AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER by and among GAMMON GOLD INC., CAPITAL GOLD ACQUIRECO, INC. and CAPITAL GOLD CORPORATION
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
by
and among
XXXXXX
GOLD INC.,
CAPITAL
GOLD ACQUIRECO, INC.
and
CAPITAL
GOLD CORPORATION
DATED
AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2010
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE
1
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THE
MERGER
|
1
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1.1
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The
Merger
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1
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1.2
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Closing
|
2
|
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1.3
|
Effective
Time
|
2
|
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1.4
|
Effects
of the Merger
|
2
|
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1.5
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Certificate
of Incorporation and By-laws
|
3
|
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1.6
|
Directors
of the Surviving Company
|
3
|
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1.7
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Officers
of the Surviving Company
|
3
|
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1.8
|
Company
Director Designee
|
3
|
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ARTICLE
2
|
EFFECT
OF THE MERGER ON THE CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CONSTITUENT
CORPORATIONS
|
3
|
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2.1
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Effect
on the Company Capital Stock
|
3
|
|
2.2
|
Effect
on Securities Exercisable for or Convertible into Company Common
Stock
|
5
|
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2.3
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Additional
Actions
|
6
|
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2.4
|
No
Appraisal Rights
|
6
|
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2.5
|
Parent
Common Shares
|
6
|
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2.6
|
MergerCo
Securities
|
6
|
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2.7
|
Certain
Adjustments
|
7
|
|
ARTICLE
3
|
EXCHANGE
OF SECURITIES
|
7
|
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3.1
|
Parent
to Make Merger Consideration Available
|
7
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3.2
|
Exchange
of Shares
|
7
|
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3.3
|
Withholding
Rights
|
9
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|
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ARTICLE
4
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF COMPANY
|
9
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4.1
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Corporate
Organization
|
10
|
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4.2
|
Capitalization
|
10
|
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4.3
|
Authority;
No Violation
|
11
|
|
4.4
|
Collateral
Benefits
|
12
|
|
4.5
|
Intentionally
Deleted
|
12
|
|
4.6
|
Consents
and Approvals
|
13
|
|
4.7
|
Reporting
Status and Securities Laws Matters
|
13
|
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4.8
|
Reports
|
14
|
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4.9
|
Financial
Statements
|
14
|
|
4.10
|
Broker’s
Fees
|
15
|
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4.11
|
Fees
and Expenses
|
15
|
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4.12
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Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
15
|
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4.13
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
16
|
|
4.14
|
Books
and Records
|
17
|
|
4.15
|
Taxes
and Tax Returns
|
17
|
i
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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4.16
|
Employee
Benefits
|
18
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4.17
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Labor
and Employment
|
21
|
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4.18
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Change
of Control Payments
|
22
|
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4.19
|
Compliance
with Law; Permits
|
22
|
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4.20
|
Material
Contracts
|
22
|
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4.21
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
23
|
|
4.22
|
Environmental
Liability
|
23
|
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4.23
|
Revocation
of Powers of Attorney
|
23
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4.24
|
Property,
Title and Mining Rights
|
24
|
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4.25
|
Mineral
Reserves and Resources
|
24
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4.26
|
Operations
at El Chanate Mine
|
25
|
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4.27
|
State
Takeover Laws
|
25
|
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4.28
|
Opinion
|
25
|
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4.29
|
Internal
Controls
|
25
|
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4.30
|
Insurance
|
26
|
|
4.31
|
Company
Information
|
26
|
|
4.32
|
Intellectual
Property
|
27
|
|
4.33
|
Restrictions
on Business Activities
|
27
|
|
4.34
|
Related
Party Transactions
|
27
|
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4.35
|
Expropriation
|
27
|
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4.36
|
Registration
Rights
|
27
|
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4.37
|
Rights
of Other Persons
|
28
|
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4.38
|
Ownership
of Parent Securities
|
28
|
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4.39
|
Data
Room Information
|
28
|
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ARTICLE
5
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGERCO
|
28
|
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5.1
|
Corporate
Organization
|
29
|
|
5.2
|
Capitalization
|
30
|
|
5.3
|
Authority;
No Violation
|
30
|
|
5.4
|
Consents
and Approvals
|
31
|
|
5.5
|
Reports
|
32
|
|
5.6
|
Reporting
Status and Securities Laws Matters
|
32
|
|
5.7
|
Financial
Statements
|
33
|
|
5.8
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
33
|
|
5.9
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
34
|
|
5.10
|
Books
and Records
|
34
|
|
5.11
|
Taxes
and Tax Returns
|
35
|
|
5.12
|
Labor
and Employment
|
35
|
|
5.13
|
Compliance
with Law; Permits
|
36
|
|
5.14
|
Material
Contracts
|
36
|
|
5.15
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
36
|
|
5.16
|
Environmental
Liability
|
36
|
-ii-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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5.17
|
Property,
Title and Mining Rights
|
37
|
|
5.18
|
Mineral
Reserves and Resources
|
38
|
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5.19
|
Intellectual
Property
|
38
|
|
5.20
|
Restrictions
on Business Activities
|
38
|
|
5.21
|
Expropriation
|
39
|
|
5.22
|
Insurance
|
39
|
|
5.23
|
Related
Party Transactions
|
39
|
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5.24
|
Parent
Information
|
39
|
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5.25
|
Ownership
of Company Securities
|
39
|
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5.26
|
Data
Room Information
|
39
|
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ARTICLE
6
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COVENANTS
RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
|
40
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6.1
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Covenants
of the Company
|
40
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6.2
|
Company
Forbearances
|
42
|
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6.3
|
Covenants
of the Parent
|
45
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6.4
|
Parent
Forbearances
|
46
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|
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ARTICLE
7
|
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
|
47
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7.1
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Regulatory
Matters
|
47
|
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7.2
|
Access
to Information
|
49
|
|
7.3
|
Company
Stockholder Approval
|
50
|
|
7.4
|
Parent
Stockholder Approval
|
50
|
|
7.5
|
Legal
Conditions to Merger
|
51
|
|
7.6
|
NYSE
and TSX Listings
|
51
|
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7.7
|
Employee
Matters
|
51
|
|
7.8
|
Indemnification;
Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance
|
51
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7.9
|
Additional
Agreements
|
52
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7.10
|
Advice
of Changes
|
52
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7.11
|
No
Solicitation
|
53
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7.12
|
Parent
Transactions
|
57
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7.13
|
WARN
Act
|
58
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|
7.14
|
Tax
Compliance
|
58
|
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7.15
|
Pre-Merger
Reorganization
|
58
|
|
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ARTICLE
8
|
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
|
59
|
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8.1
|
Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger
|
59
|
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8.2
|
Conditions
to Obligations of Parent and MergerCo
|
60
|
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8.3
|
Conditions
to Obligations of the Company
|
62
|
|
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ARTICLE
9
|
TERMINATION
AND AMENDMENT
|
63
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9.1
|
Termination
|
63
|
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9.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
64
|
|
9.3
|
Termination
Fees and Expenses
|
65
|
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9.4
|
Amendment
|
66
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-iii-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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9.5
|
Extension;
Waiver
|
67
|
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ARTICLE
10
|
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
|
67
|
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10.1
|
Nonsurvival
of Representations, Warranties and Agreements
|
67
|
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10.2
|
Fees
and Expenses
|
67
|
|
10.3
|
Notices
|
67
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10.4
|
Interpretation
|
69
|
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10.5
|
Knowledge
|
69
|
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10.6
|
Counterparts
|
70
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10.7
|
Entire
Agreement
|
70
|
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10.8
|
Governing
Law
|
70
|
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10.9
|
Jurisdiction
|
70
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|
10.10
|
Publicity
|
71
|
|
10.11
|
Assignment;
Third Party Beneficiaries
|
71
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|
10.12
|
Specific
Performance
|
71
|
|
10.13
|
Language
|
72
|
|
10.14
|
Time
of Essence
|
72
|
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10.15
|
Defined
Terms
|
72
|
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EXHIBIT
A
|
FORM
OF VOTING AND SUPPORT AGREEMENT
|
A-1
|
|
EXHIBIT
B
|
CERTIFICATE
OF INCORPORATION OF MERGERCO
|
B-1
|
|
EXHIBIT
C
|
BY-LAWS
OF MERGERCO
|
C-1
|
-iv-
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
MERGER, dated as of October 1, 2010 (this “Agreement”), is entered into
by and among Xxxxxx Gold Inc., a corporation incorporated under Part 1A of the
Companies Act (Quebec) (“Parent”), Capital Gold
AcquireCo, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of
Parent (“MergerCo”), and
Capital Gold Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Company”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Board of
Directors of each of Parent, MergerCo and the Company has approved and declared
advisable this Agreement, and the merger of MergerCo with and into the Company
(the “Merger”) so that
the Company is the surviving company in the Merger, upon the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Board of
Directors of each of Parent, MergerCo and the Company has determined that it is
in the best interests of their respective companies and stockholders that Parent
acquire the Company pursuant to the Merger provided for in this Agreement;
and
WHEREAS, in connection with
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties hereto, each officer
and director of the Company (each, a “Locked-up Stockholder”) has
entered into a voting and support agreement, dated as of the date hereof, with
Parent and MergerCo, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Voting and Support
Agreement”), pursuant to which each Locked-up Stockholder has agreed,
among other things, to vote all of the Company Common Stock (as defined herein)
beneficially owned by him or her in favor of the Merger; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to
enter into a definitive agreement in respect of the Merger in order to make
certain representations, warranties and agreements and also to prescribe certain
terms and conditions to the Merger.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the mutual covenants, representations, warranties and
agreements contained in this Agreement, and other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and
intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
ARTICLE 1
THE
MERGER
1.1 The
Merger. (a) Upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Agreement, and in accordance with the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), at the Effective Time
MergerCo shall merge with and into the Company. As a result of the
Merger, the separate corporate existence of MergerCo shall cease and the Company
shall continue as the Surviving Company of the Merger (sometimes referred to in
such capacity as the “Surviving Company”).
(b) Parent,
MergerCo and the Company may at any time mutually agree to change the method of
effecting the business combination, including by entering into an appropriate
amendment to this Agreement (to the extent such amendment only changes the
method of effecting the business combination and does not substantively affect
this Agreement or the rights and obligations of the parties or their respective
stockholders hereunder); provided, however, that the business combination shall
be effected through a triangular merger structure and, further provided, that no
such change shall (i) alter or change the amount or kind of the Merger
Consideration (as defined in Section 2.1(a)) provided for in this Agreement or
(ii) materially impede or delay consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
1.2 Closing. The
closing of the Merger (the “Closing”) shall take place at
10:00 a.m., local time, on a date to be agreed upon by Parent and the Company,
which shall be no later than the fifth Business Day (as defined in Section 10.5)
after satisfaction or (to the extent permitted by applicable Law) waiver of the
conditions set forth in Article 8 (other than those conditions that by
their terms are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction
or, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, waiver of those conditions), at
the offices of Fasken Xxxxxxxxx DuMoulin LLP, 000 Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000,
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0, Xxxxxx, unless another time, date or place is agreed
to in writing by Parent and the Company. Documents relating to the Closing may
be exchanged electronically. The date on which the Closing occurs is referred to
in this Agreement as the “Closing Date”.
1.3 Effective
Time. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at the time
of the Closing, the parties shall cause the Merger to be consummated by filing
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware a certificate of merger
(the “Certificate of
Merger”), in such form as required by, and executed and acknowledged by
the parties in accordance with, the relevant provisions of the DGCL, and shall
make all other filings or recordings required under the DGCL in connection with
the Merger. The Merger shall become effective upon the filing of the Certificate
of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or at such later
time as Parent and the Company shall agree and shall specify in the Certificate
of Merger (the time at which the Merger becomes effective being hereinafter
referred to as the “Effective Time”).
1.4
Effects of the
Merger. The Merger shall have the effects set forth herein and
in the applicable provisions of the DGCL. 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 MergerCo shall
vest in the Surviving Company, and all debts, liabilities and duties of the
Company and MergerCo shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the
Surviving Company.
- 2
-
1.5 Certificate
of Incorporation and By-laws.
(a) At
the Effective Time, the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Company,
shall, subject to Section 7.8 hereof, be amended in its entirety to contain the
provisions set forth in the certificate of incorporation of MergerCo, attached
hereto as Exhibit B, except that the name of the Surviving Company may be
changed at the Effective Time.
(b) At
the Effective Time, the by-laws of the Surviving Company, shall, subject to
Section 7.8 hereof, be amended in their entirety to contain the provisions set
forth in the by-laws of MergerCo, attached hereto as Exhibit C, except that the
name of the Surviving Company may be changed at the Effective Time, until
thereafter changed or amended as provided therein or by applicable Law (subject
to Section 7.8(a)).
1.6 Directors of the Surviving
Company. The directors of MergerCo immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall be the directors of the Surviving Company until the earlier
of their resignation or removal or until their respective successors are duly
elected and qualified, as the case may be.
1.7 Officers of the Surviving
Company. The officers of MergerCo immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall be the initial officers of the Surviving Company, each to
hold office until the earlier of their resignation or removal or until their
respective successors are duly elected and qualified, as the case may
be.
1.8 Company
Director Designee.
(a) Parent
shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause one of the nominees
proposed by the Company (the “Company Director Designee”) to
be appointed to the Parent board of directors promptly after the Effective
Time. If the Company Director Designee cannot be appointed to the
Parent board of directors promptly after the Effective Time, then the Company
Director Designee shall be granted observer status at Parent board of directors
meetings that occur at any time following the Effective Time and prior to the
earlier of (i) the date on which the Company Director Designee is appointed to
the Parent board of directors and (ii) the annual general meeting of Parent
stockholders to be held in 2011. Subject to applicable Law and
subject to the Company Director Designee’s execution of a confidentiality
agreement acceptable to Parent, acting reasonably, and his compliance with
Parent’s xxxxxxx xxxxxxx, corporate governance and disclosure policies, during
such time period Parent shall cause to be delivered to the Company Director
Designee all information distributed to regular board
members. Following the Closing, the nominating and corporate
governance committee of Parent’s board of directors, or such successor committee
with comparable responsibilities, shall, if deemed advisable by such committee,
nominate the Company Director Designee for election, or re-election, as the case
may be, for the position of director at each of the 2011 and 2012 annual general
meetings of Parent stockholders following the Closing.
ARTICLE 2
EFFECT
OF THE MERGER ON THE CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES
OF
THE CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS
2.1 Effect on the Company Capital
Stock. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and
without any action on the part of Parent, MergerCo, the Company or the holder of
any of the following securities:
- 3
-
(a)
Subject to Section 3.2(d), each share of the common stock of the Company
(including all Company Restricted Stock (as defined herein)) issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (“Company Common Stock”), except
for shares of Company Common Stock owned by Parent, MergerCo or the Company,
shall be converted into the right to receive (i) 0.5209 (the “Exchange Ratio”) validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable common shares (“Parent Common Shares”) of
Parent, and (ii) US$0.79 in cash. Such number of Parent Common Shares, as may be
adjusted in Section 2.1(b), and $0.79 in cash being the “Merger Consideration”. The
Merger Consideration was derived from the volume weighted average closing price
of Parent Common Shares on the NYSE for the 10 trading days prior to September
27, 2010.
(b) All
of the shares of Company Common Stock converted into the right to receive the
Merger Consideration pursuant to this Article 2 shall no longer be
outstanding and shall automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist as of
the Effective Time, and each certificate representing any such shares of Company
Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time (each a “Certificate”) shall thereafter
represent only the right to receive (i) the Merger Consideration and (ii) cash
in lieu of fractional shares into which the shares of Company Common Stock
represented by such Certificate have been converted pursuant to this Section 2.1
and Section 3.2(d) upon surrender of such Certificate in accordance with Section
3.2, without interest. The right of any holder of a Certificate to receive the
Merger Consideration and cash in lieu of any fractional shares payable pursuant
to Section 3.2(d) shall, to the extent provided in Section 3.3, be subject to
and reduced by the amount of any withholding that is required under applicable
Tax Law.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, at the Effective Time, all shares of
Company Common Stock that are owned by the Company, Parent or MergerCo shall be
cancelled and shall cease to exist and no Parent Common Shares or other
consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
- 4
-
2.2
Effect on Securities Exercisable for or
Convertible into Company Common Stock.
(a) Company Stock
Options. Effective as of the Effective Time, each then
outstanding option to purchase shares of Company Common Stock (each a “Company Stock Option”)
pursuant to the equity-based compensation plan identified on Section 4.16(a) of
the Company Disclosure Letter (the “Company Stock Plan”) and the
award agreements evidencing the grants thereunder shall be assumed, subject to
approval by the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) and New York Stock
Exchange (“NYSE”), by
Parent and shall thereafter be exercisable to purchase a number of Parent Common
Shares (an “Assumed Stock
Option”) equal to (i) the number of shares of Company Common Stock
subject to such Company Stock Option immediately prior to the Effective Time
multiplied by (ii) the Conversion Number (rounded down to the nearest whole
share); at a per share exercise price for Parent Common Shares issuable upon the
exercise of such Assumed Stock Option equal to (i) the exercise price per share
of Company Common Stock at which such Company Stock Option was exercisable
immediately prior to the Effective Time divided by (ii) the Conversion number
(rounded up to the nearest whole cent); provided, however, that the
exercise price and the number of Parent Common Shares purchasable pursuant to
the Assumed Stock Options shall be subject to such adjustments as may be
necessary for the foregoing conversion to satisfy the requirements of Sections
409A, 422 and 424 of the Code and Treasury regulations
thereunder. For purposes of this Agreement, the “Conversion Number” shall be
equal to the fraction (x) having a numerator equal to the per share Merger
Consideration (valuing the stock portion of the per share Merger Consideration
at the Measurement Price thereof (as defined below)), and (y) having a
denominator equal to the average of the closing sale prices of the Parent Common
Shares (in U.S. dollars) as quoted by the NYSE for each of the five consecutive
trading days immediately preceding the Effective Time (as reported by Bloomberg
LP for each such trading day, or, if not reported by Bloomberg LP, any other
authoritative source reasonably selected by Parent (the “Measurement
Price”). Except as specifically provided herein, following the
Effective Time, each Assumed Stock Option shall continue to be governed by the
same terms and conditions as set forth in the Company Stock Plan and any
agreements thereunder as were applicable immediately prior to the Effective
Time, provided, however, that each Assumed Stock Option shall be amended or
modified to provide that following termination of employment (or termination of
the consulting or other contractual relationship pursuant to which the holder of
an Assumed Stock Option was granted such Assumed Stock Option), such Assumed
Stock Option shall be exercisable until the earlier of (i) the 180th day
from the date of such termination and (ii) the date of the expiration of the
original option term, and such Assumed Stock Option shall thereafter expire and
be cancelled and shall no longer entitle the holder or any former holder thereof
to any rights whatsoever. Upon the exercise of any Assumed Stock
Option, the Parent Common Shares shall be registered and freely tradable under
applicable Canadian and United States securities Laws (subject to any
restrictions imposed by applicable Law on control persons or affiliates). In
addition to the foregoing, Parent shall assume the Company Stock Plan, and the
number and kind of shares available for issuance under the Company Stock Plan
shall be converted into Parent Common Shares in accordance with the provisions
of the Company Stock Plan. Promptly following the date of this
Agreement, the Company shall deliver written notice to each holder of a Company
Stock Option informing such holder of the effect of the Merger on the Company
Stock Options.
(b) Company
Warrants. Effective as of the Effective Time, each then
outstanding warrant to purchase shares of Company Common Stock (each a “Company Warrant”), shall be assumed,
subject to approval by the TSX and NYSE, by Parent and, in accordance with the
terms thereof, shall thereafter be exercisable to purchase a number of Parent
Common Shares (each, an “Assumed Warrant”) equal to (i) the
number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Warrant
immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by (ii) the Conversion Number
(rounded down to the nearest whole share); and the per share exercise price for
Parent Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Assumed Warrant shall be
equal to (x) the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock at which such
Company Warrant was exercisable immediately prior to the Effective Time divided
by (y) the Conversion Number (rounded up to the nearest whole cent). The Assumed
Warrants shall be subject to the same terms and conditions (including expiration
date) as were applicable to the corresponding Company Warrants immediately prior
to the Effective Time.
(c) Company Restricted
Stock. Immediately prior to the Effective Time, all then
outstanding shares of Company Restricted Stock shall become fully vested,
subject to applicable income and employment withholding Taxes.
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2.3 Additional
Actions.
(a) Prior
to the Effective Time, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of
the Company shall make such adjustments and determinations and shall adopt any
resolutions and take any corporate actions with respect to the Company Stock
Options and Company Restricted Stock as are required to implement the provisions
of this Article 2. The Company shall take all actions necessary
to ensure that after the Effective Time, neither Parent nor the Surviving
Company will be required to deliver shares of Company Common Stock or other
capital stock of the Company to any Person pursuant to or in settlement of
Company Stock Options or any other stock-based award.
(b) Prior
to the Effective Time, the Company shall (i) use its commercially reasonable
efforts to obtain any necessary consents from holders of Company Stock Options
and Company Restricted Stock and (ii) make any amendments to the terms of the
Company’s stock option or compensation plans or arrangements and any indenture
or other instrument that are necessary to give effect to the transactions
contemplated by Article 2.
(c) Parent
shall take such actions as are necessary for the assumption of the Company Stock
Options pursuant to Section 2.2, including the reservation, issuance and listing
of Parent Common Shares, as is necessary to implement the provisions of Section
2.2. Parent shall prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement on an
appropriate form, or a post-effective amendment to a registration statement
previously filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “Securities
Act”), with respect to
Parent Common Shares subject to the Company Stock Options and, where applicable,
shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to have such registration
statement declared effective as soon as practicable following the Effective Time
and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement covering such
Company Stock Options (and to maintain the current status of the prospectus
contained therein) for so long as such Company Stock Options remain
outstanding.
2.4 No Appraisal
Rights. Holders of shares of Company Common Stock will not
have dissenters’ or appraisal rights under Section 262 of the DGCL with respect
to the Merger.
2.5 Parent Common
Shares. At and after the Effective Time, each of the Parent
Common Shares issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall remain issued and outstanding and shall not be affected by the
Merger.
2.6 MergerCo
Securities
(a) Each
issued and outstanding share of common stock of MergerCo shall be converted into
one share of common stock of the Surviving Company.
(b) The
Surviving Company shall issue to Parent common stock of the Surviving Company in
consideration for (i) the issuance by Parent of the Merger Consideration, and
(ii) the payment by Parent of cash in lieu of issuing fractional Parent Common
Shares in connection with the Merger (the “Cash Payment”). The
common stock of the Surviving Company issued pursuant to this Section 2.6(b)
shall be fully paid and non-assessable shares of common stock of the Surviving
Company with a fair market value at the Effective Time equal to the aggregate of
the fair market value of the Merger Consideration issued, and the Cash Payment
paid, by Parent at Closing.
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2.7 Certain
Adjustments
The
number of Parent Common Shares issuable in connection with the Merger shall be
adjusted, at any time and from time to time, prior to the Effective Time to
reflect any stock dividend, stock split, consolidation, amalgamation,
reorganization of Parent that affects all holdings of Parent Common Shares in
the same manner, on a per share basis.
ARTICLE 3
EXCHANGE
OF SECURITIES
3.1 Parent to Make Merger Consideration
Available. As promptly as practicable following the Effective
Time, Parent shall deposit, or shall cause to be deposited, with a bank or trust
company reasonably acceptable to each of the Company and Parent (the “Exchange Agent”), for the benefit of
the holders of Certificates, for exchange in accordance with this
Article 3, (i) certificates representing the number of Parent Common Shares
sufficient to deliver the aggregate Merger Consideration, and (ii) cash in lieu
of any fractional shares (such cash and certificates for Parent Common Shares,
collectively being referred to as the “Exchange Fund”), to be issued pursuant
to Section 2.1 and paid pursuant to Section 3.2(d) in exchange for outstanding
shares of Company Common Stock.
3.2 Exchange of
Shares. (a) As soon as practicable after the
Effective Time, the Exchange Agent shall mail to each holder of record of one or
more Certificates a letter of transmittal in customary form as prepared by
Parent and reasonably acceptable to the Company (which shall specify, among
other things, that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the
Certificates shall pass, only upon actual receipt of the Certificates by the
Exchange Agent) and instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the
Certificates in exchange for the Merger Consideration and any cash in lieu of
fractional shares into which the shares of Company Common Stock represented by
such Certificate or Certificates shall have been converted pursuant to this
Agreement. Upon proper surrender to the Exchange Agent of a
Certificate or Certificates for exchange and cancellation, together with such
properly completed letter of transmittal, duly executed, and any other documents
and instruments reasonably required by Parent and/or the Exchange Agent, the
holder of such Certificate or Certificates shall be entitled to receive in
exchange therefor, as applicable, (i) a certificate representing the number of
whole Parent Common Shares to which such holder of Company Common Stock shall
have become entitled pursuant to the provisions of Article 2, and (ii) a
check representing the amount of any cash in lieu of fractional shares which
such holder has the right to receive in respect of the Certificate or
Certificates surrendered pursuant to the provisions of this Article 3, and
the Certificate or Certificates so surrendered shall forthwith be cancelled. No
interest will be paid or accrued on any cash in lieu of fractional
shares. Until so surrendered, each Certificate shall represent after
the Effective Time for all purposes only the right to receive the Merger
Consideration, together with any cash in lieu of fractional
shares.
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(b) If
any certificate representing Parent Common Shares is to be issued in, or any
cash is paid to, a name other than that in which the Certificate or Certificates
surrendered in exchange therefor is or are registered, it shall be a condition
to the issuance or payment thereof that the Certificate or Certificates so
surrendered shall be properly endorsed (or accompanied by an appropriate
instrument of transfer) and otherwise in proper form for transfer, and that the
person requesting such exchange shall pay to the Exchange Agent in advance any
transfer or other Taxes required by reason of the payment or issuance in any
name other than that of the registered holder of the Certificate or Certificates
surrendered, or required for any other reason, or shall establish to the
satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such Tax has been paid or is not
payable.
(c) After
the Effective Time, there shall be no transfers on the stock transfer books of
the Company of the shares of Company Common Stock that were issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time other than to settle
transfers of Company Common Stock that occurred prior to the Effective
Time. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates (properly endorsed
or accompanied by an appropriate instrument of transfer) representing such
shares are presented for transfer to the Exchange Agent, they shall be cancelled
and exchanged for the Merger Consideration as provided in this
Article 3.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no certificates or scrip
representing fractional Parent Common Shares shall be issued upon the surrender
of Certificates for exchange, no dividend or distribution with respect to Parent
Common Shares shall be payable on or with respect to any fractional share, and
such fractional share interests shall not entitle the owner thereof to vote or
to any other rights of a stockholder of Parent. In lieu of the
issuance of any such fractional share, Parent shall pay to each former
stockholder of the Company who otherwise would be entitled to receive such
fractional share an amount in cash (rounded to the nearest cent) determined by
multiplying (i) the average, rounded to the nearest one ten thousandth, of the
closing sale prices of Parent Common Shares on the NYSE as reported by Bloomberg
for the five full NYSE trading days immediately preceding (but not including)
the Effective Date by (ii) the fraction of a share (rounded to the nearest
thousandth when expressed in decimal form) of Parent Common Shares to which such
holder would otherwise be entitled to receive pursuant to Section
2.1.
(e) Any
portion of the Exchange Fund that remains unclaimed by the holders of
Certificates of the Company as of the first anniversary of the Effective Time
shall be paid to Parent. Any former stockholders of the Company who have not
theretofore complied with this Article 3 shall thereafter look only to
Parent (subject to the terms of this Agreement, abandoned property, escheat and
other similar Laws) for payment of the Merger Consideration and cash in lieu of
any fractional shares in respect of each share of Company Common Stock, as the
case may be, such stockholder holds as determined pursuant to this Agreement, in
each case, without any interest thereon. Any amounts remaining
unclaimed immediately prior to such time when such amounts would otherwise
escheat or become the property of any Governmental Entity, shall, to the extent
permitted by applicable Law, become the property of Parent, free and clear of
all claims or interest of any Person previously entitled thereto.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of Parent, the Company, the Surviving
Company or the Exchange Agent shall be liable to any holder of a Certificate for
any Merger Consideration delivered in respect of such Certificate to a public
official pursuant to any abandoned property, escheat or other similar
Law.
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(f)
In the event any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed,
upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming such
Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if reasonably required by
Parent, the posting by such person of a bond in such amount as Parent may
determine is reasonably necessary as indemnity against any claim that may be
made against it with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will issue
in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate the Merger
Consideration and any cash in lieu of fractional shares pursuant to this
Agreement.
3.3
Withholding
Rights. The Exchange Agent (or, subsequent to the first
anniversary of the Effective Time, Parent) shall be entitled to deduct and
withhold, from the Merger Consideration, any cash in lieu of fractional Parent
Common Shares and any other amounts otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement
to any holder of Company Common Stock (including Company Restricted Stock) or
Company Stock Options, such amounts as the Exchange Agent or Parent, as the case
may be, determines in good faith that it is required to deduct and withhold
under the Code, or any provision of state, local or non-United States Tax law,
with respect to the making of such payment. To the extent the amounts
are so withheld by the Exchange Agent or Parent, as the case may be, such
withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having
been paid to the holder in respect of whom such deduction and withholding was
made by the Exchange Agent or Parent, as the case may be.
ARTICLE 4
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF COMPANY
Except as
(i) disclosed in, and reasonably apparent from, any report, schedule, form or
other document filed with, or furnished to, the SEC by the Company and publicly
available prior to the date of this Agreement (excluding, in each case, any
disclosures set forth in any risk factor section and in any section relating to
forward-looking statements to the extent that they are cautionary, predictive or
forward-looking in nature), (ii) disclosed in a correspondingly numbered section
of the disclosure schedule (the “Company Disclosure Letter”)
delivered by the Company to Parent and MergerCo prior to the execution of this
Agreement (which schedule sets forth, among other things, items the disclosure
of which is necessary or appropriate either in response to an express disclosure
requirement contained in a provision hereof or as an exception to one or more
representations or warranties contained in this Article 4, or to one or
more of the Company’s covenants contained herein), or (iii) identified or
described in the information and materials made available by the Company to
Parent in the data room to which Parent was provided access (the “Company Data Room Materials”);
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, the mere inclusion of any information in the Company Disclosure Letter
shall not be deemed an admission that any information contained therein
describes or represents a material exception or material fact, event or
circumstance or that any exception, fact, event or circumstance described in any
such information has had or would be reasonably likely to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company), the Company hereby represents and warrants to
Parent and MergerCo as follows:
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4.1 Corporate
Organization.
(a) The
Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Company has all
requisite corporate power and authority to carry on its business, as now
conducted and as presently proposed to be conducted by it, and to own, lease and
operate its properties and assets and to carry out the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as foreign corporation or
an extra-provincial corporation to transact business and is in good standing (in
respect of the filing of annual returns where required or other information
filings under applicable corporate Law) in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or
to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(b) True,
correct and complete copies of the certificate of incorporation of the Company
(the “Company Certificate of
Incorporation”) and the by-laws of the Company (the “Company By-laws”), as in
effect as of the date of this Agreement, have previously been made available to
Parent.
(c) Each
of the Company’s Subsidiaries (i) is duly organized and validly existing under
the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) has all requisite corporate
power and authority to carry on its business, as now conducted and as presently
proposed to be conducted by it, and to own, lease and operate its properties and
assets and to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and
(iii) is duly qualified as foreign corporation or an extra-provincial
corporation to transact business and is in good standing (in respect of the
filing of annual returns where required or other information filings under
applicable corporate Law) in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is
required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the
conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good
standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
4.2 Capitalization. As
of the date of this Agreement, the authorized capital stock of the Company
consists of 75,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock, of which, as of the date
of this Agreement, 61,222,861 shares were issued and outstanding. No
shares of Company Common Stock are reserved for issuance except for under the
Company Stock Plans or with respect to the acquisition of Nayarit Gold Inc.
