of the jurisdictions
in which the character of the properties owned by it or the nature of
the
business transacted by it makes such qualification necessary, except
as has not
had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the
aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect or otherwise prevent or materially
delay consummation of the Merger or receipt of the Debt Financing.
SECTION
4.2 Authority
for this Agreement.
Each of
Parent and Merger Sub has all requisite corporate power and authority
to execute
and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger
Sub
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been
duly and
validly authorized by all necessary corporate proceedings on the part
of Parent
and Merger Sub (other than the adoption of this Agreement by Parent in
its
capacity as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub). This Agreement has been
duly
and validly executed and delivered by Parent and Merger Sub and, assuming
due
authorization, execution and delivery by the Company, constitutes a legal,
valid
and binding obligation of each of Parent and Merger Sub enforceable against
each
of Parent and Merger Sub in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar
Laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general
equity principles.
SECTION
4.3 Proxy
Statement; Other Filings.
None of
the information to be supplied by Parent, Merger Sub or any Affiliate
of Parent
or Merger Sub specifically for inclusion in the Proxy Statement will,
at the
date of filing with the SEC, at the time the Proxy Statement is mailed
and at
the time of the Special Meeting, and none of the information supplied
or to be
supplied by Parent, Merger Sub or any Affiliate of Parent or Merger Sub
specifically for inclusion in Other Filings, will, at the date of filing
with
the SEC, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made,
not misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither Parent, Merger
Sub nor
any Affiliate of Parent or Merger Sub makes any representation or warranty
with
respect to any information supplied by the Company that is contained
in any of
the foregoing documents.
30
SECTION
4.4 Consents
and Approvals; No Violation.
(a)
Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent or Merger Sub
nor the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) violate
or
conflict with or result in any breach of any provision of the respective
certificates of incorporation or bylaws of Parent or Merger Sub, (ii)
assuming
all consents, approvals and authorizations contemplated by Section
4.4(b)(i)-(iv)
below
have been obtained and all filings described in such clauses have been
made,
conflict with or violate any Law, (iii) violate or conflict with, or
result in a
breach of any provision of, or require any consent, waiver or approval
or result
in a default or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation,
modification or acceleration (or an event that, with the giving of notice,
the
passage of time or otherwise, would constitute a default or give rise
to any
such right) under any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any note,
bond,
mortgage, lease, license, agreement, contract, indenture or other instrument
or
obligation to which Parent or Merger Sub is a party or by which Parent
or Merger
Sub or any of its or their respective properties assets may be bound,
or (iv)
violate any order, writ, injunction, decree, statute, rule or regulation
applicable to Parent or Merger Sub or by which any of its or any of their
respective assets are bound, except in the case of clauses (ii) through
(iv),
which would not prevent or materially delay the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby.
(b) The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by each of Parent
and
Merger Sub and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
by each
of Parent and Merger Sub do not and will not require any consent, approval,
authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental
Entity, except (i) the pre-merger notification requirements under the
HSR Act
and Foreign Antitrust Laws, (ii) the applicable requirements of the Exchange
Act, (iii) the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Delaware
Secretary
and (iv) any such consent, approval, authorization, permit, filing, or
notification the failure of which to make or obtain would not prevent
or
materially delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
As of
the date of this Agreement, other than as set forth on Section
4.4(b)
of the
Parent Disclosure Letter, neither Parent nor Merger Sub is aware of any
fact,
event or circumstance specifically relating to Parent or Merger Sub or
their
Affiliates that would reasonably be expected to prevent or materially
delay the
receipt of any consent, approval, authorization or permit of any Governmental
Entity required pursuant to Article
VI
to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
31
SECTION
4.5 Debt
Financing.
Parent
has delivered to the Company true, correct and complete copies of executed
commitment letter(s) (as the same may be amended, the “Debt
Financing Commitments”),
as
set forth in Section
4.5
of the
Parent Disclosure Letter, pursuant to which the lender parties thereto
have
agreed, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, to provide or cause
to be
provided the debt amounts set forth therein (the “Debt
Financing”).
As of
the date of this Agreement, except as permitted by this Agreement, none
of the
Debt Financing Commitments has been amended or modified, and the respective
commitments contained in the Debt Financing Commitments have not been
withdrawn
or rescinded. As of the date of this Agreement, the Debt Financing Commitments
are in full force and effect. There are no conditions precedent to the
funding
of the full amount of the Debt Financing, other than as set forth in
the Debt
Financing Commitments. The aggregate proceeds contemplated by the Debt
Financing
Commitments, if obtained, together with the available cash of the Company,
Parent and Merger Sub on the Closing Date, will be sufficient for Parent
and
Merger Sub to consummate the Merger upon the terms contemplated by this
Agreement, and to pay all related fees and expenses associated therewith,
including payment of all amounts under Article
II
of this
Agreement. Neither Parent nor Merger Sub has any reason to believe that
it will
be unable to satisfy on a timely basis any term or condition to be satisfied
by
it contained in the Debt Financing Commitments. Parent has fully paid
any and
all commitment fees that have been incurred and are due to be paid in
connection
with the Debt Financing Commitments, and Parent will pay when due all
other
commitment fees arising under the Debt Financing Commitments as and when
they
become payable. As of the date of this Agreement, Parent and Merger Sub
have no
contracts, arrangements or understandings with any Person concerning
the
contributions to be made to Parent or Merger Sub in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement other than as set forth in
the Debt
Financing Commitments, nor any contracts or non-binding arrangements
or
understandings with any Person concerning the ownership and operation
of Parent,
Merger Sub or the Surviving Corporation.
SECTION
4.6 Guarantee.
Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Guarantor has delivered
to
the Company the Guarantee, dated as of the date of this Agreement, in
favor of
the Company, in the form set forth in Section
4.6
of the
Parent Disclosure Letter.
SECTION
4.7 Litigation.
There
is
no claim, action, suit, proceeding or governmental investigation pending
or, to
the knowledge of Parent, threatened against Parent or Merger Sub, and
neither
Parent nor Merger Sub is subject to any outstanding order, writ, injunction
or
decree, in each case, which has had or would
reasonably be expected to have a
Parent
Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
4.8 Ownership
of Merger Sub; No Prior Activities.
(a) Merger
Sub was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) All
of
the outstanding capital stock of Merger Sub is owned directly by Parent,
subject
to the final proviso contained in Section
8.2.
As of
the date of this Agreement, there are no options, warrants or other rights
(including registration rights), agreements, arrangements or commitments
to
which Merger Sub is a party of any character relating to the issued or
unissued
capital stock of, or other equity interests in, Merger Sub or obligating
Merger
Sub to grant, issue or sell any shares of the capital stock of, or other
equity
interests in, Merger Sub, by sale, lease, license or otherwise; provided,
that
Parent or Merger Sub or Affiliates thereof may purchase Shares from the
Supporting Stockholders. There are no obligations, contingent or otherwise,
of
Merger Sub to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of the
capital
stock of Merger Sub.
32
(c) Except
for obligations or liabilities incurred in connection with its incorporation
or
organization and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
without limitation the Debt Financing Commitments, Merger Sub has not
and will
not have incurred, directly or indirectly, through any subsidiary or
affiliate,
any obligations or liabilities or engaged in any business activities
of any type
or kind whatsoever or entered into any agreements or arrangements with
any
Person.
SECTION
4.9 Vote
Required.
No vote
of the holders of any class or series of capital stock or other equity
interests
of Parent is necessary to adopt this Agreement, or to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby.
Parent,
in its capacity as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub, shall adopt this
Agreement within twenty-four (24) hours after the execution of this
Agreement.
SECTION
4.10 Brokers.
No
agent, broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other firm or
Person is
or shall be entitled, as a result of any action, agreement or commitment
of
Parent or Merger Sub or any of their Affiliates, to any broker’s, finder’s,
financial advisor’s or other similar fee or commission in connection with any of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx & Co. Inc.,
whose
fees and expenses shall be paid by Parent or its Affiliates.
SECTION
4.11 Financial
Statements.
Each of
the consolidated financial statements contained in the documents required
to be
filed by Guarantor under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the
case may
be, from and after January
1,
2006,
was prepared in accordance with GAAP applied (except as may be indicated
in the
notes thereto and, in the case of unaudited quarterly financial statements,
as
permitted by Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act) on a consistent basis
throughout
the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto),
and
each of such consolidated financial statements, as amended, supplemented
or
restated, if applicable, presented fairly, in all material respects,
the
consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows
of
Guarantor and Guarantor’s consolidated Subsidiaries as of the respective dates
thereof and for the respective periods indicated therein (subject, in
the case
of unaudited quarterly financial statements, to normal year-end adjustments
which would
not
reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse effect on Guarantor).
SECTION
4.12 Limitation
on Warranties.
Each
of
Parent and Merger Sub acknowledges and agrees that it has not been induced
by
and has not relied upon any representations, warranties or statements,
whether
express or implied, made by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or
any of
their respective directors, officers, shareholders, employees, affiliates,
agents, advisors or representatives that are not expressly set forth
in this
Agreement, whether or not such representations, warranties or statements
were
made in writing or orally.
33
ARTICLE
V
COVENANTS
SECTION
5.1 Conduct
of Business of the Company.