(“Nayarit”). As of
the date of this Agreement (i) Company Stock Options to acquire 1,972,234
shares of Company Common Stock were outstanding pursuant to the Company Stock
Plans or otherwise and (ii) 1,621,981 shares of Company Common Stock are
reserved for issuance pursuant to the acquisition of Nayarit (including pursuant
to the exercise of Company Warrants). Except as disclosed in this Section 4.2 or in Section 4.2 of the Company Disclosure
Letter, there are no options, warrants, conversion privileges or other rights,
stockholder rights plans, agreements, arrangements or commitments (pre-emptive,
contingent or otherwise) of any character whatsoever requiring or which may
require the issuance, sale or transfer by the Company of any securities of the
Company (including shares of Company Common Stock), or any securities or
obligations convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, or otherwise
evidencing a right or obligation to acquire, any securities of the Company
(including shares of Company Common Stock) or Subsidiaries of the
Company. All outstanding shares of Company Common Stock have been
duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and all
shares of Company Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of rights under the
Company Stock Options in accordance with their respective terms have been duly
authorized and, upon issuance, will be validly issued as fully paid and
non-assessable, and are not and will not be subject to, or issued in violation
of, any pre-emptive rights. All securities of the Company (including the shares
of Company Common Stock and the Company Options) have been issued in compliance
with all applicable Laws (including the Securities Act and Applicable Canadian
Securities Laws). There are no securities of the Company or of any of
its Subsidiaries outstanding which have the right to vote generally (or, other
than Company Stock Options which are convertible into or exchangeable for
securities having the right to vote generally) with the holders of the
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock on any matter. There are
no outstanding contractual or other obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary
to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its securities or with respect
to the voting or disposition of any outstanding securities of any of its
Subsidiaries, other than the Company Stock Options. All of the issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity ownership interests of each
Subsidiary of the Company are owned by the Company, directly or indirectly, free
and clear of any liens, claims, mortgages, deeds of trust, pledges, assignments,
security interests, equities, charges or third party encumbrances or interests
of any kind, whether contingent or absolute, and any agreement, right, option or
privilege capable of becoming any of the foregoing (“Liens”). There are no
outstanding bonds, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness of the Company
or any in its Subsidiaries having the right to vote with the holders of the
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock on any matters.
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4.3 Authority; No
Violation. (a) The Company has full corporate power
and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby,
including the Merger, have been duly, validly and unanimously approved by the
Board of Directors of the Company. The Board of Directors of the
Company has unanimously adopted and approved this Agreement, has unanimously
determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby are in
the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and has directed that
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement be submitted
to the Company’s stockholders for approval and adoption at the Company
Stockholder Meeting and, except for the approval of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement by the affirmative vote of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock entitled
to vote on such proposal at such meeting at which a quorum is present (the
“Company Stockholder
Approval”), no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are
necessary to approve this Agreement or to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming due authorization, execution
and delivery by Parent and MergerCo) constitutes the valid and binding
obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium,
reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and
the availability of equitable remedies.
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(b) Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor the performance of
its obligations thereunder, nor compliance by the Company with any of the terms
or provisions of this Agreement will (i) violate, conflict with, or result (with
or without notice or the passage of time) in a violation or breach of any
provision of, or require, except for the Key Third Party Consents disclosed in
Section 4.3(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, any consent, approval or notice
under, or constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time
or both, would constitute a default) or result in a right of termination or
acceleration under, or result in the creation of any Lien upon, any of the
properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or cause any
indebtedness to come due before its stated maturity or cause any credit
commitment to cease to be available or cause any payment or other obligation to
be imposed on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, under any of the terms,
conditions or provisions of (A) their respective certificate or articles of
incorporation, charters or by-laws or other comparable organizational documents,
or (B) any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, loan agreement, deed of trust, Lien,
license, permit, or other Contract to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or to which any of them, or any of their respective
properties or assets, may be subject or by which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is bound; or (ii) subject to obtaining the Requisite Approvals, (x)
result (with or without notice or the passage of time or both) in a violation or
breach of or constitute a default under any provisions of any Laws or Orders
applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective
properties or assets; or (y) cause the suspension or revocation of any Permit
currently in effect in regard of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (except
for such violations, conflicts, breaches, defaults, terminations, accelerations
or creations of Liens which, or any consents (expressly excluding the Key
Third-Party Consents and Requisite Approvals), approvals or notices which if not
given or received, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have any Material Adverse Effect). The authorization of this
Agreement, the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the
performance by it of its obligations under this Agreement, and the consummation
by the Company of the Merger, will not (x) give rise to any rights of first
refusal or, except as disclosed in Section 4.3(b) of the Company Disclosure
Letter, trigger any change in control provisions or any restrictions or
limitation under any such note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, license,
franchise or Permit, or result in the imposition of any encumbrance, charge or
Lien upon any of the Company’ assets or the assets of any of its Subsidiaries;
or (y) result in the imposition of any Liens upon any assets of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries. The Key Third Party Consents listed in Section 4.3(b)
of the Company Disclosure Letter are the only consents, approvals and notices
required from any third party under any Contracts of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in order for the Company and its Subsidiaries to proceed with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the completion of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the Merger.
4.4 Collateral
Benefits. The value of any benefit that any “related party”
(as defined in MI 61-101) of the Company who is an employee, director, officer
or consultant of the Company is entitled to receive, directly or indirectly, as
a consequence of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, net of any offsetting costs to such related party, to the extent it
does not meet the type described in clauses (a) or (b) of the definition of
“collateral benefit” under MI 61-101, has been determined by the independent
directors of the Company (determined in accordance with MI 61-101) to either be
in respect of a related party as described in clause (c)(iv)(A) of the
definition of “collateral benefit” under MI 61-101 or to be less than the
prescribed amount set out in clause (c)(iv)(B)(II) of the definition of
“collateral benefit” under MI 61-101.
4.5 Intentionally
Deleted.
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4.6 Consents and
Approvals. Except for (i) the filing with the SEC of
(a) a proxy statement in definitive form relating to the Company
Stockholder Meeting to be held in connection with this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Proxy Statement”), (b) any
required Parent Proxy Statement, and (c) a registration statement on Form
F-4 (the “Form F-4”) in
which the Proxy Statement will be included as part of a prospectus, and
declaration of effectiveness of the Form F-4, and such reports under Sections
12, 13(a), 13(d), 13(g) and 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder, as may be required in connection with this
Agreement, the agreements with the Locked-up Stockholders and the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby, and obtaining from the SEC such orders as may
be required in connection therewith, (ii) the filing of the Certificate of
Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware pursuant to the
DGCL, (iii) any notices or filings under the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”) (iv) such filings and
approvals as are required to be made or obtained under the securities or “blue
sky” laws of various states, provinces and territories in connection with the
issuance of Parent Common Shares pursuant to this Agreement, (v) such filings,
consents and approvals as are set forth on Section 4.6 of the Company Disclosure
Letter, (vi) the approval of the listing of the Parent Common Shares to be
issued in the Merger on the NYSE and the TSX, no consents or approvals of or
filings or registrations with any Governmental Entities are necessary in
connection with (A) the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement
or the performance of any of its obligations hereunder and (B) the consummation
by the Company of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, and (vii) the approval of the Parent’s stockholders of the Merger, as
required by the TSX and NYSE.
4.7 Reporting Status and Securities Laws
Matters. The Company is a “reporting issuer” and not on the
list of reporting issuers in default under Applicable Canadian Securities Laws
in the Province of Ontario. The Company Common Stock is registered
under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and the Company is
required to file reports with the SEC under Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. No delisting, suspension
of trading in or cease trading or cease-and-desist order with respect to any
securities of the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, no inquiry or
investigation (formal or informal) by the SEC or of any securities regulatory
authorities in the Canadian Jurisdictions, is in effect or ongoing or, to the
knowledge of the Company, expected to be implemented or
undertaken. None of the Subsidiaries (i) is a “reporting issuer”
under Applicable Canadian Securities Laws in any Canadian Jurisdiction, (ii) has
any class of securities registered under the Exchange Act and none of the
Subsidiaries of the Company is required to file reports with the SEC, or (iii)
is a reporting issuer in any other jurisdiction or required to file reports with
any securities regulatory authority in any jurisdiction.
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4.8 Reports. Except as
set forth in Section 4.8 of the Company Disclosure Letter, the Company has
timely filed all forms, documents, reports, schedules and other documents and
information required to be filed by it (i) with the SEC under the requirements
of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the
“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”)
and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, (ii) with applicable
securities regulatory authorities in the Canadian Jurisdictions under Applicable
Canadian Securities Laws, or (iii) by any securities exchange on which any of
the Company’s securities are listed, collectively the “Company
Reports”). As of their respective dates, or, if amended or
superseded by a subsequent filing, as of the date of the last such amendment or
superseded filing prior to the date hereof, the Company Reports complied in all
material respects, and each of the Company Reports filed subsequent to the date
of this Agreement will comply in all material respects with the requirements of
the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and Applicable
Canadian Securities Laws, as the case may be. As of the time of
filing with the SEC or the Applicable Canadian Securities Commissions, as
applicable, none of the Company Reports so filed or that will be filed
subsequent to the date of this Agreement contained or will contain, as the case
may be, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, except to the extent that the information in such Company Report has
been amended or superseded by a later Company Report filed prior to the date
hereof. The Company has provided to Parent correct and complete copies of all
correspondence with the SEC, the securities regulatory authorities in any
Canadian Jurisdiction, the TSX or the NYSE since January 1, 2008 and prior to
the date hereof. As of the date hereof, none of the Company Reports
is the subject of any outstanding or ongoing review, comment process or, to the
best of the Company’s knowledge, investigation by the SEC or any securities
regulatory authorities in the Canadian Jurisdictions or, to the knowledge of the
Company, any other jurisdiction. The Company has not filed any
confidential material change report with securities regulatory authorities in
the applicable Canadian Jurisdictions that, at the date hereof, remains
confidential.
4.9 Financial
Statements. The Company has previously made available to
Parent copies of (i) the consolidated balance sheets of the Company and its
Subsidiaries as of July 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009, and the related consolidated
statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the
years then ended as reported in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended July 31, 2009 (as amended prior to the date hereof, the “Company 2009 10-K”) filed with
the SEC under the Exchange Act, accompanied by the audit reports of Wolinetz,
Lafazan & Company, P.C., independent public accountants with respect to the
Company for the years ended July 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009, and (ii) the unaudited
consolidated balance sheets of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of October
31, 2009 and April 30, 2010, and the related consolidated statements of income,
changes in stockholders equity and cash flows of the three- and six-month
periods then ended, as reported in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
for the quarterly periods ended October 31, 2009 and April 30, 2010,
respectively (the “Company
10-Qs” and together with the Company 2009 10-K, the “Company Financial
Information”). The Company Financial Information fairly presents, in all
material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and its
Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, and the other financial statements referred
to in this Section 4.9 (including the related
notes, where applicable) fairly present, in all material respects, the results
of the consolidated operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity
and consolidated financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the
respective fiscal periods or as of the respective dates therein set forth,
subject to normal year-end audit adjustments in amounts consistent with past
experience in the case of unaudited statements. The Company Financial
Information complies in all material respects with applicable accounting
requirements and with the published rules and regulations of the SEC and
Applicable Canadian Securities Laws with respect thereto, has been prepared in
conformity with U.S. GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods
involved. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be
reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, all rentals,
royalties, overriding royalty interests, production payments, net profits,
interest burdens, payments and obligations due and payable, or performable, as
the case may be, on or prior to the date hereof under, with respect to, or on
account of, any direct or indirect assets of the Company, its Subsidiaries and
its material joint ventures, have been: (i) duly paid; (ii) duly performed; or
(iii) duly reserved or provided for prior for the date hereof.
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4.10 Broker’s
Fees. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary nor any
of their respective officers or directors has employed any broker, investment
banker or finder or incurred any liability for any broker’s fees, commissions
finder’s fees or similar fees in connection with the Merger or related
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, other than Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx and
Cormark; and true and complete copies of the agreements with respect to such
engagements have previously been made available to Parent.
4.11 Fees and
Expenses. Section 4.11 of the Company Disclosure Letter sets
forth (i) the amount of fees and expenses reasonably attributable to this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby that the Company has incurred
to date and expects to incur prior to the Effective Time (other than the fees
and expenses payable to Cormark pursuant to the engagement letter referred to in
Section 4.10 above) and (ii) the amount of such fees and expenses that has been
paid to date.
4.12 Absence of Certain Changes or
Events. Except as publicly disclosed in the Company Reports
filed since July 31, 2009 but prior to the date of this Agreement, or as
disclosed in Section 4.12 of the Company Disclosure Letter, since January 1,
2008 the Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted their respective businesses
only in the ordinary course consistent with past practice and there has been no
material change (actual, contemplated or threatened) in the condition (financial
or otherwise), earnings, value, operation, properties, business or results of
operations or production prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and the
debt, business, and property of the Company and its Subsidiaries conform in all
respects to the description thereof contained in the Company Reports, and
without limiting the foregoing, there has not been:
(a) any
issuance or awards of Company Stock Options or other equity-based awards to any
director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries;
(b) any
declaration, setting aside or payment of any dividend or other distribution
(whether in cash, stock or property) with respect to any of the Company’s or any
of its Subsidiaries’ capital stock or equity interests;
(c) except
as required by the terms of any Company Benefit Plans (as defined below) or by
applicable Law, (i) any granting by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
any current or former director, officer, employee or other service provider of
any equity award or any increase in compensation, bonus or other benefits, (ii)
any granting by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any current or former
director, officer, employee or other service provider of any increase in
severance or termination pay, (iii) any entry by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries into, or any amendment of, any employment, deferred compensation,
consulting, severance, termination or indemnification agreement with any current
or former director, officer, employee or other service provider or (iv) any
establishment, adoption, entry into, amendment or modification or termination of
any Company Benefit Plan;
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(d) any
material change in accounting methods, principles or practices by the Company
affecting its assets, liabilities or business, other than changes after the date
hereof to the extent required by a change in U.S. GAAP or regulatory accounting
principles;
(e) any
Tax election or change in or revocation of any Tax election, adoption of or
change in any accounting method for Tax purposes, change in any accounting
period for Tax purposes, amendment to any Tax return, amendment to or entry into
any closing agreement with respect to an amount of Taxes, settlement or
compromise of any income Tax liability by the Company or its Subsidiaries,
surrender of any right to claim a refund of Taxes, consent to any extension or
waiver of the limitation period applicable to any Tax claim or assessment, or
any similar action with respect to the filing of any Tax Return or payment of
any Tax;
(f) any
change in its investment or risk management or other similar
policies;
(g) any
action or occurrence, or written (or to the knowledge of the Company other)
notice that any customer, supplier, distributor or sales representative intends
to cancel, terminate or otherwise modify or not renew its relationship with the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no
such action has been threatened, which, in either case, individually or in the
aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect;
(h) any
Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company; or
(i)
any agreement or commitment (contingent or otherwise) to do
any of the foregoing.
4.13 Legal
Proceedings. (a) Except as disclosed in Section
4.13 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there are no (i) actions, claims,
suits, oppositions, cancellations, arbitrations, objections, investigations or
proceedings (each, an “Action”) pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries (other than an Action which affects the mining industry in
Mexico in general) or any of their respective properties, at law or in equity,
or (ii) orders, judgments, injunctions, awards, stipulations, decrees or writs
handed down, adopted or imposed by, including any consent decree, settlement
agreement or similar written agreement with, any Governmental Entity
(collectively, “Orders”)
against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. As of the date
hereof, there is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened against the Company that in any manner challenges or seeks to
prevent, enjoin, alter or delay the Merger.
(b) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any cease-and-desist or
other Order or enforcement action issued by, or is a party to any written
agreement, consent agreement or memorandum of understanding with, or is party to
any commitment letter or similar undertaking to, or is subject to any Order or
directive by, or has been, a recipient of any supervisory letter from, or has
been ordered to pay any civil money penalty by, or has adopted any policies,
procedures or board resolutions at the request or suggestion of any Governmental
Entity, in each case that currently restricts in any respect the conduct of its
business or that in any manner relates to its management or its business (each,
whether or not set forth in the Company Disclosure Letter, a “Company Regulatory
Agreement”), nor has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries been advised
by any Governmental Entity that it is considering issuing, initiating, ordering
or requesting any such Company Regulatory Agreement.
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4.14 Books and
Records. The financial books, records and accounts of the
Company and its Subsidiaries: (i) have been maintained in accordance with U.S.
GAAP, (ii) are stated in reasonable detail and accurately and fairly reflect the
transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
and (iii) accurately and fairly reflect the basis for the Company Financial
Statements. The corporate records and minute books for each of the Company and
its Subsidiaries contain, in all material respects, complete and accurate
minutes of all meetings of the directors and stockholders of the Company and
each of its Subsidiaries held since their incorporation or amalgamation, as the
case may be.
4.15
Taxes and Tax
Returns. (a) Except where the failure to file Tax
Returns or to pay or withhold Taxes would not have a Material Adverse Effect on
the Company, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has duly and timely filed
(taking into account all applicable extensions) all Tax Returns required to be
filed by it (all such Tax Returns being accurate and complete in all material
respects), has timely paid or withheld all Taxes shown thereon as arising and
has duly and timely paid or withheld all Taxes that are due and payable or
claimed to be due from it by federal, state, local or foreign taxing
authorities. The unpaid Taxes of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
being current Taxes not yet due and payable, (i) did not, as of the most recent
Company 10-Q, exceed the reserve for Tax Liability (rather than any reserve for
deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax
income) set forth on the face of the balance sheet included therein (rather than
in any notes thereto) and (ii) as of the Closing Date will not exceed that
reserve as adjusted for the passage of time through the Closing Date in
accordance with the past custom and practice of the Company and its Subsidiaries
in filing their Tax Returns. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have
withheld and paid all Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in
connection with any amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent
contractor, creditor, stockholder or other third party. Neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has granted any extension or waiver of the
limitation period for the assessment or collection of Tax that remains in
effect. The federal income Tax Returns of the Company and its
Subsidiaries have been examined by the United States Internal Revenue Service
(the “IRS”) for all
years to and including the fiscal year ended July 31, 2009. All
assessments for Taxes of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries due with respect
to completed and settled examinations or any concluded litigation have been
fully paid. There are no disputes, audits, examinations or
proceedings pending, or claims asserted, for Taxes upon the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries. There are no liens for any material amount of Taxes
(other than statutory liens for Taxes not yet due and payable) upon any of the
assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or is bound by any Tax sharing,
allocation or indemnification agreement or arrangement (other than such an
agreement or arrangement exclusively between or among the Company and its
Subsidiaries). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (A)
has been a member of an affiliated group filing a consolidated federal income
Tax Return (other than a group the common parent of which was the Company) or
(B) has any liability for the Taxes of any person (other than the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar
provision of state, local or foreign Law), or as a transferee or successor, by
contract or otherwise. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has been, within the past two years or otherwise as part of a “plan
(or series of related transactions)” within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the
Code of which the Merger is also a part, a “distributing corporation” or a
“controlled corporation” (within the meaning of Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the
Code) in a distribution of stock intended to qualify for tax-free treatment
under Section 355 of the Code. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has requested or is the subject of or bound by any private letter
ruling, technical advice memorandum, or similar ruling or memorandum with any
taxing authority with respect to any Taxes, nor is any such request
outstanding. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been
a party to any “reportable transaction” within the meaning of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(1). The Company is not and has not
been a “United States real property holding company” within the meaning of
Section 897(c)(2) of the Code during the applicable period specified in Section
897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code.
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(b) As
used in this Agreement, the term “Tax” or “Taxes” means all United
States, Canadian, Mexican or other multinational, national, transnational,
federal, state, provincial, regional, municipal, local, or other income, excise,
gross receipts, gross income, ad valorem, profits, gains, property, capital,
sales, transfer, use, payroll, employment, severance, withholding, backup
withholding, duties, intangibles, franchise, and other taxes, charges, fees,
levies or like assessments of any nature, together with all penalties and
additions to tax and interest thereon.
(c) As
used in this Agreement, the term “Tax Return” means any return,
declaration, report, claim for refund, or information return or statement
relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including
any amendment thereof, supplied or required to be supplied to a Governmental
Entity.
4.16 Employee
Benefits.
(a) Section
4.16(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of
all “employee benefit plans” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), all medical, dental,
life insurance, equity (including the Company Stock Plans), bonus or other
incentive compensation, disability, salary continuation, severance, retention,
retirement, pension, deferred compensation, vacation, sick pay or paid time off
plans or policies, and any other plans, agreements (including employment,
consulting and collective bargaining agreements), policies, trust funds or
arrangements (whether written or unwritten, insured or self-insured) (i)
established, maintained, sponsored or contributed to (or with respect to which
any obligation to contribute has been undertaken) by the Company, its
Subsidiaries or any entity that would be deemed a “single employer” with the
Company or its Subsidiaries under Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or
Section 4001 of ERISA (each, an “ERISA Affiliate”) on behalf of any
employee, officer, director, stockholder or other service provider of the
Company or its Subsidiaries (whether current, former or retired) or their
beneficiaries, or (ii) with respect to which the Company, its Subsidiaries or
any ERISA Affiliate has or has had any obligation on behalf of any such
employee, officer, director, stockholder or other service provider or
beneficiary (each a “Company
Benefit Plan,” and collectively, the “Company Benefit
Plans”). No Company Benefit Plan is mandated by a government
other than the United States or is subject to the Laws of a jurisdiction outside
of the United States.
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(b) The
Company has made available to Parent or its directors, officers, employees,
agents and representatives, including any investment banker, financial advisor,
attorney, counsel, accountant or other advisor, agent, representative or
Affiliate (collectively, “Representatives”): (i) copies
of all material documents setting forth the terms of each Company Benefit Plan,
including all amendments thereto and all related trust documents; (ii) the three
most recent annual reports (Form Series 5500), if any, required under ERISA or
the Code in connection with each Company Benefit Plan; (iii) the most recent
actuarial reports (if applicable) for all Company Benefit Plans; (iv) the most
recent summary plan description, if any, required under ERISA with respect to
each Company Benefit Plan; (v) all material written contracts, instruments or
agreements relating to each Company Benefit Plan, including administrative
service agreements and group insurance contracts; (vi) the most recent IRS
determination or opinion letter issued with respect to each Company Benefit Plan
intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code; and (vii) all filings
under the IRS’ Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System Program or any of its
predecessors or the Department of Labor Delinquent Filer Program.
(c) None
of the Company, its Subsidiaries, any ERISA Affiliate or any of their respective
predecessors has ever contributed to, contributes to, has ever been required to
contribute to, or otherwise participated in or participates in or in any way,
directly or indirectly, has any liability with respect to any plan subject to
Section 412 of the Code, Section 302 of ERISA or Title IV of ERISA, including,
without limitation, any “multiemployer plan” (within the meaning of Sections
3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA or Section 414(f) of the Code) or any
“single-employer plan” (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA)
which is subject to Sections 4063, 4064 or 4069 of ERISA.
(d) Each
Company Benefit Plan intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code is
qualified and has received a determination letter from the IRS upon which it may
rely regarding its qualified status under the Code for all statutory and
regulatory changes with respect to plan qualification requirements for which the
IRS will issue such a letter and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by
failure to act, that caused or could cause the loss of such qualification or the
imposition of any penalty or Tax liability. All payments required by
each Company Benefit Plan, any collective bargaining agreement or other
agreement, or by Law (including, without limitation, all contributions,
insurance premiums or intercompany charges) with respect to all prior periods
have been made or provided for by the Company or its Subsidiaries in accordance
with the provisions of each of the Company Benefit Plans, applicable Law and
generally accepted accounting principles.
(e) No
proceeding has been threatened, asserted, instituted or, to the knowledge of the
Company, is anticipated against any of the Company Benefit Plans (other than
non-material routine claims for benefits and appeals of such claims), any
trustee or fiduciaries thereof, or any of the assets of any trust of any of the
Company Benefit Plans. Each Company Benefit Plan complies in form and
has been maintained and operated in all material respects in accordance with its
terms and applicable Law, including, without limitation, ERISA and the
Code. No non-exempt “prohibited transaction,” within the meaning of
Section 4975 of the Code and Section 406 of ERISA, has occurred or is reasonably
expected to occur with respect to the Company Benefit Plans. No
Company Benefit Plan is under, and neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has
received any notice of, an audit or investigation by the IRS, Department of
Labor or any other Governmental Entity, and no such completed audit, if any, has
resulted in the imposition of any Tax or penalty.
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(f) No
Company Benefit Plan that is a group health plan is wholly or partially
self-insured. No Company Benefit Plan provides post-retirement health
and welfare benefits to any current or former employee of the Company or its
Subsidiaries, except as required under Section 4980B of the Code, Part 6 of
Title I of ERISA or any other applicable Law.
(g) The
consummation of the Merger alone, or in combination with any other event (where
such event would not alone have an effect described in this sentence), will not
give rise to any liability under any Company Benefit Plan, including, without
limitation, liability for severance pay, unemployment compensation, termination
pay or withdrawal liability, or accelerate the time of payment or vesting or
increase the amount of compensation or benefits due to any employee, officer,
director, stockholder or other service provider of the Company or its
Subsidiaries (whether current, former or retired) or their
beneficiaries. No amount that could be received (whether in cash or
property or the vesting of property), as a result of the consummation of the
Merger, by any employee, officer, director, stockholder or other service
provider of the Company or its Subsidiaries under any Company Benefit Plan or
otherwise would not be deductible by reason of Section 280G of the Code or would
be subject to an excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code. Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any indemnity obligation on or after
the Effective Time for any Taxes imposed under Section 4999 or 409A of the
Code. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to
any agreement, contract, arrangement or plan that has resulted or could result,
separately or in the aggregate, in the payment of any amount that will not be
fully deductible as a result of the limitations under Section 162(m) of the
Code.
(h) None
of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any employee, officer, director, stockholder
or other service provider of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has made any
promises or commitments, whether legally binding or not, to create any
additional Company Benefit Plan, agreement or arrangement, or to modify or
change in any material way any existing Company Benefit Plan.
(i) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has unfunded liabilities pursuant to any
Company Benefit Plan that is not intended to be qualified under Section 401(a)
of the Code and is an “employee pension benefit plan” within the meaning of
Section 3(2) of ERISA, a nonqualified deferred compensation plan or an excess
benefit plan. Each Company Benefit Plan that is a “nonqualified
deferred compensation plan” (as defined under Section 409A(d)(1) of the Code)
has been operated and administered in compliance with, and is in documentary
compliance with, Section 409A of the Code and the treasury regulations and other
official guidance promulgated thereunder.
(j) Any
individual who performs services for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and
who is not treated as an employee for federal income Tax purposes by the Company
or its Subsidiaries is not an employee under applicable Law or for any purpose
including, without limitation, for Tax withholding purposes or Company Benefit
Plan purposes. The Company and its Subsidiaries have no liability by
reason of an individual who performs or performed services for the Company or
its Subsidiaries in any capacity being improperly excluded from participating in
a Company Benefit Plan. Each employee of the Company and its
Subsidiaries has been properly classified as “exempt” or “non-exempt” under
applicable Law.
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(k) Each
Company Stock Option (i) has an exercise price at least equal to the fair market
value of the Company Common Stock on a date no earlier than the date of the
corporate action authorizing the grant, (ii) no Company Stock Option has had its
exercise date or grant date delayed or “back-dated,” and (iii) all Company Stock
Options have been issued in compliance with all applicable Laws and properly
accounted for in all material respects in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles. Section 4.16(k) of the Company Disclosure
Letter sets forth a complete and accurate list, as of the date of this
Agreement, of: (x) all Company Stock Plans, indicating for each
Company Stock Plan the number of shares of Company Common Stock issued to date
under such Company Stock Plans, the number of shares of Company Common Stock
subject to outstanding Company Stock Options and other equity awards and the
number of shares of Company Common Stock reserved for future issuance under such
Company Stock Plan, and (y) all holders of outstanding Company Stock Options and
other equity awards, indicating with respect to each Company Stock Option or
other award the Company Stock Plan under which it was granted, the number of
shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Stock Option or other
award, the exercise price, the date of grant, and the vesting schedule
(including any acceleration provisions with respect thereto), as
applicable.
4.17
Labor and Employment.
(a) Section
4.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a complete list of all
employees of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries, together with their
titles, service dates and terms of employment, including current wages, salaries
or hourly rate of pay, and bonus (whether monetary or
otherwise). Except as disclosed in Section 4.17(a) of the Company
Disclosure Letter, no such employee is on long-term disability leave, extended
absence or worker’s compensation leave. None of the employees listed in Section
4.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter has indicated an intention to resign
their employment. All current assessments under applicable workers compensation
legislation in relation to the employees listed in Section 4.17(a) of the
Company Disclosure Letter have been paid or accrued by the Company and its
Subsidiaries, as applicable, and the Company and its Subsidiaries are not
subject to any special or penalty assessment under such legislation which has
not been paid.
(b) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any collective
bargaining agreement and there are no labor unions, works councils or other
organizations representing, purporting to represent or attempting to represent
any employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. No strike,
slowdown, picketing, work stoppage, concerted refusal to work overtime or other
similar labor activity has occurred, been threatened or, to the knowledge of the
Company, is anticipated with respect to any employee of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries. There are no labor disputes currently subject to
any grievance procedure, arbitration or litigation and there is no
representation petition pending, threatened or, to the knowledge of the Company,
anticipated with respect to any employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
engaged in any unfair labor practices within the meaning of the National Labor
Relations Act. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance in
all material respects with all applicable Laws relating to employment and
employment practices, workers’ compensation, terms and conditions of employment,
worker safety, wages and hours, civil rights, discrimination, immigration,
collective bargaining, and the Worker Adjustment and Retraining
Notification Act, 29 U.S.C. § 2109 et seq. or the regulations promulgated
thereunder (the “WARN
Act”). There
have been no claims of harassment, discrimination, retaliatory act or similar
actions against any employee, officer or director of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries at any time during the past four years and, to the knowledge of the
Company, no facts exist that could reasonably be expected to give rise to such
claims or actions. To the Company’s knowledge, no employees of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries are in any material respect in violation of
any term of any employment contract, non-disclosure agreement, non-competition
agreement, or any restrictive covenant to a former employer relating to the
right of any such employee to be employed by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries because of the nature of the business conducted or presently
proposed to be conducted by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to the use
of trade secrets or proprietary information of others.
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4.18 Change of Control
Payments. Section 4.18 of the Company Disclosure Letter sets
out the names of each Person that is, pursuant to a written agreement or
otherwise (each, a “Change of
Control Agreement”), entitled to receive any payment or other entitlement
(a “Change of Control
Payment”) (i) upon a change of control of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, or (ii) as a result of the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Except as disclosed in Section 4.18
of the Company Disclosure Letter no other Person is entitled to a Change of
Control Payment (i) upon a change of control of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, or (ii) as a result of the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
4.19 Compliance with Law;
Permits. Except as disclosed in Section 4.19 of the Company
Disclosure Letter, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have complied with
and are not, in any material respects, in default under or in violation of any
applicable Law. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has obtained and is in
compliance with all material franchises, tariffs, grants, authorizations,
licenses, permits, easements, variances, exceptions, consents, certificates,
approvals, classifications, registrations, and orders of any Governmental Entity
(“Permits”) required by
applicable Laws, necessary for the Company and its Subsidiaries to own, lease
and operate their properties and assets or to carry on their businesses as they
are now being conducted (the “Company Permits”). All Company Permits
are in full force and effect. None of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries has knowledge of any facts, events or circumstances that would
reasonably be expected to result in a failure to obtain or be in compliance with
such Permits as are necessary to conduct its business as it is proposed to be
conducted.
4.20 Material Contracts. Except
as specifically disclosed in the Company Financial Information or as filed with
the SEC, or as set forth on Section 4.20 of the Company Disclosure Letter,
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is party to any Material
Contract. Each Material Contract is valid and binding on the Company (or, to the
extent a Subsidiary of the Company is a party, such Subsidiary) and, to the
knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto and is in full force and
effect. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge
of the Company, any of the other parties thereto, is in material default or
breach of, nor has the Company or its Subsidiaries received any notice of
default or breach of, or termination under, any Material Contract and, to the
knowledge of the Company, there exists no state of facts which after notice or
lapse of time or both that would constitute a material default or breach of such
Material Contract. Prior to the date hereof, the Company has made available to
Parent true and complete copies of all Material Contracts.