Except
as expressly permitted by this Agreement or as set forth in Section
5.1
of the
Disclosure Letter, as required by applicable Law or the regulatory requirements
of the New York Stock Exchange or unless Parent shall otherwise consent
in
writing, during the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective
Time, the Company will conduct, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries
to
conduct, its operations in all material respects according to its ordinary
and
usual course of business, consistent with past practice, and the Company
will
use, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to use, its reasonable best
efforts
to preserve intact in all material respects its business organization,
to keep
available the services of its current officers and key employees and
to preserve
the goodwill of and maintain satisfactory relationships with its customers
and
those other Persons having material business relationships with the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing
and
except as otherwise expressly permitted in this Agreement or as set forth
in
Section
5.1
of the
Disclosure Letter or as required by applicable Law or the regulatory
requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, during the period specified
in the
preceding sentence, without the prior written consent of Parent, the
Company
will not and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to:
(a) issue,
sell, grant options or rights to purchase, pledge, or authorize or propose
the
issuance, sale, grant of options or rights to purchase or pledge, any
Company
Securities or Subsidiary Securities, other than (i) to the Company or
any
wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) the issuance of Shares pursuant
to
the exercise of Options or SARs or settlement of RSUs or Performance
Shares or
Deferred Unit Accounts, in each case, that are outstanding as of the
date of
this Agreement and in accordance with the existing terms of such awards,
(iii)
the issuance of equity incentive compensation awards under the LTSIP
as set
forth in Section
5.1
of the
Disclosure Letter and (iv) as required under the Company’s existing credit
agreements and indentures;
(b) amend
or
otherwise change the Company’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws or other
comparable governing documents of the Significant Subsidiaries;
(c) acquire
or redeem, directly or indirectly, or amend (i) any Company Securities
other
than in connection with the exercise of outstanding equity awards or
(ii) any
Subsidiaries Securities other than in the ordinary course of
business;
(d) split,
combine, redenominate or reclassify its capital stock or declare, set
aside,
make or pay any dividend or distribution (whether in cash, stock, property
or
otherwise) on any shares of its capital stock, options, warrants, convertible
securities or other rights of any kind to acquire or receive capital
stock of
the Company (except for any dividend or distribution by a Subsidiary
to the
Company or any wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company or to any other
Person in
proportion to its ownership interest in such Subsidiary);
(e) (i)
engage in or offer to make any acquisition, by means of a merger, consolidation
or otherwise, of any business or division thereof or any sale, lease,
encumbrance or other disposition of assets or securities, in any case
outside
the ordinary course of business and involving a transaction value in
excess of
$10,000,000 (or $30,000,000 in the aggregate), or (ii) except in the
ordinary
course of business and except in connection with actions expressly permitted
pursuant to this Section
5.1,
enter
into, make any proposal for, renew, extend or amend or modify in any
material
respect, terminate, cancel, waive, release or assign any right or claim
under, a
contract or agreement that would be a Material Contract (if it existed
as of the
date of this Agreement) or amend or terminate any Material Contract or
grant any
release or relinquishment of any material rights under any Material
Contract;
34
(f) except
for borrowings under the Company’s existing credit, securitization and factoring
facilities in the ordinary course of business, incur, create, assume
or
otherwise become liable for, or prepay, any indebtedness for borrowed
money
(including the issuance of any debt security) having an aggregate principal
amount at any time outstanding in excess of $50,000,000;
(g) assume,
guarantee, endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether
directly,
contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of, or make any loans,
advances
or capital contributions to; any other Person (other than the Company
or any
wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company), in any case outside the ordinary
course
of business in an aggregate amount in excess of $10,000,000;
(h) other
than in the ordinary course of business, enter into or materially increase
or
decrease the outstanding balances of (i) any intercompany loan or (ii)
intercompany debt arrangements, or, except for any of the foregoing actions
in
connection with the Company’s securitization facilities;
(i) mortgage,
pledge or otherwise similarly encumber any of its material assets (tangible
or
intangible), or create, assume or suffer to exist any Liens thereupon,
other
than Permitted Liens;
(j) incur
capital expenditures that would result in the Company materially exceeding
or
making it reasonably likely it will materially exceed the 2007 capital
expenditure forecast publicly disclosed by the Company prior to the date
of this
Agreement;
(k) change
in
any material respect any of the accounting, reserving, underwriting,
claims or
actuarial methods, principles or practices used by it, or any of the
working
capital policies applicable to the Company and its Subsidiaries, except
as
required by Law, GAAP or applicable statutory accounting
principles;
(l) other
than in the ordinary course of business, after consultation with Parent,
make or
change any material Tax election, settle or compromise any material Tax
liability, agree to an extension of the statute of limitations with respect
to
the assessment or determination of material Taxes, file any amended Tax
Return
with respect to any material Tax, enter into any closing agreement with
respect
to any material Tax or surrender any right to claim a material Tax refund
or
enter into any transaction that could give rise to a disclosure obligation
as a
“reportable transaction” under Section 6011 of the Code and the regulations
thereunder;
35
(m) agree
to
grant or grant any stock-related, cash-based, performance or similar
awards or
bonuses or any other award that may be settled in Shares, Preferred Shares,
or
other Company Securities or in Subsidiary Securities;
(n) enter
into, forgive, renew, or amend in any material respect any loans to officers
or
directors or any of their respective Affiliates or Associates;
(o) except
as
may be required by Law or any collective bargaining agreement, (i) enter
into
any new, or amend, terminate or renew any existing material Plan; (ii)
grant any
material increases in the compensation, perquisites or benefits or pay
any
bonuses to any executive officers or directors (other than as necessary
to
implement the pension savings plan for salaried employees as previously
communicated to such employees); (iii) accelerate the vesting or payment
of any
compensation payable or the benefits provided or to become payable or
provided
to any of its current or former directors, officers, employees, independent
contractors or service providers (other than any such acceleration required
by
the terms of the Plans applicable to such individuals as in effect on
the date
of this Agreement), or otherwise pay any amounts not due such individual;
or
(iv) take any action with respect to salary, compensation, benefits or
other
terms and conditions of employment that would reasonably be expected
to result
in the holder of a change in control or similar agreement identified
in
Section
5.1
of the
Disclosure Letter having “good reason” to terminate employment and collect
severance payments and benefits pursuant to such agreement;
(p) make
any
deposits or contributions of cash or other property to or take any other
action
to fund or in any other way secure the payment of compensation or benefits
under
the Plans or agreement subject to the Plans, other than in the ordinary
course
consistent with past practice;
(q) except
as
required by Law or in the ordinary course of business, enter into, materially
amend or extend any collective bargaining or other labor agreement;
(r) renew
or
enter into any non-compete, exclusivity, non-solicitation or similar
agreement
that would restrict or limit, in any material respect, the operations
of the
Company and its Subsidiaries or the Surviving Corporation after the Effective
Time;
(s) compromise,
settle or agree to settle any suit, action, claim, proceeding or investigation
(including any suit, action, claim, proceeding or investigation relating
to this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby), or consent to the
same,
other than compromises, settlements or agreements in the ordinary course
of
business following reasonable consultation with and taking into account
the
views of Parent that involve only the payment of monetary damages not
in excess
of $5,000,000 individually or $15,000,000 in the aggregate or consistent
with
the reserves of $18,400,000 reflected in the Company’s balance sheet at December
31, 2006, in any case without the imposition of material equitable relief
on, or
the admission of wrongdoing by, the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries;
(t) enter
into any agreement, understanding or arrangement with respect to the
voting or
registration of the Company Securities or the Subsidiary
Securities;
36
(u) fail
to
use reasonable best efforts to keep in force its current material insurance
policies or replacement or revised provisions providing reasonable insurance
coverage with respect to the assets, operations and activities of the
Company
and its Subsidiaries;
(v) merge
or
consolidate the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with any Person, other
than
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and other than mergers or consolidations
of Subsidiaries in acquisitions that are otherwise permitted by Section
5.1(e);
(w) adopt
a
plan of complete or partial liquidation or resolutions providing for
a complete
or partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization
or other
reorganization of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries;
(x) fail
to
comply with the Company’s related party transaction policy, a copy of which is
attached in Section
5.1(x)
of the
Disclosure Letter;
(y) amend,
modify or waive in any material respect any of the provisions of the
transaction
documents, or enter into any new or additional agreements related thereto,
in
connection with the sale of the Company’s North American interiors business
(without the consent of Parent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld);
provided,
that
the foregoing shall not prevent the Company from taking such actions
as do not
materially and adversely affect the economics of such transactions;
(z) other
than in the ordinary course of business (and not for speculative purposes),
enter into any contract that involves any exchange traded, over-the-counter
or
other swap, cap, floor, collar, futures contract, forward contract, option
or
any other derivative financial instrument or contract, based on any commodity,
security, instrument, asset, rate or index of any kind or nature whatsoever,
whether tangible or intangible, including commodities, emissions allowances,
renewable energy credits, currencies, interest rates, foreign currency
and
indices; or
(aa) authorize,
commit or agree to take any of the foregoing actions.
SECTION
5.2 Solicitation.
(a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary,
during
the period beginning on the date of this Agreement and continuing until
the
Solicitation Period End-Date, the Company and its Representatives shall
have the
right (acting under the direction of the Board of Directors of the Company
or,
if then in existence, the Special Committee) to directly or indirectly:
(i)
initiate, solicit and encourage Acquisition Proposals, including by way
of
providing access to non-public information pursuant to one or more Acceptable
Confidentiality Agreements; provided,
that
the Company shall promptly provide or make available to Parent any non-public
information concerning the Company or its Subsidiaries that is provided
or made
available to any Person given such access which was not previously provided
or
made available to Parent; and (ii) participate in discussions or negotiations
with respect to Acquisition Proposals or otherwise cooperate with or
assist or
participate in, or facilitate any such discussions or negotiations.
37
(b) Subject
to Section
5.2(c),
from
the Solicitation Period End-Date until the Effective Time or, if earlier,
the
termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article
VII,
the
Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and take reasonable
best
efforts to cause its Representatives not to, directly or indirectly:
(i)
initiate, solicit or knowingly encourage (including by way of providing
information, it being understood that providing non-public information
in the
ordinary course of business will not, in and of itself, constitute encouragement
hereunder) the submission of any inquiries, proposals or offers or any
other
efforts or attempts that constitute or may reasonably be expected to
lead to,
any Acquisition Proposal or engage in any discussions or negotiations
with
respect thereto (other than to state only that they are not permitted
to have
discussions), or otherwise cooperate with or assist or participate in,
or
knowingly facilitate any such inquiries, proposals, offers, discussions
or
negotiations or (ii) approve or recommend, or publicly propose to approve
or
recommend, an Acquisition Proposal or enter into any merger agreement,
letter of
intent, agreement in principle, share purchase agreement, asset purchase
agreement or share exchange agreement, option agreement or other similar
agreement relating to an Acquisition Proposal, or enter into any agreement
or
agreement in principle requiring the Company to abandon, terminate or
fail to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby or breach its obligations
hereunder or resolve, propose or agree to do any of the foregoing.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may continue to take any of
the
actions described in clause (i) above from and after the Solicitation
Period
End-Date with respect to any party that has made an Acquisition Proposal
prior
to the Solicitation Period End-Date or with whom the Company is having
ongoing
discussions or negotiations as of the Solicitation Period End-Date regarding
a
possible Acquisition Proposal (each such party, an “Excluded
Party”).
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section
5.2
to the
contrary, any Excluded Party shall cease to be an Excluded Party for
all
purposes under this Agreement immediately at such time as the Acquisition
Proposal made by such party is withdrawn, is terminated or expires or
such
discussions or negotiations have been terminated. The Company shall promptly
notify Parent when an Excluded Party ceases to be an Excluded Party.
At the
Solicitation Period End-Date, other than with respect to Excluded Parties,
the
Company shall immediately cease and cause to be terminated any solicitation,
encouragement, discussion or negotiation with any Person conducted theretofore
by the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of its Representatives with respect
to
any Acquisition Proposal and use reasonable best efforts to cause to
be returned
or destroyed in accordance with the terms of the applicable confidentiality
agreement any confidential information provided to such Person on behalf
of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in Section
5.2(b)
and in
addition to the rights of the Company pursuant to Section
5.2(a),
if at
any time following the date of this Agreement and prior to obtaining
the
Requisite Stockholder Vote, (i) the Company has received a written Acquisition
Proposal from a third party that the Board of Directors of the Company
(acting
upon the prior recommendation of the Special Committee, if then in existence)
believes in good faith to be bona
fide,
(ii)
the Company has not intentionally or materially breached this Section
5.2,
(iii)
the Board of Directors of the Company (acting upon the prior recommendation
of
the Special Committee, if then in existence) determines in good faith,
after
consultation with its financial advisors and outside counsel, that such
Acquisition Proposal constitutes or would reasonably be expected to result
in a
Superior Proposal and (iv) after consultation with its outside counsel,
the
Board of Directors of the Company (acting upon the prior recommendation
of the
Special Committee, if then in existence) determines in good faith that
failure
to take such action would reasonably be expected to be a breach of its
fiduciary
duties to the stockholders of the Company under applicable law, then
the Company
may (A) furnish information with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries
to
the Person making such Acquisition Proposal and (B) participate in discussions
or negotiations with the Person making such Acquisition Proposal regarding
such
Acquisition Proposal; provided,
that
the Company (x) will not, and will not allow its Subsidiaries to, and
will use
reasonable best efforts to cause its Representatives not to, disclose
any
non-public information to such Person without first entering into an
Acceptable
Confidentiality Agreement with such Person and (y) will promptly provide
or make
available to Parent any non-public information concerning the Company
or its
Subsidiaries provided or made available to such other Person which was
not
previously provided or made available to Parent. Notwithstanding anything
to the
contrary contained in Section
5.2(b)
or this
Section
5.2(c),
prior
to obtaining the Requisite Stockholder Vote, the Company shall in any
event be
permitted to take the actions described in clauses (A) and (B) above
with
respect to any Excluded Party.
38
(d) Within
24
hours following the date that is thirty (30) days after the date of this
Agreement, the Company shall (i) notify Parent in writing of the identity
of
each Person (A) who has made an Acquisition Proposal prior to such date,
(B)
with whom the Company is having ongoing discussions or negotiations or
(C) to
whom the Company has provided non-public information and (ii) provide
Parent a
copy of each Acquisition Proposal received from any such Person, including
the
pricing and other material terms and conditions (or, where no such copy
is
available, a description of such Acquisition Proposal). From and after
the date
that is thirty (30) days after the date of this Agreement, the Company
shall
promptly (within 24 hours) notify Parent in the event that the Company,
its
Subsidiaries or Representatives (I) receives any Acquisition Proposal,
(II)
receives any request for information relating to the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries other than requests for information in the ordinary course
of
business and unrelated to an Acquisition Proposal or requests from an
Excluded
Party, (III) receives any inquiry or request for discussions or negotiations
regarding any Acquisition Proposal or (IV) enters into an Acceptable
Confidentiality Agreement. The Company shall notify Parent promptly (within
24
hours) of the identity of any Person making any request or proposal referenced
in (I), (II), (III) or (IV) and provide a copy of such Acquisition Proposal,
inquiry or request, including the pricing and other material terms and
conditions (or, where no such copy is available, a written description
of such
Acquisition Proposal, inquiry or request), including any material modifications
thereto. From and after the date that is thirty (30) days after the date
of this
Agreement, the Company shall keep Parent reasonably informed (orally
and in
writing) on a current basis (and in any event no later than 24 hours
after the
occurrence of any changes or developments of the status of any Acquisition
Proposal, inquiry or request (including pricing and other material terms
and
conditions thereof and of any material modification thereto), and any
material
developments (including through discussions and negotiations), including
furnishing copies of any written inquiries, correspondence and draft
documentation). Without limiting the foregoing, from and after the date
that is
thirty (30) days after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall
promptly
(within 24 hours) notify Parent orally and in writing if it determines
to begin
providing or making available information or to engage in discussions
or
negotiations concerning an Acquisition Proposal pursuant to Section
5.2(c),
including but not limited to, with respect to a Person who would be an
Excluded
Party at the Solicitation Period End-Date. The Company shall not, and
shall
cause its Subsidiaries not to, enter into any confidentiality agreement
with any
Person subsequent to the date of this Agreement except with respect to
an
Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement as permitted or required pursuant
to this
Section
5.2,
and
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be a party to any
agreement that prohibits the Company from providing or making available
to
Parent or Merger Sub any information provided or made available to any
other
Person pursuant to an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement. Except to
facilitate
the making of a Superior Proposal, the Company shall not, and shall cause
each
of its Subsidiaries not to, terminate, waive, amend or modify any provision
of,
or grant permission or request under, any standstill or confidentiality
agreement to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, and the
Company
shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, enforce the provisions of
any such
agreement; provided,
however,
that
the Company may permit a proposal to be made under a standstill agreement
if it
determines in good faith, after consultation with outside counsel, that
such
actions are necessary to comply with the fiduciary duties of the Board
of
Directors to the stockholders of the Company under applicable Law.
39
(e) Notwithstanding
anything in Section
5.2(b)(ii)
to the
contrary, the Board of Directors of the Company (acting upon the prior
recommendation of the Special Committee, if then in existence) may at
any time
prior to obtaining the Requisite Stockholder Vote, if it determines in
good
faith, after consultation with outside counsel, that the failure to take
such
action would reasonably be expected to be a breach of its fiduciary duties
to
the stockholders of the Company under applicable Law: (x) withdraw, modify
or
qualify, or propose publicly to withdraw, modify or qualify, in a manner
adverse
to Parent or Merger Sub, the Company Board Recommendation; approve, recommend
or
endorse, or propose publicly to approve, recommend or endorse, any Acquisition
Proposal; or make other statements that are reasonably calculated or
expected to
have the same effect (a “Change
of Board Recommendation”);
and/or (y) if the Company receives an Acquisition Proposal which the
Board of
Directors of the Company (acting upon the prior recommendation of the
Special
Committee, if then in existence) concludes in good faith, after consultation
with outside counsel and its financial advisors, constitutes a Superior
Proposal, after considering all of the adjustments to the terms of this
Agreement which may be offered by Parent including pursuant to clause
(ii)
below, terminate this Agreement and enter into a definitive agreement
with
respect to such Superior Proposal (provided,
that
and in such event, the Company substantially concurrently enters into
such
definitive agreement); provided,
however,
that
the Company shall not terminate this Agreement pursuant to the foregoing
clause
(y), and any purported termination pursuant to the foregoing clause (y)
shall be
void and of no force or effect, unless in advance of or concurrently
with such
termination the Company pays the Superior Fee or the Company Breakup
Fee, as the
case may be, pursuant to Section
7.4(b),
and
otherwise complies with the provisions of Section
7.1(i)
and
Section
7.4(b);
and
provided further
that the
Board of Directors of the Company (acting upon the prior recommendation
of the
Special Committee, if then in existence) may not withdraw, modify or
amend the
Company Board Recommendation in a manner adverse to Parent pursuant to
the
foregoing clause (x) (in the case where the Board of Directors of the
Company
(acting upon the prior recommendation of the Special Committee, if then
in
existence) is considering another Acquisition Proposal) or terminate
this
Agreement pursuant to the foregoing clause (y) unless (A) the Company
shall not
have intentionally or materially breached this Section
5.2
and
(B):
(i) the
Company shall have provided prior written notice to Parent at least ten
days in
advance (the “Notice
Period”)
of its
intention to take such action with respect to such Superior Proposal,
which
notice shall specify the material terms and conditions of any such Superior
Proposal (including the identity of the party making such Superior Proposal),
and shall have contemporaneously provided a copy of the relevant proposed
transaction agreements with the party making such Superior Proposal and
other
material documents, including the definitive agreement with respect to
such
Superior Proposal (the “Alternative
Acquisition Agreement”);
and
40
(ii) prior
to
effecting such Change of Board Recommendation or terminating this Agreement
to
enter into a definitive agreement with respect to such Superior Proposal,
the
Company shall, and shall cause its financial and legal advisors to, during
the
Notice Period, negotiate with Parent in good faith (to the extent Parent
desires
to negotiate) to make such adjustments in the terms and conditions of
this
Agreement so that such Acquisition Proposal ceases to constitute a Superior
Proposal. In the event of any material revisions to a Superior Proposal
(including, without limitation, any revision in price), the Company shall
be
required to deliver a new written notice to Parent and to again comply
with the
requirements of Section
5.2(e)(i)
with
respect to such new written notice except that the Notice Period with
respect
thereto shall be ten days for the first such material revision to a Superior
Proposal and three days for each subsequent material revision to a Superior
Proposal thereafter; provided,
however,
the
Company shall be obligated to negotiate with Parent pursuant to this
Section
5.2(e)(ii)
on only
one occasion if, but only if, the initial Superior Proposal received
by the
Company is $37 per share or greater to the Company’s stockholders; for avoidance
of doubt, if the initial Superior Proposal received by the Company is
greater
than $36 per share to the Company’s stockholders but less than $37 per share to
the Company’s stockholders and thereafter any Person makes a Superior Proposal
for a price per share more than the initial Superior Proposal, then the
Company
shall be required to deliver a new written notice to Parent and comply
with the
other requirements of Section
5.2(e)(i)
with
respect to such new written notice notwithstanding that the price contained
therein is greater than $37 per share to the Company’s
stockholders.
(f) The
Company agrees that any violations of the restrictions in this Section
5.2
by any
Representative of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall be deemed
to be a
breach of this Section
5.2
by the
Company.
(g) Although
nothing contained in this Section
5.2
shall
prohibit the Board of Directors of the Company from (i) taking and disclosing
to
the stockholders of the Company a position contemplated by Rule 14e-2(a)
and
Rule 14d-9 promulgated under the Exchange Act (other than any disclosure
of
confidential information to third parties prohibited by Section
5.2(d),
if such
statement constitutes a Change of Board Recommendation, then it shall
have the
effects of a Change of Board Recommendation for all purposes under this
Agreement, or (ii) disclosing the fact that the Board of Directors of
the
Company (acting upon the prior recommendation of the Special Committee
if it
still exists) has received an Acquisition Proposal and the terms of such
proposal, if the Board of Directors of the Company (acting through the
Special
Committee if it still exists) determines, after consultation with its
outside
legal counsel, that it is required to make such disclosure in connection
with
its fiduciary duties under applicable Law or to comply with obligations
under
the federal securities Laws or New York Stock Exchange or the rules and
regulations of any U.S. securities exchange upon which the capital stock
of the
Company is listed.
(h) The
Company shall not take any action to exempt any Person (other than Parent,
Merger Sub and their respective Affiliates) from the restrictions on
“business
combinations” contained in Section 203 of the Corporation Law (or any similar
provisions of any other Law) or otherwise cause such restrictions not
to apply,
unless (i) such actions are taken simultaneously with a termination of
this
Agreement pursuant to Section
7.1(a)
or
7.1(i)
or (ii)
such Person agrees the exemption of such Person is limited to permitting
such
Person to form a group for purposes of making an Acquisition Proposal
without
becoming an “interested person” for purposes of Section 203 of the Corporation
Law as a result of forming such group and further agrees that the group
and its
members continue to remain subject to Section 203 of the Corporation
Law for all
other purposes.
41
(i) For
purposes of this Agreement, (i) “Acquisition
Proposal”
means
any inquiry, proposal or offer from any Person or group of Persons other
than
Parent, Merger Sub or their respective Affiliates relating to any direct
or
indirect acquisition or purchase of a business that constitutes 30% or more
of the net revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
or 30% or more of the Company Securities, any tender offer or exchange
offer that if consummated would result in any Person or group of Persons
beneficially owning 30% or more of the Company Securities, or any merger,
reorganization, consolidation, share exchange, business combination,
recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction involving
the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose business constitutes 30% or more
of the net revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
in
each case excluding the disposition of the North American interiors business
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries, and (ii) “Superior
Proposal”
means
any bona
fide Acquisition
Proposal (except that reference to 30% will be deemed to be reference
to “more
than 50%”) that (x) is on terms that the Board of Directors of the Company
(acting upon the prior recommendation of the Special Committee, if then
in
existence) has determined in its good faith judgment (after consultation
with
its financial advisor and outside counsel and after taking into account
all
legal, financial, regulatory and other aspects of the proposal, including
the
financing terms thereof) is more favorable to the Company’s stockholders from a
financial point of view than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
and (y) which the Board of Directors of the Company (acting upon the
prior
recommendation of the Special Committee, if then in existence) has determined
in
good faith (after consultation with its financial advisor and outside
counsel
and after taking into account all legal, financial, regulatory and other
aspects
of the proposal) is reasonably capable of being consummated (taking into
account
the financeability of such proposal).
(j) Neither
Parent, Merger Sub nor any of their Affiliates shall take any action with the
purpose of (i) restricting competing proposals or (ii) prohibiting (whether
under any new or existing agreement) any lender from providing debt financing
to
any Person making or contemplating making an Acquisition Proposal.
(k) After
consultation with outside counsel, the Board of Directors of the Company,
consistent with the exercise of its fiduciary duties, shall take such
actions
consistent with its obligations under this Agreement, as it deems reasonably
required to assure the integrity of the process contemplated by this
Section
5.2.
42
SECTION
5.3 Access
to Information.
(a)
Subject
to the restrictions imposed by applicable Law, from and after the date
of this
Agreement, the Company will, and will use reasonable best efforts to
cause the
Company Joint Ventures to, (i) give Parent and Merger Sub and (subject
to the
confidentiality agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Company) their
prospective lenders and prospective purchasers of Parent or Merger Sub
equity
and their respective Representatives reasonable access (during regular
business
hours upon reasonable notice) to all employees, plants, offices, warehouses
and
other facilities and to all books, forecasts, contracts, commitments
and records
(including Tax Returns) of the Company, its Subsidiaries and the Company
Joint
Ventures and use their reasonable best efforts to cause the Company’s, its
Subsidiaries’ and the Company Joint Ventures’ respective Representatives to
provide access to their work papers and such other information as Parent
or
Merger Sub may reasonably request, (ii) consent to the use of the Company’s
financial statements for purposes of filings with the SEC pursuant to
securities
Laws and use reasonable best efforts to cause the Company’s accountants to
provide consents, comfort letters and any other customary deliverables
in
connection with any securities offerings, (iii) subject to the limitations
described in clause (i), permit Parent and Merger Sub to make such inspections
as they may reasonably require, (iv) cause its officers and those of
its
Subsidiaries and of the Company Joint Ventures to furnish Parent and
Merger Sub
with such financial and operating data and other information with respect
to the
business, properties and personnel of the Company, its Subsidiaries and
of the
Company Joint Ventures as Parent or Merger Sub may from time to time
request and
(v) furnish promptly upon request to Parent and Merger Sub a copy of
each
report, schedule and other document filed or received by the Company,
any of its
Subsidiaries or the Company Joint Ventures during such period pursuant
to the
requirements of the federal or state securities Laws; provided,
however,
that
any such access shall be conducted as not to unreasonably interfere with
the
operation of the business conducted by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries
or
the Company Joint Ventures.
(b) Information
obtained by Parent or Merger Sub pursuant to Section
5.3(a)
shall be
subject to the provisions of the Confidentiality Agreement. Parent and
Merger
Sub are hereby authorized to release and disclose, and to permit the
release and
disclosure of, any information, including non-public information concerning
the
Company, including, without limitation, information concerning its business,
operations and financial condition, in the manner contemplated in the
Debt
Financing Commitments.
(c) Nothing
in this Section
5.3
shall
require the Company to permit any inspection, or to disclose any information,
that in the reasonable judgment of the Company would (i) violate any
of its
respective obligations with respect to confidentiality; provided,
that
the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the
consent
of such third party to such inspection or disclosure, or (ii) result
in a
violation of applicable Law or loss of privilege.