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4.21 No Undisclosed
Liabilities. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has incurred any liability of any nature whatsoever (whether absolute, accrued,
contingent or otherwise and whether due or to become due), except for (i)
liabilities that are reflected or reserved against on the consolidated balance
sheet of the Company included in the Company 2009 10-K (including any notes
thereto), (ii) liabilities incurred in connection with this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby, and (iii) liabilities incurred in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since July 31,
2009.
4.22 Environmental
Liability. Except as set forth in Section 4.22 of the Company
Disclosure Letter, to the Company’s knowledge, each of the Company and the
Company’s Subsidiaries and their respective businesses, operations, and
properties:
(a) is
in material compliance with all Environmental Laws and all terms and conditions
of all Environmental Permits;
(b) has
not received any order, request or notice from any Person alleging a material
violation of any Environmental Law;
(c) is
not a party to any litigation or administrative proceeding, nor to the knowledge
of the Company is any litigation or administrative proceeding threatened against
it or its property or assets, which in either case (1) asserts or alleges that
it violated any Environmental Laws, (2) asserts or alleges that it is required
to clean up, remove or take remedial or other response action due to the Release
of any Hazardous Substances, or (3) asserts or alleges that it is required to
pay all or a portion of the cost of any past, present or future cleanup, removal
or remedial or other response action which arises out of or is related to the
Release of any Hazardous Substances, (ii) has no knowledge of any conditions
existing currently which could reasonably be expected to subject it to damages,
penalties, injunctive relief or cleanup costs under any Environmental Laws or
which require or are likely to require cleanup, removal, Remedial Action or
other response by it pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws other than with
respect to ordinary course mine site reclamation and remediation generally
applicable to mining companies; or (iii) is not subject to any judgment, decree,
order or citation related to or arising out of applicable Environmental Law and
has not been named or listed as a potentially responsible party by any
Governmental Entity in a matter arising under any Environmental Laws;
and
(d) is
not involved in operations and does not know of any facts, circumstances or
conditions, including any Release of Hazardous Material, that would reasonably
be expected to result in any material Environmental Liabilities.
4.23 Revocation of Powers of
Attorney. The Company and its Subsidiaries have revoked all
powers of attorney previously granted to persons who are no longer directors,
officers or employees of the Company or any Subsidiary thereof.
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4.24 Property,
Title and Mining Rights.
(a) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries has good and sufficient title to its real
and immoveable property interests, surface rights, concessions, leases,
licenses, easements, rights of way and permits permitting the use of land or
premises by the Company and its Subsidiaries necessary to permit the operation
of its current business as it is now being conducted (which, for greater
certainty, includes the exploration for, development of and all production of
mineral products from mineral deposits). Except as disclosed in
Section 4.23 of the Company Disclosure Letter, none of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries has knowledge of any facts, events or circumstances that would
reasonably be expected to result in (A) a failure of title in respect of any
real and immoveable property or (B) a failure to hold such leases, licenses,
easements, rights of way or permits that, in either case, are necessary to
permit the operation of its business as it is proposed to be conducted, unless,
in each case, such failure has not had and would not be reasonably expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except
as set forth in Section 4.23 of the Company Disclosure Letter and the permitted
encumbrances set forth in Section 4.23 of the Company Disclosure Letter (the
“Permitted
Encumbrances”), no Person other than the Company and its Subsidiaries has
any interest in the property or any of the mineral rights of the Company or its
Subsidiaries or the production or profits therefrom or any royalty in respect
thereof or any right to acquire any such interest.
(c) There
are no back-in rights, earn-in rights, rights of first refusal or similar
provisions or rights which would affect the Company’s or any of its Subsidiary’s
interest in the property or any of the mineral rights of the Company or its
Subsidiaries.
(d) There
are no material restrictions on the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries
to use, transfer or exploit the property or any of the mineral rights of the
Company or its Subsidiaries, except pursuant to the applicable Laws and
Permits.
(e) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice, whether written
or oral, from any Governmental Entity of any revocation or intention to revoke
any interest of the Company or a Subsidiary in any of their respective
properties or mineral rights.
(f) All
mines located in or on the lands of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or
lands pooled or unitized therewith, which have been abandoned by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, have been abandoned in accordance with good mining
practices and in compliance with all applicable Laws, and all future
abandonment, remediation and reclamation obligations known to the Company as of
the date hereof have been accurately set forth in the Company Documents without
omission of information necessary to make the disclosure not
misleading.
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4.25 Mineral Reserves and
Resources. The estimated proven and probable mineral reserves
and estimated indicated, measured and inferred mineral resources disclosed in
the Company’s technical reports relating to the El Chanate and Orion projects
filed on Form 43-101F1 dated November 27, 2009 and February 5, 2010,
respectively, have been prepared and disclosed in accordance with National
Instrument 43-101 – “Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects” of the
Canadian Securities Administrators. The Company has no reason to believe that
the information provided by the Company to the qualified persons in connection
with the preparation of such estimates was not complete and accurate in all
material respects at the time such information was furnished. Other than
depletion in the ordinary course, there has been no material reduction in the
aggregate amount of estimated mineral reserves or estimated mineral resources of
the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from the amounts
disclosed in the Company Reports.
4.26 Operations at El Chanate
Mine. The Company has conducted all mine development and
mining operations at the El Chanate Mine in accordance with the bankable
feasibility study prepared by M3 Engineering and Technology Corporation (“M3”) and Independent Mining
Consultants (“IMC”),
dated October 12, 2005 and the life of mine plan dated August 2010, as provided
to the Parent.
4.27 State Takeover
Laws. The Company has, or will have prior to the Effective
Time, taken all necessary action so that, assuming compliance by Parent and
MergerCo with their respective obligations hereunder and the accuracy of the
representations and warranties made by Parent and MergerCo herein, no “business
combination,” “moratorium,” “fair price,” “control share acquisition” or other
state anti-takeover statute or regulation (including Section 203 of the DGCL),
nor any takeover-related provision in the Company Certificate of Incorporation
or Company By-laws, would (i) prohibit or restrict the ability of the Company to
perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Certificate of Merger or its
ability to consummate the Merger or the other transactions contemplated hereby
or thereby, (ii) have the effect of invalidating or voiding this Agreement, or
the Certificate of Merger, or any provision hereof or thereof, or (iii) subject
Parent or MergerCo to any impediment or condition in connection with the
exercise of any of its rights under this Agreement or the Certificate of Merger.
4.28 Opinion. The
Company has received an opinion from Stifel to the effect that, as of the date
thereof and subject to the matters set forth therein, the Merger Consideration
to be received by the stockholders of the Company (other than the Parent,
MergerCo, the Company or the Locked-up Stockholders) in connection with the
Merger pursuant to this Agreement is fair to such stockholders, from a financial
point of view. . A true and correct copy of such opinion has been
provided to Parent. Such opinion has not been amended or rescinded as
of the date of this Agreement.
4.29 Internal
Controls. (a) None of the Company or its
Subsidiaries’ records, systems, controls, data or information are recorded,
stored, maintained, operated or otherwise wholly or partly dependent on or held
by any means (including any electronic, mechanical or photographic process,
whether computerized or not) which (including all means of access thereto and
therefrom) are not under the exclusive ownership and direct control of it or its
Subsidiaries or accountants except as would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in an adverse effect on the system
of internal accounting controls described in the next sentence. The
Company and its Subsidiaries have devised and maintain a system of internal
control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of
the Exchange Act) sufficient to provide reasonable assurances regarding the
reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements
for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
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(b) The
Company (x) 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 Subsidiaries, is made known to
the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company by
others within those entities, and (y) has disclosed, based on its most recent
evaluation prior to the date hereof, to the Company’s outside auditors and the
audit committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (i) any significant
deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal
control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange
Act) which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to
record, process, summarize and report financial information, and (ii) any fraud,
whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a
significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
These disclosures were made in writing by management to the Company’s auditors
and audit committee and a copy has previously been made available to
Parent. As of the date hereof, there is no reason to believe that its
outside auditors and its chief executive officer and chief financial officer
will not be able to give the certifications and attestations required pursuant
to the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Section 404 of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act, without qualification, when next due.
(c) Since
July 31, 2008, (i) through the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has received or otherwise had or obtained knowledge of any
complaint, allegation, assertion or claim, whether written or oral, regarding
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 complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in questionable accounting or
auditing practices, and (ii) no attorney representing the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, whether or not employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
has reported evidence of a violation of securities laws, breach of fiduciary
duty or similar violation by the Company or any of its Representatives to the
Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof or to any director or
officer of the Company.
4.30 Insurance. As of
the date hereof, the Company and its Subsidiaries have such policies of
insurance as are listed in Section 4.28 of the Company Disclosure
Letter. All insurance maintained by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is in full force and effect and in good standing and neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default, whether as to payment of
premium or otherwise, under the terms of any such insurance nor has the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries failed to give any notice or present any material
claim under any such insurance in a due and timely fashion or received notice of
any intent of an insurer to either claim any default on the part of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or not to renew any policy of insurance on its expiry
or to increase any deductible or cost in any material respect.
4.31 Company
Information. The information relating to the Company and its
Subsidiaries to be included or incorporated by reference in the Proxy Statement,
or that is provided by the Company or its representatives for inclusion and the
Form F-4 or in any other document filed with any other Governmental Entity in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, will not, at
any time, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances in which they are made, not misleading. All documents
that the Company is responsible for filing with the SEC (including the Proxy
Statement (except for such portions thereof that relate only to Parent, MergerCo
or any of their Subsidiaries)) will comply in all material respects with the
provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and
Applicable Canadian Securities Laws.
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4.32 Intellectual
Property. The Company or a Company Subsidiary owns, or is
licensed or otherwise possesses adequate rights to use, all Intellectual
Property material to their respective businesses as currently conducted (“Company IP”) free and clear of any
Liens (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, obligations to pay royalties in
the case of licensed Intellectual Property), and all such rights shall survive
unchanged the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this
Agreement. There are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened claims by any person alleging infringement, misappropriation or other
violation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any other Person’s
Intellectual Property. To the knowledge of the Company, the conduct
of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the Company IP does not
misappropriate, infringe or otherwise violate any Intellectual Property of any
other Person. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
made any claim for any misappropriation, infringement or other violation by
others of its rights in, to or in connection with the Intellectual Property of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. To the knowledge of the
Company, no person is misappropriating, infringing or otherwise violating any
Intellectual Property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
4.33 Restrictions on Business
Activities. There is no arbitral award, judgment, injunction,
order or decree binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that has or
could reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting, restricting, or
impairing any business practice of any of them, any acquisition or disposition
of property by any of them, or the conduct of the business by any of them as
currently conducted.
4.34 Related Party
Transactions. Except as contemplated hereby, there are no
Contracts or other transactions currently in place between the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and: (i) to the knowledge of the Company, any
officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) any holder
of record or, to the knowledge of the Company, beneficial owner of 5% or more of
the Shares of Company Common Stock; and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company,
any affiliate or associate of any such, officer, director, holder of record or
beneficial owner, on the other hand.
4.35 Expropriation. No
part of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has
been taken, condemned or expropriated by any Governmental Entity nor has any
written notice or proceeding in respect thereof been given or commenced nor does
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries know of any intent or proposal to give
such notice or commence any such proceedings.
4.36 Registration
Rights. No holder of shares of Company Common Stock has any
right to compel the Company to register or otherwise qualify any such shares for
public sale or distribution.
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4.37 Rights of Other
Persons. No person has any right of first refusal or option to
purchase or any other right of participation in any of the properties or assets
owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any part
thereof.
4.38 Ownership of Parent
Securities. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
beneficially owns any Parent Common Shares or any options, warrants or other
rights to acquire equity securities of Parent.
4.39 Data Room
Information. All Company data room materials are listed in the
index posted on the Company Data Site (the “Company Due Diligence
Information”) and to the knowledge of the Company, the Company Due
Diligence Information was accurate in all material respects as at its respective
date as stated therein, or, if any Company Due Diligence Information is undated,
as of the date of its delivery to Parent for purposes of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Additionally, all information provided to Parent
in relation to Parents’ due diligence requests, including information not
provided in the Company Due Diligence Information, is accurate in all material
respects as at its respective date as stated therein. To the extent
that there has been a material change to any of the Company Due Diligence
Information or any other information provided to Parent since the date provided
to Parent, such information is accurate in all material respects or is no longer
relevant or material to the Company or additional information has been provided
to Parent which supersedes or replaces such information.
ARTICLE 5
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGERCO
Except as
(i) disclosed in, and reasonably apparent from, any report, schedule, form or
other document filed with, or furnished to, the SEC by Parent and publicly
available prior to the date of this Agreement (excluding, in each case, any
disclosures set forth in any risk factor section and in any section relating to
forward-looking statements to the extent that they are cautionary, predictive or
forward-looking in nature), (ii) disclosed in a correspondingly numbered section
of the disclosure schedule (the “Parent Disclosure Letter”)
delivered by Parent and MergerCo to the Company prior to the execution of this
Agreement (which schedule sets forth, among other things, items the disclosure
of which is necessary or appropriate either in response to an express disclosure
requirement contained in a provision hereof or as an exception to one or more
representations or warranties contained in this Article 5, or to one or
more of the Company’s covenants contained herein), or (iii) identified or
described in the information and materials made available by Parent to the
Company in the data room (the “Parent Data Room Materials”), provided, however, that
notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the mere inclusion
of any information or materials in the Data Room Materials or in the Parent
Disclosure Letter shall not be deemed an admission that any information or
materials contained therein describe or represent a material exception or
material fact, event or circumstance or that any exception, fact, event or
circumstance described in any such information or materials has had or would be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent or MergerCo),
Parent and MergerCo, jointly and severally, hereby represent and warrant to the
Company as follows:
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5.1
Corporate
Organization. (a) Parent has been duly incorporated
or organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its
jurisdiction of incorporation, or under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it
was organized, and has all requisite corporate power and authority to carry on
its business, as now conducted and as presently proposed to be conducted by it,
and to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to carry out the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and that Parent is duly qualified
as a foreign corporation or an extra-provincial corporation to transact business
and is in good standing (in respect of the filing of annual returns where
required or other information filings under applicable corporate Law) in each
jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the
ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected
to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) True
and complete copies of the articles of incorporation (the “Parent Articles”) and by-laws of
Parent (“Parent By-laws”), as in effect as of
the date of this Agreement, have previously been made available to the
Company.
(c) Each
of the Parent’s Subsidiaries (i) is duly organized and validly existing under
the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) has all requisite corporate
power and authority to carry on its business, as now conducted and as presently
proposed to be conducted by it, and to own, lease and operate its properties and
assets and to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and
(iii) is duly qualified as foreign corporation or an extra-provincial
corporation to transact business and is in good standing (in respect of the
filing of annual returns where required or other information filings under
applicable corporate Law) in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is
required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the
conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good
standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(d) MergerCo
was incorporated solely for the purposes of engaging in the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, and since its date of incorporation, has not
engaged in any activities nor conducted its operation other than in connection
with or as contemplated by this Agreement. True and complete copies
of MergerCo’s certificate of incorporation and by-laws, in effect as of the date
of this Agreement, have previously been made available to the
Company.
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5.2
Capitalization. As
of the date of this Agreement, the authorized capital of Parent consists of (i)
an unlimited number of Parent Common Shares, of which, as the date of this
Agreement, 138,841,790 shares were issued and outstanding, (ii) an unlimited
number of noncumulative, nonparticipating, non-voting, class “A” preferred
shares, of which, as of the date of this Agreement, no shares were issued and
outstanding, and (iii) an unlimited number of noncumulative, nonparticipating,
non-voting, class “B” preferred shares, of which, as of the date of this
Agreement, no shares were issued and outstanding. As of the date
hereof, no Parent Common Shares or Parent class “A” or class “B” preferred
shares were reserved for issuance, except for under the employee and director
stock plans of Parent in effect as of the date of this Agreement (the “Parent Stock
Plans”). As of the date of this Agreement, 4,968,860 options
to acquire 4,968,860 Parent Common Shares were outstanding pursuant to Parent
Stock Plans or otherwise. All of the issued and outstanding Parent
Common Shares have been, and all Parent Common Shares that may be issued
pursuant to Parent Stock Plans and the Merger will be, when issued in accordance
with the terms thereof and hereof, respectively, duly authorized and validly
issued as fully paid and non-assessable shares and free of preemptive rights,
with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof. All
securities of Parent (including the Parent Common Shares) have been issued in
compliance with all applicable Laws (including the Securities Act and Applicable
Canadian Securities Laws). Other than securities issued under the
Parent Stock Plans, there are no securities of Parent or of any of its
Subsidiaries outstanding which have the right to vote generally (or are
convertible into or exchangeable for securities having the right to vote
generally) with the holders of the outstanding Parent Common Shares on any
matter. The total equity interests in MergerCo consist, as of the
date of this Agreement, of 1 share of common stock (“MergerCo Common
Stock”). All shares of the issued and outstanding MergerCo
Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid,
nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, with no personal liability
attaching to the ownership thereof. Except pursuant to this Agreement
and Parent Stock Plans, Parent does not have and is not bound by any outstanding
subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments or agreements of any
character calling for the purchase or issuance of any Parent Common Shares or
MergerCo Common Stock or any other equity securities of Parent or MergerCo or
any securities representing the right to purchase or otherwise receive any
Parent Common Shares or MergerCo Common Stock or the shares or stock of any of
Parent’s Subsidiaries. Subject to the Parent Credit Facility, all of
the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity ownership
interests of each Subsidiary of Parent are owned by Parent, directly or
indirectly, free and clear of any Liens.
5.3
Authority; No
Violation. (a) Parent has full corporate power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been
duly and validly approved by the Board of Directors of Parent. The
Board of Directors of Parent has determined that this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, are in the best
interests of Parent and its stockholders and has approved the issuance of Parent
Common Shares in connection with the Merger and no other corporate proceedings
on the part of Parent, including approval by Parent’s stockholders, are
necessary to approve this Agreement or to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by Parent and (assuming due authorization, execution and
delivery by the Company) constitutes the valid and binding obligation of Parent,
enforceable against Parent in accordance with its terms (except as may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or similar laws
affecting the rights of creditors generally and the availability of equitable
remedies).
(b) MergerCo
has full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby, including the Merger, have been duly, validly and unanimously approved
by the Board of Directors of MergerCo. The Board of Directors of
MergerCo has determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby are in the best interests of MergerCo and its stockholder and no other
corporate proceedings on the part of MergerCo are necessary to approve this
Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This
Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by MergerCo and
(assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Company) constitutes
the valid and binding obligation of MergerCo, enforceable against MergerCo in
accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
moratorium, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors
generally and the availability of equitable remedies.
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(c) Subject
to the Parent Credit Agreement, neither the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by Parent or MergerCo, nor the consummation by Parent or MergerCo of
the transactions contemplated hereby, nor the performance of its obligations
thereunder, nor compliance by Parent or MergerCo with any of the terms or
provisions of this Agreement, will (i) violate, conflict with, or result (with
or without notice or the passage of time) in a violation or breach of any
provision of, or require any consent, approval or notice under, or constitute a
default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would
constitute a default) or result in a right of termination or acceleration under,
or result in the creation of any Lien upon, any of the properties or assets of
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or cause any indebtedness to come due before
its stated maturity or cause any credit commitment to cease to be available or
cause any payment or other obligation to be imposed on Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries, under any of the terms, conditions or provisions of (A) their
respective certificate or articles of incorporation, charters or by-laws or
other comparable organizational documents, or (B) any note, bond, mortgage,
indenture, loan agreement, deed of trust, Lien, license, permit, or other
Contract to which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or to which any
of them, or any of their respective properties or assets, may be subject or by
which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is bound; or (ii) subject to obtaining
the Requisite Approvals, (x) result (with or without notice or the passage of
time) in a violation or breach of or constitute a default under any provisions
of any Laws or Orders applicable to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their respective properties or assets; or (y) cause the suspension or revocation
of any Permit currently in effect in regard of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries
(except, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii) above, for such violations,
conflicts, breaches, defaults, terminations, accelerations or creations of Liens
which, or any consents, approvals or notices which if not given or received,
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have any
Material Adverse Effect). Subject to the Parent Credit Agreement, the
authorization of this Agreement, the execution and delivery by Parent of this
Agreement and the performance by it of its obligations under this Agreement, and
the consummation by Parent of the Merger, will not (x) give rise to any rights
of first refusal or trigger any change in control provisions or any restrictions
or limitation under any such note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, license,
franchise or Permit, or result in the imposition of any encumbrance, charge or
Lien upon any of Parent’ assets or the assets of any of its Subsidiaries; or (y)
result in the imposition of any Liens upon any assets of Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries. Since the date of its adoption, no event has occurred,
or to the knowledge of Parent, is threatened, which has or will cause the
issuance of securities under the Parent’s stockholder rights plan.
5.4
Consents and
Approvals. Except for (i) the filing with, and the declaration
of effectiveness by, the SEC of the Form F-4, (ii) the filing of the Certificate
of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware pursuant to the
DGCL, (iii) any notices or filings under the HSR Act, (iv) such filings and
approvals as are required to be made or obtained under the securities or “blue
sky” laws of various states, provinces and territories in connection with the
issuance of Parent Common Shares pursuant to this Agreement and approval of
listing such Parent Common Shares on the NYSE and the TSX, and (v) such filings,
consents and approvals as may be disclosed in the Data Room Materials, no
consents or approvals of or filings or registrations with any Governmental
Entity are necessary in connection with (A) the execution and delivery by Parent
or MergerCo of this Agreement or the performance of any of its obligations
hereunder and (B) the consummation by Parent or MergerCo of the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except those the failure of
which to be obtained or made individually or in the aggregate has not or would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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5.5
Reports. Parent has
filed all forms, documents, reports, schedules and other documents or
information required to be filed by it with (i) applicable securities regulatory
authorities in the Canadian Jurisdictions under Applicable Canadian Securities
Laws (the “Parent Reports”) or (ii) the SEC
under the requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, in each
case, since January 1, 2008. As of their respective dates, or, if
amended or superseded by a subsequent filing, as of the date of the last such
amendment or superseded filing prior to the date hereof, Parent Reports complied
in all material respects, and each of Parent Reports filed subsequent to the
date of this Agreement will comply, in all material respects with the
requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and
Applicable Canadian Securities Laws, as the case may be. As of the
time of filing with the SEC or the Applicable Canadian Securities Commissions,
as applicable, none of Parent Reports so filed or that will be filed subsequent
to the date of this Agreement contained or will contain, as the case may be, any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, except to the extent that the information in such Parent Report has
been amended or superseded by a later Parent Report filed prior to the date
hereof. Parent has not filed any confidential material change report with
securities regulatory authorities in the applicable Canadian Jurisdictions that,
at the date hereof, remains confidential.
5.6
Reporting Status and Securities Laws
Matters. (a) Parent is a “reporting issuer” and not on the
list of reporting issuers in default under Applicable Canadian Securities Laws
in the Province of Ontario. Parent Common Shares are registered under Section
12(b) of the Exchange
Act and Parent is
required to file reports with the SEC under Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.; (b) Parent is a
“foreign private issuer” as defined in Rule 3b-4 under the Exchange Act and
there are no facts or circumstances that would preclude Parent from being a
“foreign private issuer”. Parent is not, and after given effect to
the Merger will not be, an investment company registered or required to be
registered under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended. No delisting, suspension of trading in or cease trading or
cease-and-desist order with respect to any securities of Parent and, to the
knowledge of Parent, no inquiry or investigation in writing (formal or informal)
by the SEC or of any securities regulatory authorities in the Canadian
Jurisdictions, is in effect or ongoing or, to the knowledge of Parent, expected
to be implemented or undertaken; and (c) None of the Subsidiaries of Parent (i)
is a “reporting issuer” under Applicable Canadian Securities Laws in any
Canadian Jurisdiction, (ii) has any class of securities registered under
the Exchange Act and none of the Subsidiaries of Parent is required to file
reports with the SEC, or (iii) is a reporting issuer in any other jurisdiction
or required to file reports with any securities regulatory authority in any
jurisdiction.
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5.7
Financial
Statements. Parent has previously made available to the
Company copies of (i) the consolidated balance sheet of Parent and its
Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008 and 2009, and the related consolidated
statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the
years then ended as reported in Parent’s Annual Report on Form 40-F/A for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, (the “Parent 2009 40-F/A” or the
“Parent Financial
Information”) filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act, accompanied by
the audit report of KPMG LLP, independent public accountants with respect to
Parent for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2009. The Parent
Financial Information fairly presents in all material respects the consolidated
financial position of Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, and
the other financial statements referred to in this Section 5.6 (including the
related notes, where applicable) fairly present in all material respects the
results of the consolidated operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’
equity and consolidated financial position of Parent and its Subsidiaries for
the respective fiscal periods or as of the respective dates therein set forth,
subject to normal year-end audit adjustments in amounts consistent with past
experience in the case of unaudited statements. The Parent Financial
Information has been prepared in conformity with Canadian GAAP applied on a
consistent basis throughout the periods involved and has been reconciled to U.S.
GAAP in accordance with and to the full extent required by applicable U.S.
Securities Laws. Except as would not, individually or in the
aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, all
rentals, royalties, overriding royalty interests, production payments, net
profits, interest burdens, payments and obligations due and payable, or
performable, as the case may be, on or prior to the date hereof under, with
respect to, or on account of, any direct or indirect assets of Parent, its
Subsidiaries and its material joint ventures, have been: (i) duly paid; (ii)
duly performed; or (iii) duly reserved or provided for prior for the date
hereof.
5.8
Absence of Certain Changes or
Events. Except as disclosed in the Data Room Material or as
publicly disclosed in the Parent Reports filed since December 31, 2009 but prior
to the date of this Agreement, since December 31, 2009, Parent and its
Subsidiaries have conducted their respective businesses only in the ordinary
course consistent with past practice and there has been no material change
(actual, contemplated or threatened) in the condition (financial or otherwise),
earnings, value, operations, properties or business results of operations of
Parent and its Subsidiaries, and the debt, business, and property of Parent and
its Subsidiaries conform in all respects to the description thereof contained in
the Parent Reports, and without limiting the foregoing, there has not been:
(a) any
material change in accounting methods, principles or practices by Parent
affecting its assets, liabilities or business, other than changes after the date
hereof to the extent required by a change in U.S. GAAP, Canadian GAAP or
regulatory accounting principles;
(b) any
Tax election or change in or revocation of any Tax election, adoption of or
change in any accounting method for Tax purposes, change in any accounting
period for Tax purposes, amendment to any Tax return, amendment to or entry into
any closing agreement with respect to an amount of Taxes, settlement or
compromise of any income Tax liability by Parent or its Subsidiaries, surrender
of any right to claim a refund of Taxes, consent to any extension or waiver of
the limitation period applicable to any Tax claim or assessment, or any similar
action with respect to the filing of any Tax Return or payment of any
Tax;
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(c) any
action or occurrence, or written (or to the knowledge of Parent other) notice
that any customer, supplier, distributor or sales representative intends to
cancel, terminate or otherwise modify or not renew its relationship with Parent
or any of its Subsidiaries, and, to the knowledge of Parent, no such action has
been threatened, which, in either case, individually or in the aggregate, would
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(d) any
Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent; or
(e) any
agreement or commitment (contingent or otherwise) to do any of the
foregoing.
5.9
Legal
Proceedings.
(a) Except
as disclosed in the Parent Reports filed since December 31, 2009, there are no
(i) Actions pending (or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened in writing)
against or affecting Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their
respective properties, at law or in equity, except those that, individually or
in the aggregate, have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) Orders against Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries, except those that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had
and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. As of
the date hereof, there is no Action pending (or, to the knowledge of Parent,
threatened) against Parent that in any manner challenges or seeks to prevent,
enjoin, alter or delay the Merger.
(b) Except
as disclosed in the Parent Reports since December 31, 2009, neither Parent nor
any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any cease-and-desist or other Order or
enforcement action issued by, or is a party to any written agreement, consent
agreement or memorandum of understanding with, or is party to any commitment
letter or similar undertaking to, or is subject to any Order or directive by, or
has been, a recipient of any supervisory letter from, or has been ordered to pay
any civil money penalty by, or has adopted any policies, procedures or board
resolutions at the request or suggestion of any Governmental Entity, in each
case that currently restricts in any respect the conduct of its business or that
in any manner relates to its management or its business (each, a “Parent Regulatory Agreement”),
nor has Parent or any of its Subsidiaries been advised by any Governmental
Entity that it is considering issuing, initiating, ordering or requesting any
such Parent Regulatory Agreement.
5.10 Books and
Records. The financial books, records and accounts of Parent
and its Subsidiaries: (i) have been maintained in
accordance with Canadian GAAP, (ii) are stated in reasonable detail and
accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of
Parent and its Subsidiaries, and (iii) accurately and fairly reflect the
basis for the Parent Financial Statements. The corporate records and minute
books for each of the Parent and its Subsidiaries contain, in all material
respects, complete and accurate minutes of all meetings of the directors and
stockholders of Parent and each of its Subsidiaries held since their
incorporation or amalgamation, as the case may be.
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5.11 Taxes and Tax
Returns. Except where the failure to file Tax Returns or to
pay or withhold Taxes would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Parent,
each of the Parent and its Subsidiaries has duly and timely filed (taking into
account all applicable extensions) all Tax Returns required to be filed by it
(all such Tax Returns being accurate and complete in all material respects), has
timely paid or withheld all Taxes shown thereon as arising and has duly and
timely paid or withheld all Taxes that are due and payable or claimed to be due
from it by federal, state, foreign or local taxing authorities. The
unpaid Taxes of the Parent and its Subsidiaries (i) did not, as of December 31,
2009, exceed the reserve for Tax Liability (rather than any reserve for deferred
Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set
forth on the face of the balance sheet included in the Parent Financial
Information (rather than in any notes thereto) and (ii) as of the Closing Date
will not exceed that reserve as adjusted for the passage of time through the
Effective Time in accordance with the past custom and practice of the Parent and
its Subsidiaries in filing their Tax Returns. Except where the failure to pay or
withhold Taxes would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Parent, the
Parent and each of its Subsidiaries have withheld and paid all Taxes required to
have been withheld and paid in connection with any amounts paid or owing to any
employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder or other third
party. The federal income Tax Returns of the Parent and its
Subsidiaries have been examined by the Canada Revenue Agency or Mexican tax
authorities, as applicable, for all years to and including December 31, 2008.
All assessments for Taxes of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries due with
respect to completed and settled examinations or any concluded litigation have
been fully paid. There are no disputes, audits, examinations or
proceedings pending, or claims asserted, for Taxes upon the Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries other than a review of Xxxxxx Lake de Mexico S.A. de C.V. being
undertaking by Mexican tax authorities. There are no liens for any
material amount of Taxes (other than statutory liens for Taxes not yet due and
payable) upon any of the assets of the Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries.
5.12 Labor and
Employment. Except as described in Parent Reports filed since
December 31, 2009 or in the Data Room Materials, there are no labor unions,
works councils or other organizations representing, purporting to represent or
attempting to represent any employee of Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries. Except as described in Parent Reports filed since
December 31, 2009 or in the Data Room Materials, no strike, slowdown, picketing,
work stoppage, concerted refusal to work overtime or other similar labor
activity has occurred, been threatened or, to the knowledge of Parent, is
anticipated with respect to any employee of the Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries. Other than in respect of the El Cubo Mine, there are no labor
disputes currently subject to any grievance procedure, arbitration or litigation
and there is no representation petition pending, threatened or, to the knowledge
of Parent, anticipated with respect to any employee of the Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries, which, if determined adversely to Parent or its Subsidiaries,
would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither Parent
nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any unfair labor practices within the
meaning of applicable Law. Parent and its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable Laws relating to employment and employment
practices, workers’ compensation, terms and conditions of employment, worker
safety, wages and hours, civil rights, discrimination, and immigration. There
have been no claims of harassment, discrimination, retaliatory act or similar
actions against any employee, officer or director of Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries at any time during the past four years and, to the knowledge of
Parent, no facts exist that could reasonably be expected to give rise to such
claims or actions. To Parent’s knowledge, no employees of Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries are in any material respect in violation of any term of any
employment contract, non-disclosure agreement, non-competition agreement, or any
restrictive covenant to a former employer relating to the right of any such
employee to be employed by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries because of the
nature of the business conducted or presently proposed to be conducted by Parent
or any of its Subsidiaries or to the use of trade secrets or proprietary
information of others.