(d) No
investigation by and of the parties or their respective Representatives
shall
modify, nullify, amend or otherwise affect the representations, warranties,
covenants or agreements of the other parties set forth herein.
SECTION
5.4 Stockholder
Approval.
Unless
this Agreement has been terminated pursuant to Section
7.1,
the
Company, acting through its Board of Directors and in accordance with
applicable
Law, shall call a meeting of its stockholders (the “Special
Meeting”)
to be
held as soon as reasonably practicable (and in any event within 45 days)
after
the SEC clears the Proxy Statement for the purpose of obtaining the Requisite
Stockholder Vote in connection with this Agreement and the Merger. Except
in the
event of a Change of Board Recommendation specifically permitted by Section
5.2(e),
(a) the
Proxy Statement shall include the Company Board Recommendation, (b) the
Board of
Directors of the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain
from
its stockholders the Requisite Stockholder Vote in favor of the adoption
of this
Agreement and (c) after the Solicitation Period End-Date, the Board of
Directors
shall publicly reaffirm the Company Board Recommendation within 48 hours
after
any such request by Parent (which request shall not be made on more than
three
occasions). Unless this Agreement is validly terminated in accordance
with its
terms pursuant to Article
VII,
the
Company shall submit this Agreement to its stockholders at the Special
Meeting
even if its Board of Directors shall have withdrawn, modified or qualified
its
recommendation thereof or otherwise effected a Change of Board Recommendation
or
proposed or announced any intention to do so.
43
SECTION
5.5 Proxy
Statement; Other Filings.
As
promptly as reasonably practicable after the date of this Agreement (and
in any
event within 35 days assuming Parent timely supplies the information
required
from it and timely provides reasonable cooperation), (a) the Company
shall
prepare and file with the SEC, subject to the prior review, comment and
approval
of Parent (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed),
the
Proxy Statement and (b) each of the Company and Parent shall, or shall
cause
their respective Affiliates to, prepare and file with the SEC all Other
Filings
as required by the Exchange Act. Each of the Company and Parent shall
promptly
obtain and furnish the information concerning itself and its Affiliates
required
to be included in the Proxy Statement and, to the extent applicable,
the Other
Filings. Each of the Company and Parent shall use its reasonable best
efforts to
respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to any comments received
from the
SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement or the Other Filings, and the
Company
shall cause the Proxy Statement to be mailed to the Company’s stockholders at
the earliest reasonably practicable date after clearing comments received
from
the SEC. Each party shall promptly notify the other party upon the receipt
of
any comments from the SEC or its staff or any request from the SEC or
its staff
for amendments or supplements to the Proxy Statement or the Other Filings
and
shall provide the other party with copies of all correspondence between
it, on
the one hand, and the SEC and its staff, on the other hand, relating
to the
Proxy Statement or the Other Filings. If at any time prior to the Special
Meeting, any information relating to the Company, Parent, Merger Sub
or any of
their respective Affiliates, directors or officers should be discovered
by the
Company or Parent, which should be set forth in an amendment or supplement
to
the Proxy Statement or the Other Filings so that the Proxy Statement
or the
Other Filings shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit
to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
in order
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they
are made, not misleading, the party that discovers such information shall
promptly notify the other party, and an appropriate amendment, supplement
or
other filing incorporated by reference into the Proxy Statement describing
such
information shall be filed with the SEC and, to the extent required by
applicable Law, disseminated to the stockholders of the Company in each
case, as
promptly as reasonably practicable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
stated above, prior to filing or mailing the Proxy Statement or filing
the Other
Filings (or, in each case, any amendment or supplement thereto) or responding
to
any comments of the SEC or its staff with respect thereto, the party
responsible
for filing or mailing such document shall provide the other party an
opportunity
to review and comment on such document or response and shall include
in such
document or response comments reasonably proposed by the other
party.
44
SECTION
5.6 Reasonable
Best Efforts; Consents and Governmental Approvals.
(a)Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of the parties hereto
agrees
to use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all
appropriate action, to file or cause to be filed, all documents and to
do, or
cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable
Laws to expeditiously consummate and make effective the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including preparing and filing as promptly
as
practicable all documentation to effect all necessary filings, consents,
licenses, approvals, authorizations, permits or orders form Governmental
Entities or other Persons.
(b) Without
limiting the foregoing in Section
5.6(a),
each of
the Company, Parent and Merger Sub agrees to (i) use its reasonable best
efforts
to make any required submissions under the HSR Act and Foreign Antitrust
Laws
which the Company or Parent determines should be made, in each case,
with
respect to the Merger and the transactions contemplated hereby as promptly
as
reasonably practicable, but in any event, within fifteen (15) Business
Days, in
the case of the HSR Act, and, in the case of Foreign Antitrust Laws,
initiate
contact with the relevant authorities (and if possible make relevant
submissions) within thirty (30) Business Days after the date of this
Agreement
and to supply as promptly as reasonably practicable any additional information
and documentary material that may be requested pursuant to the HSR Act
or
Foreign Antitrust Laws, and each of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub
shall use
its reasonable best efforts to take or cause to be taken all commercially
reasonable actions necessary, proper or advisable consistent with this
Section
5.6
to cause
the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting periods under
the HSR
Act and Foreign Antitrust Laws as soon as practicable, and (ii) cooperate
with
one another (A) in promptly determining whether any filings are required
to be
or should be made or consents, approvals, permits or authorizations are
required
to be or should be obtained under any other federal, state or foreign
Law or
whether any consents, approvals or waivers are required to be or should
be
obtained from other parties to loan agreements or other contracts or
instruments
material to the Company’s business in connection with the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (B) in promptly making
any such
filings, furnishing information required in connection therewith and
seeking to
obtain as expeditiously as practicable any such consents, permits,
authorizations, approvals or waivers. Each of Parent, Merger Sub and
the Company
shall promptly inform the other parties hereto of any oral, and provide
copies
of any written, communication with a Governmental Entity regarding any
such
filings or information. No party hereto shall independently participate
in any
meeting or discussion with any Governmental Entity in respect of any
such
filings, applications, investigation, or other inquiry without giving
the other
parties hereto prior notice of the meeting and, to the extent permitted
by the
relevant Governmental Entity, the opportunity to attend and participate
(which,
at the request of any of the parties, shall be limited to outside counsel
only).
In the event that any action, suit, proceeding or investigation relating
hereto
or to the transactions contemplated hereby is commenced, whether before
or after
the date hereof, the parties hereto agree to cooperate and will use their
reasonable best efforts to defend vigorously against it and respond
thereto.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in connection with obtaining
any
approval or consent from any Person (other than any Governmental Entity)
with
respect to the Merger, (i) without the prior written consent of Parent
(which
shall not be unreasonably withhold or delayed), none of the Company or
any of
its Subsidiaries shall pay or commit to pay to such Person whose approval
or
consent is being solicited any cash or other consideration, make any
commitment
or incur any liability or other material obligation due to such Person
and (ii)
except pursuant to the terms of the Debt Financing Commitments, neither
Parent
nor Merger Sub shall be required to pay or commit to pay to such Person
whose
approval or consent is being solicited any cash or other consideration,
make any
commitment or to incur any liability or other obligation (provided,
however,
that
Parent and Merger Sub give the Company the opportunity to make such
payments).
45
(d) Nothing
in this Agreement shall obligate Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective
Affiliates to agree (i) to limit in any manner whatsoever or not to exercise
any
rights of ownership of any securities (including the Shares), or to divest,
dispose of or hold separate any securities or all or a portion of their
respective businesses, assets or properties or of the business, assets
or
properties of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) to limit
in any
material respect the ability of such entities (A) to conduct their respective
businesses or own such assets or properties or to conduct the businesses
or own
the properties or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (B) to
control
their respective businesses or operations or the businesses or operations
of the
Company and its Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement
to the
contrary, the obligations of this Section
5.6
shall
not apply to each of Parent and Merger Sub if compliance with this Section
5.6
would
result in, or would reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse
Effect.
SECTION
5.7 Indemnification
and Insurance.
(a)
Parent
and Merger Sub agree that all rights to indemnification existing in favor
of the
current or former directors, officers and employees of the Company or
any of its
Subsidiaries (the “Indemnified
Persons”)
as
provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, or the articles
of
organization, bylaws or similar constituent documents of any of the Company’s
Subsidiaries or in any indemnification agreement or arrangement, as in
effect as
of the date of this Agreement with respect to matters occurring prior
to the
Effective Time shall survive the Merger and shall continue in full force
and
effect for a period of not less than six years after the Effective Time
unless
otherwise required by Law. In addition to and not in limitation of the
foregoing, the Surviving Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted
under applicable Law, indemnify and hold harmless (and advance funds
in respect
of each of the foregoing) each Indemnified Person against any costs or
expenses
(including advancing reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses in advance of the
final disposition of any claim, suit, proceeding or investigation to
each
Indemnified Person to the fullest extent permitted by Law), judgments,
fines,
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and amounts paid in settlement (with
the
prior written consent of Parent) in connection with any actual or threatened
claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative (an “Action”),
arising out of, relating to or in connection with any action or omission
occurring or alleged to have occurred whether before the Effective Time
(including acts or omissions in connection with such Persons serving
as an
officer, director or other fiduciary in any entity if such service was
at the
request or for the benefit of the Company), except for in any case, any
claim,
judgments, fines, penalties and amounts to be paid which relate to any
act or
omission which constitutes a material violation of Law and except for
other
exceptions to indemnification that are required by Law. In the event
of any such
Action, the Surviving Corporation shall reasonably cooperate with the
Indemnified Person in the defense of any such Action. The Surviving Corporation
shall have the right to assume control of and the defense of, any Action,
suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation to which this Section
5.7(a)
shall
apply; provided,
however,
that
the Surviving Corporation shall not be obligated to pay the fees and
expenses of
more than one counsel (selected by a plurality of applicable Indemnified
Persons) for all Indemnified Persons in any jurisdiction with respect
to any
single Action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, unless the
use of one
counsel for such Indemnified Persons would present such counsel with
a conflict
of interest that would make such joint representation inappropriate.
The
Surviving Corporation shall pay all reasonable expenses, including reasonable
attorneys’ fees, that may be incurred by any Indemnified Person in enforcing the
indemnity and other obligations provided in this Section
5.7(a).
The
advancement of any amounts to be paid in respect of legal and other fees
and
expenses pursuant to this Section
5.7(a)
shall be
subject to an undertaking of the recipient, to the extent required by
the
Corporation Law, to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined
that such
person is not entitled to indemnification from the Surviving
Corporation.
46
(b) The
Company shall purchase on or prior to the Effective Time, and the Surviving
Corporation shall maintain with reputable and financially sound carriers,
tail
policies to the current directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and
fiduciaries liability insurance policies maintained on the date of this
Agreement by the Company and its Subsidiaries, which tail policies and
fiduciaries liability policies (i) shall be effective for a period from
the
Effective Time through and including the date six years after the Closing
Date
with respect to claims arising from facts or events that existed or occurred
prior to or at the Effective Time and (ii) shall contain coverage that
is at
least as protective to the Persons covered by such existing policies
(a complete
and accurate copy of which has been made available to Parent) and shall
in any
event include nonmanagement directors Side A (DIC) coverage. The Surviving
Corporation shall provide copies of such policies to the past, current
and
future directors and officers of the Company entitled to the benefit
thereof as
reasonably requested by such persons from time to time. Notwithstanding
the
foregoing, if the coverage described above cannot be obtained or can
only be
obtained by paying aggregate premiums in excess of 300% of the aggregate
annual
amount currently paid by the Company for such coverage, the Surviving
Corporation shall only be required to provide as much coverage as can
be
obtained by paying aggregate premiums equal to 300% of the aggregate
amount
currently paid by the Company for such coverage. Guarantor may substitute
an
alternative for the tail policies that affords, in the aggregate, no
less
favorable protection to such officers and directors; provided,
that
any such alternative is approved by the Company’s Board of Directors prior to
the Effective Time (which approval may be withheld in its
discretion).
(c) This
Section
5.7
shall
survive the consummation of the Merger and is intended to benefit, and
shall be
enforceable by each Indemnified Person (notwithstanding that such Persons
are
not parties to this Agreement) and their respective heirs and legal
representatives. The indemnification provided for herein shall not be
deemed
exclusive of any other rights to which an Indemnified Person is entitled,
whether pursuant to Law, contract or otherwise.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, if any claim, action, suit, proceeding
or
investigation (whether arising before, at or after the Effective Time)
is made
against any Indemnified Person on or prior to the sixth anniversary of
the
Effective Time, the provisions of this Section
5.7
shall
continue in effect until the final disposition of such claim, action,
suit,
proceeding or investigation.
47
(e) In
the
event that the Surviving Corporation, Parent or any of their respective
successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other
Person and
shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such
consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially
all of
its properties and assets to any person, then, and in each such case,
proper
provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of the Surviving
Corporation or Parent, as the case may be, shall succeed to the obligations
set
forth in this Section
5.7.
(f) Nothing
in this Agreement is intended to, shall be construed to or shall release,
waive
or impair any rights to directors’ and officers’ insurance claims under any
policy that is or has been in existence with respect to the Company or
any of
its Subsidiaries or their respective officers, directors and employees,
it being
understood and agreed that the indemnification provided for in this Section
5.7
is not
prior to or in substitution for any such claims under any such policies,
provided,
that
for avoidance of doubt, neither Parent nor the Surviving Corporation
shall be
required to make any payments thereunder or in connection
therewith.
SECTION
5.8 Employee
Matters.
(a)
Prior to
the Effective Time, except as set forth below, the Company will, and
will cause
its Subsidiaries to, and from and after the Effective Time, Parent will,
and
will cause the Surviving Corporation and each of its Subsidiaries to
honor, in
accordance with their terms, all Plans.
With
respect to each Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan, Parent shall
or shall
cause the Surviving Corporation and each of its Subsidiaries to, timely
adopt
such amendments as are necessary to comply with Section 409A of the
Code.
(b) Parent
will cause the Surviving Corporation to give credit for all service rendered
by
the individuals employed by the Company and its Subsidiaries at the Effective
Time (including employees who are not actively at work on account of
illness,
disability or leave of absence (the “Current Employees”) (or service credited by
the Company and its Subsidiaries) prior to the Effective Time for vesting
and
eligibility purposes (but not for accrual purposes, except for vacation
and
severance, if applicable) under employee benefit plans of the Surviving
Corporation and its Subsidiaries, to the same extent as such service
was taken
into account under the corresponding Plans of the Company and its Subsidiaries
for those purposes. Current Employees will not be subject to any pre-existing
condition limitation under any health plan of the Surviving Corporation
or its
Subsidiaries for any condition for which they would have been entitled
to
coverage under the corresponding Plan of the Company or its Subsidiaries
in
which they participated prior to the Effective Time. Parent will cause
the
Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries to give such Current Employees
credit
under such plans for co-payments made and deductibles satisfied prior
to the
Effective Time. Nothing in this Section
5.8
shall
limit the right of Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any of their
Subsidiaries to terminate the employment of any Current Employee at any
time.
(c) Until
January 1, 2008, Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation
to,
provide each Current Employee (other than Current Employees who have
entered
into or will enter into an individual employment agreement with the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries) with severance benefits that are no less favorable,
in
the aggregate, than those that would have been provided to such Current
Employee
immediately prior to the Effective Time.
48
(d) No
later
than three Business Days prior to its distribution, the Company and its
Subsidiaries shall provide Parent and Merger Sub with a copy of any
communication intended to be made to any of their respective employees
relating
to the transactions contemplated hereby, and will provide an opportunity
for
Parent and Merger Sub to make reasonable revisions thereto.
(e) This
Section
5.8
shall be
binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each of the parties to
this
Agreement, and nothing in this Section
5.8,
express
or implied, is intended to confer upon any other Person any rights or
remedies
of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Section
5.8.
SECTION
5.9 Takeover
Laws.
The
Company shall, upon the request of Parent or Merger Sub, take all reasonable
steps to exclude the applicability of, or to assist at Parent’s cost and expense
in any challenge to the validity or applicability to the Merger or any
other
transaction contemplated by this Agreement of, any Takeover Laws.
SECTION
5.10 Notification
of Certain Matters.
The
Company shall give prompt notice to Parent, and Parent shall give prompt
notice
to the Company, of the occurrence or non-occurrence of any event, which
is
likely to result in the failure of a condition set forth in Article
VI;
provided,
however,
that
the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section
5.10
shall
not limit or otherwise affect the remedies available hereunder to any
of the
parties receiving such notice.
SECTION
5.11 Financing.
49
(a) Prior
to
the Closing, the Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to,
and shall
use its reasonable best efforts to cause its and their respective
Representatives to, at Parent’s sole expense, provide to Parent and Merger Sub
all cooperation reasonably requested by Parent that is necessary, proper
or
advisable in connection with the Debt Financing and the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including (i) participation in a reasonable
number of meetings, presentations, road shows, due diligence sessions
and
sessions with rating agencies, (ii) assisting with the preparation of
materials
for rating agency presentations, offering documents, private placement
memoranda, bank information memoranda, prospectuses and similar documents
required in connection with the Debt Financing, including execution and
delivery
of customary representation letters reasonably satisfactory in form and
substance to the Company in connection with bank information memoranda;
provided,
that
any private placement memoranda or prospectuses in relation to high yield
debt
securities need not be issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
provided further,
that
any such memoranda or prospectuses shall contain disclosure and financial
statements with respect to the Company or the Surviving Corporation reflecting
the Surviving Corporation and/or its Subsidiaries as the obligor, (iii)
as
promptly as reasonably practical, furnishing Parent and its Debt Financing
sources with financial and other information regarding the Company and
its
Subsidiaries as may be reasonably requested by Parent, including all
financial
statements, pro forma financial information, financial data, audit reports
and
other information of the type required by Regulation S-X and Regulation
S-K
under the Securities Act and of type and form customarily included in
a private
placement memorandum relating to private placements under Rule 144A of
the
Securities Act at the time during the Company’s fiscal year such offerings will
be made (the “Required
Information”),
(iv)
using reasonable best efforts to obtain accountants’ comfort letters, legal
opinions, appraisals, surveys, engineering reports, title insurance and
other
documentation and items relating to the Debt Financing as reasonably
requested
by Parent and, if requested by Parent or Merger Sub, to reasonably cooperate
with and assist Parent or Merger Sub in obtaining such documentation
and items,
(v) using commercially reasonable efforts to execute and deliver any
pledge and
security documents, other definitive financing documents, or other certificates,
or documents as may be reasonably requested by Parent (including a certificate
of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company with respect to solvency
matters)
and otherwise reasonably facilitating the pledging of collateral (including
cooperation in connection with the pay off of existing indebtedness and
the
release of related Liens, if any), provided,
that no
obligation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under such executed
documents shall be effective until the Effective Time, (vi) taking all
actions
necessary to (A) permit the prospective Debt Financing and equity sources
to
evaluate the Company’s current assets, cash management and accounting systems,
policies and procedures relating thereto for the purposes of establishing
collateral arrangements and (B) establish bank and other accounts in
connection
with the foregoing and (viii) using reasonable best efforts to obtain
waivers,
consents, estoppels and approvals from other parties to material leases,
encumbrances and contracts to which any of the Subsidiaries of the Company
is a
party and to arrange discussions among Parent, Merger Sub and their financing
sources with other parties to material leases, encumbrances and contracts;
it
being understood that the Company shall have satisfied each of its obligations
set forth in clauses (i) through (viii) of this sentence if the Company
shall
have used its reasonable best efforts to comply with such obligations
whether or
not any applicable deliverables are actually obtained or provided. The
Company
hereby consents to the use of its and its Subsidiaries’ logos as may be
reasonably necessary in connection with the Debt Financing; provided,
that
such logos are used solely in a manner that is not intended to nor reasonably
likely to harm or disparage the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
the
reputation or goodwill of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and
its or
their marks. Nothing in this Section
5.11(a)
shall
require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to provide any assistance
to the
extent it would interfere unreasonably with the ongoing business or operations
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. As of the date of this Agreement,
the
Company believes that it will be able to satisfy on a timely basis the
terms and
conditions to be satisfied by it in this Section
5.11(a).
Notwithstanding anything in this Section
5.11(a)
to the
contrary, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required
to
pay any commitment fee or similar fee or incur any liability with respect
to the
Debt Financing prior to the Effective Time. Upon the valid termination
of this
Agreement (other than in accordance with Section
7.1(f)),
Parent
shall, promptly upon request by the Company, reimburse the Company for
all
reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Company
or any of
its Subsidiaries, officers, employees, representatives and advisors in
connection with their respective obligations pursuant to this Section
5.11(a).
Parent
and Merger Sub hereby agree and acknowledge that the Debt Financing does
not
constitute a condition to the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by
this Agreement. Parent and Merger Sub shall, on a joint and several basis
indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its Subsidiaries, directors,
officers, employees, representatives and advisors from and against any
and all
losses, damages, claims, costs or expenses suffered or incurred by any
of them
in connection with any action taken by them at the request of Parent
or Merger
Sub pursuant to this Section
5.11(a)
or in
connection with the arrangement of the Debt Financing and any information
utilized in connection therewith, except to the extent that such losses,
damages, claims, costs or expenses, directly or indirectly, resulted
from or
arose out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Company
or any of
its Subsidiaries. Nothing contained in this Section
5.11(a)
or
otherwise shall require the Company to be an issuer or other obligor
with
respect to the Debt Financing prior to the Closing.
50
(b) Parent
shall use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken,
all actions
and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary or advisable to
arrange and
obtain the Debt Financing on the terms and conditions described in the
Debt
Financing Commitments. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this
Agreement
shall require the Board of Directors of the Company to take any action
to
approve any third party financing provided in connection with the Merger.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Parent and Merger Sub may
at any
time with any Person enter into discussions regarding, and may enter
into
arrangements and agreements relating to, the transfer or sale by Parent,
Merger
Sub or their Affiliates of a direct or indirect equity interest in Parent
or
Merger Sub of up to 49% of such equity.
SECTION
5.12 Subsequent
Filings.
Until
the Effective Time, the Company will use reasonable best efforts to timely
file
with the SEC each form, report and document required to be filed by the
Company
under the Exchange Act. As of their respective dates, none of such reports
shall
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
The
audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited interim financial
statements of the Company included in such reports shall be prepared
in
accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis (except as may be
indicated
in the notes thereto) and shall fairly present, in all material respects, the
financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as
at the
dates thereof and the results of their operations and cash flows for
the periods
then ended.
SECTION
5.13 Press
Releases.
Each of
the Company, Parent and Merger Sub agrees that no public release or announcement
concerning the transactions contemplated hereby shall be issued by any
party
without the prior written consent of the Company and Parent (which consent
shall
not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), except as such release or announcement
may be required by Law or the rules or regulations of any applicable
United
States securities exchange or regulatory or governmental body to which
the
relevant party is subject or submits, wherever situated, in which case
the party
required to make the release or announcement shall use its reasonable
best
efforts to allow each other party reasonable time to comment on such
release or
announcement in advance of such issuance, it being understood that the
final
form and content of any such release or announcement, to the extent so
required,
shall be at the final discretion of the disclosing party; provided,
however,
that
the restrictions set forth in this Section
5.13
shall
not apply to any release or announcement made or proposed to be made
by the
Company pursuant to and in compliance with Section
5.2.
51
SECTION
5.14 Restructuring
Cooperation.
Prior
to the Effective Time, the Company shall cooperate, cause each Subsidiary
to
cooperate and use its reasonable best efforts to cause each Company Joint
Venture to cooperate, in undertaking such restructurings, if any, as
are
reasonably requested by Parent in furtherance of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement and the Debt Financing.
SECTION
5.15 Resignation
of Directors.
Prior
to the Effective Time, the Company will cause each member of its Board
of
Directors to execute and deliver a letter, which will not be revoked
or amended
prior to the Effective Time, effectuating his resignation as a director
of the
Company effective at the Effective Time.
ARTICLE
VI
CONDITIONS
TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER
SECTION
6.1 Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger.
The
respective obligations of the parties to effect the Merger shall be subject
to
the satisfaction at or prior to the Effective Time of the following
conditions:
(a) Stockholder
Approval.
This
Agreement shall have been duly adopted by the Requisite Stockholder
Vote.
(b) No
Injunctions or Restraints; Illegality.
No
order, injunction or decree issued by any court or agency of competent
jurisdiction preventing the consummation of the Merger or any of the
other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be in effect.
(c) HSR
Act and Foreign Antitrust Laws.