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5.13 Compliance with Law;
Permits. Except as disclosed in Parent Reports filed since
December 31, 2009 or in the Data Room Materials, Parent and each of its
Subsidiaries have complied with and are not, in any material respect, in default
under or in violation of any applicable Law. Except as disclosed in the Data
Room Materials, the Parent and each of its Subsidiaries has obtained and is in
compliance with all material Permits required by applicable Laws, necessary for
Parent and its Subsidiaries to own, lease and operate their properties and
assets or to carry on their businesses as they are now being conducted (the
“Parent Permits”),
except where the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect. All
Parent Permits are in full force and effect. Except as disclosed in the Data
Room Materials, none of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has knowledge of any
facts, events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in a
failure to obtain or be in compliance with such Permits as are necessary to
conduct its business as it is proposed to be conducted.
5.14 Material
Contracts. Except as specifically disclosed in the Parent
Reports or in the Data Room Materials, neither the Parent nor any of its
Subsidiaries is party to any Material Contract. Each Material Contract is valid
and binding on Parent (or, to the extent a Subsidiary of Parent is a party, such
Subsidiary) and, to the knowledge of Parent, any other party thereto and is in
full force and effect, except to the extent that the failure to be in full force
and effect, and enforceable individually or in the aggregate, has not had and
would not reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect. None of
Parent, its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of Parent, any of the other
parties thereto, is in default or breach of, nor has Parent or its Subsidiaries
received any notice of default or breach of, or termination under, any Material
Contract and, to the knowledge of Parent, there exists no state of facts which
after notice or lapse of time or both that would constitute a default or breach
of such Material Contract, except in the case of those violations that would not
have had or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Prior to the date hereof, Parent has made available to Parent true and complete
copies of all Material Contracts.
5.15 No Undisclosed
Liabilities. Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has
incurred any liability of any nature whatsoever (whether absolute, accrued,
contingent or otherwise and whether due or to become due), except for (i)
liabilities that are reflected or reserved against on the consolidated balance
sheet of Parent included in Parent’s 2009 40-F/A (including any notes thereto),
(ii) liabilities incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, (iii) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course and not
required by Canadian GAAP to be reflected on the 2009 40-F/A balance sheet, (iv)
liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice since December 31, 2009, (v) as set out in the Parent Reports, or(vi)
liabilities that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
5.16 Environmental
Liability. Except as has not had and as not reasonably
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or as disclosed in the Parent
Reports filed since December 31, 2009, to Parent’s knowledge, each of Parent and
Parent’s Subsidiaries and their respective businesses, operations, and
properties, in all material respects:
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(a) is
in compliance with all Environmental Laws and all terms and conditions of all
Environmental Permits;
(b) has
not received any order, request or notice from any Person alleging a violation
of any Environmental Law;
(c) is
not a party to any litigation or administrative proceeding, nor to the knowledge
of Parent, is any litigation or administrative proceeding threatened against it
or its property or assets, which in either case (1) asserts or alleges that it
violated any Environmental Laws, (2) asserts or alleges that it is required to
clean up, remove or take remedial or other response action due to the Release of
any Hazardous Substances, or (3) asserts or alleges that it is required to pay
all or a portion of the cost of any past, present or future cleanup, removal or
remedial or other response action which arises out of or is related to the
Release of any Hazardous Substances, (ii) has no knowledge of any conditions
existing currently which could reasonably be expected to subject it to damages,
penalties, injunctive relief or cleanup costs under any Environmental Laws or
which require or are likely to require cleanup, removal, Remedial Action or
other response by it pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws; and (iii) is not
subject to any judgment, decree, order or citation related to or arising out of
applicable Environmental Law and has not been named or listed as a potentially
responsible party by any Governmental Entity in a matter arising under any
Environmental Laws; and
(d) is
not involved in operations and does not know of any facts, circumstances or
conditions, including any Release of Hazardous Material, that would reasonably
be expected to result in any Environmental Liabilities.
5.17 Property,
Title and Mining Rights.
(a) Parent
and each of its Subsidiaries has good and sufficient title to its real and
immoveable property interests, surface rights, concessions, leases, licenses,
easements, rights of way and permits permitting the use of land or premises by
Parent and its Subsidiaries, necessary to permit the operation of its current
business as it is now being conducted (which, for greater certainty, includes
the exploration for, development of and all production of mineral products from
mineral deposits). Except as disclosed in the Data Room Materials, none of
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has knowledge of any facts, events or
circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in (A) a failure of
title in respect of any real and immoveable property or (B) a failure to hold
such leases, licenses, easements, rights of way or permits that, in either case,
are necessary to permit the operation of its business as it is proposed to be
conducted, unless, in each case, such failure has not had and would not be
reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) No
Person other than Parent and its Subsidiaries has any interest in the property
or any of the mineral rights of Parent or its Subsidiaries or the production or
profits therefrom or any royalty in respect thereof or any right to acquire any
such interest.
(c) There
are no back-in rights, earn-in rights, rights of first refusal or similar
provisions or rights which would affect Parent’s or any of its Subsidiary’s
interest in the property or any of the mineral rights of Parent or its
Subsidiaries.
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(d) There
are no material restrictions on the ability of Parent and its Subsidiaries to
use, transfer or exploit the property or any of the mineral rights of Parent or
its Subsidiaries, except pursuant to the applicable Law.
(e) Neither
Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice, whether written or
oral, from any Governmental Entity of any revocation or intention to revoke any
interest of Parent or a Subsidiary in any of their respective properties or
mineral rights.
(f) All
mines located in or on the lands of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or lands
pooled or unitized therewith, which have been abandoned by Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries, have been abandoned in accordance with good mining practices and
in compliance with all applicable Laws, and all future abandonment, remediation
and reclamation obligations known to Parent as of the date hereof have been
accurately set forth in Parent Documents without omission of information
necessary to make the disclosure not misleading.
5.18 Mineral Reserves and
Resources. The estimated proven and probable mineral reserves
and estimated indicated, measured and inferred mineral resources disclosed in
the Parent Reports have been prepared and disclosed in accordance with National
Instrument 43- 101 – “Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects” of the
Canadian Securities Administrators. Parent has no reason to believe that the
information provided by Parent to the qualified persons in connection with the
preparation of such estimates was not complete and accurate in all material
respects at the time such information was furnished. Except as a result of
minerals extracted from the properties, there has been no material reduction in
the aggregate amount of estimated mineral reserves or estimated mineral
resources of Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from the amounts
disclosed in the Parent Reports.
5.19 Intellectual
Property. Except as would not have or would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, either Parent or a Parent Subsidiary
owns, or is licensed or otherwise possesses adequate rights to use, all
Intellectual Property material to their respective businesses as currently
conducted (“Parent IP”) free and clear of any
Liens (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, obligations to pay royalties in
the case of licensed Intellectual Property), and all such rights shall survive
unchanged the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement.
There are no pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened claims by any
person alleging infringement, misappropriation or other violation by Parent or
any of its Subsidiaries of any other Person’s Intellectual Property. To the
knowledge of Parent, the conduct of the business of Parent and its Subsidiaries
and Parent IP does not misappropriate, infringe or otherwise violate any
Intellectual Property of any other Person. Neither Parent nor any of its
Subsidiaries has made any claim for any misappropriation, infringement or other
violation by others of its rights in, to or in connection with the Intellectual
Property of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries. To the knowledge of Parent, no
person is misappropriating, infringing or otherwise violating any Intellectual
Property of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
5.20 Restrictions on Business
Activities. There is no arbitral award, judgment, injunction,
order or decree binding upon Parent or any of its Subsidiaries that has or could
reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting, restricting, or
impairing any business practice of any of them, any acquisition or disposition
of property by any of them, or the conduct of the business by any of them as
currently conducted.
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5.21 Expropriation. No
part of the property or assets of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has been
taken, condemned or expropriated by any Governmental Entity nor has any written
notice or proceeding in respect thereof been given or commenced nor does Parent
or any of its Subsidiaries know of any intent or proposal to give such notice or
commence any such proceedings.
5.22 Insurance. As of
the date hereof, Parent and its Subsidiaries have such policies of insurance as
are included in Section 5.22 of the Parent Disclosure Letter. All
insurance maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is in full force and
effect and in good standing and neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is in
default, whether as to payment of premium or otherwise, under the terms of any
such insurance nor has Parent or any of its Subsidiaries failed to give any
notice or present any material claim under any such insurance in a due and
timely fashion or received notice of any intent of an insurer to either claim
any default on the part of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or not to renew any
policy of insurance on its expiry or to increase any deductible or cost in any
material respect.
5.23 Related Party
Transactions. Except as contemplated hereby or as disclosed in
the Parent Reports, there are no Contracts or other transactions currently in
place between Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and: (i) to
the knowledge of Parent, any officer or director of Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries; (ii) any holder of record or, to the knowledge of Parent,
beneficial owner of 5% or more of the Parent Common Shares; and (iii) to the
knowledge of Parent, any affiliate or associate of any such, officer, director,
holder of record or beneficial owner, on the other hand.
5.24 Parent
Information. The information relating to Parent and its
Subsidiaries that is provided by Parent and MergerCo for inclusion in the Proxy
Statement, or the information relating to Parent and its Subsidiaries that is
provided by Parent or MergerCo or its representatives for inclusion in any other
document filed with any other Governmental Entity in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, will not, at any time, contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they are
made, not misleading. All documents that Parent is required to file
with the SEC pursuant to its obligations under this Agreement (including the
Form F-4 (except for such portions thereof that relate only to Company or its
Subsidiaries) will comply in all material respects with the provisions of the
Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and
Applicable Canadian Securities Laws.
5.25 Ownership of Company
Securities. Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries
beneficially owns any shares of Company Common Stock or any options, warrants or
other rights to acquire equity securities of the Company.
5.26 Data Room
Information. All Parent Data Room Materials are listed in the
index posted in the Parent Data Site and the Parent Data Room Materials were
accurate in all material respects as at their respective date as stated therein,
or, if any Parent Data Room Materials are undated, as of the date of their
delivery to the Parent Data Site for purposes of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement. Additionally, all information provided to the Company in
relation to the Company’s due diligence requests, including information not
provided in the Parent Data Room Materials, is accurate in all material respects
as at its respective date as stated therein. To the extent that there has been a
material change to any of the Parent Data Room Materials or any other
information provided to Parent since the date posted to the Parent Data Site or
provided to Parent, as the case may be, such information is accurate in all
material respects or is no longer relevant or material to Parent or additional
information has been provided in the Parent Data Site or to the Company which
supersedes or replaces such information.
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ARTICLE 6
COVENANTS
RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
6.1
Covenants
of the Company
(a) During
the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, except as
expressly contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, the Company shall, and
shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, use commercially reasonable efforts to
maintain and preserve intact its business organization, employees and business
relationships and retain the services of its key officers and key employees,
except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The
directors of the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the
Company, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and consultants to take
such steps, as may be necessary to amend each Change of Control Agreement with
any Person that provides for a Change of Control Payment, so as to provide that
any Change of Control Payment paid to any Person shall be payable in Parent
Common Shares, or in cash at the sole election of Parent; provided, however,
that such Change of Control Agreements, as so amended, shall provide that Parent
shall pay the Change of Control Payments in cash if the TSX does not approve the
payment of such Change of Control Payments in Parent Common
Shares. The number of Parent Common Shares to be paid to any such
Person in satisfaction of any Change of Control Payment shall be determined by
dividing the cash value of the Change of Control Payment payable to such Person
by the volume weighted average price of the Parent Common Shares on the NYSE for
the five trading days immediately preceding the Closing Date (or at such other
price as is required by the TSX). Such Parent Common Shares shall be
registered and freely tradable under applicable Canadian and United States
securities Laws; provided, however, that such Parent Common Shares shall be
subject to any restrictions under Applicable Canadian Securities Laws relating
to distributions by control persons, and any restrictions under the Securities
Act applicable to sales by affiliates of an issuer. Notwithstanding
this Section 6.1(b) the Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries not
to: (i) enter into any Change of Control Agreement that is not in existence on
the date of this Agreement and disclosed on Schedule 4.18, (ii) amend or
otherwise modify any Change of Control Agreement except as expressly required by
the provisions of this Agreement, or (iii) amend or otherwise modify any other
agreement in any manner that would cause such agreement to entitle a Person to a
Change of Control Payment. In connection with the sale of any Parent
Common Shares sold by any Person who has received such Parent Common Shares,
Parent agrees to re-imburse such Person for up to 1% of any reasonable broker’s
commissions and fees related to the sale of such Parent Common Shares through
the facilities of any stock exchange on which the Parent Common Shares are
traded or quoted for trading.
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(c) The
directors of the Company shall cause the beneficial owners of Caborca, and
Caborca Industrial S.A. de C.V., a Mexican corporation (“Caborca”), to enter into an
agreement (the “Caborca
Sale Agreement”) with Parent and/or
such of Parent’s Subsidiaries as Parent shall determine in its sole discretion,
on terms and conditions reasonably acceptable to Parent, pursuant to which all
of the ownership interests or assets of Caborca shall be transferred to such
Subsidiary(ies) of Parent as Parent shall determine in its sole discretion, with
such transfer to be closed concurrently with the Effective Time, or at such
other time as Parent shall determine in its sole discretion.
(d) The
Company shall use reasonable commercial efforts to cause key employees of the
Company as requested by Parent to be seconded to the Parent for up to six months
following the Effective Time for the purposes of assisting in transition
issues.
(e) The
Company shall, subject to applicable Laws, use commercially reasonable efforts
to conduct itself so as to keep Parent fully informed as to the material
decisions or actions made or required to be made with respect to the operation
of its business and that of its Subsidiaries.
(f) Until
the Effective Time or the day upon which this Agreement is terminated, whichever
is earlier, subject to compliance with applicable Laws, the Company
shall:
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(i)
|
give
Parent and its authorized representatives (including counsel, financial
advisors and auditors) reasonable access during normal business hours or
other mutually agreeable times to all employees, offices, properties,
facilities, financial information, management reports, budgets,
information systems, procurement and other information concerning the
Company’s businesses and other facilities and to all books and records of
the Company and its Subsidiaries, and give Parent and its authorized
representatives sufficient opportunity and time to review all information
so disclosed subject, in the case of any mine site inspection, to the
compliance by Parent and its representatives with applicable health and
safety laws and the health and safety procedures of the Company and its
subsidiaries;
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(ii)
|
permit
Parent and its authorized representatives (including counsel, financial
advisors and auditors) to make such inspections as Parent may reasonably
require subject, in the case of any mine site inspection, to the
compliance by Parent and its representatives with applicable health and
safety laws and the health and safety procedures of the Company and its
subsidiaries; and
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|
(iii)
|
cause
the Company’s officers and those of its Subsidiaries to furnish Parent
promptly with such financial and operating data and other information with
respect to the business, properties, personnel (including with respect to
labor relations and union organizing activities), information systems or
other aspects of the Company and its Subsidiaries as Parent may from time
to time reasonably request.
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(g) The
Company shall provide to Parent a certificate (the “FIRPTA Certificate”), signed
under penalties of perjury and in form and substance as required under Section
1.897-2(h) of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code, stating that
an interest in the Company is not a “United States real property interest” for
purposes of Section 897 of the Code. At least ten business days prior
to the Closing Date the Company shall inform Parent whether it has concluded
that it cannot provide the FIRPTA Certificate and shall provide a reasonably
detailed analysis of the reasons why the Company cannot deliver the FIRPTA
Certificate. The failure of the Company to deliver the FIRPTA
Certificate shall not affect the obligation of Parent and MergerCo to effect the
Merger, but instead shall permit Parent and/or MergerCo to deduct and withhold
from the Merger Consideration such amounts as may be required to be withheld by
applicable Tax law as contemplated by Section 2.1(b) and Section
3.3.
6.2
Company Forbearances. During
the period from the date of this Agreement to the earlier of (i) the Effective
Time or (ii) the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms,
except as set forth in Section 6.2 of the Company Disclosure Letter and except
as expressly contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, the Company shall not,
and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, without the prior written
consent of Parent:
(a) (i) other
than dividends and distributions by a direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary
of the Company to the Company or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary
of the Company, declare, set aside or pay any dividends on, make any other
distributions in respect of, or enter into any agreement with respect to the
voting of, any of its capital stock, (ii) split, combine or reclassify any
of its capital stock or issue or authorize the issuance of any other securities
in respect of, in lieu of, or in substitution for, shares of its capital stock,
except upon the exercise of Company Stock Options that are outstanding as of the
date hereof in accordance with their present terms, or (iii) purchase,
redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock or other securities of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any rights, warrants or options to
acquire any such shares or other securities (other than the withholding of
Company Common Stock to satisfy the exercise price or Tax withholding upon the
exercise of Company Stock Options outstanding as of the date hereof in
accordance with their present terms and the Company’s practices as of the date
hereof);
(b) issue,
deliver, sell, pledge or otherwise encumber or subject to any Lien any shares of
its capital stock, any other voting securities, including any restricted shares
of Company Common Stock, or any securities convertible into, or any rights,
warrants or options to acquire, any such shares, voting securities or
convertible securities, including any Company Stock Options (other than the
issuance of Company Common Stock upon the exercise of Company Stock Options
outstanding as of the date hereof in accordance with their present
terms);
(c) amend
its certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other comparable organizational
documents;
(d) conduct
its business other than in the usual and ordinary course, consistent with past
practice;
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(e) directly
or indirectly, or through any officer, director or Representative, acquire,
agree to acquire, or initiate or participate in discussions to acquire,
including by merging or consolidating with, or by purchasing any assets or any
equity securities of, or by reorganization, recapitalization or by any other
manner, any business, Person or interests in any assets, properties or
subsidiaries not owned directly or indirectly by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries on the date of this Agreement, or otherwise acquire or agree to
acquire any assets except inventory or other similar assets in the usual and
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(f) sell,
lease, license, mortgage or otherwise encumber or subject to any Lien, or
otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets, other than the sale of
gold, minerals or other assets in the ordinary course of business, or create any
security interest in such assets or properties;
(g) except
for borrowings having a maturity of not more than 30 days under existing credit
facilities in amounts not to exceed $15 million in the aggregate, and only to
the extent required in order to operate its business in the ordinary course as
operated on the date of this Agreement, incur any Indebtedness for borrowed
money or issue any debt securities or assume, guarantee or endorse, or otherwise
become responsible for the obligations of any Person (other than the Company or
any wholly owned Subsidiary thereof), or make any loans, advances or capital
contributions to, or investments in, any Person other than its wholly owned
Subsidiaries and as a result of ordinary advances and reimbursements to
employees;
(h) change
its accounting methods (or underlying assumptions), principles or practices
affecting its assets, liabilities or business, including any reserving, renewal
or residual method, practice or policy, in each case, in effect on the date
hereof, except as required by changes in U.S. GAAP or regulatory accounting
principles applicable to it;
(i) enter
into any new line of business or change in any material respect its operating,
asset liability, investment or risk management or other similar policies of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(j) make
any investment, whether by purchase of stock or securities, contributions to
capital, property transfers, or entering into binding agreements with respect to
any such investment or acquisition except those required to operate its business
as operated on the date of this Agreement;
(k) make,
change or revoke any Tax election, adopt or change any accounting method for Tax
purposes, change any accounting period for Tax purposes, amend any Tax Return,
amend or enter any closing agreement with respect to an amount of Taxes, settle
or compromise any income Tax liability, surrender any right to claim a refund of
Taxes, consent to any extension or waiver of the limitation period applicable to
any Tax claim or assessment, or take any similar action with respect to the
filing of any Tax Return or payment of any Tax;
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(l) terminate,
waive, amend or otherwise modify any provision of any Material Contract other
than normal renewals of Contracts without material changes, additions or
deletions of terms, or enter into or renew any agreement or contract or other
binding obligation of the Company or its Subsidiaries containing (i) any
restriction on the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries, or, after the
Merger, Parent and its Subsidiaries, to conduct its business as it is presently
being conducted or currently contemplated to be conducted after the Merger or
(ii) any restriction on the Company or its Subsidiaries, or, after the Merger,
Parent and its Subsidiaries, in engaging in any type or activity or
business;
(m) (i)
incur any expenditures in excess of $250,000 in the aggregate or (ii) enter into
any agreement obligating the Company to spend, together with expenditures under
clause (i), more than $250,000 in the aggregate, except for the expenditures
specified in the Company’s Budget, a true and correct copy of which is attached
as Section 6.2(m) to the Company Disclosure Letter;
(n) except
as required by agreements or instruments in effect on the date hereof, alter in
any material respect, or enter into any commitment to alter in any material
respect, any interest in any corporation, association, joint venture,
partnership or business entity in which the Company directly or indirectly holds
any equity or ownership interest on the date hereof;
(o) acquire,
directly or indirectly and whether by purchase or otherwise, any voting
securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for voting securities
of Parent, any of its Subsidiaries or any other Person or direct or indirect
rights or options to acquire any voting securities of Parent, its Subsidiaries
or any other Person other than securities which may be issuable on the exercise
or conversion of securities currently held by the Company or its
Subsidiaries;
(p) except
to the extent required by applicable Law, by written agreements existing on the
date of this Agreement that have been provided to Parent, or with consent of
Parent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, (i) grant or
announce any stock option, equity or incentive awards or increase in the
salaries, bonuses or other compensation and benefits payable by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries to any of the employees, officers, directors,
stockholders or other service providers of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, (ii) hire any new employees (other than employees located in
Mexico who have responsibilities below the level of department head) in the
ordinary course of business, (iii) pay or agree to pay any pension,
retirement allowance, termination or severance pay, bonus or other employee
benefit not required by any existing Company Benefit Plan or other agreement or
arrangement in effect on the date of this Agreement to any employee, officer,
director, stockholder or other service provider of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, whether past or present, (iv) enter into or amend any
contracts of employment or any consulting, bonus, severance, retention,
retirement or similar agreement, or (v) except as required to ensure that
any Company Benefit Plan is not then out of compliance with applicable Law,
enter into or adopt any new, or increase benefits under or renew, amend or
terminate any existing, Company Benefit Plan or benefit arrangement or any
collective bargaining agreement, provided, that the Company shall provide
advance written notice to Parent of any action of the Company pursuant to clause
(v) of this Section 6.2(p);
(q) communicate
with employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries regarding the
compensation, benefits or other treatment that they will receive in connection
with the Merger, except with prior written consent of Parent or pursuant to
written directives provided by Parent to the Company in advance of any such
communication;
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(r) agree,
enter into or consent to any agreement or modifications of any existing
agreements with any Governmental Entity in respect of the operations of its
business, except as required by Law;
(s) pay,
discharge, settle or compromise any claim, action, litigation, arbitration,
suit, investigation or proceeding;
(t) issue
any broadly distributed communication of a general nature to employees
(including general communications relating to benefits and compensation),
customers, suppliers, consults or others without the prior written approval of
Parent (which will not be unreasonably delayed or withheld), except for
communications in the ordinary course of business that do not relate to the
Merger or other transactions contemplated hereby;
(u) let
lapse, abandon or cancel any registered Company IP owned by the Company or its
Subsidiaries;
(v) take
any action, or omit to take any action, that would impede or materially delay
the ability of the parties to obtain any of the Requisite Approvals or Key Third
Party Consents required for the transactions contemplated hereby or to perform
its covenants and agreements under this Agreement or to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby;
(w) take
any action that is intended or is reasonably likely to result in any of its
representations or warranties set forth in this Agreement being or becoming
untrue at any time prior to the Effective Time, or in any of the conditions to
the Merger set forth in Article 8 not being satisfied or in a violation of
any provision of this Agreement, except, in every case, as may be required by
applicable Law; or
(x) agree
to take, make any commitment to take, or adopt any resolutions of its board of
directors in support of, any of the actions prohibited by this Section
6.2.
6.3
Covenants of
the Parent
(a) During
the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, Parent shall,
and shall cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, use commercially
reasonable efforts to maintain and preserve intact its business organization,
employees and advantageous business relationships and retain the services of its
key officers and key employees, except in relation to the El Cubo Mine or where
the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) Until
the Effective Time or the day upon which this Agreement is terminated, whichever
is earlier, subject to compliance with applicable Laws, Parent
shall:
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(i)
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give
the Company and its authorized representatives (including counsel,
financial advisors and auditors) reasonable access during normal business
hours or other mutually agreeable times to all employees, offices,
properties, facilities, financial information, management reports,
budgets, information systems, procurement and other information concerning
the Parent’s businesses and other facilities and to all books and records
of Parent and its Subsidiaries, and give the Company and its authorized
representatives sufficient opportunity and time to review all information
so disclosed;
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(ii)
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permit
the Company and its authorized representatives (including counsel,
financial advisors and auditors) to make such inspections as the Company
may reasonably require; and
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(iii)
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cause
Parent’s officers and those of its Subsidiaries to furnish the Company
promptly with such financial and operating data and other information with
respect to the business, properties, personnel (including with respect to
labor relations and union organizing activities), information systems or
other aspects of Parent and its Subsidiaries as the Company may from time
to time reasonably request.
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6.4
Parent
Forbearances. During the period from the date of this
Agreement to the Effective Time, Parent shall not, and shall not permit any of
its Subsidiaries to, without the prior written consent of the
Company:
(a) amend,
repeal or otherwise modify any provision of Parent Articles or Parent By-laws in
a manner that would be materially adverse to the Company or its stockholders or
that would materially impede Parent’s or MergerCo’s ability to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby;
(b) amend,
repeal or otherwise modify any provision of MergerCo’s certificate of
incorporation or by-laws in a manner that would be materially adverse to the
Company or its stockholders or that would impede Parent’s or MergerCo’ ability
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby;
(c) except
for actions permitted by this Agreement (including actions permitted by Section
7.12) take any action that is intended or is reasonably likely to result in any
of its representations or warranties set forth in this Agreement being or
becoming untrue in any material respect at any time prior to the Effective Time,
or in any of the conditions to the Merger set forth in Article 8 not being
satisfied or in a violation of any provision of this Agreement, except, in every
case, as may be required by applicable Law;
(d) take
any action that would reasonably be expected to prevent or materially impede or
delay the obtaining of, or materially adversely affect the ability of the
parties to obtain, any necessary approvals of any Governmental Entity required
for the transactions contemplated hereby or to perform its covenants and
agreements under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby;
(e) change
its primary business activities away from the exploration, development and
production of gold and silver; or
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(f) agree
to take, make any commitment to take, or adopt any resolutions of its board of
directors in support of, any of the actions prohibited by this Section
6.3.
ARTICLE 7
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
7.1
Regulatory
Matters. (a) The Company shall promptly prepare and
file with the SEC the Proxy Statement and Parent shall promptly prepare and file
with the SEC the Form F-4, in which the Proxy Statement will be included as part
of as a prospectus. Parent shall promptly prepare the Parent Proxy
Statement, if required, and promptly mail or deliver the Parent Proxy Statement
to its stockholders and file it with all securities regulatory authorities
having jurisdiction. Each of Parent and the Company shall use their
commercially reasonable efforts to have the Form F-4 declared effective under
the Securities Act as promptly as practicable after such filing, and the Company
shall thereafter mail or deliver the Proxy Statement to Company stockholders.
Parent shall also use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all
necessary state securities law or “blue sky” permits and approvals required to
carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and the Company shall
furnish all information concerning the Company and the holders of Company Common
Stock and Company Stock Options as may be reasonably requested in connection
with any such action. Each of Parent and the Company shall, as promptly as
reasonably practicable after receipt thereof, provide the other party copies of
any written comments and advise the other party of any oral comments, with
respect to the Proxy Statement and/or the Form F-4 received from the
SEC. Each party shall also advise the other party, as promptly as
reasonably practicable after receipt of notice thereof, of the time when the
Form F-4 has become effective, the issuance of any stop order, or the
suspensions of the qualification of the Parent Common Shares issuable in
connection with the Merger for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction. The parties shall cooperate and provide the other with
a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on any amendment or supplement to
the Proxy Statement, Parent Proxy Statement and the Form F-4 prior to filing
such with the SEC and will provide each other with a copy of all such filings
with the SEC to the extent not otherwise publicly available. If at
any time prior to the Effective Time, Parent or the Company has knowledge of any
information relating to Parent or the Company, or any of their respective
officers, directors or other affiliates, which should be set forth in an
amendment or supplement to the Form F-4, Parent Proxy Statement or the Proxy
Statement so that any such document would not include any misstatement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, the party which discovers such information shall promptly notify
the other party and, to the extent required by applicable Laws, an appropriate
amendment or supplement describing such information shall be promptly filed with
the SEC and, to the extent required under applicable Law, disseminated to the
stockholders of the Company.
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(b) The
parties shall cooperate with each other and use their respective commercially
reasonable efforts to promptly prepare and file all necessary documentation
(including notification and report forms required under the HSR Act and any
applicable Laws in other jurisdictions governing antitrust, competition or
merger control matters), to effect all applications, notices, petitions and
filings, to obtain as promptly as practicable all permits, consents, approvals,
clearances and authorizations of all third parties and Governmental Entities
that are necessary or advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement (including the Merger), to use commercially reasonable efforts to
cause the expiration or termination of any applicable waiting periods, or
receipt of required authorizations, as applicable, under the HSR Act, and any
applicable Laws in other jurisdictions governing antitrust or merger control
matters, to supply as promptly as practicable any additional information and
documentary material that may be requested pursuant to the HSR Act, or any
applicable Laws in foreign jurisdictions governing antitrust, competition or
merger control matters and to comply with the terms and conditions of all such
permits, consents, approvals, clearances and authorizations of all such
Governmental Entities. The Company and Parent shall have the right to
review in advance, and, to the extent practicable, each will consult the other
on, in each case subject to applicable Laws relating to the exchange of
information, all the information relating to the Company or Parent, as the case
may be, and any of their respective Subsidiaries, which appear in any filing
made with, or written materials submitted to, any third party or any
Governmental Entity in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. In exercising the foregoing right, each of the parties
shall act reasonably and as promptly as practicable. The parties
shall consult with each other with respect to the obtaining of all permits,
consents, approvals, clearances and authorizations of all third parties and
Governmental Entities necessary or advisable to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and each party will keep the other apprised of
the status of matters relating to completion of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, including promptly furnishing the other with copies of notices
or other communications received by the Company or Parent, as the case may be,
or any of their respective Subsidiaries, from any third party and/or any
Governmental Entity with respect to such
transactions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this
Agreement shall require Parent or the Company to take any action, or commit to
take any action, or agree to any condition or restriction, in connection with
obtaining the foregoing permits, consents, approvals, clearances and
authorizations of third parties or Governmental Entities, that would reasonably
be expected to have a material adverse effect (measured on a scale relative to
the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole) on Parent, the Company or
the Surviving Company (a “Materially Burdensome
Condition”). In addition, the Company and Parent agree to
cooperate and use their commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file such
petitions and filings, and to obtain such permits, consents, approvals,
clearances and authorizations of third parties and Governmental Entities, that
may be necessary or advisable to effect any mergers and/or consolidations of
Subsidiaries of the Company and Parent following consummation of the
Merger.
(c) Subject
to the provisos contained in Section 7.1(b), if any administrative or judicial
action or proceeding, including any proceeding by a private party, is instituted
(or threatened to be instituted) challenging any transaction contemplated by
this Agreement, each of the Company and Parent shall cooperate in all respects
with the other and shall use their respective commercially reasonable efforts to
contest and resist any such action or proceeding and to have vacated, lifted,
reversed or overturned any decree, judgment, injunction or other order, whether
temporary, preliminary or permanent, that is in effect and that prohibits,
prevents or restricts consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of
this Agreement, nothing in this Section 7.1 shall limit a party’s right to
terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.1(b) or 9.1(c) so long as such
party has, prior to such termination, complied with its obligations under this
Section 7.1.