Any
waiting period under the HSR Act applicable to the Merger or any of the
other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have expired or early
termination thereof shall have been granted, and any pre-Closing approval
or
consent under Foreign Antitrust Laws applicable to the Merger shall have
been
granted, except to the extent the failure to obtain any such approval
or consent
under Foreign Antitrust Laws could not reasonably be expected to, individually
or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
6.2 Conditions
to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub.
The
obligation of Parent and Merger Sub to effect the Merger is also subject
to the
satisfaction, or waiver by Parent, at or prior to the Effective Time,
of the
following conditions:
(a) Representations
and Warranties.
The
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Sections
3.2,
3.6(c)
and
3.9(m)
shall be
true and correct in all material respects and the remaining representations
and
warranties of the Company set forth herein shall be true and correct
(without
giving effect to any “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” qualifications
contained therein), except for such failures to be true and correct as
could not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect, in each case as of the date of this Agreement and as
of the
Closing Date as though made as of such date, except to the extent such
representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in
which
case the truth and correctness of such representations and warranties
shall be
measured on and as of such earlier date).
52
(b) Performance
of Obligations of the Company.
The
Company shall have performed in all material respects all obligations
required
to be performed by it under this Agreement at or prior to the Effective
Time.
(c) Officer’s
Certificate.
Parent
shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by
the Chief
Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer certifying as to the
matters
set forth in Sections
6.2(a)
and
6.2(b).
(d) Absence
of Material Adverse Effect.
Since
the date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any event,
change,
effect, development, condition or occurrence that has had or could reasonably
be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect or
(ii) any Force Majeure Event that has had or could reasonably be expected
to
have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect (provided,
that for purposes of this Section
6.2(d)(ii),
the
provisos included in the definition of Material Adverse Effect shall
not be
taken into account).
(e) Cooperation
with Debt Financing.
The
Company shall have performed the obligations and satisfied the requirements
set
forth on Annex
A
with
respect to the Debt Financing.
(f) Tax
Certificate.
The
Company shall have provided a certificate duly completed and executed
pursuant
to Section 1.897-2(h) and 1.1445-2(c) of the Treasury Regulation, certifying
that the Shares of the Company are not United states real property interests
within the meaning of Section 897(c) of the Code.
SECTION
6.3 Conditions
to Obligations of the Company.
The
obligation of the Company to effect the Merger is also subject to the
satisfaction or waiver by the Company at or prior to the Effective Time
of the
following conditions:
(a) Representations
and Warranties.
The
representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub set forth in
this
Agreement shall be true and correct (without giving effect to any “materiality”
qualifications contained therein), except for such failures to be true
and
correct as could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or
in the
aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect, in each case as of the date
of this
Agreement and as of the Closing Date as though made as of such date,
except to
the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an
earlier
date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true
and
correct on and as of such earlier date).
(b) Performance
of Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub.
Parent
and Merger Sub shall have performed in all material respects all obligations
required to be performed by them under this Agreement at or prior to
the
Effective Time.
(c) Officer’s
Certificate.
The
Company shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of Parent
by a duly
authorized officer certifying as to the matters set forth in Sections
6.3(a)
and
6.3(b).
53
(d) Solvency
Opinion.
The
Company shall have received a solvency opinion from a firm reasonably
acceptable
to the Company and Parent, addressed to the Company’s Board of Directors, in
customary form and substance.
ARTICLE
VII
TERMINATION;
AMENDMENT; WAIVER
SECTION
7.1 Termination.
This
Agreement may be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned at any time
(notwithstanding approval thereof by the Requisite Stockholder Vote)
prior to
the Effective Time (with any termination by Parent also being an effective
termination by Merger Sub):
(a) by
mutual
written consent of the Company and Parent;
(b) by
either
the Company or Parent if (i) any court of competent jurisdiction or other
Governmental Entity shall have issued an order, decree or ruling, or
taken any
other action restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and such order, decree, ruling
or
other action shall have become final and non-appealable or (ii) any Governmental
Entity shall have finally and non-appealably declined to grant any of
the
approvals of any Governmental Entity the receipt of which is necessary
to
satisfy the condition set forth in Section
6.1(c);
provided
that the
party seeking to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section
7.1(b)
shall
have used its reasonable best efforts to contest, appeal and remove such
order,
decree, ruling or action in accordance with Section
5.6;
(c) by
either
the Company or Parent if the Merger shall not have been consummated on
or before
September 15, 2007, as extended at the election of Parent, to the end
of the
Marketing Period, if the Marketing Period has commenced and such end
of the
Marketing Period would be later (such date, as extended pursuant to this
Section
7.1(c),
the
“Outside
Date”)
unless
the failure of the Closing to occur by such date shall be due to the
failure of
the party seeking to terminate this Agreement to perform or comply in
all
material respects with the covenants and agreements of such party set
forth in
this Agreement; provided,
however,
that
(i) if all of the conditions to the Closing set forth in Article
VI
shall be
satisfied on or prior to September 15, 2007 (other than conditions with
respect
to actions the respective parties will take at the Closing itself, provided
that
such conditions are capable of being satisfied) other than those set
forth in
Section
6.1(c),
then
the Outside Date shall be extended at the election of Parent to a date
not later
than November 1, 2007, or (ii) if there is an arbitration pursuant to
Section
8.3
that has
not been terminated by Parent, then the Outside Date shall be extended
to a date
(which date shall be specified by Parent) that is no later than seven
days after
a final decision of the arbitrators;
(d) by
either
the Company or Parent if the Special Meeting shall have been convened
and a vote
with respect to the adoption of this Agreement by the Requisite Stockholder
Vote
shall not have been obtained (unless the Special Meeting is adjourned
or
postponed to vote on the Merger at a subsequent date, which in any event
shall
not be later than five days prior to the Outside Date);
(e) by
the
Company if there shall have been a breach of any of the covenants or
agreements
or a failure to be true of any of the representations or warranties set
forth in
this Agreement on the part of Parent or Merger Sub, which breach or failure
to
be true, either individually or in the aggregate and, in the case of
the
representations and warranties, measured on the date of this Agreement
or, if
provided herein, as of any subsequent date (as if made on such date),
would
result in, if occurring or continuing at the Effective Time, the failure
of the
conditions set forth in Section
6.3(a)
or
6.3(b),
as the
case may be, and which is not cured within the earlier of (i) the Outside
Date
and (ii) thirty (30) days following written notice to the party committing
such
breach, or which by its nature or timing cannot be cured within such
time
period; provided,
that
the Company shall not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant
to
this Section
7.1(e)
if the
Company is then in material breach of any of its covenants or agreements
contained in this Agreement such that the conditions in Section
6.2(a)
or
6.2(b)
are
incapable of being satisfied;
54
(f) by
Parent
if there shall have been a breach of any of the covenants or agreements
or a
failure to be true of any of the representations or warranties set forth
in this
Agreement on the part of the Company (except the covenants and agreements
in
Sections
5.2
and
5.4),
which
breach or failure to be true, either individually or in the aggregate
and, in
the case of the representations and warranties, measured on the date
of this
Agreement or, if provided herein, as of any subsequent date (as if made
on such
date), would result in, if occurring or continuing at the Effective Time,
the
failure of the conditions set forth in Section
6.2(a)
or
6.2(b),
as the
case may be, and which is not cured within the earlier of (i) the Outside
Date
and (ii) thirty (30) days following written notice to the party committing
such
breach, or which by its nature or timing cannot be cured within such
time
period; provided,
that
Parent shall not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant
to this
Section
7.1(f)
if
Parent or Merger Sub is then in material breach of any of its covenants
or
agreements contained in this Agreement such that the conditions contained
in
Section
6.3(a)
or
6.3(b)
are
incapable of being satisfied;
(g) by
Parent
if (i) a Change of Board Recommendation shall have occurred, (ii) the
Company or
its Board of Directors (or any committee thereof) shall (A) approve,
adopt or
recommend any Acquisition Proposal or (B) approve or recommend, or enter
into or
allow the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to enter into, a letter
of intent,
agreement in principle or definitive agreement for an Acquisition Proposal,
(iii) within 48 hours of a request by Parent for the Company to reaffirm
the
Company Board Recommendation following the date any Acquisition Proposal
or any
material modification thereto is first published or sent or given to
the
stockholders of the Company, the Company fails to issue a press release
that
reaffirms the Company Board Recommendation, (iv) the Company shall have
intentionally or materially breached any of its obligations under Section
5.2
or
5.4,
(v) the
Company shall have failed to include in the Proxy Statement distributed
to
stockholders the Company Board Recommendation, or (vi) the Company or
its Board
of Directors (or any committee thereof) shall authorize or publicly propose
any
of the foregoing;
(h) by
Parent
if since the date of this Agreement, there shall have been an event,
change,
effect, development, condition or occurrence that has had or could reasonably
be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect
that cannot be cured by the Outside Date;
(i) by
the
Company at any time prior to receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Vote,
in
accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section
5.2(e);
provided
that the
Company shall substantially concurrently with such termination enter
into the
Alternative Acquisition Agreement;
55
(j) by
the
Company if all of the conditions set forth in Sections
6.1
and
6.2
have
been satisfied and Parent has failed to consummate the Merger no later
than ten
calendar days after the final day of the Marketing Period; or
(k) by
Parent
if a Force Majeure Event has occurred that has had or could reasonably
be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect
that cannot be cured by the Outside Date (provided, that for purposes
of this
Section
7.1(k),
the
provisos included in the definition of Material Adverse Effect shall
not be
taken into account).
SECTION
7.2 Written
Notice of Termination.
The
party desiring to terminate this Agreement pursuant to clause (b),
(c),
(d),
(e),
(f),
(g),
(h),
(i),
(j)
or
(k)
of
Section
7.1
shall
give written notice of such termination to the other party in accordance
with
Section
8.5,
specifying the provision or provisions hereof pursuant to which such
termination
is effected.
SECTION
7.3 Effect
of Termination.
If this
Agreement is terminated and the Merger is abandoned pursuant to Section
7.1,
this
Agreement, except for the provisions of Sections
5.3(b),
7.2,
7.3,
7.4
and
Article
VIII
and the
cost reimbursement and indemnity provisions of Sections
5.11,
shall
forthwith become void and have no effect, without any liability on the
part of
any party or its directors, officers, stockholders or Affiliates.
SECTION
7.4 Fees
and Expenses.
(a)
Whether
or not the Merger is consummated, except as otherwise specifically provided
herein, all costs and Expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement
and
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be paid by the
party
incurring such Expenses.
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing;
(i) if
(A) either
Parent or the Company terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section
7.1(d),
and the
Company (I) enters into a definitive agreement with respect to an Acquisition
Proposal within 12 months after the termination of this Agreement and
such
transaction is completed and (II) such Acquisition Proposal has received
approval, if required by applicable Law, by the affirmative vote or consent
of
the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares within such twelve
month
period, or
(B) either
Parent or the Company terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section
7.1(c),
and, at
the time of such termination, the conditions set forth in Sections
6.1 and
6.3
have
been satisfied but the Company shall have failed to take all actions
on its part
necessary to consummate the Merger, or
(C) if
Parent
terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section
7.1(f),
56
then
the
Company shall pay to Parent the Superior Fee by wire transfer of same
day funds,
(I) with respect to the event set forth in (A), promptly following the
consummation of the transaction in respect of the Acquisition Proposal;
and
(II) on the Business Day immediately following the date of termination with
respect to the events set forth in subsection (B) and (C) above.
(ii) if
(A)
Parent terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section
7.1(g)
or (B)
the Company terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section
7.1(i),
then
the Company shall pay to Parent simultaneously with (in the case of termination
by the Company pursuant to subclause (B) of this Section
7.4(b)(ii))
or
within two Business Days after (in the case of termination by Parent
pursuant to
subclause (A) of this Section
7.4(b)(ii))
such
termination, the Superior Fee (provided,
that if
such termination is pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above and such termination
occurs prior to the Solicitation Period End-Date, then such payment shall
instead be in the amount of the Company Breakup Fee).
(c) “Company
Breakup Fee”
means
an amount in cash equal to (i) $73,500,000, plus (ii) an amount equal to
the lesser of (A) the sum of Parent’s and Merger Sub’s reasonably documented
Expenses and (B) $6,000,000, which Company Breakup Fee shall be paid
(when due
and owing) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account
or
accounts designated by Parent.
(d) “Superior
Fee”
means
an amount in cash equal to (i) $85,225,000, plus (ii) an amount equal
to the
lesser of (A) the sum of Parent’s and Merger Sub’s reasonably documented
Expenses and (B) $15,000,000, which Superior Fee shall be paid (when
due and
owing) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account
or
accounts designated by Parent.
(e) “Expenses”
means
all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including all fees and expenses
of
financing sources, counsel, accountants, investment bankers, experts
and
consultants to a party hereto and its affiliates) actually incurred or
payable
by a party or on its behalf in connection with or related to the authorization,
preparation, negotiation, execution and performance of this
Agreement.
(f) If
the
Company terminates this Agreement: (i)(x) pursuant to Section
7.1(c),
and at
the time of such termination, the conditions set forth in Sections
6.1
and
6.2
(other
than Section
6.2(c))
have
been satisfied but Parent has failed to take all necessary action on
its part to
consummate the Merger, or pursuant to Section
7.1(e)
or
7.1(j);
and (y)
there has not been a failure of Parent and Merger Sub to obtain the Debt
Financing necessary to consummate the Merger as a result of a breach
or default
by the Commitment Parties (as defined in the Debt Financing Commitments)
under
the Debt Financing Commitments; or (ii)(x) pursuant to Section
7.1(c),
and at
the time of such termination, the conditions set forth in Sections
6.1
and
6.2
(other
than Section
6.2(c))
have
been satisfied but Parent has failed to take all necessary action on
its part to
consummate the Merger, or pursuant to Section
7.1(e)
or
7.1(j);
and (y)
there has been a failure of Parent and Merger Sub to obtain the Debt
Financing
necessary to consummate the Merger as a result of a breach or default
by the
Commitment Parties under the Debt Financing Commitments, then:
57
(A) in
the
case of subsection (f)(i) above, the Company shall be entitled to liquidated
damages in the amount of $250,000,000 (“Breach
Fee”),
payable one day after the date of termination of this Agreement by wire
transfer
of immediately available funds to the account designated by the Company;
and
(B) in
the
case of subsection (f)(ii) above,
(I) the
Company shall be entitled to seek any actual damages in connection with
such
termination, but in no event shall Parent, Merger Sub, Guarantor or their
Affiliates be liable to the Company or any of its Affiliates for any
indirect,
special, punitive or consequential damages to the extent they do not
recover
such damages from the Commitment Parties as a result of a breach by the
Commitment Parties under the Debt Financing Commitments which the Company
acknowledges and agrees that it has received and reviewed; and
(II) notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in clause (I) above, in no event shall Parent,
Merger
Sub, Guarantor or their Affiliates, individually or collectively, be
liable to
the Company or any of its Affiliates in an amount more than $25,000,000
in
excess of the amounts (such amounts in the aggregate, the “Bank
Amount”),
if
any, actually received, directly or indirectly, by Parent, Merger Sub,
Guarantor
or their Affiliates from the Commitment Parties with respect to claims
for such
Commitment Parties’ breach of their Debt Financing Commitments. Parent and
Merger Sub agree to pursue any such claims against such Commitment Parties
diligently and in good faith. In the event that there has been a failure
of
Parent and Merger Sub to obtain the Debt Financing necessary to consummate
the
Merger because of a breach or default by the Commitment Parties under
the Debt
Financing Commitments, then the provisions of this clause (B) shall be
the sole
and exclusive remedy of the Company and its Affiliates under, or arising
out of,
this Agreement, the Guarantee, and all of the related documents and agreements
or otherwise.
(g) Each
of
the Company, Parent and Merger Sub acknowledges that the agreements contained
in
this Section
7.4
are an
integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In
the event
that the Company shall fail to pay the Company Breakup Fee or Superior
Fee when
due or Parent and Merger Sub shall fail to pay the Breach Fee or Bank
Amount
when due, the Company, on the one hand, and Parent and Merger Sub on
the other
shall reimburse the other party for all reasonable Expenses actually
incurred or
accrued by such other party (including reasonable Expenses of counsel)
in
connection with the collection under and enforcement of this Section
7.4.
The
parties hereto agree and understand that in no event shall the Company
be
required to pay (A) either the Company Breakup Fee or the Superior Fee
on more
than one occasion or (B) both the Company Breakup Fee and the Superior
Fee; nor,
shall Parent or Merger Sub be required to pay (C) either the Breach Fee
or the
Bank Amount on more than one occasion or (D) both the Breach Fee and
the Bank
Amount. The parties agree that any payment of the Superior Fee, the Company
Break-Up Fee, the Breach Fee or the Bank Amount as applicable, shall
be the sole
and exclusive remedy available to Parent and Merger Sub, on the one hand,
and
the Company, on the other hand, with respect to this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby, and, upon payment of the applicable
amount,
Parent, Merger Sub and the Company and their respective Affiliates shall
have no
further liability to the other parties hereunder.
58
SECTION
7.5 Amendment.
To the
extent permitted by applicable Law, this Agreement may be amended by
the
Company, Parent and Merger Sub, at any time before or after adoption
of this
Agreement by the stockholders of the Company but, after any such stockholder
approval, no amendment shall be made that by law requires further approval
of
the stockholders of the Company. This Agreement may not be amended, changed,
supplemented or otherwise modified except by an instrument in writing
signed on
behalf of all of the parties.
SECTION
7.6 Extension;
Waiver; Remedies.
(a)
At any
time prior to the Effective Time, each party hereto may (i) extend the
time for
the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other
parties
hereto, (ii) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties
contained herein by any other applicable party or in any document, certificate
or writing delivered pursuant hereto by any other applicable party or
(iii)
waive compliance by any party with any of the agreements or conditions
contained
herein. Any agreement on the part of any party to any such extension
or waiver
shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on
behalf of
such party.
(b) The
failure of any party hereto to exercise any rights, power or remedy provided
under this Agreement, or to insist upon compliance by any other party
hereto
with its obligations hereunder, and any custom or practice of the parties
at
variance with the terms hereof, shall not constitute a waiver by such
party of
its right to exercise any such or other right, power or remedy or to
demand such
compliance.
ARTICLE
VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION
8.1 Representations
and Warranties.
The
representations and warranties made in Articles
III
and
IV
or any
instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall not survive beyond
the
Effective Time. Each covenant or agreement of the parties in this Agreement
shall not survive beyond the Effective Time, other than any covenant
or
agreement that by its terms contemplates performance after the Effective
Time,
which shall survive until fully performed.
SECTION
8.2 Entire
Agreement; Assignment.
This
Agreement, together with the Disclosure Letter, the Parent Disclosure
Letter,
the Confidentiality Agreement, the Voting Agreement and the Guarantee
constitute
the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject
matter
hereof and supersedes all other prior agreements and understandings,
both
written and oral, between the parties with respect to subject matter
hereof. The
Agreement shall not be assigned by any party by operation of law or otherwise
without the prior written consent of the other parties; provided,
that
Parent or Merger Sub may assign any of their respective rights and obligations
to any direct or indirect Subsidiary of Guarantor so long as such assignment
does not delay or impede the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby; provided,
that as
a condition of such assignment, the assignee expressly assumes the obligations
of the assignor; provided
further,
that
Guarantor may transfer directly or indirectly all or any portion of the
common
stock or other equity of Parent or Merger Sub to any Affiliate or sell
up to 49%
of the stock or equity of Parent or Merger Sub to any Person but no such
transfer or sale shall relieve Guarantor, Parent or Merger Sub of their
respective obligations hereunder.
59
SECTION
8.3 Jurisdiction;
Venue; Arbitration.
(a) Except
with respect to a Disputed Matter, each of the parties hereto (i) consents
to
submit itself to the personal jurisdiction of any Delaware chancery or
federal
court located in the City of Wilmington in the event any dispute arises
out of
this Agreement or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement, (ii)
agrees
that it will not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction
by motion
or other request for leave from any such court, (iii) agrees that it
will not
bring any action relating to this Agreement or any transaction contemplated
by
this Agreement in any court other than any such court and (iv) waives
any right
to trial by jury with respect to any action related to or arising out
of this
Agreement or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement. Except with
respect to a Disputed Matter, each of the parties irrevocably and
unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any action,
suit
or proceeding arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby in Delaware chancery or federal courts located in the City of
Wilmington,
and hereby further irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agree not
to plead
or claim in any such court that any such action, suit or proceeding brought
in
any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
(b) In
the
event Parent believes that a Covered Event has occurred, Parent may send
a
written notice to the Company with a brief statement of the basis for
Parent’s
belief that a Covered Event has occurred (the “Written
Notice of Claim”)
(which
may include the name of the arbitrator designated by Parent as contemplated
in
clause (d) below). If the Company disagrees that a Covered Event has
occurred,
it shall provide written notice to Parent containing a brief statement
of the
Company’s disagreement (the “Written
Notice of Disagreement”)
within
three Business Days after receiving the Written Notice of Claim. If the
Company
does not deliver a written notice within three Business Days stating
that the
Company agrees in full with the position of Parent set forth in the Written
Notice of Claim, the parties shall proceed to arbitration pursuant to
the terms
of this Section
8.3.
(c) If
Parent
delivers a Written Notice of Claim, the Company agrees to provide Parent
with full access, in addition to the access provided in Section
5.3, to
any and all information requested by Parent, including but not limited
to, books
and records, reports and similar items, and Parent is entitled to interview
any
of the Company’s officers and/or employees.
(d) Any
disagreement between the parties regarding whether a Covered Event has
occurred
(the “Disputed
Matter”)
shall
be resolved by arbitration at the sole option of Parent. The Company shall
appoint an arbitrator in its Written Notice of Disagreement.
Within three Business Days after receiving the Written Notice of
Disagreement, Parent shall appoint an arbitrator by providing written
notice
thereof to the Company (provided,
that
Parent may make such appointment in the Written Notice of Claim if it
so
desires), and the two selected arbitrators shall select a third arbitrator
within three Business Days of their appointment (with such three
arbitrators constituting the arbitration panel). The parties agree to use
reasonable best efforts to provide information requested of them by the
two
arbitrators in connection with the selection of the third arbitrator.
If the
arbitrators selected by the parties are unable or fail to agree upon
the third
arbitrator within the time allotted, the third arbitrator shall be selected
by the American Arbitration Association within three
Business Days of notification by either party of the failure to agree upon
the third arbitrator. If either Parent or the Company fails to
designate an arbitrator as provided herein, the Disputed Matter shall be
decided by the arbitrator that has been so designated.
60
(e) Within
five Business Days after the date of the selection of the third arbitrator,
the
parties shall make simultaneous,
verified submissions. Within three Business Days of the
submissions, the parties are entitled to submit verified,
reply submissions. All submissions and other communications
during the arbitration shall be delivered simultaneously to the other party
and the arbitrators. The hearing shall take place in New York, New
York, on the third Business Day following the expiration of time for the
reply submissions. At the hearing, Parent shall first have the right
to present up to three hours of oral argument, then the Company shall
have the
right to present up to four hours of oral argument, and finally Parent
shall
have the right to present up to one hour of oral argument. No witnesses
or
experts shall testify at the hearing. Neither party shall be
deemed to have the burden of proof, and the decision by the
arbitrators (or the arbitrator in the event one of the parties fails
to designate an arbitrator as provided herein) shall be by a preponderance
of the evidence. The arbitrators (or the arbitrator in the event one of
the parties fails to designate an arbitrator as provided herein) shall
be
entitled to determine any other aspect of the procedure of the arbitration
in
the event the parties disagree. The parties intend for the
arbitrators (or the arbitrator in the event one of the parties fails to
designate an arbitrator as provided herein) to issue a final decision
regarding
whether a Covered Event has occurred within three Business Days after
the
hearing. The decision of a majority of the arbitrators (or the
arbitrator in the event one of the parties fails to designate an arbitrator
as provided herein) regarding the Disputed Matter shall be final and
binding upon the parties. The costs and expenses of the arbitrators
shall be borne equally by Parent and the Company.
(f) Notwithstanding
anything else contained in this Agreement, including the satisfaction of
all of its conditions to Closing by the Company, at the sole option
of Parent, the Closing shall not occur until at least one and not
more than seven Business Days after the final decision is announced in
any
arbitration that is conducted pursuant to this Section
8.3
and if
the Outside Date occurs before a final decision, then the Outside Date
shall be
extended to a date (which date shall be selected by Parent) not more
than seven
days following the announcement of the final decision by the arbitrators.