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(d) Each
of Parent and the Company shall, upon request, furnish to the other all
information concerning itself, its Subsidiaries, directors, officers and
stockholders and such other matters as may be reasonably necessary or advisable
in connection with the Proxy Statement, Parent Proxy Statement, the Form F-4 or
any other statement, filing, notice or application made by or on behalf of
Parent, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries to any Governmental
Entity, the NYSE or the TSX in connection with the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(e) Each
of Parent, MergerCo and the Company shall promptly advise the other upon
receiving any communication from any Governmental Entity the consent or approval
of which is required for consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, or from the NYSE or TSX, that causes such party to believe that there
is a reasonable likelihood that any Requisite Approval will not be obtained or
that the receipt of any such approval may be materially delayed, and, to the
extent permitted by applicable Law, shall promptly provide the other party with
a copy of such communication.
7.2
Access to
Information. (a) Upon reasonable notice and subject
to applicable Laws relating to the exchange of information, each of the Company
and Parent shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, afford to the
officers, employees, accountants, counsel and other representatives of the
other, reasonable access, during normal business hours during the period prior
to the Effective Time, to all its properties, books, contracts, commitments and
records, and, during such period, the parties shall, and shall cause its
Subsidiaries to, make available to the other party all other information
concerning its business, properties and personnel as the other may reasonably
request. Each of the Company and Parent shall, and shall cause each
of their respective Subsidiaries to, provide to Parent a copy of each report,
schedule, registration statement and other document filed by it during such
period pursuant to the requirements of applicable securities
laws. Neither the Company nor Parent nor any of their respective
Subsidiaries shall be required to provide access to or to disclose information
where such access or disclosure would jeopardize the attorney-client privilege
of such party or its Subsidiaries or contravene any Law, Order, fiduciary duty
or binding agreement entered into prior to the date of this
Agreement. The parties shall make appropriate substitute disclosure
arrangements under circumstances in which the restrictions of the preceding
sentence apply.
(b) All
information and materials provided pursuant to this Agreement shall be subject
to the provisions of the Letter of Intent.
(c) No
investigation by any of the parties or their respective representatives shall
affect the representations and warranties of the other set forth in this
Agreement.
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7.3
Company Stockholder
Approval. The Company shall, as soon as reasonably
practicable, and in any event prior to the date which is three months from the
date hereof, call a meeting of its stockholders to be held for the purpose of
obtaining the requisite stockholder approval required in connection with this
Agreement and the Merger (the “Company Stockholder Meeting”),
and the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such meeting
to be held on or before the date which is four months from the date hereof, and
such meeting shall in any event occur no later than the date which is seven
months from the date hereof; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
responsible for any delay or failure of the foregoing events to occur on or
before the specified dates if the reason for such delay or failure is that, due
to no fault on the part of the Company, the Company’s auditors or other Company
advisors, either the Form F-4 to be prepared and filed with the SEC by Parent
or, if necessary, the Proxy Statement to be Prepared by the Company remains
under review, and subject to further comment, by the SEC and the SEC shall not
have declared the Form F-4 effective or, if necessary, cleared the Proxy
Statement, and in such event, the Company Stockholder Meeting shall occur no
later than 30 days after the later of: (i) the date that the Form F-4 is
declared effective and (ii) if necessary, the date that the Proxy Statement is
cleared by the SEC, as applicable. Subject to Section 7.11(c), the
Board of Directors of the Company (i) has resolved to and shall recommend to the
Company’s stockholders that such stockholders vote in favor of the approval and
adoption of this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby (the “Company
Recommendation”) and the
Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such approval and
adoption, and (ii) shall, if a Takeover Proposal shall have been made to the
holders of Company Common Stock or any Person shall have publicly announced an
intention to make a Takeover Proposal, publicly reaffirm the Company
Recommendation by press release within 2 Business Days of any written request by
Parent (or in the event that the Company Stockholder Meeting is scheduled to
occur within such 2-Business Day period, prior to the time or at such meeting).
Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, including Section 7.11(d), this
Agreement and the Merger shall be submitted to the stockholders of the Company
at the Company Stockholder Meeting for the purpose of approving the Agreement
and the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Without the prior written consent of Parent, no other business shall be
conducted at the Company Stockholder Meeting other than obtaining the requisite
approval of the Company’s stockholders for the Merger.
7.4
Parent Stockholder
Approval. If required by Law, the Parent shall, as soon as
reasonably practicable, and in any event prior to the date which is three months
from the date hereof, call a meeting of its stockholders to be held for the
purpose of obtaining the requisite stockholder approval required in connection
with this Agreement and the Merger (the “Parent Stockholder Meeting”),
and the Parent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such meeting
to be held on or before the date which is four months from the date hereof, and
such meeting shall in any event occur no later than the date which is seven
months from the date hereof; provided, however, that the Parent shall not be
responsible for any delay or failure of the foregoing events to occur on or
before the specified dates if the reason for such delay or failure is that, due
to no fault on the part of the Parent, the Form F-4 to be prepared and filed
with the SEC by Parent remains under review, and subject to further comment, by
the SEC and the SEC shall not have declared the Form F-4 effective, and in such
event, the Parent Stockholder Meeting shall occur no later than 30 days after
the date that the Form F-4 is declared effective. The board of
directors of the Parent has resolved to and shall recommend to the Parent’s
stockholders that such stockholders vote in favor of the issuance of the Merger
Consideration as contemplated hereby and the Parent shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to obtain such approval at the Parent Stockholder
Meeting. Without the prior written consent of Company, no other
business shall be conducted at the Parent Stockholder Meeting other than
obtaining the requisite approval of the Parent’s stockholders for the issuance
of the Merger Consideration and the ratification of the Parent’s stockholder
rights plan.
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7.5
Legal Conditions to
Merger. Each of Parent and the Company shall, and shall cause
its Subsidiaries to, use its commercially reasonable efforts (i) to take, or
cause to be taken, all actions necessary, proper or advisable to comply promptly
with all legal requirements that may be imposed on such party or its
Subsidiaries with respect to the Merger and, subject to the conditions set forth
in Article 8, to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, and (ii) to obtain (and to cooperate with the other party to obtain)
any material consent, authorization, order or approval of, or any exemption by,
any Governmental Entity and any other third party that is required to be
obtained by the Company or Parent or any of their respective Subsidiaries in
connection with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
7.6
NYSE
and TSX Listings. Parent shall promptly apply for and cause
the Parent Common Shares (including Parent Common Shares issuable upon exercise
of Assumed Options) to be issued pursuant to the Merger to be approved for
listing on the NYSE and TSX, subject to official notice of issuance and, in the
case of the TSX, satisfaction of customary listing conditions, prior to the
Effective Time.
7.7
Employee
Matters. From and after the Effective Time, the employees of
the Company and its Subsidiaries who are employed by the Company immediately
prior to the Effective Time and who remain employed with the Surviving Company
or Parent thereafter (the “Assumed Employees”) will be offered
participation and coverage under the employee benefit plans of Parent and its
Subsidiaries that are generally made available to the employees of Parent and
its Subsidiaries; provided, that continued participation and coverage following
the Effective Time under the Company Benefit Plans as in effect immediately
prior to the Effective Time shall be deemed to satisfy the obligations under
this sentence, it being understood that the Assumed Employees may commence
participating in the comparable benefit plans of Parent on different dates
following the Effective Time with respect to different comparable benefit plans
of Parent. Nothing in this Section 7.7 shall preclude Parent or its
Subsidiaries at any time following the Effective Time from terminating the
employment of any Assumed Employee for any reasons (or no
reason). Without limiting the generality of Section 10.11, this
Section 7.7 shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party
to this Agreement, and nothing in this Section 7.7, express or implied, is
intended to confer upon any other Person, including without limitation, any
current or former director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, any rights or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason
of this 7.7.
7.8
Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’
Insurance
(a) As
of the Effective Time, the indemnification and exculpation provisions contained
in the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Company shall be
at least as favorable to individuals who immediately prior to the Effective Time
were directors, officers, agents or employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries
or otherwise entitled to indemnification under the Company Bylaws or Company
Certificate of Incorporation or such similar organizational documents of any
Company Subsidiary (an “Indemnified Party”) as those contained as
of the date hereof in the Company Bylaws and Company Certificate of
Incorporation or such similar organizational documents of any Company
Subsidiary, and shall not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified for a
period of six years after the Effective Time in any manner that would adversely
affect the rights thereunder of any Indemnified Party; provided, however, that
nothing contained herein shall limit Parent’s ability to merge the Surviving
Company into Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any other person or otherwise
eliminate the Company’s or the Surviving Company’s corporate existence so long
as such rights are preserved.
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(b) The
Company shall purchase, prior to the Effective Time, a six-year prepaid “tail
policy” on terms and conditions (in both amount and scope) providing
substantially equivalent benefits as the current policies of directors’ and
officers’ liability insurance maintained by the Company with respect to acts or
omissions occurring prior to the Effective Time that were committed by such
officers, directors and other individuals named as insureds under the director
and officer insurance policy of the Company in effect on the date of this
Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not
expend more than 200% per year of coverage of the amount currently expended by
the Company per year of coverage as of the date of this Agreement (the “Maximum Amount”) to maintain or
procure insurance coverage pursuant hereto. If the Company is unable
to obtain or the Surviving Company is unable to maintain the insurance called
for by this Section 7.8, the Company shall obtain, or the Surviving Company
shall maintain, as the case may be, as much comparable insurance as is
reasonably available to the Company or the Surviving Company for substantially
similar policies for the Maximum Amount. The Indemnified Parties may
be required to make reasonable application and provide reasonable and customary
representations and warranties to the Company’s insurance carrier for the
purpose of obtaining such insurance.
(c) The
provisions of this Section 7.8 shall survive the Effective Time and are intended
to be for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each Indemnified Party
and his or her heirs and representatives. The obligations of the
Surviving Company and its Subsidiaries under this Section 7.8 shall not be
terminated or modified in such a manner as to adversely affect the rights of any
Indemnified Party (or, if deceased, his or her heirs or beneficiaries) to whom
this Section 7.8 applies without the consent of such affected
person.
7.9
Additional
Agreements. In case at any time after the Effective Time any
further action is necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this
Agreement or to vest the Surviving Company with full title to all properties,
assets, rights, approvals, immunities and franchises of either party to the
Merger, the proper officers and directors of each party and their respective
Subsidiaries shall take all such necessary action as may be reasonably requested
by, and at the sole expense of, Parent.
7.10 Advice of
Changes. Each of Parent, MergerCo and the Company shall
promptly advise the other of any fact, change, effect, event, occurrence,
development or state of circumstances (i) having or would reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on it or (ii) that it believes would or would
be reasonably likely to cause or constitute a material breach of any of its
representations, warranties or covenants contained in this Agreement; provided,
however, that no such notification shall affect the representations, warranties,
covenants or agreements of the parties (or remedies with respect thereto) or the
conditions to the obligations of the parties under this Agreement; provided,
further, that a failure to comply with this Section 7.10 shall not constitute
the failure of any condition set forth in Article 8 to be satisfied unless
the Material Adverse Effect or material breach, in each case, that has occurred
or that is reasonably likely to occur, would independently result in the failure
of a condition set forth in Article 8 to be satisfied.
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7.11 No
Solicitation
(a) The
Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and their respective
Representatives not to, directly or indirectly through another Person or
otherwise: (i) solicit, initiate, approve, endorse, recommend or encourage,
or take any other action designed to, or which could reasonably be expected to,
result in or facilitate any inquiry or the making or announcement of any
proposal or offer that constitutes, or that would reasonably be expected to lead
to, a Takeover Proposal or the making or consummation thereof (including by way
of furnishing information or entering into any form of agreement, arrangement or
understanding), (ii) enter into, continue or otherwise participate in any
discussions or negotiations regarding, or provide to any Person any information,
or otherwise cooperate in any way with, any Takeover Proposal, or
(iii) approve or recommend, or propose to approve or recommend, or
consummate, execute or enter into any letter of intent, memorandum of
understanding or agreement in principle (whether or not binding), or any merger
agreement, acquisition agreement, exchange agreement, option agreement, joint
venture agreement, partnership agreement or other Contract, constituting or
related to, or that is intended to or could reasonably be expected to lead to a
Takeover Proposal (other than confidentiality agreements contemplated by this
Section 7.11), (iv) waive, terminate, modify or fail to enforce any
provision of any confidentiality or standstill obligation of any Person other
than Parent, or (v) propose publicly or resolve to agree to do any of the
foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time prior to
receipt of the Company Stockholder Approval, in response to an unsolicited bona
fide written Takeover Proposal (which was not obtained as a result of breach of
this Section 7.11, if, and only if, the Board of Directors of the Company
reasonably determines in good faith (after consultation with outside counsel and
Cormark or a financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation in Canada or
the United States) (1) that such Takeover Proposal would, if consummated in
accordance with its terms, constitute, or is reasonably likely to lead to, a
Superior Proposal, and (2) that the failure to take such action would cause
it to violate its fiduciary duties, then the Company may, provided that the
Company has strictly complied with this Section 7.11, (A) provide
information with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries to the Person
making such Takeover Proposal (and its Representatives) and (B) participate
in discussions or negotiations with the Person making such Takeover Proposal
(and its Representatives) regarding such Takeover Proposal; provided that (x)
before providing any such information or participating in any such discussions
or negotiations, the Company first enters into a confidentiality agreement with
the Person proposing such Takeover Proposal on terms substantially similar to,
and no less favorable to the Company than, those contained in the
confidentiality agreement between the Parent and the Company dated February 27,
2009, (or, if there is already a confidentiality agreement in place between the
Company and such Person, such confidentiality agreement is amended to satisfy
the requirements of clauses (x) and (y) of this sentence), (y) such
confidentiality agreement does not restrict or impede upon the ability of the
Company to satisfy its obligations under this Agreement, and (z) all
information provided to such Person either has previously been provided to
Parent or is provided to Parent prior to or concurrent with the time it is
provided to such Person.
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(b) The
Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and its and their
Representatives to, immediately (i) cease and cause to be terminated all
existing discussions or negotiations with any Person with respect to any
potential or actual Takeover Proposal and (ii) terminate all physical and
electronic dataroom access previously granted to any such Person or its
Representatives. The Company shall immediately request the return or destruction
of all information provided to any third parties who have entered into a
confidentiality agreement with the Company relating to a potential or actual
Takeover Proposal and shall use its best efforts to ensure that such requests
are honored.
(c) Subject
only to Section 7.11(e), neither the Board of Directors of the Company nor any
committee thereof shall:
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(i)
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(w) withhold,
withdraw (or not continue to make), amend, modify or qualify (or resolve
or propose publicly to do any of the foregoing) the Company
Recommendation, or cause or permit the Company Board Recommendation to be
less than unanimous, or (x) if a Takeover Proposal shall have been
made to the holders of Company Common Stock or any Person shall have
publicly announced an intention to make a Takeover Proposal, fail to
publicly recommend against such Takeover Proposal (provided it is not a
Superior Proposal) and to publicly reaffirm the Company Recommendation by
press release within 2 Business Days of the Takeover Proposal having been
made or publicly announced, as applicable (or in the event that the
Company Stockholder Meeting is scheduled to occur within such 2-Business
Day period, prior to the time of such meeting), or (y) approve, adopt
or recommend, or propose publicly to approve, adopt or recommend to the
stockholders of the Company, any Takeover Proposal, or (z) take any
other action or make any public statement in connection with the Company
Recommendation, the Company Stockholder Approval or the Company
Stockholder Meeting that is in any manner adverse to the Company
Recommendation (any action described in this clause (i) being referred to
as a “Company Adverse
Recommendation Change”) (it being understood and agreed that a
“stop, look and listen” communication by the Board of Directors to the
stockholders of the Company pursuant to Rule 14d−9(f) of the Exchange Act,
on no more than one (1) occasion with respect to any publicly announced
Takeover Proposal (unless such publicly announced Takeover Proposal shall
have been materially modified by way of a public announcement in good
faith), shall not constitute a Company Adverse Recommendation Change),
or
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(ii)
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approve,
adopt or recommend, or publicly propose to approve, adopt or recommend, or
allow the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to execute or enter into, any
Contract, commitment, arrangement, understanding, in each case whether
written or oral (with the sole exception of a confidentiality agreement
referred to in Section 7.11(a)) or any tender offer constituting or
related to, or that is intended to or could reasonably be expected to lead
to, any Takeover Proposal.
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(d) The
Company shall immediately notify Parent, at first orally and then promptly (and
in any event within 24 hours) in writing, of (i) any Takeover Proposal or
inquiry or request that the Company reasonably believes could be expected to
relate or lead to a Takeover Proposal, in each case received after the date
hereof, or any amendments to the foregoing, or (ii) any request for non-public
information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection
with any Takeover Proposal or for access to the properties, books or records of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by any Person, in each case, of which any
of its or its Subsidiaries’ officers, directors, employees, Representatives or
agents are or become aware. Such notice shall include the identity of the Person
making the Takeover Proposal, inquiry or request, a description of the material
terms and conditions of any such Takeover Proposal, inquiry or request or
amendment and shall include a copy of any written material received from or on
behalf for such Person. The Company shall keep the Parent fully informed at all
times of any change to the material terms of any such Takeover Proposal (as
amended, if applicable), inquiry or request.
(e) Subject
to Section 7.11(f), the Company covenants that it will not accept, approve or
recommend, or enter into any Contract, commitment, arrangement, understanding,
in each case whether written or oral in respect of a Takeover Proposal (with the
sole exception of a confidentiality agreement referred to in Section 7.11(a)),
terminate this Agreement, or make a Company Adverse Recommendation Change
unless:
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(i)
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the
Takeover Proposal constitutes a Superior
Proposal;
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(ii)
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the
Company has strictly complied with its obligations under this Section 7.11
and has provided the Parent with a copy of the Superior Proposal (together
with copies of all other documentation relating to and detailing the
Superior Proposal, including a copy of any confidentiality or standstill
agreement between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and the Person
making the Superior Proposal, or any of its affiliates, if not previously
delivered, and written notice from the Board of Directors of the Company
regarding the value in financial terms that the Board of Directors of the
Company in consultation with its financial advisors determined should be
ascribed to any non-cash consideration offered under the said Superior
Proposal);
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(iii)
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a
period (the “Negotiation Period”) of five (5)
Business Days shall have elapsed starting at 12:01 a.m. New York time on
the Business Day following the date on which the Parent received the last
to be delivered of written notice from the Board of Directors of the
Company that the Board of Directors of the Company determined, subject
only to compliance with Sections 7.11(d) and (e), to accept, approve,
recommend or enter into a binding agreement to proceed with the Superior
Proposal and the documentation referred to in Section 7.11(e)(ii) and
ending at 11:59 p.m. New York time on the fifth (5th) Business Day
thereafter; and
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(iv)
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the
Company has paid the Termination Fee prescribed by Section
9.3.
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(f) During
the Negotiation Period, Parent may make, at its option and without derogating
from its rights pursuant to any other provision or this Agreement, a
counter-proposal. During the Negotiation Period the Company shall,
and shall instruct its financial and legal advisors to, negotiate with Parent in
good faith to attempt to make such adjustments in the terms and conditions of
this Agreement as will enable the Company to proceed with this Agreement. If the
Board of Directors of the Company (after consultation with its independent
financial advisor and independent outside legal counsel) reasonably determines
in good faith that such counterproposal by Parent is such that the Takeover
Proposal previously constituting a Superior Proposal ceases to be a Superior
Proposal, then the Board of Directors of the Company shall forthwith cease all
discussions or negotiations with respect to such Takeover Proposal except to
communicate with the Person making such Takeover Proposal that the Takeover
Proposal has been matched pursuant to a prior agreement or a proposal has been
made to the Company which causes the Takeover Proposal to no longer be a
Superior Proposal and the Board of Directors of the Company shall recommend
Parent’s counter-proposal to its stockholders. For greater certainty, the Board
of Directors will advise the Parent and otherwise negotiate with the Parent in
such manner as will afford the Parent reasonable opportunity to revise any
counter-proposal by the Parent which the Board of Directors determines would not
result in the Superior Proposal ceasing to be a Superior Proposal such that
after such revision of the counter-proposal the Superior Proposal will cease to
be a Superior Proposal. Each successive amendment to any Takeover
Proposal that results in an increase in, or modification of, the consideration
(or value of such consideration) to be received by the Company Common
Stockholders or any other material terms or conditions thereof shall constitute
a new Takeover Proposal for the purposes of Sections 7.11(d) and (e) and the
Parent shall be afforded a new full Negotiation Period in respect of each such
Takeover Proposal.
(g) Nothing
contained in this Section 7.11 shall prohibit the Company from taking and
disclosing to its stockholders a position contemplated by Rule 14e-2(a)(2) or
(3) under the Exchange Act or making a statement required under Rule 14d-9 under
the Exchange Act and, to the extent referred to therein, Item 1012(a) of
Regulation M-A under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that (i) compliance
with such rules shall in no way limit or modify the effect that any such action
pursuant to such rules has under this Agreement (including, if applicable, the
right of Parent to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.1(e) and (ii)
in no event shall the Company or its Board of Directors or any committee thereof
take, or agree or resolve to take, any action prohibited by this Section
7.11.
(h) The
Company shall ensure that its Representatives and the Representatives of each of
its Subsidiaries are aware of the restrictions described in this Section 7.11 as
reasonably necessary to avoid violations thereof. It is understood
that any violation of the restrictions set forth in this Section 7.11 by any
Representatives of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be
a breach of this Section 7.11 by the Company.
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7.12 Parent
Transactions. The Company agrees that Parent shall be
permitted to engage in one or more transactions, directly or indirectly, whether
through one or more Subsidiaries of Parent or otherwise, including any
acquisition transaction, joint venture, or equity or debt financings, (each, a
“Transaction”) as the
Board of Directors of Parent authorizes in its sole discretion; provided,
however, that in respect of any particular Transaction, if, and only if, the
aggregate amount to be raised, received, paid, or committed by Parent in any
individual Transaction exceeds $300 million then Parent shall be required to
obtain the written consent of the Company prior to entering into a binding
agreement concerning such Transaction, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed. The Company agrees to provide, and shall cause
its Representatives to provide, all reasonable cooperation in connection with
the arrangement of any such Transaction as may be reasonably requested by Parent
(provided that such requested cooperation does not (a) unreasonably interfere
with the ongoing operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (b) cause any
representation or warranty in this Agreement to be breached, (c) cause any
condition set forth in Article 8 to fail to be satisfied or otherwise cause
any breach of this Agreement or any material agreement to which the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries is a party or (d) involve any binding commitment by the
Company or its Subsidiaries, other than a commitment that is conditioned on the
consummation of the Merger and that terminates without Liability to the Company
upon the termination of this Agreement), including (i) participation in
meetings, presentations, road shows, drafting sessions, due diligence sessions
and sessions with rating agencies, each customary in connection with any
Transaction, (ii) providing Parent and its advisors, underwriters and financing
sources with financial and other pertinent information regarding the Company as
may be reasonably requested by Parent, (iii) assisting Parent and its advisors,
underwriters and financing sources in the preparation of offering documents,
materials for rating agency presentations, private placement memoranda, bank
information memoranda, prospectuses, registration statements and similar
documents customarily required in connection with any Transaction, (iv) subject
to Section 7.2 permitting Parent and its advisors, underwriters and financing
sources to conduct customary due diligence in connection with any Transaction,
providing Parent and its advisors, underwriters and financing sources, and their
respective Representatives, access to management of the Company and the books
and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (v) providing Parent and its
advisors and financing sources with financial and other pertinent information
regarding the Company as may be reasonably requested by Parent, including all
financial statements and financial data of the type required by Regulation S-X
and Regulation S-K under the Securities Act and Applicable Canadian Securities
Laws as and when such statements to date would otherwise be required to be
publicly disclosed by the Company, (vi) using commercially reasonable efforts to
obtain necessary and customary pledge and security documents, management
representation letters, accountants’ comfort and reliance letters, opinions and
consents, surveys and title insurance customarily required in connection with
any Transaction as reasonably requested by Parent, (vii) providing Parent with
the financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries that are required
in connection with any Transaction, (viii) reasonably cooperating with the
marketing efforts of Parent and its advisors and financing sources for any
Transaction and (ix) reasonably cooperating with Parent and its advisors and
financing sources in connection with the refinancing of any indebtedness of the
Company or its Subsidiaries in connection with the consummation of the
Merger. Parent shall be permitted to disclose to potential parties to
such a Transaction, and to the advisors to such parties, the information
provided by the Company to Parent, its advisors, underwriters or financing
sources pursuant to this Section 7.12, subject to such parties and their
advisors being bound by a confidentiality agreement customary in transactions of
such type and that applies to such information provided by the Company.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 7.12, the Company shall not
be required to pay any commitment or other similar fee or incur any other
Liability in connection with such Transaction. Parent shall, promptly
upon request by the Company, reimburse the Company for all out-of-pocket costs
incurred by the Company in connection with such cooperation.
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7.13 WARN Act. With
respect to all employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries, the Company and/or
any of its Subsidiaries shall be responsible for providing any notices required
to be given and otherwise complying with the WARN Act or similar statutes or
regulations of any jurisdiction relating to any plant closing or mass layoff (or
similar triggering event) caused by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and
Parent shall have no responsibility or liability under the WARN Act (or any
other similar statute or regulation) with respect to such
employees. Section 7.12 of the Company Disclosure Letter contains a
true and complete list of the names and the sites of employment or facilities of
those individuals who suffered an “employment loss” (as defined in the WARN Act)
at any site of employment or facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
during the 90-day period prior to the date of this Agreement. Section
7.12 of the Company Disclosure Letter shall be updated immediately prior to the
Effective Time with respect to the 90-day period prior to the Effective
Time. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company agrees to provide any
notice required under the WARN Act to any employee of the Company or its
Subsidiaries as may be reasonably requested by Parent in writing.
7.14 Tax
Compliance. Parent, MergerCo and the Company shall adopt this
Agreement as a “plan of reorganization” within the meaning of United States
Treasury Regulation section 1.368-2(g) and to treat the Merger as a
“reorganization” within the meaning of section 368(a)(1) of the Code. However,
neither Parent, MergerCo nor the Company makes any representation, warranty or
covenant to the Company, any holder of Company Common Stock, or any other holder
of any Company securities (including any holder of Company Stock Options or
Company Restricted Stock) regarding: (a) the qualification of the Merger as a
“reorganization” within the meaning of section 368(a)(1) of the Code or (b) the
United States federal income tax consequences to the Company, any Company
stockholder, or any other holder of Company securities (including any holder of
Company Stock Options or Company Restricted Stock) of the Merger.
7.15 Pre-Merger
Reorganization. In addition to, and not in limitation of, any
other agreements, covenants or obligations contained in this Agreement, the
Company further agrees that, upon the reasonable request by Parent, the Company
shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to use its commercially
reasonable efforts to (i) perform such reorganizations of its corporate
structure, capital structure, business, operations and assets or such other
transactions as Parent may request in writing, acting reasonably (collectively,
the “Pre-Merger
Reorganization”), and (ii) cooperate with Parent and its advisors to
determine the nature of the Pre-Merger Reorganization that might be undertaken
and the manner in which it would most effectively be undertaken; provided that
the Pre-Merger Reorganization (a) is not prejudicial to the Company or the
Company's assets in any material respect, (b) does not unduly impede,
interfere with, delay or prevent the completion of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement, (c) is not prejudicial to the holders of Company Common
Stock or other securities of the Company or inconsistent with the provisions of
this Agreement, and (d) is reasonably capable of being consummated prior to
or concurrent with the Effective Time.
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ARTICLE 8
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
8.1
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, each of which may only be waived
with the mutual consent of the parties:
(a) Company Stockholder
Approval. This Agreement and the Merger contemplated thereby
shall have been approved and adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of a
majority of the outstanding Company Common Stock entitled to vote thereon
(excluding, if required under MI 61-101 votes cast by Persons entitled to
receive Change of Control Payments).
(b) Parent Stockholder
Approval. If required by Law, this Agreement and the Merger
contemplated thereby shall have been approved and adopted by the affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Parent Common Shares
entitled to vote thereon.
(c) NYSE and TSX
Listings. The Parent Common Shares to be issued to the holders
of Company Common Stock and the Assumed Stock Options upon consummation of the
Merger shall have been authorized for listing on the NYSE and TSX, subject to
customary conditions and official notice of issuance.
(d) Required
Approvals. (i) Any applicable waiting period under the HSR Act
shall have expired or been earlier terminated and (ii) any other approvals set
forth in Sections 4.6 and 5.4 required to be obtained for the consummation, as
of the Effective Time, of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by
this Agreement (all such approvals and the expiration or termination of all such
waiting periods being referred as the “Requisite Approvals”).
(e) No
Termination. This Agreement shall not have been terminated in
accordance with its terms.
(f) Form F-4. The Form
F-4 shall have become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Form F-4 shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the
SEC.
(g) Other Securities Act
Registrations. A registration statement filed by Parent on an
appropriate form, or a post-effective amendment to a registration statement
previously filed by Parent under the Securities Act with respect to Parent
Common Shares subject to the Company Stock Options shall have become effective
under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such
registration statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that
purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the SEC.
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(h) Canadian
Distribution. The distribution in Canada of Parent Common
Shares to holders of Company Common Stock, Company Stock Options, Company
Restricted Stock and to the Persons listed in Section 4.18 of the Company
Disclosure Letter who receive Parent Common Shares in respect of a Change of
Control Payment (if the payment of such Change of Control Payments in Parent
Common Shares has been approved by the TSX), shall be exempt from the prospectus
and registration requirements of applicable Canadian Securities Laws either by
virtue of exemptive relief from the securities regulatory authorities in each of
the provinces and territories of Canada in which such distribution is made or by
virtue of applicable exemptions under Canadian Securities Laws and shall not be
subject to resale restrictions under applicable Canadian Securities Laws (other
than as applicable to control persons).
(i) No Injunctions or Restraints;
Illegality. No Order (whether temporary, preliminary or
permanent) issued by any court or agency of competent jurisdiction or other
legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the Merger or any
of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be in
effect. No statute, rule, regulation or Order shall have been
enacted, entered, promulgated or enforced by any Governmental Entity that
prohibits or makes illegal consummation of the Merger.
8.2 Conditions to Obligations of Parent
and MergerCo. The obligation of Parent and MergerCo to effect
the Merger is also subject to the satisfaction, or waiver by Parent and
MergerCo, at or prior to the Effective Time, of the following
conditions:
(a) Representations and
Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company
set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct as of the date of this
Agreement and as of the Effective Time as though made on and as of the Effective
Time (except that representations and warranties that by their terms speak
specifically as of the date of this Agreement or another date shall be true and
correct as of such date); provided, however, that no representation or warranty
of the Company (other than representations or warranties contained in Sections
4.1(a) (first sentence only), 4.2, 4.3(a) and 4.10 which shall be true and
correct in all material respects) shall be deemed untrue or incorrect for
purposes hereunder as a consequence of the existence of any fact, event or
circumstance inconsistent with such representation or warranty, unless such
fact, event or circumstance, individually or taken together with all other
facts, events or circumstances inconsistent with any representation or warranty
of the Company, has had or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company, disregarding for these purposes (i) any
qualification or exception for, or reference to, materiality in any such
representation or warranty and (ii) any use of the terms “material,”
“materially,” “in all material respects,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar
terms or phrases in any such representation or warranty; and Parent shall have
received a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Executive
Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to the foregoing
effect.
(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 Closing Date; and Parent shall have received a certificate
signed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief
Financial Officer of the Company to such effect.
(c) Support
Agreements. Each director and officer of the Company shall
have entered into a voting and support agreement with Parent and MergerCo, in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, in respect of all shares of Company
Common Stock of which such director or officer, as the case may be, is the
direct or indirect beneficial owner or over which such director or officer
exercises direct or indirect control or direction, and each such agreement shall
be in full force and effect and shall have been performed by each director and
officer party thereto.
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(d) No Materially Burdensome
Condition. None of the Requisite Approvals shall have resulted
in the imposition of a Materially Burdensome Condition.
(e) No Material Adverse
Effect. Since the date of this Agreement, there shall not have
been any fact, change, effect, event, occurrence, development or state of
circumstances that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or the
Surviving Company.
(f) Change of Control
Amendments. The Change of Control Agreements shall have been
amended as required by Section 6.1(b), and each such agreement as so amended
shall be in full force and effect and enforceable against the Departing Officer
and all other parties thereto in accordance with its terms.
(g) Releases
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(i)
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Each
director, officer, employee or consultant of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective Time identified on Section
8.2(h) of the Company Disclosure Letter who, voluntarily or involuntarily,
ceases to be a director, officer, or employee of the Company, the
Surviving Company, Parent, or any of their respective Subsidiaries at the
Effective Time, shall have entered into and delivered to Parent a release
and waiver, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Parent, which
shall release Parent, the Company and the Surviving Company and each of
their respective Subsidiaries from, and waive, any and all claims of any
nature whatsoever, provided, however, such release shall not release
Parent from any of its obligation specifically provided for in this
Agreement, including without limitation, Parent’s obligations pursuant to
Section 7.7 of this Agreement.
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(ii)
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The
Company, the Surviving Company and each of their respective Subsidiaries
shall have entered into and delivered to Parent a release and waiver, in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Parent, which shall release
each director, officer, employee or consultant of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries identified on Section 8.2(h) of the Company Disclosure
Letter, from, and waive, any and all claims of any nature
whatsoever.
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(h) Caborca Sale
Agreement. The Caborca Sale Agreement shall have been entered
into by Caborca and the beneficial owners of Caborca, on terms and conditions
acceptable to Parent, in accordance with Section 6.1(e), and (i) such agreement
shall be in full force and effect and shall be enforceable against the parties
thereto in accordance with its terms and (ii) the transactions contemplated by
such agreement shall close concurrently with the Effective Time or at such other
time as Parent shall have agreed to in its sole discretion.
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(i) Title
Opinion. Parent shall have obtained title opinions, in form
and substance satisfactory to Parent, acting reasonably, addressed to Parent
relating to the Company’s material properties.
(j) No Appraisal
Rights. Holders of shares of Company Common Stock shall not be
entitled to dissenters’ or appraisal rights under Section 262 of the DGCL with
respect to the Merger.
8.3
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. Subject to any actions permitted by this
Agreement, including actions permitted by Section 7.12, the representations and
warranties of Parent and MergerCo set forth in this Agreement shall be true and
correct as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Effective Time as though
made on and as of the Effective Time (except that representations and warranties
that by their terms speak specifically as of the date of this Agreement or
another date shall be true and correct as of such date); provided, however, that
no representation or warranty of Parent or MergerCo (other than representations
or warranties in Sections 5.1(a) (first sentence only), 5.2 and 5.3(a) which
shall be true and correct in all material respects) shall be deemed untrue or
incorrect for purposes hereunder as a consequence of the existence of any fact,
event or circumstance inconsistent with such representation or warranty, unless
such fact, event or circumstance, individually or taken together with all other
facts, events or circumstances inconsistent with any representation or warranty
of Parent or MergerCo, has had or would reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect on Parent, disregarding for these purposes (i) any
qualification or exception for, or reference to, materiality in any such
representation or warranty and (ii) any use of the terms “material,”
“materially,” “in all material respects,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar
terms or phrases in any such representation or warranty; and the Company shall
have received a certificate signed on behalf of Parent by the Chief Executive
Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of Parent to the foregoing
effect.
(b) Performance of Obligations of Parent
and MergerCo. Each of Parent and MergerCo shall have performed
in all material respects all obligations required to be performed by it under
this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date, and the Parent shall have
delivered to the Company a certificate signed on behalf of the Parent, dated as
of the Closing Date, signed by the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief
Financial Officer of the Parent certifying in such capacity as to the
satisfaction of the conditions specified in Sections 8.3(a), (b) and (d) and the
covenants set forth in Section 7.10.
(c) No Material Adverse
Effect. Since the date of this Agreement, there shall not have
been any fact, change, effect, event, occurrence, development or state of
circumstances that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent.
(d) No Materially Burdensome
Condition. None of the Requisite Approvals shall have resulted
in the imposition of a Materially Burdensome Condition.
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ARTICLE 9
TERMINATION
AND AMENDMENT
9.1
Termination. This
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Effective Time, whether
before or after approval of the matters presented in connection with the Merger
by the stockholders of the Company:
(a) by
mutual consent of the Company and Parent in a written instrument, if the Board
of Directors of each so determines by a vote of a majority of the members of its
respective entire Board of Directors;
(b) by
either the Board of Directors of the Company or the Board of Directors of Parent
if any Governmental Entity that must grant a Requisite Approval has denied such
Requisite Approval and such denial has become final and nonappealable or any
Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction shall have issued a final and
nonappealable Order permanently enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, provided that
the party seeking to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9.1(b)
shall have complied with its obligations pursuant to Section 7.1 with respect to
such denial or Order;
(c) by
either the Board of Directors of the Company or the Board of Directors of Parent
(i) if the Merger shall not have been consummated on or before the date
which is nine months from the date of this Agreement, or (ii) the requisite
stockholder approval is not obtained at either the Company Stockholder Meeting
or the Parent Stockholder Meeting, unless the failure of the Closing to occur by
such date or the failure to obtain stockholder approval shall be due to the
failure of the party seeking to terminate this Agreement to perform or observe
the covenants and agreements of such party set forth in this
Agreement;
(d) by
(i) the Board of Directors of Parent if there shall have been a breach of any of
the covenants or agreements or any of the representations or warranties set
forth in this Agreement on the part of the Company, and (ii) the Board of
Directors of the Company if there shall have been a breach of any of the
covenants or agreements or any of the representations or warranties set forth in
this Agreement on the part of Parent or MergerCo, which breach, in the case of a
breach by any of the Company, Parent or MergerCo, either individually or in the
aggregate, would result in, if occurring or continuing on the Closing Date, the
failure of the conditions set forth in Section 8.1, 8.2 or 8.3, as the case may
be, and which is not cured within 30 days following written notice to the party
committing such breach or by its nature or timing cannot be cured within such
time period;
(e) By
the Board of Directors of Parent if:
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(i)
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the
Company has (A)(1) failed to make the Company Recommendation, (2) failed
to publicly reaffirm the Company Recommendation by press release after a
Takeover Proposal shall have been made to the holders of Company Common
Stock or any Person shall have publicly announced an intention to make a
Takeover Proposal, within 2 Business Days (or in the event that the
Company Stockholder Meeting is scheduled to occur within such 2-Business
Day period, prior to the time or at such meeting), (B) failed to
comply with any provision of Section 7.11, (C) made a Company Adverse
Recommendation Change, or (D) entered into a binding agreement
concerning a transaction that constitutes a Superior Proposal,
or
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(ii)
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the
requisite stockholder approval is not obtained at the Company Stockholder
Meeting.
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(f) By
the Board of Directors of the Company if Parent or any of its Subsidiaries shall
have entered into any binding agreement concerning a Transaction and the Merger
is not completed on or prior to the date which is 12 months from the date of
this Agreement as a result of such Transaction.
(g) By
the Board of Directors of Parent if, since the date of this Agreement, there
shall have been any event, occurrence, development or state of circumstances
that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or could reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or the Surviving
Company.
(h) By
the Board of Directors of the Company if, since the date of this Agreement,
there shall have been any event, occurrence, development or state of
circumstances that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent.
(i) By
the Board of Directors of Parent if any Requisite Approval shall have resulted
in the imposition of a Materially Burdensome Condition.
(j) By
the Board of Directors of Parent for any reason not otherwise set out in this
Section 9.1.
(k) By
the Board of Directors of the Company if (A) a Takeover Proposal constitutes a
Superior Proposal and Parent fails to make a counter-proposal during the
Negotiation Period which causes Takeover Proposal to no longer be a Superior
Proposal and (B) it has complied fully with its obligations set out in Section
7.11 of this Agreement and the Company enters into a binding, definitive
agreement to consummate the Takeover Proposal.
9.2
Effect of
Termination. In the event of termination of this Agreement by
either the Company or Parent as provided in Section 9.1, this Agreement shall
forthwith become void and have no effect, and none of the Company, Parent, any
of their respective Subsidiaries or any of the officers or directors of any of
them shall have any liability of any nature whatsoever under this Agreement, or
in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except that
(i) Sections 9.2, 9.3, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 10.11, 10.12
and 10.15 shall survive any termination of this Agreement, and (ii)
notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, neither
the Company nor Parent shall be relieved or released from any Liabilities
arising out of its willful breach of any provision of this Agreement.
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9.3
Termination Fees and Expenses
(a) In
the event that:
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(i)
|
this
Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to Section 9.1(e)(i), then the
Company shall, within three Business Days after such termination, pay to
Parent the Termination Fee by wire transfer of same day funds in
recognition of the time and expense incurred by Parent in connection with
this Agreement and transactions contemplated hereby,
or
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|
(ii)
|
this
Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to Section 9.1(e)(ii), but only
if prior to the Company Stockholder Meeting a Takeover Proposal shall have
been made publicly to the holders of Company Common Stock or publicly
announced, or any Person shall have publicly announced an intention to do
so (in each of the foregoing cases, which has not been withdrawn prior to
the Company Stockholder Meeting), provided that within 6 months of the
date of such termination: (A) a Takeover Proposal is consummated; or (B)
the Company board of directors approves or recommends a Takeover Proposal,
or the Company enters into an agreement with respect to a Takeover
Proposal, and in either case such Takeover Proposal (whether or not
amended prior to its consummation) is consummated, and whether or not such
consummation is before or after the end of such 6 month period, then the
Company shall, on or prior to the date that such Takeover Proposal is
consummated, pay to Parent the Termination Fee by wire transfer of same
day funds in recognition of the time and expense incurred by Parent in
connection with this Agreement and transactions contemplated hereby;
or
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|
(iii)
|
This
Agreement is terminated (A) by the Company pursuant to Section 9.1(f), or
(B) by the Parent pursuant to Section 9.1(j) then the Parent shall, within
three Business Days after such termination, pay to the Company, the
Termination Fee by wire transfer of same day funds in recognition of the
time and expense incurred by the party entitled to receive the Termination
Fee in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby.
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The
“Termination Fee” shall be an amount equal
to (i) US $2 million in the event of a termination pursuant to Sections 9.1(f)
or 9.1(j); (ii) US $10.3 million in the event of a termination pursuant to
Section 9.1(e)(i) or a Termination Fee payable pursuant to Section 7.11(e)(iv);
or (iii) US$10.3 million in the event of a termination pursuant to Section
9.1(e)(ii), but only if prior to the Company Stockholder Meeting a Takeover
Proposal shall have been made publicly to the holders of Company Common Stock or
publicly announced, or any Person shall have publicly announced an intention to
do so (in each of the foregoing cases, which has not been withdrawn prior to the
Company Stockholder Meeting), provided that within 4 months of the date of such
termination: (A) a Takeover Proposal is consummated; or (B) the Company board of
directors approves or recommends a Takeover Proposal, or the Company enters into
an agreement with respect to a Takeover Proposal, and in either case such
Takeover Proposal (whether or not amended prior to its consummation) is
consummated, and whether or not such consummation is before or after the end of
such 4 month period; or (iv) US$10.3 million in the event of a
termination pursuant to Section 9.1(e)(ii), but only if prior to the Company
Stockholder Meeting a Takeover Proposal shall have been made publicly to the
holders of Company Common Stock or publicly announced, or any Person shall have
publicly announced an intention to do so (in each of the foregoing cases, which
has not been withdrawn prior to the Company Stockholder Meeting), provided that
more than 4 months but less than 6 months from the date of such termination: (A)
a Takeover Proposal is consummated; or (B) the Company enters into a definitve
agreement with respect to a Takeover Proposal, and in either case such Takeover
Proposal (whether or not amended prior to its consummation) is consummated, and
whether or not such consummation is before or after the end of such 4 to 6 month
period.
(b) Each
of Parent and the Company acknowledges that the agreements contained in this
Section 9.3 are an integral part of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, and that, without these agreements, the other party would not enter
into this Agreement. Each of Parent and the Company further acknowledges and
agrees that the Termination Fee is not a penalty, but rather liquidated damages
in amounts reasonably estimated by the parties to compensate the other party for
efforts and resources expended and opportunities foregone while negotiating this
Agreement and in reliance on this Agreement and on the expectation of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. Accordingly, if
any party fails promptly to pay the amount due pursuant to this Section 9.3,
and, in order to obtain such payment, the other party commences a suit which
results in a judgment against such first party for the fee set forth in this
Section 9.3, the other party shall pay to such first party its costs and
expenses (including attorneys’ fees and expenses) in connection with such suit,
together with interest on the amount of the fee at the rate of 5% per
annum.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the parties agree that (i) in the
circumstance where this Agreement is terminated by a party and the Termination
Fee is payable as a result thereof by the Company in accordance with this
Section 9.3, the Termination Fee shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the
Company under this Agreement, (ii) the payment of the Termination Fee by Parent
when such Termination Fee shall become due and payable by Parent in accordance
with this Section 9.3 shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the Company
under this Agreement and (iii) the Termination Fee is only payable pursuant to
this Section 9.3 or Section 7.11(e).
9.4
Amendment. Subject
to compliance with applicable Law and Section 1.1(b), this Agreement may be
amended by the parties, by action taken or authorized by their respective Boards
of Directors, at any time before or after approval of the matters presented in
connection with Merger by the stockholders of the Company; provided, however,
that after any approval of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by
the stockholders of the Company, there may not be, without further approval of
such stockholders, any amendment of this Agreement that requires such further
approval under applicable Law. This Agreement may not be amended
except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of each of the
parties.
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9.5
Extension;
Waiver. At any time prior to the Effective Time, the parties,
by action taken or authorized by their respective Board of Directors, may, to
the extent permitted by applicable Law, (i) extend the time for the performance
of any of the obligations or other acts of the other party, (ii) waive any
inaccuracies in the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement
and (iii) waive compliance with any of the agreements or conditions contained in
this Agreement; provided, however, that after any approval of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement by the stockholders of the Company, there may not
be, without further approval of such stockholders any extension or waiver of
this Agreement or any portion hereof that changes the amount or form of the
consideration to be delivered to the holders of Company Common Stock under this
Agreement, other than as contemplated by this Agreement. Any
agreement on the part of a party to any such extension or waiver shall be valid
only if set forth in a written instrument signed on behalf of such party, but
such extension or waiver or failure to insist on strict compliance with an
obligation, covenant, agreement or condition shall not operate as a waiver of,
or estoppel with respect to, any subsequent or other failure.
ARTICLE 10
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
10.1 Nonsurvival of Representations,
Warranties and Agreements. None of the representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement or in any
instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall survive the Effective
Time, except for Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 9
and Article 10 and Sections 7.8 and 7.9.
10.2 Fees and
Expenses. Except as provided in Section 9.3, all fees and
expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring
such fees or expenses, whether or not the Offer or the Merger is
consummated. The Company agrees that the fees and expenses of the
Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with this Agreement and the Merger
shall not exceed C$3.0 million, except with the prior written consent of Parent,
such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed.
10.3 Notices. All
notices and other communications in connection with this Agreement shall be in
writing and shall be deemed given if delivered personally, sent via facsimile
transmission (with printed confirmation of receipt), mailed by registered or
certified mail (return receipt requested) or delivered by an express courier
(with confirmation) to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other
address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):
(a) if
to the Company, to:
Capital
Gold Corporation
00 Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
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Attention:
Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
with a
copy to (for informational purposes only and not constituting
notice):
Ellenoff
Xxxxxxxx & Schole LLP
000 Xxxx
00xx
Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
and
with a
copy to (for informational purposes only and not constituting
notice):
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx LLP
Suite 500
Canadian Pacific Tower
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx –
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx
X0X
0X0
Attention:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
with a
copy to (for informational purposes only and not constituting
notice):
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx LLP
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
00xx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
(b) if
to Parent or MergerCo, to:
Xxxxxx
Gold Inc.
00
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx
X0X
0X0
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Attention: Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
and
with a
copy to (for informational purposes only and not constituting
notice):
Fasken
Xxxxxxxxx DuMoulin LLP
000 Xxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000,
Xxx
Xxxxxxxx Centre, Xxx 00
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0
Attention: Xxxx
Xxxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
and
with a
copy to (for informational purposes only and not constituting
notice):
Xxxxxxxx
& Xxxxx LLP
000 Xxxx
00xx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx
00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
10.4 Interpretation. When
a reference is made in this Agreement to Articles, Sections, Exhibits or
Schedules, such reference shall be to an Article or Section of or Exhibit or
Schedule to this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The table of
contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes
only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement. Whenever the words “include,” “includes” or “including”
are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words
“without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and
words of like import refer to this entire Agreement instead of just the
provision in which they are found. The Company Disclosure Letter and
the Parent Disclosure Letter, as well as all other schedules and all exhibits
hereto, shall be deemed part of this Agreement and included in any reference to
this Agreement. This Agreement shall not be interpreted or construed
to require any person to take any action, or fail to take any action, if to do
so would violate any applicable law. The language used in this
Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express
their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against
any party.
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10.5 Knowledge. In this
Agreement, unless otherwise stated, references to (i) “the knowledge of the
Company” (or similar expressions) means the actual knowledge, after reasonable
inquiry, of Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, President of the Company, Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx,
Chief Financial Officer of the Company and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Chief Operating
Officer of the Company and, if applicable, any
knowledge such officers would have had had they exercised reasonable due
diligence and made such reasonable inquiry, in their capacity as officers of the
Company and not in their personal capacity and without personal liability, and
(ii) “the knowledge of Parent” (or similar expressions) means the actual
knowledge, after reasonable inquiry, of Xxxx Xxxxxx, Chief Executive Officer of
Parent, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of
Parent, and, if applicable, any knowledge such officers would have had had they
exercised reasonable due diligence and made such reasonable inquiry, in their
capacity as officers of Parent and not in their personal capacity and without
personal liability.
10.6 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which shall be
considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when
counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other
party, it being understood that each party need not sign the same
counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by
facsimile transmission or by an e-mail which contains a portable document format
(.pdf) file of an executed signature page, such signature page shall create a
valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such
signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such signature page
were an original thereof.
10.7 Entire
Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and
supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral,
between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement.
10.8 Governing
Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, REGARDLESS OF THE LAWS THAT MIGHT
OTHERWISE GOVERN UNDER APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS
THEREOF.
10.9 Jurisdiction. Each
of the parties hereto (a) consents to submit itself to the personal jurisdiction
of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or any court of the United
States located in the State of Delaware, in the event any dispute arises out of
this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (b)
agrees that it will not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by
motion or other request for leave from any such court, (c) agrees that it will
not bring any action relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement in any court other than the Court of Chancery of
the State of Delaware or, if under applicable law exclusive jurisdiction is
vested in the federal courts, any court of the United States located in the
State of Delaware and (d) consents to service of process being made through the
notice procedures set forth in Section 10.3. Without limiting other means of
service of process permissible under applicable law, each of the Company, Parent
and MergerCo hereby agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or
document by U.S. or Canadian registered mail to the respective addresses set
forth in Section 10.3 shall be effective service of process for any suit or
proceeding in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT
TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS
AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
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10.10 Publicity. Neither
the Company nor Parent shall, and neither the Company nor Parent shall permit
any of their respective Subsidiaries or Representatives to, issue or cause the
publication of any press release or other public announcement with respect to,
or otherwise make any public statement concerning, the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement without the prior consent (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) of Parent, in the case of a
proposed announcement or statement by the Company, or the Company, in the case
of a proposed announcement or statement by Parent; provided, however, that
either party may, without the prior consent of the other party (but after prior
consultation with the other party to the extent practicable under the
circumstances) issue or cause the publication of any press release or other
public announcement to the extent required by law or by the rules and
regulations of the NYSE or the TSX.
10.11 Assignment; Third Party
Beneficiaries. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights,
interests or obligations under this Agreement shall be assigned by either of the
parties (whether by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written
consent of the other party. Subject to the preceding sentence, this
Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by
each of the parties and their respective successors and
assigns. Except as otherwise specifically provided in Section 7.8,
this Agreement (including the documents and instruments referred to in this
Agreement) is not intended to and does not confer upon any person other than the
parties hereto any rights or remedies under this Agreement.
10.12
Specific Performance
(a) Except
with respect to the provisions of Section 9.3, the parties agree that
irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this
Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were
otherwise breached and that the parties would not have any adequate remedy at
law. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to
an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches or threatened breaches of this
Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement
exclusively in the Delaware Court of Chancery, or in the event (but only in the
event) that such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction over such
action or proceeding, in the United States District Court for the District of
Delaware or another court sitting in the state of Delaware. The
foregoing is in addition to any other remedy to which any party is entitled at
law, in equity or otherwise. In addition, each of the parties hereto
irrevocably agrees that any legal action or proceeding with respect to this
Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder, or for recognition
and enforcement of any judgment in respect of this Agreement and the rights and
obligations arising hereunder brought by the other party hereto or its
successors or assigns shall be brought and determined exclusively in the
Delaware Court of Chancery, or in the event (but only in the event) that such
court does not have subject matter jurisdiction over such action or proceeding,
in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware or another
court sitting in the state of Delaware. Each of the parties hereto
hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such action or proceeding for
itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, to the
personal jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and agrees that it will not bring
any action relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement in any court other than the aforesaid courts. Each of
the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert, by way
of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any action or proceeding
with respect to this Agreement, (a) any claim that it is not personally subject
to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts for any reason other than the
failure to serve in accordance with this Section 10.11, (b) any claim that it or
its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any
legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice,
attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment,
execution of judgment or otherwise) and (c) to the fullest extent permitted by
the applicable Law, any claim that (i) the suit, action or proceeding in such
court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such suit, action
or proceeding is improper or (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof,
may not be enforced in or by such courts.
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(b) Each
of the parties hereto irrevocably consents to the service of any summons and
complaint and any other process in any other action relating to this Agreement,
on behalf of itself or its property, by the personal delivery of copies of such
process to such party or by sending or delivering a copy of the process to the
party to be served at the address and in the manner provided for the giving of
notices in Section 10.3. Nothing in this Section 10.12(b) shall
affect the right of any party hereto to serve legal process in any other manner
permitted by Law.
10.13 Language. The
Parties expressly acknowledge that they have requested that this Agreement and
all ancillary and related documents thereto be drafted in the English language
only. Les parties aux présentes reconnaissent avoir exigé que la présente
entente et tous les documents qui y sont accessoires soient rédigés en anglais
seulement.
10.14 Time of
Essence. Time is of the essence of this
Agreement.
10.15 Defined Terms. For
purposes of this Agreement:
(a) “$” means United States dollars
and “C$” means Canadian
dollars;
(b) “Applicable Canadian Securities
Laws” means, collectively, all applicable securities laws of each of the
Canadian Jurisdictions and the respective rules and regulations under such laws
together with applicable published instruments, notices and orders of the
securities regulatory authorities in the Canadian Jurisdictions.
(c) “Business Day” means any day
that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions are
required or authorized by Law to be closed in New York, New York, Wilmington,
Delaware or Toronto, Ontario.
(d) “Canadian GAAP” means generally
accepted accounting principles in Canada;
(e) “Canadian Jurisdictions” means
each province or territory of Canada in which Parent, the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, as the case may be, is a “reporting issuer” at the
relevant time for purposes of Applicable Canadian Securities Laws.
(f) “Code” means the United States
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;
(g) “Company Restricted Stock”
means the restricted shares of Company Common Stock under the Company Stock
Plans;
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(h) “Contract” means any contract,
agreement, license, franchise, lease, arrangement, commitment, understanding or
other right or obligation to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected or
to which any of their respective properties or assets is subject;
(i) “Cormark” means Cormark
Securities Inc.;
(j) “Departing Officer” means any individual
who is employed as an officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
immediately prior to the Effective Time who, voluntarily or involuntarily,
ceases to be an employee of the Company, the Surviving Company, Parent, or any
of their respective Subsidiaries at the Effective Time, or who ceases to be an
officer of, or whose employment with, the Company, the Surviving Company,
Parent, or any of their respective Subsidiaries is terminated, voluntarily or
involuntarily, within 90 days after the Effective Time.
(k) “Environmental Laws” means all applicable
Laws, imposing liability or standards of conduct for or relating to the
regulation of activities, materials, substances or wastes in connection with or
for or to the protection of public health, safety, the environment or natural
resources (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, wetlands, land
surface or subsurface strata, wildlife, aquatic species and vegetation) and
under common law;
(l) “Environmental Liabilities” means, with
respect to any Person, all liabilities, obligations, responsibilities, response,
remedial and removal costs, investigation costs, capital costs, operation and
maintenance costs, losses, damages, punitive damages, property damages,
consequential damages, treble damages, costs and expenses, fines, penalties and
sanctions incurred as a result of or related to any claim, suit, action,
administrative order, investigation, proceeding or demand by any person, whether
based in contract, tort, implied or express warranty, strict liability, criminal
or civil statute or common law, relating to any environmental matter arising
under or related to any Environmental Laws, Environmental Permits, or in
connection with any Release or threatened Release or presence of a Hazardous
Substance whether on, at, in, under, from or about or in the vicinity of any
real or personal property;
(m) “Environmental Permits” means all permits,
licenses, written authorizations, certificates, approvals, program participation
requirements, sign-offs or registrations required by or available with or from
any Governmental Entity under any Environmental Laws;
(n) “Governmental Entity” means any applicable
(i) multinational, transnational, national, federal, state, provincial,
regional, municipal, local or other government, governmental or public
department, ministry, central bank, court, tribunal, arbitral body, commission,
board, bureau, agency or official, in each case whether domestic or foreign,
(ii) any subdivision, agency, commission, board or authority of any of the
foregoing, or (iii) any quasi governmental or private body exercising any
regulatory, expropriation or taxing authority under or for the account of any of
the foregoing;
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-
(o) “Hazardous Substance” means any chemical,
material or substance in any form, whether solid, liquid, gaseous, semisolid or
any combination thereof, whether waste material, raw material, finished product,
intermediate product, byproduct or any other material or article, that is listed
or regulated under any Environmental Laws as a hazardous substance, toxic
substance, waste or contaminant or is otherwise listed or regulated under any
Environmental Laws because it poses a hazard to public health or the
environment;
(p) “Intellectual Property” means all foreign
and domestic intellectual property including without limitation all (i)
trademarks, service marks, brand names, Internet domain names, logos, symbols,
trade dress, fictitious names, trade names, and other indicia of origin and all
goodwill associated therewith and symbolized thereby; (ii) patents and
inventions and discoveries, whether patentable or not; (iii) confidential
information, proprietary information, trade secrets and know-how, (including
without limitation processes, schematics, business methods, formulae, drawings,
prototypes, models, designs, customer lists and supplier lists) (collectively,
“Trade Secrets”); (iv) copyrights and works of authorship in any media
(including without limitation computer software programs, source code, databases
and other complications of information); and (v) all disclosures, applications
and registrations for any of the foregoing; (vi) all extensions, modifications,
renewals, divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, reissues,
restorations and reversions related to any off the foregoing.
(q) “Key Third Party Consents” means those
consents, approvals and notices contractually required from any third party,
including from customers, to proceed with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and Merger and in respect of any Contracts of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries and as set out in Section 4.3(b) of the Company Disclosure
Letter;
(r) “Law” or “Laws” means all laws
(including common law), by-laws, statutes, rules, regulations, principles of law
and equity, orders, rulings, regulations, ordinances, judgments, injunctions,
determinations, awards, decrees, settlements, agency requirements or other
legally enforceable requirements, whether domestic or foreign, and the terms and
conditions of any grant of approval, permission, authority or license of any
Governmental Entity or self-regulatory authority (including the New York Stock
Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange), and the term “applicable” with respect
to such Laws and in a context that refers to one or more parties, means such
Laws as are applicable to such party or its business, undertaking, property or
securities and emanate from a Person having jurisdiction over the party or
parties or its or their business, undertaking, property or
securities;
(s) “Liability” of any person shall
mean and include: (i) any right against such person to payment, whether or not
such right is reduced to judgment, liquidated, unliquidated, fixed, contingent,
matured, unmatured, disputed, undisputed, legal, equitable, secured or
unsecured; (ii) any right against such person to an equitable remedy for breach
of performance if such breach gives rise to a right to payment, whether or not
such right to any equitable remedy is reduced to judgment, fixed, contingent,
matured, unmatured, disputed, undisputed, secured or unsecured; and (iii) any
obligation of such person for the performance of any covenant or agreement
(whether for the payment of money or otherwise);
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-
(t) “Material Adverse Effect”
means, with respect to Parent, MergerCo, the Company or the Surviving Company,
as the case may be, any fact, change, effect, event, occurrence or development
or state of circumstances that, individually or in the aggregate with all other
facts, changes, effects, occurrences or development or state of circumstances,
has a material adverse effect on (i) the business, operations, affairs, assets,
properties, liabilities (including contingent liabilities), capitalization,
results of operations (financial or otherwise) or financial condition of such
party and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (provided, however, that, with
respect to this clause (i), any fact, change, effect, event, occurrence or
development or state of circumstances to the extent resulting from (A) changes,
after the date hereof, in generally accepted accounting principles generally
applicable to such parties, (B) changes, after the date hereof, in laws, rules
or regulations of general applicability or interpretations thereof by courts or
Governmental Entities, (C) actions or omissions of Parent or MergerCo, on the
one hand, or the Company, on the other hand, taken with the prior written
consent of the other or expressly required or permitted hereunder, (D) changes,
after the date hereof, in general economic or market conditions generally
affecting companies engaged in the mining industry except to the extent that
such changes have a disproportionate adverse effect on such party, (E) facts,
changes, effects, events, occurrences, developments or states of circumstances
disclosed by Parent in Data Room Material or in the Parent Disclosure Letter,
(F) facts, changes, effects, events, occurrences, developments or states of
circumstances disclosed by the Company in the Company Disclosure Letter, (G) any
failure by a party to meet any internal or published industry analyst
projections or forecasts or estimates of revenues or earnings for any period (it
being understood and agreed that the facts and circumstances giving rise to such
failure that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of “Material Adverse
Effect” may be taken into account in determining whether there has been a
Material Adverse Effect), or (H) public disclosure of the transactions
contemplated hereby, in each case shall be deemed not to constitute a “Material
Adverse Effect”), or (ii) the ability of such party to timely consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or perform its obligations
hereunder;
(u) “Material Contracts” means any contract
(i) under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has directly or
indirectly guaranteed any liabilities or obligations of a third party (other
than ordinary course endorsements for collection) in excess of $250,000 in the
aggregate, (ii) relating to indebtedness for borrowed money, whether incurred,
assumed, guaranteed or secured by any asset, with an outstanding principal
amount in excess of $250,000, (iii) providing for the establishment,
organization or formation of any joint ventures, (iv) under which the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to make or expects to receive payments in
excess of $250,000 over the remaining term of the contract, (v) that limits or
restricts the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from engaging in any line of
business or any geographic area in any material respect, or (vi) that is
otherwise material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as a whole;
and, for greater certainty, includes the Material Contracts listed in Schedule
4.20 to the Company Disclosure Letter;
(v) “MI 61-101” means Multilateral
Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special
Transactions of the Ontario Securities Commission and l’Autorité des marchés
financiers (Quebec);
- 75
-
(w) “Parent Credit Facility” means, collectively,
(i) the Credit Facility Agreement between Parent and Scotia Capital Inc. as
agent for the Bank and Société Générale dated October 14, 2005, and the amending
agreements between the Company and the Bank dated February 24, 2006, May 19,
2006, September 30, 2006, December 15, 2006, and Xxxxx 00, 0000, (xx) the
General Security Agreement dated October 14, 2005 executed by Parent (then known
as Xxxxxx Lake Resources Inc.) granting to the Bank a security interest in,
among other things, the shares held by Parent in Mexgold Resources Inc., Xxxxxx
Holdings Inc. and Xxxxxx Lake Resources (U.S.A.) Inc., (iii) the Debenture dated
October 20, 2005 executed by Xxxxxx Lake Holdings Inc. in favor of the Bank,
granting to the Bank a charge over, among other things, the shares held by
Xxxxxx Lake Holdings Inc. in Xxxxxx Lake de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., (iv) the
General Security Agreement dated October 16, 2006 issued by Mexgold Resources
Inc. in favor of the Bank, granting to the Bank a security interest in, among
other things, the shares held by Mexgold Resources Inc. in Compania Minera del
Cubo, S.A. de C.V. and Metales Interamericanos, S.A. de C.V., and (v) the Stock
Pledge Agreement dated October 20, 2005 executed by Parent (then known as Xxxxxx
Lake Resources Inc.) and Xxxxxx Lake Holdings Inc. pledging to the Bank the
shares held by Parent and Xxxxxx Lake Holdings Inc. in Xxxxxx Lake de Mexico,
S.A. de C.V.;
(x) “Parent Data Site” means the
data site established by Parent and made available to the Company in connection
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(y) “Parent Proxy Statement” means
the proxy statement to be prepared and mailed by Parent to its stockholders for
the purposes of considering and voting on the issuance of Parent Common shares
under the transaction.
(z) “Person” includes an
individual, partnership, association, body corporate, trustee, executor,
administrator, legal representative, government (including any Governmental
Entity) or any other entity, whether or not having legal status;
(aa) “Release” shall have the
meaning prescribed under any applicable Environmental Law and includes any
release, spill, leak, discharge, abandonment, disposal, pumping, pouring,
emitting, emptying, injecting, leaching, dumping, depositing, dispersing,
passive migration, allowing to escape or migrate into or through the environment
(including ambient air, surface water, ground water, land surface and subsurface
strata or within any building, structure, facility or fixture) of any Hazardous
Material, including the abandonment or discarding of Hazardous Substance in
barrels, drums, tanks or other containers, regardless of when
discovered;
(bb) “Remedial Action” shall mean any
investigation, feasibility study, monitoring, testing, sampling, removal
(including removal of underground storage tanks), restoration, clean up,
remediation, closure, site restoration, remedial response or remedial
work;
(cc) “Stifel” means Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx
& Company, Incorporated.
(dd) “Subsidiary” when used with
respect to either party, means any corporation, partnership, limited liability
company or other organization or entity, whether incorporated or unincorporated,
that is consolidated with such party for financial reporting purposes under U.S.
GAAP, in the case of the Company, or Canadian GAAP, in the case of Parent, and
the terms “Company Subsidiary” and “Parent Subsidiary” shall mean any direct or
indirect Subsidiary of the Company or Parent, respectively.
- 76
-
(ee) “Superior Proposal” means any bona fide
unsolicited written Takeover Proposal made by a third party that (i) if
consummated in accordance with its terms would result in such Person (or its
stockholders) owning, directly or indirectly all but not less than all of the
shares of Company Common Stock then outstanding (or of the shares of the
surviving entity in a merger or the direct or indirect parent of the surviving
entity in a merger) or all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and
its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, (ii) that is not subject to a
financing condition or a due diligence condition, (iii) that did not result from
or involve a breach of Section 7.11 of this
Agreement, and (iv) the Board of Directors of the Company reasonably determines
in good faith (after consultation with its legal advisors and Cormark or a
financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation in Canada or the United
States) taking into account all financial, legal, regulatory and other aspects
of such proposal (including any break-up fee, expense reimbursement provisions
and conditions to consummation) and the Person making the proposal, but without
assuming away the risk of non-completion, to be (x) more favorable to the
stockholders of the Company from a financial point of view than the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement (taking into account any changes to the financial
terms of this Agreement offered by Parent in response to such offer or
otherwise, including the certainty of the terms offered by Parent or lack
thereof) and (y) reasonably capable of being completed without undue delay on
the terms set forth in the proposal.
(ff) “Takeover Proposal” means any inquiry,
proposal or offer from any Person (other than Parent and its Subsidiaries),
written or oral, relating to, or that could reasonably be expected to lead to,
(A) any direct or indirect acquisition or purchase, in one transaction or a
series of related transactions, of any assets (including equity securities of
any Subsidiary of the Company), properties or businesses (including any lease,
long-term supply agreement or other agreement or arrangement having the same or
similar economic effect as a sale of assets, properties or business, any sale or
grant of a royalty or similar type transaction), any liquidation or winding up,
in each case that constitute 20% or more of the revenues, net income or assets
of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or 20% or more of any
class of securities of the Company or any Subsidiary, (B) any tender offer or
exchange offer that if consummated would result in any Person beneficially
owning 20% or more of any class of securities of the Company, (C) any merger,
amalgamation, statutory arrangement, consolidation, business combination,
recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution, joint venture, share exchange or
similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (D) any
other similar transactions or series of transactions involving the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries.
(gg) “U.S. GAAP” means generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States;
(hh) The
following terms have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Sections indicated
below:
- 77
-
Section
|
|
Action
|
4.12(a)
|
Agreement
|
Preamble
|
Assumed
Employees
|
7.7
|
Assumed
Stock Option
|
2.2(a)
|
Cash
Payment
|
2.6(b)
|
Certificate
|
2.1(b)
|
Certificate
of Merger
|
1.2
|
Change
of Control Agreement
|
4.18
|
Change
of Control Payment
|
4.18
|
Closing
|
1.2
|
Closing
Date
|
1.2
|
Company
|
Preamble
|
Company
10-Qs
|
4.9
|
Company
2009 10-K
|
4.9
|
Company
Adverse Recommendation Change
|
7.11(d)
|
Company
Adverse Recommendation Notice
|
7.11(f)
|
Company
Certificate of Incorporation
|
4.1(b)
|
Company
Benefit Plan
|
4.16(a)
|
Company
By-laws
|
4.1(b)
|
Company
Common Stock
|
2.2(a)
|
Company
Due Diligence Information
|
4.39
|
Company
Director Designee
|
1.8
|
Company
Disclosure Letter
|
Article 4
|
Company
Financial Information
|
4.8
|
Company
IP
|
4.2
|
Company
Permits
|
4.19
|
Company
Recommendation
|
7.3
|
Company
Regulatory Agreement
|
4.13(b)
|
Company
Reports
|
4.8
|
Company
Stockholder Meeting
|
7.3
|
Company
Stock Option
|
2.2(a)
|
Company
Stock Plans
|
2.2(a)
|
Data
Room Materials
|
Article 5
|
DGCL
|
1.1
|
ERISA
|
4.16(a)
|
ERISA
Affiliate
|
4.16(a)
|
Effective
Time
|
1.2
|
Exchange
Act
|
4.6
|
Exchange
Agent
|
3.1
|
Exchange
Fund
|
3.1
|
Exchange
Ratio
|
2.1(a)
|
FIRPTA
Certificate
|
6.2(h)
|
Form
F-4
|
4.6
|
HSR
Act
|
4.6
|
Indemnified
Party
|
7.8(a)
|
- 78
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Section
|
|
IRS
|
4.14
|
Proxy
Statement
|
4.4
|
Letter
of Intent
|
Preamble
|
Liens
|
4.2
|
Locked-up
Stockholder
|
Recitals
|
Materially
Burdensome Condition
|
7.1(b)
|
Maximum
Amount
|
7.8(a)
|
Merger
|
Recitals
|
Merger
Consideration
|
2.1(a)
|
MergerCo
|
Preamble
|
MergerCo
Common Stock
|
5.2
|
Negotiation
Period
|
7.11(f)
|
Nayarit
|
4.2
|
NYSE
|
2.2(a)
|
Orders
|
4.12(a)
|
Parent
|
Preamble
|
Parent
2008 40-F/A
|
5.6
|
Parent
Articles
|
5.1(b)
|
Parent
By-laws
|
5.1(b)
|
Parent
Common Shares
|
2.1(a)
|
Parent
Data Room Materials
|
Article 5
|
Parent
Disclosure Letter
|
Article 5
|
Parent
Financial Information
|
5.6
|
Parent
IP
|
5.19
|
Parent
Permits
|
5.13
|
Parent
Regulatory Agreement
|
5.9(b)
|
Parent
Reports
|
5.5
|
Parent
Stockholder Meeting
|
7.4
|
Parent
Stock Plans
|
5.2
|
Pre-Merger
Reorganization
|
7.15
|
Proxy
Statement
|
4.6
|
Representatives
|
4.16(b)
|
Requisite
Approvals
|
8.1(d)
|
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act
|
4.8
|
SEC
|
4.6
|
Securities
Act
|
2.3
|
Superior
Proposal
|
7.11(c)
|
Surviving
Company
|
1.1
|
Takeover
Proposal
|
7.11(b)
|
Tax
|
4.15(b)
|
Taxes
|
4.15(b)
|
Tax
Return
|
4.15(c)
|
Termination
Fee
|
9.3(a)
|
Trade
Secrets
|
4.32
|
- 79
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Section
|
|
Transaction
|
7.13
|
TSX
|
2.1(b)
|
Voting
and Support Agreement
|
Recitals
|
WARN
Act
|
4.17(b)
|
Remainder
of Page Intentionally Left Blank
- 80
-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Parent,
MergerCo and the Company have caused this Agreement to be executed by their
respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above
written.
XXXXXX
GOLD INC.
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx |
Name:
|
Xxxx Xxxxxx |
Title:
|
President and CEO, Xxxxxx Gold Inc. |
CAPITAL
GOLD ACQUIRECO, INC.
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx |
Name:
|
Xxxx Xxxxxx |
Title:
|
CAPITAL
GOLD CORPORATION
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
Name:
|
Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
Title:
|
CFO
|
- 81
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EXHIBIT
A
FORM
OF VOTING AND SUPPORT AGREEMENT
VOTING
AND SUPPORT AGREEMENT
THIS VOTING AND SUPPORT
AGREEMENT made the 30th day of
September, 2010 BETWEEN.
BETWEEN:
________________________________,
an individual,
(hereinafter
referred to as the “Seller”),
- and
-
XXXXXX GOLD INC., a
corporation existing under the laws of Quebec,
(hereinafter
referred to as the “Acquiror”).
WHEREAS Seller is an officer
and/or director and the legal and beneficial owner of _____________ common
stock, par value $.0001 per share, (the “Common Shares”) of Capital
Gold Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”);
AND WHEREAS the Acquiror is
contemporaneously herewith entering into a transaction (the “Transaction”) contemplated by
that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among the Acquiror, Capital
Gold AcquireCo, Inc. and the Company, dated of even date herewith (the “Merger Agreement”) which
Transaction provides for, among other things, that each Common Share, other than
Common Shares owned by the Acquiror or its Affiliates, shall be converted into
the right to receive 0.5209 validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable common
shares, no par value per share, of the Acquiror (“Acquiror Common Shares”) plus
$0.79, in cash, pursuant to a Delaware plan of merger (the “Merger”) under the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”);
AND WHEREAS this Agreement
sets out the terms and conditions of the agreement of the Seller (i) to support
the Merger; (ii) to vote or cause to be voted the Subject Securities (as defined
below) in favour of the Transaction and any other matter that could reasonably
be expected to facilitate the Transaction; and (iii) to abide by the
restrictions and covenants set forth herein;
AND WHEREAS the Acquiror is
relying on the covenants, representations and warranties of the Seller set forth
in this Agreement in connection with the entering into of the Merger
Agreement;
NOW THEREFORE this Agreement
witnesses that, in consideration of the premises and the covenants and agreement
herein contained, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and
adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged by the parties, the parties hereto
agree as follows:
- A-2
-
ARTICLE 1
INTERPRETATION
1.1
In this
Agreement, unless something in the subject matter or context is inconsistent
therewith, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set out in
Schedule A hereto and grammatical variations shall have the corresponding
meanings.
1.2 All
references herein to the Merger Agreement or any portion thereof refer to the
Merger Agreement, as amended, modified, restated or waived.
1.3
In
this Agreement, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise
requires:
|
(ii)
|
references
to “herein”, “hereby”, “hereunder”, “hereof” and similar expressions are
references to this Agreement and not to any particular Section of or
Schedule to this Agreement;
|
|
(jj)
|
references
to a “Section”, “clause” or a “Schedule” are references to a Section or
clause of or Schedule to this
Agreement;
|
|
(kk)
|
words
importing the singular shall include the plural and vice versa, and words
importing gender shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter
genders;
|
|
(ll)
|
the
use of headings is for convenience of reference only and shall not affect
the construction or interpretation
hereof;
|
(mm)
|
if
the date on which any action is required to be taken hereunder by any of
the parties is not a Business Day, such action shall be required to be
taken on the next succeeding day that is a Business
Day;
|
|
(nn)
|
a
period of Business Days is to be computed as beginning on the day
following the event that began the period and ending at 4:30 p.m. (Toronto
time) on the last day of the period if the period is a Business Day or at
4:30 p.m. (Toronto time) on the next Business Day if the last day of the
period does not fall on a Business
Day;
|
|
(oo)
|
the
terms “material” and “materially” shall, when used in this Agreement, be
construed, measured or assessed on the basis of whether the matter would
materially affect a party and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole;
|
|
(pp)
|
references
to any legislation or to any provision of any legislation shall include
any modification or re-enactment thereof, any legislation provision
substituted therefor and all regulations, rules and interpretations issued
thereunder or pursuant thereto; and
|
|
(qq)
|
wherever
the term “includes” or “including” is used, it shall be deemed to mean
“includes, without limitation” or “including, without limitation”,
respectively.
|
- A-3
-
1.4 References
to the “knowledge of the Seller” mean the actual knowledge or awareness of,
after due inquiry, of the Seller, including where applicable the officers and
directors of the Seller, and any other person in an equivalent position with the
Seller.
ARTICLE 2
AGREEMENT
TO VOTE
2.1 Subject to the terms and conditions
of this Agreement, and subject in all instances to the provisions of the Merger
Agreement relating to Superior Proposals (as defined in the Merger Agreement,
and including, without limitation, Section 7.11 of the Merger Agreement), which
provisions are incorporated herein by reference and which shall apply to the
Seller in his capacity as an officer and/or director of the Company (it being
agreed that the Seller may take all actions not inconsistent with Section 7.11
of the Merger Agreement to facilitate the consummation of a Superior Proposal
notwithstanding the provisions hereof), the Seller hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally covenants and agrees from the date hereof until the earlier of
(i) the time at which the Merger contemplated by the Merger Agreement is
consummated (the “Effective Time”), and (ii) the termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Article 6:
|
(rr)
|
to
vote or to cause to be voted the Subject Securities (as defined below) at
the Meeting (or any adjournment or postponement thereof) in favour of the
Transaction, including the Merger Resolution, and in favour of any other
matter proposed by the Board or the Acquiror to be considered by the
securityholders of the Company at the Meeting which could reasonably be
expected to facilitate the Transaction. The Seller will also
cause the Subject Securities to be counted as present for purposes of
establishing a quorum at any such
Meeting;
|
|
(ss)
|
to
vote or cause to be voted the Subject Securities against any Takeover
Proposal and/or any matter that could reasonably be expected to delay,
prevent, impede or frustrate the successful completion of the Transaction
at any meeting of the securityholders of the Company called by the Board
or a court (other than as a result of any application filed or supported
by the Acquiror or the Seller without the consent of the Company) for the
purpose of considering same;
|
|
(tt)
|
no
later than 5 Business Days prior to the Meeting, the Seller will deliver
or cause to be delivered (including by instructing the participant(s) in
the book-based system operated by CDS Clearing and Depository Services
Inc. or other intermediary through which the Seller holds the Subject
Securities to arrange for such delivery) to the Company (with a copy to
the Acquiror concurrently) of a duly executed proxy (or other appropriate
voting instrument) in favour of the Acquiror or its designee, with full
power of substitution, to attend, vote and otherwise act for and on behalf
of the Seller in respect of its Subject Securities and in respect of all
matters which may come before a meeting of the securityholders of the
Company called by the Board or a court (other than as a result of any
application filed or supported by the Acquiror or the Seller without the
consent of the Company) relating to the Transaction (other than any change
in the terms of the Transaction that would decrease the value of the
consideration to be received by the Seller or that would result in adverse
tax implications for the Seller), and such proxy (or other voting
instrument) shall not be revoked unless this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Article 6 prior to the exercise of such proxy (or other
voting instrument);
|
- A-4
-
|
(uu)
|
to
cause the Subject Securities to be counted as present for purposes of
establishing a quorum and (A) to vote, or cause to be voted, the Subject
Securities against, and (B) to not otherwise support, in each case, any:
(i) liquidation, dissolution, recapitalization, merger, amalgamation,
acquisition, strategic alliance, business combination, take-over bid, sale
of material assets (or any lease, long- term supply agreement or other
arrangement having the same economic effect as a sale), any material issue
or sale of treasury shares or rights or interests therein or thereto
(other than any treasury shares issued as a result of the exercise of any
Options pursuant to the Option Plan), or similar transactions or series of
transactions involving the Company, or a proposal to do any of the
foregoing, excluding the Transaction; (ii) amendment of the Company’s
articles or by-laws or other proposal or transaction involving the Company
which amendment or other proposal or transaction would in any manner
delay, impede, frustrate or prevent the Transaction or any of the
transactions reasonably necessary for the consummation of the Merger, or
change in any manner the voting rights of the Common Shares or any other
securities of the Company; and (iii) action, agreement, transaction or
proposal that might reasonably be regarded as being directed towards or
likely to prevent or delay the Meeting or the successful completion of the
Transaction or of the transactions reasonably necessary for the
consummation of the Merger, at any meeting of securityholders of the
Company called by the Board or a court (other than as a result of any
application filed or supported by the Acquiror or the Seller without the
consent of the Company);
|
|
(vv)
|
not
exercise any rights of a securityholder of the Company to dissent or
appraisal pursuant to applicable Law in respect of the Transaction, the
Merger, or otherwise in connection with the Transaction, in each case as
such may be amended or varied at any time prior to the Effective Time;
or
|
(ww)
|
to
support the completion of any Alternative Transaction in the same manner
as the Seller is obligated to support the Merger under this Agreement if
the Acquiror concludes, after the date of this Agreement, it is necessary
or desirable and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if an
Alternative Transaction is effected by way of a take-over
bid:
|
|
(i)
|
the
Seller shall validly tender or cause to be tendered and cause all acts and
things to be done to tender the Seller’s Common Shares on the terms and
conditions set out herein; and
|
- A-5
-
|
(ii)
|
within
five Business Days following the mailing of the take-over bid circular of
the Company to be sent to securityholders of the Company in connection
with the Alternative Transaction, the Seller shall deposit or cause to be
deposited (including by instructing the participant in the book based
system operated by The Depository Trust Company or such other intermediary
through which the Seller holds the Subject Securities to arrange for such
deposit) all of the Subject Securities in accordance with the provisions
of the offer and circular and thereafter the Seller shall not withdraw or
permit the Subject Securities to be withdrawn from such
offer.
|
2.2 As used in this Agreement, the term
“Subject Securities”
means the Common Shares (including all Company Restricted Stock) that are
beneficially owned, or in respect of which the voting is, directly or
indirectly, controlled or directed by the Seller, as constituted at the date
hereof, and includes:
|
(xx)
|
any
Common Share that may become beneficially owned, or in respect of which
the voting may become, directly or indirectly, controlled or directed by
the Seller after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time,
including any Common Share issued pursuant any convertible security of the
Company owned by the Seller or which may otherwise be acquired by the
Seller after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time;
and
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|
(yy)
|
any
other voting securities of the Company that may result from a
reclassification, conversion, consolidation, subdivision or exchange of,
or distribution or dividend on, such shares or capital reorganization of
the Company and all other securities exercisable, convertible or
exchangeable into any of the
foregoing.
|
2.3 During
the term of this Agreement, the Seller hereby appoints the Acquiror as
attorney-in-fact (which appointment is, subject to Article 6 and the
Acquiror’s compliance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and, upon
the execution and delivery thereof by the Company and the Acquiror of the Merger
Agreement, unconditional, irrevocable and coupled with an interest) for and on
its behalf to execute a proxy appointing the Acquiror or its designee to attend
and act on behalf of the Seller at any Meeting in respect of any of the matters
referred to in Section 10.15(tt) and to act on behalf of the Seller on every
action or approval by written consent of the Company Shareholders in respect of
such matters, and if, pursuant to this power of attorney, the Acquiror has
executed and not revoked a proxy in respect of a meeting for the Subject
Securities which proxy has been accepted by the Company, then in such
circumstances the Seller shall not be responsible for voting under Sections
10.15(rr) and (ss).
ARTICLE 3
CERTAIN
COVENANTS OF THE SELLER
3.1 Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and subject in all instances to
the provisions of the Merger Agreement relating to Superior Proposals (as
defined in the Merger Agreement, and including, without limitation, Section 7.11
of the Merger Agreement), which provisions are incorporated herein by reference
and which shall apply to the Seller in his capacity as an officer and/or
director of the Company (it being agreed that the Seller may take all actions
not inconsistent with Section 7.11 of the Merger Agreement to facilitate the
consummation of a Superior Proposal notwithstanding the provisions hereof), the
Seller hereby irrevocably and unconditionally covenants and agrees from the date
hereof until the earlier of (i) the termination of this Agreement pursuant to
Article 6 and (ii) the Effective Time, except in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement:
- A-6
-
|
(zz)
|
not,
directly or indirectly, through any of its Representatives (i) solicit,
assist, initiate, knowingly encourage or knowingly facilitate (including
by way of discussion, negotiation, furnishing information, permitting any
visit to any facilities or properties of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary, or entering into any form of agreement, arrangement,
commitment or understanding) any inquiries, proposals or offers regarding,
or that may reasonably be expected to lead to, any Takeover Proposal, (ii)
engage or participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding, or
provide any information with respect to or otherwise cooperate with any
person (other than the Company in connection with the Transaction, the
Acquiror and their respective Representatives) regarding any Takeover
Proposal or potential Takeover Proposal, (iii) accept or enter into, or
publicly propose to accept or enter into, any letter of intent, agreement
in principle, agreement, arrangement or undertaking related to any
Takeover Proposal, (iv) provide any information relating to the Company or
any subsidiary to any person or group in connection with any Takeover
Proposal, or (v) otherwise co-operate in any way with any effort or
attempt by any person or group to do or seek to do any of the
foregoing;
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(aaa)
|
immediately
cease and cause to be terminated all existing agreements, discussions and
negotiations, if any, with any person or group or any Representatives of
any person or group (in each case, other than the Company in connection
with the Transaction, the Acquiror and their respective Representatives)
entered into or conducted before the date of this Agreement with respect
to any Takeover Proposal;
|
(bbb)
|
immediately
notify the Acquiror and the Company of any Takeover Proposal of which the
Seller or, to the knowledge of the Seller or any of its Representatives
becomes, directly or indirectly, aware. Such notification shall
be made first orally and then in writing and shall include a description
of the material terms and conditions together with a copy of all
documentation relating to any such Takeover Proposal or inquiry in respect
of an Takeover Proposal within the Seller’s
possession;
|
(ccc)
|
not
option, sell, transfer, pledge, encumber, grant a security interest in,
hypothecate or otherwise convey or enter into any forward sale, repurchase
agreement or other monetization transaction with respect to any of the
Subject Securities, or any right or interest therein (legal or equitable),
to any person or group or agree to do any of the
foregoing;
|
(ddd)
|
not
grant or agree to grant any proxy, power of attorney or other right to
vote the Subject Securities, or enter into any voting agreement, voting
trust, vote pooling or other agreement with respect to the right to vote,
call meetings of securityholders of the Company or give consents or
approval of any kind with respect to any of the Subject
Securities;
|
- A-7
-
(eee)
|
not
requisition or join in any requisition of any meeting of securityholders
of the Company without the prior written consent of the Acquiror and the
Company, or vote or cause to be voted any of the Subject Securities in
respect of any proposed action by the Company or the Company Shareholders
or Affiliates or any other person or group in a manner which might
reasonably be regarded as likely to prevent or delay the successful
completion of the Transaction or the other transactions contemplated by
the Merger Agreement and this Agreement or have a material adverse effect
on the Company; and
|
|
(fff)
|
not
do indirectly that which it may not do directly by the terms of this
Article 3 or take any other action of any kind, directly or
indirectly, which might reasonably be regarded as likely to reduce the
success of, or delay or interfere with the completion of, the Transaction
and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and this
Agreement.
|
ARTICLE 4
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER
4.1 The
Seller represents, warrants and, where applicable, covenants to the Acquiror as
follows and acknowledges that the Acquiror is relying upon these
representations, warranties and covenants in connection with the entering into
of this Agreement and the Merger Agreement:
(ggg)
|
this
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Seller and, assuming
the due authorization, execution and delivery by the Acquiror, constitutes
a legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable by the Acquiror against
the Seller in accordance with its provisions, subject to bankruptcy,
insolvency and other applicable Laws affecting creditor’s rights generally
and general principles of equity;
|
(hhh)
|
(i)
the Seller is the sole legal and beneficial owner of, or controls or
directs the voting rights in respect of, the Subject Securities, (ii) the
only Common Shares, Options or other securities of the Company
beneficially owned, or over which control or direction is exercised by the
Seller are the Subject Securities; and (iii) the Seller has no
agreement or option, or right or privilege (whether by law, pre-emptive or
contractual) capable of becoming an agreement or option, for the purchase
or acquisition by the Seller of additional Common Shares, Options or other
securities of the Company;
|
|
(iii)
|
the
Seller has the sole right to vote all the Subject Securities and all such
Subject Securities shall, immediately prior to the Effective Time, be
beneficially owned solely by the Seller with good and marketable title
thereto, free and clear of any and all mortgages, liens, charges,
restrictions, security interests, adverse claims, pledges, encumbrances
and demands or rights of others of any nature or kind
whatsoever;
|
- A-8
-
|
(jjj)
|
no
individual or entity has any agreement or option, or any right or
privilege (whether by law, pre-emptive or contractual) capable of becoming
an agreement or option, for the purchase, acquisition or transfer from the
Seller of any of the Subject Securities or any interest therein or right
thereto, including any right to vote, except the Acquiror pursuant to this
Agreement;
|
(kkk)
|
none
of the execution and delivery by the Seller of this Agreement or the
completion or performance of the transactions contemplated hereby or the
compliance with the obligations hereunder by the Seller will result in a
breach of (i) any agreement or instrument to which the Seller is a party
or by which the Seller or any of the Seller’s property or assets is bound;
or (ii) any judgment, decree, order or award of any Regulatory Authority
with respect to the Seller, except, in the case of (ii), such breaches
which could not, individually or in the aggregate, impair the ability of
the Seller to perform its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise
delay the Seller in performing such obligations;
and
|
|
(lll)
|
there
are no legal proceedings in progress or pending before any Regulatory
Authority, or, to the knowledge of the Seller, threatened, against the
Seller that would adversely affect in any manner the Seller’s ability to
enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations
hereunder.
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The
representations and warranties of the Seller set forth in this Article 4 shall
not survive either the Effective Time or the termination of this Agreement, as
the case may be.
ARTICLE 5
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE ACQUIROR
5.1 The
Acquiror represents, warrants and, where applicable, covenants to the Seller as
follows and acknowledges that the Seller is relying upon these representations,
warranties and covenants in connection with the entering into of this
Agreement:
(mmm)
|
the
Acquiror has been duly formed and is validly existing under the laws of
Quebec and has the requisite corporate power and authority to conduct its
business as it is now being conducted and to execute and deliver this
Agreement and to perform its obligations
hereunder;
|
(nnn)
|
the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Acquiror and the
performance by it of its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized
by its respective board of directors and no other corporate proceedings on
its part are necessary to authorize this Agreement and the performance of
its obligations hereunder;
|
(ooo)
|
this
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Acquiror and,
assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the Seller,
constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable by the
Seller against the Acquiror in accordance with its terms, subject to
bankruptcy, insolvency and other applicable Laws affecting creditor’s
rights generally and general principles of equity;
and
|
- A-9
-
(ppp)
|
none
of the execution and delivery by the Acquiror of this Agreement or the
completion or performance of the transactions contemplated hereby or the
compliance with the obligations hereunder by the Acquiror will result in a
breach of (i) the constating documents of the Acquiror; (ii) any agreement
or instrument to which the Acquiror is a party or by which the Acquiror or
any of the Acquiror’s property or assets is bound; or (iii) any judgment,
decree, order or award of any Regulatory Authority with respect to the
Acquiror, except, in the case of (ii) and (iii), such breaches which could
not, individually or in the aggregate, impair the ability of the Acquiror
to perform its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise delay the
Acquiror in performing such
obligations.
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ARTICLE 6
TERMINATION
6.1 This
Agreement may be terminated by the Acquiror by notice to the Seller
if:
(qqq)
|
the
Seller has not complied in all material respects with its covenants to the
Acquiror contained herein;
|
|
(rrr)
|
the
Company has not complied in all material respects with its covenants to
the Acquiror under the Merger
Agreement;
|
|
(sss)
|
any
of the representations and warranties of the Seller contained herein is
untrue or inaccurate in any material respect;
or
|
|
(ttt)
|
the
Merger Agreement is terminated in accordance with its
terms.
|
6.2 This
Agreement may be terminated by the Seller by notice to the Acquiror
if:
(uuu)
|
the
Merger Agreement provides that the consideration payable to Seller per
Common Share pursuant to the Transaction is less than set out in the
second recital above;
|
(vvv)
|
the
Transaction or the Merger is amended in any manner that would result in
adverse tax implications for the Seller;
or
|
(www)
|
the
Merger Agreement is terminated in accordance with its
terms.
|
6.3 This
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Effective Time by the
mutual agreement of the Acquiror and the Seller.
6.4 In
the case of any notice of termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.1,
6.2 or 6.3 this Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force or
effect. Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, such
termination shall not relieve any party from liability for any breach of this
Agreement by the party prior to such termination.
- A-10
-
ARTICLE 7
DISCLOSURE
7.1 Except
as required by applicable Laws or by any Regulatory Authority or in accordance
with the requirements of any stock exchange, no party shall make any public
announcement or statement with respect to this Agreement without the approval of
the other, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed. Moreover, the parties agree to consult with each other and
the Company prior to making any public filing, summarizing any provisions of
this Agreement in any proxy circular or other disclosure documents in respect of
the Transaction or making any public announcement or statement with respect to
this Agreement, subject to the overriding obligations of Laws or
regulations. A copy of this Agreement and all amendments shall be
provided to the Board.
ARTICLE 8
GENERAL
8.1 This
Agreement shall become effective upon mutual execution and delivery hereof by
the Seller and the Acquirer.
8.2 The
Seller and the Acquiror shall, from time to time, promptly execute and deliver
all such further documents and instruments and do all such acts and things as
the other party may reasonably require to effectively carry out the intent of
this Agreement.
8.3 This
Agreement shall not be assignable by any party without the prior written consent
of the other parties and the Company. This Agreement shall be binding
upon and shall enure to the benefit of and be enforceable by each of the parties
hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
8.4 This
Agreement shall not be amended, replaced or altered in any manner whatsoever
without the prior written consent of the Company which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed.
8.5 Time
shall be of the essence of this Agreement.
8.6 Any
notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall
be sufficiently given if in writing, delivered or sent by telecopier or
facsimile transmission:
(xxx)
|
in
the case of the Seller,
|
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
- A-11
-
Fax:
|
___________________
|
(yyy)
|
in
the case of the Acquiror:
|
Xxxxxx
Gold Inc.
00
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx
X0X
0X0
Attention:
|
Xxxx
Xxxxxx
|
Fax:
|
(000)
000-0000
|
(zzz)
|
at
such other address as the party to which such notice or other
communication is to be given has last notified the party giving the same
in the manner provided in this Section 8.6 and if so given shall be deemed
to have been received on the date of such delivery or sending (or, if such
day is not a Business Day, on the next following Business
Day).
|
8.7 This
Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State Of Delaware,
regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles
of conflicts of laws thereof.
8.8 Each
of the parties hereto (a) consents to submit itself to the personal jurisdiction
of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or any court of the United
States located in the State of Delaware, in the event any dispute arises out of
this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (b)
agrees that it will not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by
motion or other request for leave from any such court, (c) agrees that it will
not bring any action relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement in any court other than the Court of Chancery of
the State of Delaware or, if under applicable law exclusive jurisdiction is
vested in the federal courts, any court of the United States located in the
State of Delaware and (d) consents to service of process being made through the
notice procedures set forth in Section 10.3. Without limiting other means of
service of process permissible under applicable law, each of the Company, Parent
and MergerCo hereby agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or
document by U.S. or Canadian registered mail to the respective addresses set
forth in Section 8.6 shall be effective service of process for any suit or
proceeding in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby.
8.9 EACH
OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY
JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE
TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
- A-12
-
8.10 Each
of the parties hereto agrees with the others that: (i) money damages would not
be a sufficient remedy for any breach of this Agreement by any of the parties;
(ii) in addition to any other remedies at law or in equity that a party may
have, such party shall be entitled to seek equitable relief, including
injunction and specific performance, in addition to any other remedies available
to the party, in the event of any breach of the provisions of this Agreement;
and (iii) any party that is a defendant or respondent shall waive any
requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such
remedy. Each of the parties hereby consents to any preliminary
applications for such relief to the courts provided for in Section 8.8
hereof. The prevailing party shall be reimbursed for all costs and
expenses, including reasonable legal fees, incurred in enforcing the other
party’s obligations hereunder. Such remedies shall not be deemed to
be exclusive remedies for the breach of this Agreement but shall be in addition
to all other remedies at law or in equity
8.11 If
any provision of this Agreement is determined by a court of proper jurisdiction
to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, all other conditions and
provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect
so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated
hereby is not irremediably affected in any manner materially adverse to any
party hereto. Upon such determination that any term or other
provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, but subject to the
provisions hereof and in the Merger Agreement relating to Superior Proposals,
the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as
to effect the original intent of the parties hereto as closely as possible in an
acceptable manner to the end that transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled
according to their original tenor to the extent possible.
8.12 This
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior
agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties with
respect to the subject matter hereof.
8.13 This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall be deemed to
constitute one and the same instrument, and it shall not be necessary in making
proof of this Agreement to produce more than one counterpart.
[Signature
Page Follows]
- A-13
-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties
have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
XXXXXX
GOLD INC.
|
||
By:
|
|
|
Authorized
Signatory
|
Irrevocably
accepted and agreed to this 30th day of
September, 2010.
Witness:
|
By:
|
|
Print
Name:
|
- A-14
-
SCHEDULE
A
DEFINITIONS
“Affiliate” means an
“affiliate” within the meaning of Part XX of the Securities Act
(Ontario);
“Alternative Transaction” means
another form of transaction (such as a take-over bid or amalgamation) to be
entered into in accordance with the Merger Agreement and on economic terms and
other terms and conditions (including tax treatment) and having consequences to
the Company and the Company Shareholders that are equivalent to or better than
those contemplated by the Merger Agreement in respect of which the Company has
concluded, acting reasonably, that no action required to be taken in connection
with such transaction (and not required to be taken in connection with the
Merger) prior to the consummation thereof would have a material adverse effect
on the Company;
“Board” means the board of
directors of the Company as constituted as at the date of this Agreement (the
“Incumbents”) together with any additions or replacements therefor as are
approved or appointed by the Incumbents;
“Business Day” means a day,
other than a Saturday or a Sunday, on which the principal commercial banks
located in Toronto, Ontario are open for the conduct of business;
“Certificate of Merger” means a
certificate of merger filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware consummating
the Merger;
“Company Restricted Stock”
means the restricted shares of the Company under the Company’s equity-based
compensation plan;
“Company Shareholders” means
holders of Common Shares;
“Company Subsidiaries” means of
any subsidiaries of the Company;
“Common Share” means a common
share of the Company;
“Laws” means any applicable
laws, including international, national, provincial, state, municipal and local
laws, treaties, statutes, ordinances, judgments, decrees, injunctions, writs,
certificates and orders, by-laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, or other
requirements of any Regulatory Authority having the force of law;
“Meeting” means the special
meeting of Company Shareholders called by the Board or a court (other than as a
result of any application filed or supported by the Acquiror or the Seller
without the consent of the Company) to be held for the purpose of considering
the Merger Resolution and any adjournments or postponements
thereof;
- A-15
-
“Merger” means upon the terms
and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, and in
accordance with the DGCL, at the Effective Time an Affiliate of the Acquiror
shall merge with and into the Company;
“Merger Resolution” means the
special resolution of Company Shareholders approving the Merger to be considered
at the Meeting;
“Option Plan” means the option
plan of the Company, as amended;
“Options” means the options
issued pursuant to the Option Plan;
“Regulatory Authority”
means:
|
(a)
|
any
multinational or supranational body or organization, nation, government,
state, province, country, territory, municipality, quasi-government,
administrative, judicial or regulatory authority, agency, board, body,
bureau, commission, instrumentality, court or tribunal or any political
subdivision thereof, or any central bank (or similar monetary or
regulatory authority) thereof, any taxing authority, any ministry or
department or agency of any of the
foregoing;
|
|
(b)
|
any
self-regulatory organization or stock exchange, including the Toronto
Stock Exchange and the New York Stock
Exchange;
|
|
(c)
|
any
entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or
administrative functions of or pertaining to government;
and
|
|
(d)
|
any
corporation or other entity owned or controlled, through stock or capital
ownership or otherwise, by any of such entities or other bodies pursuant
to the foregoing;
|
“Representative” means, in
respect of a person, its subsidiaries and its Affiliates and its and their
directors, officers, employees, agents and representatives (including any
financial, legal or other advisors);
“subsidiary” means, with
respect to a person, any body corporate of which more than 50% of the
outstanding shares ordinarily entitled to elect a majority of the board of
directors thereof (whether or not shares of any other class shall or might be
entitled to vote upon the happening of any event or contingency) are at the time
owned directly or indirectly by such person and shall include any body
corporate, partnership, joint venture or other entity over which it exercises
direction or control or which is in a like relation to a
subsidiary;
- A-16
-
“Takeover Proposal” means any
inquiry, proposal or offer from any Person (other than Acquiror and its
subsidiaries), written or oral, relating to, or that could reasonably be
expected to lead to, (A) any direct or indirect acquisition or purchase, in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, of any assets (including equity
securities of any subsidiary of the Company), properties or businesses
(including any lease, long-term supply agreement or other agreement or
arrangement having the same or similar economic effect as a sale of assets,
properties or business, any sale or grant of a royalty or similar type
transaction), any liquidation or winding up, in each case that constitute 20% or
more of the revenues, net income or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, or 20% or more of any class of securities of the Company or
any subsidiary, (B) any tender offer or exchange offer that if consummated would
result in any Person beneficially owning 20% or more of any class of securities
of the Company, (C) any merger, amalgamation, statutory arrangement,
consolidation, business combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution,
joint venture, share exchange or similar transaction involving the Company or
any of its subsidiaries, or (D) any other similar transactions or series of
transactions involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
- A-17
-
EXHIBIT
B
CERTIFICATE
OF INCORPORATION OF MERGERCO
- B-2
-
- X-0
-
- X-0
-
- X-0
-
- X-0
-
- X-0
-
EXHIBIT
C
BY-LAWS
OF MERGERCO
BY-LAWS
OF MERGERCO
ARTICLE 9
OFFICES
9.1
|
Registered
Office
|
The
registered office of the corporation in the State of Delaware shall be located
at 0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000, in the County of
New Castle. The name of the corporation’s registered agent at such
address shall be Corporation Service Company. The registered office
and/or registered agent of the corporation may be changed from time to time by
action of the board of directors.
9.2
|
Other
Offices
|
The
corporation may also have offices at such other places, both within and without
the State of Delaware, as the board of directors may from time to time determine
or the business of the corporation may require.
ARTICLE 10
MEETINGS
OF STOCKHOLDERS
10.1
|
Place
and Time of Meetings
|
An annual
meeting of the stockholders shall be held each year for the purpose of electing
directors and conducting such other proper business as may come before the
meeting. The date, time and place of the annual meeting may be
determined by resolution of the board of directors or as set by the president of
the corporation.
10.2
|
Special
Meetings
|
Special
meetings of stockholders may be called for any purpose (including, without
limitation, the filling of board vacancies and newly created directorships), and
may be held at such time and place, within or without the State of Delaware, as
shall be stated in a notice of meeting or in a duly executed waiver of notice
thereof. Such meetings may be called at any time by two or more
members of the board of directors, the president or the holders of shares
entitled to cast not less than a majority of the votes at the meeting or the
holders of fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares of any series or class
of the corporation’s capital stock.
10.3
|
Place
of Meetings
|
The board
of directors may designate any place, either within or without the State of
Delaware, as the place of meeting for any annual meeting or for any special
meeting called by the board of directors. If no designation is made,
or if a special meeting is otherwise called, the place of meeting shall be the
principal executive office of the corporation.
- C-2
-
10.4
|
Notice
|
Whenever
stockholders are required or permitted to take action at a meeting, written or
printed notice stating the place, date, time, and, in the case of special
meetings, the purpose(s), of such meeting, shall be given to each stockholder
entitled to vote at such meeting not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before
the date of the meeting. All such notices shall be delivered, either
personally or by mail, by or at the direction of the board of directors, the
president or the secretary, and if mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be
delivered when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed
to the stockholder at his, her or its address as the same appears on the records
of the corporation. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall
constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends
for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the
transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or
convened.
10.5
|
Stockholders
List
|
The
officer having charge of the stock ledger of the corporation shall make, at
least 10 days before every meeting of the stockholders, a complete list of the
stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting arranged in alphabetical order,
showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in
the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the
examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during
ordinary business hours, for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting,
either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place
shall be specified in the notice of the meeting or, if not so specified, at the
place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept
at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be
inspected by any stockholder who is present.
10.6
|
Quorum
|
Except as
otherwise provided by applicable law or by the corporation’s certificate of
incorporation, a majority of the outstanding shares of the corporation entitled
to vote, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a
meeting of stockholders. If less than a majority of the outstanding
shares are represented at a meeting, a majority of the shares so represented may
adjourn the meeting from time to time in accordance with Section 10.7 of this
Article 10, until a quorum shall be present or
represented.
10.7
|
Adjourned
Meetings
|
When a
meeting is adjourned to another time and place, notice need not be given of the
adjourned meeting if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting, at
which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting the
corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the
original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or
if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a
notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record
entitled to vote at the meeting.
- C-3
-
10.8
|
Vote
Required
|
When a
quorum is present, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares present in
person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the
subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders, unless the question is one
upon which by express provisions of an applicable law or of the corporation’s
certificate of incorporation a different vote is required, in which case such
express provision shall govern and control the decision of such
question. Where a separate vote by class is required, the affirmative
vote of the majority of shares of such class present in person or represented by
proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class, unless the question is one
upon which by express provisions of an applicable law or of the corporation’s
certificate of incorporation a different vote is required, in which case such
express provision shall govern and control the decision of such
question.
10.9
|
Voting
Rights
|
Except as
otherwise provided by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or by
the certificate of incorporation of the corporation or any amendments thereto,
every stockholder shall at every meeting of the stockholders be entitled to one
vote in person or by proxy for each share of common stock held by such
stockholder.
10.10
|
Proxies
|
Each
stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent
or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize
another person(s) to act for him, her or it by proxy. Every proxy
must be signed by the stockholder granting the proxy or by his, her or its
attorney-in-fact. No proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three
years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. A
duly executed proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and
if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to
support an irrevocable power. A proxy may be made irrevocable
regardless of whether the interest with which it is coupled is an interest in
the stock itself or an interest in the corporation generally.
10.11
|
Action
by Written Consent
|
Unless
otherwise provided in the corporation’s certificate of incorporation, any action
required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the
corporation, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting
of such stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and
without a vote, if a consent(s) in writing, setting forth the action so taken
and bearing the dates of signature of the stockholders who signed the
consent(s), shall be signed by the holders of outstanding shares of stock having
not less than a majority of the shares entitled to vote, or, if greater, not
less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or
take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were
present and voted and shall be delivered to the corporation by delivery to its
registered office in the state of Delaware, or the corporation’s principal place
of business, or an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the
book(s) in which proceedings of meetings of the stockholders are
recorded. Delivery made to the corporation’s registered office shall
be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested,
provided, however, that no consent(s) delivered by certified or registered mail
shall be deemed delivered until such consent(s) are actually received at the
registered office. All consents properly delivered in accordance with
this section shall be deemed to be recorded when so delivered. No
written consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to
therein unless, within sixty days of the earliest dated consent delivered to the
corporation as required by this section, written consents signed by the holders
of a sufficient number of shares to take such corporate action are so
recorded. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without
a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those
stockholders who have not consented in writing. Any action taken
pursuant to such written consent(s) of the stockholders shall have the same
force and effect as if taken by the stockholders at a meeting
thereof.
- C-4
-
ARTICLE 11
DIRECTORS
DIRECTORS
11.1
|
General
Powers
|
The
business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by or under the
direction of the board of directors.
11.2
|
Number,
Election and Term of Office
|
The
number of directors which shall constitute the first board shall be one or more,
which number may be increased or decreased from time to time by resolution of
the board. The directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes
of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and
entitled to vote in the election of directors. The directors shall be
elected in this manner at the annual meeting of the stockholders, except as
provided in 11.4 of this Article 11. Each director elected shall hold
office until a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her
earlier death, resignation or removal as hereinafter
provided.
11.3
|
Removal
and Resignation
|
Any
director or the entire board of directors may be removed at any time, with or
without cause, by the holders of a majority of the shares then entitled to vote
at an election of directors. Whenever the holders of any class or
series are entitled to elect one or more directors by the provisions of the
corporation’s certificate of incorporation, the provisions of this section shall
apply, in respect to the removal without cause or a director or directors so
elected, to the vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of that class or
series and not to the vote of the outstanding shares as a whole. Any
director may resign at any time upon written notice to the
corporation.
11.4
|
Vacancies
|
Vacancies
and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized
number of directors may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office,
though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Each
director so chosen shall hold office until a successor is duly elected and
qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal as herein
provided.
- C-5
-
11.5
|
Annual
Meetings
|
The
annual meeting of each newly elected board of directors shall be held without
other notice than this bylaw immediately after, and at the same place as, the
annual meeting of stockholders.
11.6
|
Other
Meetings and Notice
|
Regular
meetings, other than the annual meeting, of the board of directors may be held
without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be
determined by resolution of the board. Special meetings of the board
of directors may be called by or at the request of the president or vice
president on at least 24 hours notice to each director, either personally, by
telephone, by mail, or by telegraph; in like manner and on like notice the
president must call a special meeting on the written request of at least a
majority of the directors.
11.7
|
Quorum,
Required Vote and Adjournment
|
A
majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of directors
present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board
of directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the
board of directors, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from
time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a
quorum shall be present.
11.8
|
Committees
|
The board
of directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole board,
designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of
the directors of the corporation, which to the extent provided in such
resolution or these bylaws shall have and may exercise the powers of the board
of directors in the management and affairs of the corporation except as
otherwise limited by law. The board of directors may designate one or
more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent
or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Such
committee(s) shall have such name(s) as may be determined from time to time by
resolution adopted by the board of directors. Each committee shall
keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the board of
directors when required.
11.9
|
Committee
Rules
|
Each
committee of the board of directors may fix its own rules of procedure and shall
hold its meetings as provided by such rules, except as may otherwise be provided
by a resolution of the board of directors designating such
committee. Unless otherwise provided in such a resolution, the
presence of at least a majority of the members of the committee shall be
necessary to constitute a quorum. In the event that a member and that
member’s alternate, if alternates are designated by the board of directors as
provided in Section 11.8 of this Article 11, of such committee is or are
absent or disqualified, the member(s) thereof present at any meeting and not
disqualified from voting, whether or not such member(s) constitute a quorum, may
unanimously appoint another member of the board of directors to act at the
meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified
member.
- C-6
-
11.10
|
Communications
Equipment
|
Members
of the board of directors or any committee thereof may participate in and act at
any meeting of such board or committee through the use of a conference telephone
or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in
the meeting can hear each other, and participation in the meeting pursuant to
this section shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
11.11
|
Waiver
of Notice and Presumption of Assent
|
Any
member of the board of directors or any committee thereof who is present at a
meeting shall be conclusively presumed to have waived notice of such meeting
except when such member attends for the express purpose of objecting at the
beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting
is not lawfully called or convened. Such member shall be conclusively
presumed to have assented to any action taken unless his or her dissent shall be
entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless his or her written dissent to
such action shall be filed with the person acting as the secretary of the
meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall be forwarded by registered mail
to the secretary of the corporation immediately after the adjournment of the
meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to any member who
voted in favor of such action.
11.12
|
Action
by Written Consent
|
Unless
otherwise restricted by the corporation’s certificate of incorporation, any
action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the board of
directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all
members of the board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in
writing, and the writing(s) are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the
board or committee.
ARTICLE 12
OFFICERS
OFFICERS
12.1
|
Number
|
The
officers of the corporation shall be elected by the board of directors and shall
consist of a chairman, if any is elected, a president, one or more vice
presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, and such other officers and assistant
officers as may be deemed necessary or desirable by the board of
directors. Any number of offices may be held by the same person,
except that no person may simultaneously hold the office of president and
secretary. In its discretion, the board of directors may choose not
to fill any office for any period as it may deem advisable.
12.2
|
Election
and Term of Office
|
The
officers of the corporation shall be elected annually by the board of directors
at its first meeting held after each annual meeting of stockholders or as soon
thereafter as conveniently may be. The president shall appoint other
officers to serve for such terms as he or she deems
desirable. Vacancies may be filled or new offices created and filled
at any meeting of the board of directors. Each officer shall hold
office until a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her
earlier death, resignation or removal as hereinafter provided.
- C-7
-
12.3
|
Removal
|
Any
officer or agent elected by the board of directors may be removed by the board
of directors whenever in its judgment the best interests of the corporation
would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the
contract rights, if any, of the person so removed.
12.4
|
Vacancies
|
Any
vacancy occurring in any office because of death, resignation, removal,
disqualification or otherwise, may be filled by the board of directors for the
unexpired portion of the term by the board of directors then in
office.
12.5
|
Compensation
|
Compensation
of all officers shall be fixed by the board of directors, and no officer shall
be prevented from receiving such compensation by virtue of his or her also being
a director of the corporation.
12.6
|
The
Chairman of the Board
|
The
Chairman of the Board, if one shall have been elected, shall be a member of the
board and an officer of the corporation. He shall perform the duties
as may from time to time be assigned to him by the board of
directors.
12.7
|
The
President
|
The
president shall be the chief executive officer of the
corporation. The president (i) shall preside at all meetings of the
stockholders and board of directors at which he or she is present; (ii) subject
to the powers of the board of directors, shall have general charge of the
business, affairs and property of the corporation, and control over its
officers, agents and employees; and (iii) shall see that all orders and
resolutions of the board of directors are carried into effect. The
president shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be
prescribed by the board of directors or as may be provided in these
by-laws.
12.8
|
Vice-presidents
|
The
vice-president, if any, or if there shall be more than one, the vice-presidents
in the order determined by the board of directors shall, in the absence or
disability of the president, act with all of the powers and be subject to all
the restrictions of the president. The vice-presidents shall also
perform such other duties and have such other powers as the board of directors,
the president or these by-laws may, from time to time,
prescribe.
- C-8
-
12.9
|
The
Secretary and Assistant Secretaries
|
The
secretary shall attend all meetings of the board of directors, all meetings of
the committees thereof and all meetings of the stockholders and record all the
proceedings of the meetings in a book(s) to be kept for that
purpose. Under the president’s supervision, the secretary (i) shall
give, or cause to be given, all notices required to be given by these by-laws or
by law; (ii) shall have such powers and perform such duties as the board of
directors, the president or these by-laws may, from time to time, prescribe; and
(iii) shall have custody of the corporate seal of the
corporation. The secretary, or an assistant secretary, shall have
authority to affix the corporate seal to any instrument requiring it and when so
affixed, it may be attested by his or her signature or by the signature of such
assistant secretary. The board of directors may give general
authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the corporation and to
attest the affixing by his or her signature. The assistant secretary,
or if there be more than one, the assistant secretaries in the order determined
by the board of directors, shall, in the absence or disability of the secretary,
perform the duties and exercise the powers of the secretary and shall perform
such other duties and have such other powers as the board of directors, the
president, or secretary may, from time to time, prescribe.
12.10
|
The
Treasurer and Assistant Treasurers
|
The
treasurer (i) shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities; (ii)
shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books
belonging to the corporation; (iii) shall deposit all monies and other valuable
effects in the name and to the credit of the corporation as may be ordered by
the board of directors; (iv) shall cause the funds of the corporation to be
disbursed when such disbursements have been duly authorized, taking proper
vouchers for such disbursements; (v) shall render to the president and the board
of directors, at its regular meeting or when the board of directors so requires,
an account of the corporation; and (vi) shall have such powers and perform such
duties as the board of directors, the president or these by-laws may, from time
to time, prescribe. If required by the board of directors, the
treasurer shall give the corporation a bond (which shall be rendered every six
years) in such sums and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to
the board of directors for the faithful performance of the duties of the office
of treasurer and for the restoration to the corporation, in case of death,
resignation, retirement, or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers,
money, and other property of whatever kind in the possession or under the
control of the treasurer belonging to the corporation. The assistant
treasurer, or if there shall be more than one, the assistant treasurers in the
order determined by the board of directors, shall in the absence or disability
of the treasurer, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the
treasurer. The assistant treasurers shall perform such other duties
and have such other powers as the board of directors, the president or treasurer
may, from time to time, prescribe.
12.11
|
Other
Officers, Assistant Officers and
Agents
|
Officers,
assistant officers and agents, if any, other than those whose duties are
provided for in these by-laws, shall have such authority and perform such duties
as may from time to time be prescribed by resolution of the board of
directors.
- C-9
-
12.12
|
Absence
or Disability of Officers
|
In the
case of the absence or disability of any officer of the corporation and of any
person hereby authorized to act in such officer’s place during such officer’s
absence or disability, the board of directors may by resolution delegate the
powers and duties of such officer to any other officer or to any director, or to
any other person whom it may select.
ARTICLE 13
CERTIFICATES OF STOCK
CERTIFICATES OF STOCK
13.1
|
Form
|
Every
holder of stock in the corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate,
signed by, or in the name of the corporation by (i) the chairman or vice
chairman of the board, or the president or a vice-president and (ii) by the
treasurer or an assistant treasurer, or the secretary or an assistant secretary
of the corporation, certifying the number of shares owned by such holder in the
corporation. If such a certificate is countersigned (1) by a transfer
agent or an assistant transfer agent other than the corporation or its employee
or (2) by a registrar, other than the corporation or its employee, the signature
of any such chairman of the board, president, vice-president, secretary, or
assistant secretary may be facsimiles. In case any officer(s) who
have signed, or whose facsimile signature(s) have been used on, any such
certificate(s) shall cease to be such officer(s) of the corporation whether
because of death, resignation or otherwise before such certificate(s) have been
delivered by the corporation, such certificate(s) may nevertheless be issued and
delivered as though the person or persons who signed such certificate(s) or
whose facsimile signature(s) have been used thereon had not ceased to be such
officer(s) of the corporation. All certificates for shares shall be
consecutively numbered or otherwise identified. The name of the
person to whom the shares represented thereby are issued, with the number of
shares and date of issue, shall be entered on the books of the
corporation. Shares of stock of the corporation shall only be
transferred on the books of the corporation by the holder of record thereof or
by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the
corporation of the certificate(s) for such shares endorsed by the appropriate
person(s), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement, transfer,
authorization, and other matters as the corporation may reasonably require, and
accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. In that event, it
shall be the duty of the corporation to issue a new certificate to the person
entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate(s), and record the transaction on
its books. The board of directors may appoint a bank or trust company
organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof to act as its
transfer agent or registrar, or both in connection with the transfer of any
class or series of securities of the corporation.
13.2
|
Lost
Certificates
|
The board
of directors may direct a new certificate(s) to be issued in place of any
certificate(s) previously issued by the corporation alleged to have been lost,
stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person
claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen, or
destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate(s), the
board of directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the
issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed
certificate(s), or his or her legal representative, to give the corporation a
bond sufficient to indemnify the corporation against any claim that may be made
against the corporation on account of the loss, theft or destruction of any such
certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.
- C-10
-
13.3
|
Fixing
a Record Date for Stockholder
Meetings
|
In order
that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to
vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the board of
directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date
upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the board of
directors, and which record date shall not be more than sixty nor less than ten
days before the date of such meeting. If no record date is fixed by
the board of directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to
notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business
on the day immediately preceding the day on which notice is given, or if notice
is waived, at the close of business on the day immediately preceding the day on
which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record
entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any
adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the board of directors may
fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
13.4
|
Fixing
a Record Date for Action by Written
Consent
|
In order
that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to
corporate action in writing without a meeting, the board of directors may fix a
record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the
resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the board of directors, and
which date shall not be more than ten days after the date upon which the
resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the board of
directors. If no record date has been fixed by the board of
directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to
corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the board
of directors is required by statute, shall be the first date on which a signed
written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is
delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State
of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the
corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of
stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the corporation’s
registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return
receipt requested. If no record date has been fixed by the board of
directors and prior action by the board of directors is required by statute, the
record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action
in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on
which the board of directors adopts the resolution taking such prior
action.
13.5
|
Fixing
a Record Date for Other Purposes
|
In order
that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment
of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights of the
stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change,
conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action,
the board of directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not
precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted,
and which record date shall be not more than sixty days prior to such
action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining
stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day
on which the board of directors adopts the resolution relating
thereto.
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13.6
|
Registered
Stockholders
|
Prior to
the surrender to the corporation of the certificate(s) for a share(s) of stock
with a request to record the transfer of such share(s), the corporation may
treat the registered owner as the person entitled to receive dividends, to vote,
to receive notifications, and otherwise to exercise all the rights and powers of
an owner. The corporation shall not be bound to recognize any
equitable or other claim to or interest in such share(s) on the part of any
other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice
thereof.
13.7
|
Subscriptions
for Stock
|
Unless
otherwise provided for in the subscription agreement, subscriptions for shares
shall be paid in full at such time, or in such installments and at such times,
as shall be determined by the board of directors. Any call made by
the board of directors for payment on subscriptions shall be uniform as to all
shares of the same class or as to all shares of the same series. In
case of default in the payment of any installment or call when such payment is
due, the corporation may proceed to collect the amount due in the same manner as
any debt due the corporation.
ARTICLE 14
GENERAL PROVISIONS
GENERAL PROVISIONS
14.1
|
Dividends
|
Dividends
upon the capital stock of the corporation, subject to the provisions of the
certificate of incorporation, if any, may be declared by the board of directors
at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to law. Dividends may be
paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the
provisions of the certificate of incorporation. Before
payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the
corporation available for dividends such sum(s) as the directors from time to
time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve(s) to meet
contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any
property of the corporation, or any other purpose and the directors may modify
or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
14.2
|
Checks,
Drafts or Orders
|
All
checks, drafts, or other orders for the payment of money by or to the
corporation and all notes and other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name
of the corporation shall be signed by such officer(s), agent(s) of the
corporation, and in such manner, as shall be determined by resolution of the
board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof.
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14.3
|
Contracts
|
The board
of directors may authorize any officer(s), or any agent(s), of the corporation
to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name
of and on behalf of the corporation, and such authority may be general or
confined to specific instances.
14.4
|
Loans
|
The
corporation may lend money to, or guarantee any obligation of, or otherwise
assist any officer or other employee of the corporation or of its subsidiary,
including any officer or employee who is a director of the corporation or its
subsidiary, whenever, in the judgment of the directors, such loan, guaranty or
assistance may reasonably be expected to benefit the corporation. The
loan, guaranty or other assistance may be with or without interest, and may be
unsecured, or secured in such manner as the board of directors shall approve,
including, without limitation, a pledge of shares of stock of the
corporation. Nothing in this section contained shall be deemed to
deny, limit or restrict the powers of guaranty or warranty of the corporation at
common law or under any statute.
14.5
|
Fiscal
Year
|
The
fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the board of
directors.
14.6
|
Voting
Securities Owned By Corporation
|
Voting
securities in any other corporation held by the corporation shall be voted by
the president, unless the board of directors specifically confers authority to
vote with respect thereto, which authority may be general or confined to
specific instances, upon some other person or officer. Any person
authorized to vote securities shall have the power to appoint proxies, with
general power of substitution.
14.7
|
Inspection
of Books and Records
|
Any
stockholder of record, in person or by attorney or other agent, shall, upon
written demand under oath stating the purpose thereof, have the right during the
usual hours for business to inspect for any proper purpose the corporation’s
stock ledger, a list of its stockholders, and its other books and records, and
to make copies or extracts therefrom. A proper purpose shall mean any
purpose reasonably related to such person’s interest as a
stockholder. In every instance where an attorney or other agent shall
be the person who seeks the right to inspection, the demand under oath shall be
accompanied by a power of attorney or such other writing which authorizes the
attorney or other agent to so act on behalf of the stockholder. The
demand under oath shall be directed to the corporation at its registered office
in the State of Delaware or at its principal place of business.
14.8
|
Section
Headings
|
Section
headings in these by-laws are for convenience of reference only and shall not be
given any substantive effect in limiting or otherwise construing any provision
herein.
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14.9
|
Inconsistent
Provisions
|
In the
event that any provision of these by-laws is or becomes inconsistent with any
provision of the corporation’s certificate of incorporation, the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or any other applicable law, such
provision of these by-laws shall not be given any effect to the extent of such
inconsistency but shall otherwise be given full force and effect.
ARTICLE 15
AMENDMENTS
AMENDMENTS
These
bylaws may be amended, altered, or repealed and new by-laws adopted at any
meeting of the board of directors by a majority vote. The fact that
the power to adopt, amend, alter, or repeal the by-laws has been conferred upon
the board of directors shall not divest the stockholders of the same
powers.
ARTICLE 16
INDEMNITY
INDEMNITY
16.1
|
General
|
The
corporation shall indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by and in the manner
permissible under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as
amended from time to time (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the
extent that such amendment permits the corporation to provide broader
indemnification rights than said law permitted the corporation to provide prior
to such amendment), any person made, or threatened to be made, a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether criminal,
civil, administrative, or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person
(a) is or was a director or officer of the corporation or any predecessor of the
corporation or (b) is or was a director or officer of the corporation or any
predecessor of the corporation and served any other corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director,
officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent at the request of the corporation
or any predecessor of the corporation; provided, however, that the corporation
shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a
proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding
(or part thereof) was authorized by the board of directors.
16.2
|
Advancement
of Expenses
|
The right
to indemnification conferred in this Article 16 shall be a contract right
and shall include the right to be paid by the corporation the expenses incurred
in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition, such
advances to be paid by the corporation within twenty days after the receipt by
the corporation of a statement or statements from the claimant requesting such
advance or advances from time to time; provided, however, that if the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware requires, the payment of such expenses
incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or
officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by
such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service
to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a
proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the corporation of an
undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay all amounts so
advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is
not entitled to be indemnified under this Article 16 or
otherwise.
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16.3
|
Procedure
for Indemnification
|
To obtain
indemnification under this Article 16, a claimant shall submit to the
corporation a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation
and information as is reasonably available to the claimant and is reasonably
necessary to determine whether and to what extent the claimant is entitled to
indemnification. Upon written request by a claimant for indemnification pursuant
to the first sentence of this Section 16.3, a determination, if required by
applicable law, with respect to the claimant’s entitlement thereto shall be made
as follows: (a) if requested by the claimant or if there are no Disinterested
Directors (as hereinafter defined), by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter
defined), or (b) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though
less than a quorum, or by a majority vote of a committee of Disinterested
Directors designated by a majority vote of Disinterested Directors, even though
less than a quorum. If it is so determined that the claimant is entitled to
indemnification, payment to the claimant shall be made within 10 days after such
determination.
16.4
|
Certain
Definitions
|
|
(a)
|
“Disinterested Director”
means a director of the corporation who is not and was not a party to the
matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by the
claimant.
|
|
(b)
|
“Independent Counsel”
means a law firm, a member of a law firm, or an independent practitioner
that is experienced in matters of corporation law and shall include any
such person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct
then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest in representing
either the corporation or the claimant in an action to determine the
claimant’s rights under this Article 16. Independent
Counsel shall be selected by the board of
directors.
|
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