Parent, in its sole discretion, may terminate the arbitration at any
time prior
to a final decision of the arbitrators if and only if the date of such
termination occurs during the period that is ten days prior to the expiration
date of the Debt Financing Commitments; provided,
that
any such termination will be without prejudice as to whether the subject
matter
of the Written Notice of Claim is a Covered Event.
(g) Upon
a
determination that the subject matter set forth in a Written Notice of
Claim
constitutes a Covered Event, Parent shall have the option to either terminate
this Agreement pursuant to the applicable provision of Section
7.1
or elect
to close the transaction contemplated by this Agreement.
(h) In
the
event it is determined pursuant to this Section
8.3
that a
Covered Event has not occurred, Parent shall not have the right to terminate
this Agreement with respect to the matter set forth in the Written Notice
of
Claim.
61
SECTION
8.4 Validity.
Whenever possible, each provision or portion of any provision of this
Agreement
will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under
applicable
Law; but if any provision or portion of any provision of this Agreement
is held
to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable
Law
in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability
will not
affect any other provision or portion of any provision in such jurisdiction,
and
this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction
as
if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision or portion of any
provision
had never been contained herein.
SECTION
8.5 Notices.
All
notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder
shall be
given (and shall be deemed to have been duly received if given) by hand
delivery
in writing, by nationally recognized overnight courier service, or by
facsimile
or electronic transmission with confirmation of receipt, as
follows:
if
to
Parent or Merger Sub:
c/o
American Real Estate Holdings Limited Partnership
White
Plains Plaza
000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx - Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Email:
xxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
and
c/o
American Real Estate Holdings Limited Partnership
000
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
00xx
Xxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Email:
Xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx
with
a
copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
DLA
Piper
US LLP
0000
Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile
No.: (000) 000-0000
Email:
xxxxxx.xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
62
if
to the
Company:
Xxxx
Corporation
00000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
Executive
Vice President,
General
Counsel
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Email:
xxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
and
Xxxx
Corporation
00000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Vice
Chairman, Chief Financial
Officer
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
with
a
copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Winston
& Xxxxxx LLP
00
Xxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxx, Esq.
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Email:
xxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
or
to
such other address as the Person to whom notice is given may from time
to time
furnish to the others in writing in the manner set forth above.
SECTION
8.6 Governing
Law.
This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws
of the
State of Delaware (without giving effect to choice of law principles
thereof
that would result in the application of the Laws of another
jurisdiction).
SECTION
8.7 Descriptive
Headings.
The
descriptive headings herein (including the Table of Contents) are inserted
for
convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of or to
affect
the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
SECTION
8.8 Parties
in Interest.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each
party
hereto, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, including
Section
5.8,
is
intended to confer upon any other Person any rights or remedies of any
nature
whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement except for Sections
5.7
and
7.4(f)(B)
and
7.4(g) (which provisions are intended to be for the benefit of the Persons
referred to therein, and may be enforced by any such Persons).
SECTION
8.9 Rules
of Construction.
The
parties to this Agreement have each been represented by counsel during
the
negotiation and execution of this Agreement and waive the application
of any
Laws or rule of construction providing that ambiguities in any agreement
or
other document will be construed against the party drafting such agreement
or
other document.
63
SECTION
8.10 Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed
to be
an original, but all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and
the same
agreement.
SECTION
8.11 Certain
Definitions.
For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
(a) “Acceptable
Confidentiality Agreement”
means
a
confidentiality and standstill agreement that contains confidentiality
and
standstill provisions that are in the aggregate no less favorable to
the Company
than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement; provided,
that
any such confidentiality agreement need not contain provisions limiting
the
ability of the party thereto to have discussions or share information
with, or
enter into agreements, understandings or arrangements with potential
sources of
debt or equity financing or co-bidders, provided,
further
that any
such confidentiality agreement shall permit disclosure by the Company
to Parent
and Merger Sub of the information contemplated by Section
5.2.
(b) “Affiliate”
and
“Associate”
shall
have the meanings given to such terms in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange
Act.
(c) “beneficial
ownership”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange
Act.
(d) “Business
Day”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Rule 14d-1(g) under the Exchange
Act.
(e) “Bylaws”
shall
mean the Bylaws of the Company, as amended through the date of this
Agreement.
(f) “Certificate
of Incorporation”
shall
mean the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation as in effect as of the date of
this Agreement, including any amendments.
(g) “Company
Joint Venture”
shall
mean any Person in which the Company, directly or indirectly, owns an
equity
interest that does not have voting power under ordinary circumstances
to elect a
majority of the board of directors or other Person performing similar
functions
but in which the Company has rights with respect to the management of
such
Person.
(h) “Company
SEC Reports”
shall
mean all filings made by the Company with the SEC, including those that
the
Company may file after the date of this Agreement until the Closing
Date.
(i) “Confidentiality
Agreement”
means
the confidentiality agreement, dated as of January 26, 2007 (as amended
through
the date of this Agreement), by and between the Company and
Guarantor.
64
(j) “Controlled
Group Liability”
means
any and all liabilities (i) under Title IV of ERISA (as defined in Section
4.15(a)(ii)),
(ii)
under Section 302 of ERISA, (iii) under Sections 412 and 4971 of the
Code, (iv)
resulting from a violation of the continuation coverage requirements
of Section
601 et seq. of ERISA and Section 4980B of the Code or the group health
plan
requirements of Sections 601 et seq. of the Code and Section 601 et seq.
of
ERISA and (v) under corresponding or similar provisions of foreign laws
or
regulations.
(k) “Covered
Event”
means
any event, change, effect, development, condition or occurrence pursuant
to
which Parent, in its sole discretion, believes it may terminate this
Agreement
pursuant to Sections
7.1(c), (f), (h) and/or (k).
(l) “Force
Majeure Event”
shall
mean an outbreak or escalation of hostilities, act of terrorism, nuclear
fusion
or fission, explosion, disaster, attack, national emergency, war, riot,
fire,
flood, hurricane, cyclone, earthquake, volcanic eruption or other similar
acts
or acts of God.
(m) “GAAP”
shall
mean United States generally accepted accounting principles.
(n) “hereby,”
“herein,”
“hereinafter”
and
similar terms shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety,
rather
than to any Article, Section, or other portion of this Agreement.
(o) “including”
shall
be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”.
(p) “Initiation
Date”
shall
mean the latest to occur of (A) the date Parent and its Debt Financing
sources
have received from the Company the Required Information and (B) the first
Business Day following the date on which the conditions set forth in
Sections
6.1
and
6.2
have
been satisfied (other than conditions that by their nature can only be
satisfied
at the Closing). If the condition set forth in Section
6.1(a)
is the
last of the conditions set forth in Article
VI
to be
satisfied (other than conditions that by their nature can only be satisfied
at
the Closing), Parent shall use reasonable best efforts to consummate
the Closing
within five days following the satisfaction of such condition.
(q) “knowledge”
of
the
Company means actual knowledge of any executive officer of the
Company.
(r) “Liens”
means
any mortgages, deeds of trust, liens (statutory or other) pledges, security
interests, claims, covenants, conditions, restrictions, options, rights
of first
offer or refusal, charges, easements, rights-of-way, encroachments, third
party
rights or other encumbrances or title defects of any kind or
nature.
(s) “Marketing
Period”
shall
mean the first period of 15 consecutive Business Days after the Initiation
Date.
65
(t) “Material
Adverse Effect”
shall
mean a material adverse event, change, effect, development, condition
or
occurrence on or with respect to the business, results of operations,
financial
condition or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a
whole;
provided,
however,
that,
Material Adverse Effect shall not be deemed to include any event, change,
effect, development, condition or occurrence to the extent resulting
from (A)
changes in general economic conditions (including those affecting the
financial,
banking, currency, interest rates or capital markets); or (B) conditions
generally affecting any of the industries or markets in which the Company
and
its Significant Subsidiaries operate; provided,
that
such matters shall be taken into account in determining a Material Adverse
Effect to the extent of any disproportionate effect on the Company and
its
Significant Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to other companies
operating in the same industries or segments and geographic markets as
the
Company and its Significant Subsidiaries.
(u) “Parent
Material Adverse Effect”
shall
mean any event, change, effect, development, condition or occurrence
that would
prevent or materially delay consummation of the Merger, receipt of the
Debt
Financing or the ability of Parent and Merger Sub to perform their obligations
under this Agreement or Guarantor under the Guarantee.
(v) “Permitted
Liens”
means
(i) Liens permitted under the Company’s existing credit facilities or
indentures, (ii) Liens for Taxes not yet due and payable or that are
being
contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings; (iii) mechanics’,
materialmen’s or other Liens or security interests that secure a liquidated
amount that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings;
(iv) statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen,
mechanics, materialmen, workmen, repairmen and other Liens imposed by
Law made
in the ordinary course and on a basis consistent with past practice;
(v) Liens
incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business and on a
basis
consistent with past practice in connection with workers’ compensation,
unemployment insurance or other types of social security; (vi) Liens
the
existence of which are specifically disclosed in the notes to the consolidated
financial statements of the Company included in the Company’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 or the Company’s Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2006, June 30, 2006
or
September 30, 2006; and (vii) defects or imperfections of title, easements,
covenants, rights of way, restrictions and any other charges or encumbrances
that do not impair, and could not reasonably be expected to impair, in
any
material respect, the value, marketability or continued use of the property
of
the Company.
(w) “Person”
shall
have a broad meaning and shall include any individual, corporation, limited
liability company, partnership, association, trust, estate or other entity
or
organization.
(x) “Plan”
means
each “employee benefit plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”),
that
is subject to ERISA and, excluding any plans that are statutory plans,
each
material bonus, pension, profit sharing, deferred compensation, incentive
compensation, stock ownership, stock purchase, stock option, phantom
stock or
other equity-based retirement, vacation, severance, disability, death
benefit,
hospitalization, medical or other employee benefit plan, program, policy,
practice, arrangement, agreement, fund or commitment, and each material
employment, retention, consulting, change in control, salary continuation,
termination or severance plan, program, policy, practice, arrangement
or
agreement entered into, maintained, sponsored or contributed to by the
Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates or to which the Company
or any of
its Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates has any material obligation to contribute,
or with respect to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or ERISA
Affiliates has any material liability, direct or indirect, contingent
or
otherwise (including a liability arising out of an indemnification, guarantee,
hold harmless or similar agreement) or otherwise providing benefits to
any
current, former or future employee, officer or director of the Company
or any of
its Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates or to any beneficiary or dependent
thereof.
66
(y) “Representatives”
means,
when used with respect to Parent or the Company, the directors, officers,
employees, consultants, accountants, legal counsel, investment bankers,
agents
and other representatives of Parent or the Company, as applicable, and
its
Subsidiaries.
(z) “Significant
Subsidiary”
means
any of its Subsidiaries (a) the consolidated assets of which equal 5%
or more of
the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of September
30,
2006, or (b) the consolidated revenues of which equal 5% or more of the
consolidated revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the four
consecutive fiscal quarters ended September 30, 2006.
(aa) “Solicitation
Period End-Date”
means
11:59 p.m. (EST) on the date that is 45 days after the date of this
Agreement.
(bb) “Special
Committee”
means
a
committee of the Company’s Board of Directors, the members of which are not
affiliated with Parent or Merger Sub and are not members of the Company’s
management, formed for the purpose of, among other things, evaluating
and making
a recommendation to the full Board of Directors of the Company with respect
to
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
Merger,
and shall include any successor committee to the Special Committee.
(cc) “Subsidiary”
shall
mean, when used with reference to an entity, any other entity of which
securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power
to elect a
majority of the Board of Directors or other Persons performing similar
functions, or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of which,
are
owned directly or indirectly by such entity, provided,
that
Subsidiary shall mean a subsidiary of the Company unless the context
otherwise
dictates.
[Remainder
of Page Intentionally Left Blank. Signature Page Follows.]
67
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be
executed on
its behalf by its officers thereunto duly authorized, all at or on the
day and
year first above written.
AREP
CAR
HOLDINGS CORP.
By:
__/s/
Hillel Moerman______________
Name:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Title:
Chief Financial Officer
AREP
CAR
ACQUISITION CORP.
By:
__/s/
Hillel Moerman_______________
Name:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Title:
Chief Financial Officer
XXXX
CORPORATION
By:
___/s/
Xxxxxx X. Rossiter____________
Name:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title:
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
[Signature
Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger]