PURCHASE AGREEMENT
CONFIDENTIAL
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EXECUTION
VERSION
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among
XXX.XXX
GROUP, INC.,
XXXXXXXX.XXX
GP (CAYMAN) LTD.
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, VIII, X and XII and Section 6.06),
EACH
SELLER NAMED HEREIN
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII and Sections 6.06 and
6.07)
and
XXXXXXXX.XXX
(CAYMAN) LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Dated as
of June 17, 2010
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE
I
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DEFINITIONS
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SECTION
1.01. Certain Defined Terms
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1
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SECTION
1.02. Definitions
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11
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SECTION
1.03. Interpretation and Rules of Construction
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12
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ARTICLE
II
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PURCHASE
AND SALE
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SECTION
2.01. Purchase and Sale of the Interests
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13
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SECTION
2.02. Purchase Price; Allocation of Purchase Price
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14
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SECTION
2.03. Closing
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14
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SECTION
2.04. Payments at Closing
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14
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SECTION
2.05. Closing Deliveries by the Seller Representative
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16
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SECTION
2.06. Closing Deliveries by the Purchaser
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17
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SECTION
2.07. Closing Deliveries by the Company
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18
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SECTION
2.08. Calculation of the Purchase Price
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18
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SECTION
2.09. Adjustment of the Purchase Price
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19
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ARTICLE
III
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
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RELATING
TO THE REGISTER ENTITIES
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SECTION
3.01. Organization, Authority and Qualification of the
Company
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21
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SECTION
3.02. Subsidiaries; Capitalization
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22
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SECTION
3.03. No Conflict
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23
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SECTION
3.04. Governmental Consents and Approvals
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23
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SECTION
3.05. Financial Information
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23
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SECTION
3.06. Absence of Changes
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24
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SECTION
3.07. Absence of Undisclosed Material Liabilities
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25
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SECTION
3.08. Litigation
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26
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SECTION
3.09. Compliance with Laws
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26
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SECTION
3.10. Intellectual Property
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26
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SECTION
3.11. Real Property
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28
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SECTION
3.12. Employee Benefit Matters
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28
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SECTION
3.13. Taxes
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31
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SECTION
3.14. Material Contracts
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33
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SECTION
3.15. Environmental Matters
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35
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SECTION
3.16. Insurance
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35
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SECTION
3.17. Certain Business Relationships with Affiliates
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36
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SECTION
3.18. Brokers
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36
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SECTION
3.19. U.S. Persons
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36
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SECTION
3.20. Disclaimer of the Company.
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36
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ARTICLE
IV
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
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RELATING
TO EACH SELLER
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SECTION
4.01. Organization, Authority and Qualification of each
Seller
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37
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SECTION
4.02. Capitalization; Ownership of Interests
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38
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SECTION
4.03. No Conflict
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38
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SECTION
4.04. Governmental Consents and Approvals
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38
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SECTION
4.05. Disclaimer of the Sellers.
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39
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ARTICLE
V
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
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OF
THE PURCHASER
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SECTION
5.01. Organization and Authority of the Purchaser
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40
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SECTION
5.02. No Conflict
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40
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SECTION
5.03. Governmental Consents and Approvals
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40
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SECTION
5.04. Investment Purpose
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40
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SECTION
5.05. Financing
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41
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SECTION
5.06. Litigation
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41
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SECTION
5.07. Brokers
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41
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SECTION
5.08. Independent Investigation; Representations
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42
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ARTICLE
VI
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ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
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SECTION
6.01. Conduct of Business Prior to the Closing
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42
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SECTION
6.02. Access to Information
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44
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SECTION
6.03. Confidentiality
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45
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SECTION
6.04. Regulatory and Other Authorizations; Notices and
Consents
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45
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SECTION
6.05. Updates
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47
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SECTION
6.06. Further Action
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47
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SECTION
6.07. No Solicitation or Negotiation
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48
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SECTION
6.08. Intercompany Arrangements
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48
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SECTION
6.09. Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance
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48
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SECTION
6.10. Financing
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49
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ii
ARTICLE
VII
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EMPLOYEE
MATTERS
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SECTION
7.01. Employee Benefits
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53
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SECTION
7.02. 401(k) Plan
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53
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ARTICLE
VIII
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TAX
MATTERS
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SECTION
8.01. Tax Refunds and Tax Benefits
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54
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SECTION
8.02. Tax Cooperation and Exchange of Information
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54
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SECTION
8.03. Conveyance Taxes
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54
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SECTION
8.04. Tax Covenants
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54
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ARTICLE
IX
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CONDITIONS
TO CLOSING
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SECTION
9.01. Conditions to Obligations of the Company and the
Sellers
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55
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SECTION
9.02. Conditions to Obligations of the Purchaser
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56
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ARTICLE
X
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INDEMNIFICATION
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SECTION
10.01. Survival of Representations, Warranties and
Covenants
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58
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SECTION
10.02. Indemnification by the Sellers
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58
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SECTION
10.03. Limits on Indemnification
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59
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SECTION
10.04. Notice of Loss; Third Party Claims
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61
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SECTION
10.05. Remedies
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62
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SECTION
10.06. Distributions
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62
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SECTION
10.07. Seller Representative
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63
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ARTICLE
XI
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TERMINATION
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SECTION
11.01. Termination
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65
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SECTION
11.02. Effect of Termination
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66
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ARTICLE
XII
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GENERAL
PROVISIONS
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SECTION
12.01. Expenses
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66
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SECTION
12.02. Notices
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66
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iii
SECTION
12.03. Public Announcements
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68
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SECTION
12.04. Severability
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68
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SECTION
12.05. Entire Agreement
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69
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SECTION
12.06. Assignment
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69
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SECTION
12.07. Amendment
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69
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SECTION
12.08. Waiver
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69
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SECTION
12.09. No Third Party Beneficiaries
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69
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SECTION
12.10. Specific Performance
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69
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SECTION
12.11. Governing Law
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70
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SECTION
12.12. Waiver of Jury Trial
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70
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SECTION
12.13. Conflict of Interest
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71
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SECTION
12.14. Acknowledgement
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71
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SECTION
12.15. Counterparts
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72
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iv
PURCHASE
AGREEMENT, dated as of June 17, 2010, among Xxx.xxx Group, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the “Purchaser”), each
Seller (as defined below) (solely for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and
XII and Sections 6.06 and 6.07), the Seller Representative (as defined below)
(solely for the purposes of Articles II, VIII, X and XII and Section 6.06) and
Xxxxxxxx.xxx (Cayman) Limited Partnership, an exempted limited partnership
organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”).
WHEREAS,
the Sellers own, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding
limited partnership interests (the “Interests”) of the
Company; and
WHEREAS,
each Seller wishes to sell its Interests to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser
wishes to purchase such Interests from each such Seller, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth herein.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements and
covenants hereinafter set forth, and intending to be legally bound, the parties
hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION
1.01. Certain Defined
Terms. For
purposes of this Agreement:
“Action” means any
claim, action, suit, arbitration, inquiry, proceeding or investigation by or
before any Governmental Authority.
“Additional Bonus
Program” means the 2010 Sale Bonus Program of the Company that will be
adopted by the Company prior to Closing, with the amounts awarded thereunder to
be communicated in writing to Purchaser at least two (2) Business Days prior to
Closing.
“Affiliate” means,
with respect to any specified Person, any other Person that directly, or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is
under common control with, such specified Person.
“Agreement” or “this Agreement” means
this Purchase Agreement among the parties hereto (including the Exhibits hereto
and the Disclosure Schedule) and all amendments hereto made in accordance with
the provisions of Section 12.07.
“Appreciation Rights
Plan” means the 2006 Unit Appreciation Rights Plan of the
Company.
“Bonus Amounts” means
the aggregate bonus amounts that may become earned, vested and payable under all
of the Bonus Plans as a result of the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
“Bonus Plan” means, as
applicable, the Additional Bonus Program, the Appreciation Rights Plan, the
Cayman Bonus Plan, the Xxxxxxxx Bonus Plan, the Recapitalization Bonus Program,
the Retention Bonus Program and the Transaction Bonus Program.
“Bonus Plan
Participant” means a participant in any one or more of the Bonus
Plans.
“Business” means the
online business services being performed by the Register Entities, including
domain name registration and the provision of business e-mail, website creation,
hosting, security (SSL), and online marketing (SEO/SEM) tools.
“Business Day” means
any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banks are
required or authorized by Law to be closed in The City of New York.
“Canadian Government
Loan” means the principal amount of the Indebtedness of Xxxxxxxx.xxx,
Inc. under the Promissory Note, dated as of June 9, 2008, issued in favor of Her
Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of Nova Scotia pursuant to the Letter
of Offer, dated Xxxxx 00, 0000, xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx Economic Development to
Xxxxxxxx.xxx, Inc., a copy of which has been made available to the
Purchaser.
“Canadian Plan” means
the Group Retirement Savings Plan for Rcom Canada Corporation.
“Cash” means all cash
and cash equivalents of the Register Entities, excluding restricted cash, in
each case determined on the basis set forth in Exhibit
1.01(a).
“Cayman Bonus Plan”
means the Bonus Plan for Unvested Awards of the Company.
“Closing Deferred
Revenue” means an amount equal to current and non-current deferred
revenue, but excluding any such deferred revenue related to .co domains, in each
case determined in a manner consistent with the preparation of the Financial
Statements, as set forth in Exhibit
1.01(b).
“Closing Net Debt”
means an amount equal to the difference between (a) the Company Indebtedness and
(b) Cash, in each case determined as of the open of business on the Closing Date
(and, for the avoidance of doubt, prior to the payment of any Debt Payoff Amount
pursuant to Section 2.04).
“Closing Net Deferred
Revenue” means an amount equal to the difference between (a) the Closing
Deferred Revenue and (b) the Closing Prepaid Registry Fees, in each case
determined as of the open of business on the Closing Date.
“Closing Prepaid Registry
Fees” means an amount equal to current and non-current prepaid registry
fees, but excluding any such prepaid registry fees related to .co domains, in
each case determined in a manner consistent with the preparation of the
Financial Statements, as set forth in Exhibit
1.01(b).
2
“Closing Working
Capital” means an amount equal to the difference between the total
consolidated Current Assets minus the total consolidated Current Liabilities
determined as of the open of business on the Closing Date.
“COBRA” means the
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended.
“Code” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“Company Affiliate”
means any other person or entity under “common control” with one or more of the
Register Entities, within the meaning of Sections 414(b), (c), (m) and (o) of
the Code, and the regulations issued thereunder.
“Company Indebtedness”
means the principal amount of the Indebtedness of the Register Entities set
forth in Section 1.01(a) of the Disclosure Schedule as of the Closing Date,
which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include the Canadian Government
Loan.
“Company’s Knowledge”
or similar terms used in this Agreement means the knowledge of the Persons
listed in Exhibit 1.01(c)
as of the date of this Agreement (or, with respect to any certificate delivered
pursuant to this Agreement, as of the date of delivery of such
certificate).
“Company Pension Plan”
shall mean each Plan that is an “employee pension benefit plan,” within the
meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA.
“Company Predecessor
Entity” means any company or entity to which the Company is a
successor.
“control” (including
the terms “controlled
by” and “under
common control with”), with respect to the relationship between or among
two or more Persons, means the possession, directly or indirectly, or as
trustee, personal representative, executor, general partner or managing member,
of the power to direct or cause the direction of the affairs or management of a
Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee, personal
representative, executor, general partner or managing member, by contract,
credit arrangement or otherwise.
“Conveyance Taxes”
means any sales, use, transfer, conveyance, ad valorem, stamp, stamp duty,
recording or other similar tax, fee or charge imposed by any Governmental
Authority upon the sale, transfer or assignment, direct or indirect, of real,
personal, tangible or intangible property or any interest therein, or upon the
recording of any such sale, transfer or assignment, together with any interest,
additions or penalties in respect thereof.
“Current Assets” means
all accounts receivable, Tax refunds, credits and receivables, other current
assets and inventory of the Register Entities, but excluding Cash other than
restricted cash and the current portion of the Estimated Closing Prepaid
Registry Fees, in each case determined in a manner consistent with the
preparation of the Financial Statements, as set forth in Exhibit
1.01(d).
3
“Current Liabilities”
means accounts payable, accrued compensation (including accrued vacation
compensation and matching corrective contributions to the Company 401(k) Plan
and the Canadian Plan) and accrued expenses of the Register Entities (including,
without limitation, current Tax liabilities, but excluding any Tax liabilities
in connection with all transaction-related compensation, regardless of whether
such compensation is directly paid by Purchaser or the Company and regardless of
whether such compensation takes the form of option grants, the exercise of
options, equity or cash), but excluding the current portion of the Estimated
Closing Net Deferred Revenue, the Company Indebtedness, deferred Taxes and the
current portion of the Canadian Government Loan, in each case determined in a
manner consistent with the preparation of the Financial Statements, as set forth
in Exhibit
1.01(d).
“Deductible” means an
amount equal to $750,000.
“Disclosure Schedule”
means the Disclosure Schedule attached hereto, dated as of the date of this
Agreement, delivered by the Sellers to the Purchaser in connection with this
Agreement.
“Encumbrance” means
any security interest, pledge, hypothecation, mortgage, charge, lien, license,
encumbrance, encroachment, option, restrictive covenant, condition or
restriction, including any restriction on the use, voting, transfer, receipt of
income or other attributes of ownership, other than any license of, option to
license, or covenant not to assert claims of infringement, misappropriation or
other violation with respect to, Intellectual Property.
“Environmental Laws”
means all Laws, now or hereafter in effect and as amended, and any judicial or
administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative
order, consent decree or judgment, relating to the environment, health, safety,
natural resources or Hazardous Materials, including CERCLA; the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq.; the Hazardous
Materials Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq.; the Clean Water
Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.; the Toxic
Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 2601 et seq.; the Clean Air
Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401 et seq.; the Safe
Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300f et seq.; the Atomic
Energy Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2011 et seq.; the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, 7 U.S.C. §§ 136 et seq.; and the Federal
Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.
“Environmental
Permits” means all permits, approvals, identification numbers, licenses
and other authorizations required under or issued pursuant to any applicable
Environmental Law.
“ERISA” shall mean the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“Escrow Account” means
the account established, designated and maintained by the Escrow Agent pursuant
to the terms of the Escrow Agreement.
“Escrow Agent” means
Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association.
4
“Escrow Agreement”
means the escrow agreement to be entered into on the Closing Date by and among
the Seller Representative, the Purchaser and the Escrow Agent, substantially in
the form attached hereto at Exhibit
1.01(e).
“Escrow Amount” means
an amount equal to $10,000,000, which amount, for the avoidance of doubt,
includes the Specified Claim Escrow Amount.
“EU” means the
European Union.
“Final Closing
Statement” means the statement of Closing Net Debt, Closing Net Deferred
Revenue and Closing Working Capital determined pursuant to the procedures set
forth in Section 2.09(e).
“Foreign Plan” means any material
compensatory plan, program, policy, practice, agreement or other compensatory
arrangement mandated by a government other than the United States, any Plan
maintained or contributed to by the Register Entities or any Company Affiliate
that is not subject to United States law, and any Plan that covers or, in the
past six years, has covered, Register Employees whose services are performed
primarily outside of the United States.
“Fraud” means
intentional fraud committed with actual knowledge by any Seller or any of the
Sellers’ or the Company’s respective officers, directors, employees, agents or
representatives.
“Funded Indebtedness”
means the sum of all amounts owing by any Register Entity (including principal,
interest, prepayment penalties or fees, premiums, breakage amounts, termination
amounts, expense reimbursements, indemnities or other amounts payable in
connection with prepayment) as of immediately prior to the Closing, which would
be required to be repaid in full in order to terminate all obligations under any
Company Indebtedness outstanding immediately prior to the Closing, or to obtain
the full release of any Encumbrances in favor of any Person securing any such
Company Indebtedness.
“GAAP” means United
States generally accepted accounting principles and practices in effect from
time to time applied consistently throughout the periods involved.
“Governmental
Authority” means any United States or non-United States federal,
national, supranational, state, provincial, local or other government,
governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, agency or commission or
any court, tribunal, or judicial or arbitral body of competent
jurisdiction.
“Governmental Order”
means any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation, determination
or award entered by or with any Governmental Authority.
“Hazardous Material”
means (a) petroleum and petroleum products, by-products or breakdown
products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials and
polychlorinated biphenyls and (b) any other chemicals, materials or
substances defined or regulated as toxic or hazardous or as a pollutant or
contaminant under any applicable Environmental Law, in each case at a location
and in a concentration such that an affirmative management obligation is
created.
5
“HSR Act” means the
Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to
any Person, without duplication: (a) the principal of and any
premium in respect of indebtedness for borrowed money, including any accrued
interest and any cost or penalty associated with prepaying any such
indebtedness, and including any such obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures,
notes or similar obligations or any guarantee of the foregoing (but excluding
the endorsement of checks or other negotiable instruments for deposit or
collection), (b) all capitalized lease obligations that are classified as a
balance sheet liability in accordance with GAAP, (c) overdrafts, and
(d) any accrued and unpaid purchase price obligations related to
acquisitions of property or services (other than trade liabilities incurred in
the ordinary course of business).
“Indemnifying Party”
means the Sellers pursuant to Section 10.02.
“Independent
Accountant” means Deloitte & Touche LLP.
“Initial Closing
Statement” means a statement setting forth the Purchaser’s determination
of the Closing Net Debt and the Closing Working Capital, prepared using the
accounting policies, principles and methodologies set forth in Exhibit 1.01(a) and
Exhibit
1.01(d), respectively.
“Intellectual
Property” means (a) patents and patent applications, (b) trademarks,
service marks, trade names, trade dress and domain names, to the extent that the
domain names incorporate trademarks, together with the goodwill associated
exclusively therewith, (c) copyrights, including copyrights in computer
software, (d) confidential and proprietary information, including trade secrets
and know-how, and (e) registrations and applications for registration of the
foregoing.
“IRS” means the
Internal Revenue Service of the United States.
“Xxxxxxxx Bonus Plan”
means the bonus, and any tax gross up payment due thereon, due and payable to
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx under Section 6 of his Amended and Restated Employment
Agreement with Xxxxxxxx.xxx, Inc. dated January 1, 2008, as amended December 23,
2008 and April 30, 2009.
“Law” means any United
States or non-United States federal, national, supranational, state, provincial,
local or administrative statute, law, ordinance, regulation, rule, code, order,
requirement or rule of law (including common law).
“Liabilities” means
any and all debts, liabilities and obligations, whether accrued or fixed,
absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured or determined or determinable,
including those arising under any Law, Action or Governmental Order and those
arising under any contract, lease, agreement, arrangement, commitment or
undertaking (excluding liabilities with respect to Taxes).
6
“Licensed Intellectual
Property” means Intellectual Property licensed to the Company or any
Subsidiary pursuant to the Register IP Agreements.
“Material Adverse
Effect” means any event, circumstance, change in or effect on the
Register Entities that is materially adverse to the results of operations or the
financial condition of the Register Entities, taken as a whole, or that prevents
the Company from consummating the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
provided, however, that none of
the following, either alone or in combination, shall be considered in
determining whether there has been a “Material Adverse Effect” or a breach of a
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement that is qualified by the term
“Material Adverse Effect”: (a) events, circumstances, changes or
effects that generally affect the industries or segments thereof in which the
Register Entities operate (including legal and regulatory changes), except to
the extent that any such event, circumstance, change or effect adversely affects
the Register Entities in a manner that is materially disproportionate to its
effect on other companies operating in the same industries or segments as the
Register Entities, (b) general business, economic or political conditions
(or changes therein) or events, circumstances, changes or effects affecting the
securities markets generally, (c) changes arising from the consummation of
the transactions contemplated by, or the announcement of the execution of, or
any action taken pursuant to or in furtherance of, this Agreement or at the
request of the Purchaser, including (i) any actions of competitors,
(ii) any actions taken by or losses of employees, customers, suppliers,
landlords or distributors, (iii) any delays or cancellations of orders for
products or services, or (iv) any actions taken in connection with
obtaining regulatory consents or approvals, (d) any event, circumstance,
change or effect caused by acts of terrorism, sabotage or war (whether or not
declared), military actions or the escalation thereof or other force majeure
events occurring after the date of this Agreement, and (e) changes or
modifications in GAAP or applicable Law or interpretations thereof.
“Non-Participating Bonus
Amount” means, with respect to each Bonus Plan Participant, the aggregate
amount that becomes earned and payable at Closing, in accordance with each
applicable Bonus Plan’s terms and the terms of this Agreement, to such Bonus
Plan Participant. For the avoidance of doubt, the Non-Participating
Bonus Amount does not include any part of the Participating Bonus
Amount. The Company will provide to the Purchaser a document setting
forth the Non-Participating Bonus Amounts not later than two (2) Business Days
prior to Closing.
“Note” means the
promissory note to be entered into on the Closing Date by and between the Seller
Representative and the Purchaser, substantially in the form attached hereto at
Exhibit
1.01(f).
“Objection Deadline
Date” means the date 30 days after delivery by the Purchaser to the
Seller Representative of the Initial Closing Statement pursuant to Section
2.09(a).
“Other Sellers” means
the limited partners of the Company, set forth on Section 1.01(g) of the
Disclosure Schedule.
“Participating Bonus
Amount” means, with respect to each Participating Bonus Plan Participant,
an amount equal to the Escrow Amount as defined under such Person’s award
agreement under the Additional Bonus Program. The Company will
provide to the Purchaser a document setting forth the Participating Bonus
Amounts not later than two (2) Business Days prior to Closing.
7
“Participating Bonus Plan
Participants” means the individuals set forth on Section 1.01(b) of the
Disclosure Schedule.
“Partnership
Agreement” means the Second Amended and Restated Exempted Limited
Partnership Agreement, dated as of March __, 2008, of the Company, as amended by
Amendment Number 1, dated as of April 30, 2009.
“Permitted
Encumbrances” means such of the following as to which no enforcement,
collection, execution, levy or foreclosure proceeding shall have been commenced
and as to which none of the Register Entities is otherwise subject to civil or
criminal liability due to its existence: (a) liens for Taxes not
yet due and payable or which may be paid without penalties or which are being
contested in good faith through proper proceedings, (b) materialmen’s,
mechanics’, carriers’, workmen’s and repairmen’s liens and other similar liens
arising in the ordinary course of business securing obligations as to which
there is no default on the part of any Seller or any of the Register Entities or
the validity or amount of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings, (c) pledges or deposits to secure obligations under workers’
compensation laws or similar legislation or to secure public or statutory
obligations, and (d) minor survey exceptions, customary utility easements
benefiting the real property encumbered thereby and other minor customary
encumbrances on title to real property that (i) were not incurred in
connection with any Indebtedness, (ii) do not render title to the property
encumbered thereby unmarketable, and (iii) do not, individually or in the
aggregate, materially and adversely affect the value of or the use or occupancy
of such property for its current and anticipated purposes.
“Person” means any
individual, partnership, firm, corporation, limited liability company,
association, trust, unincorporated organization or other entity, as well as any
syndicate or group that would be deemed to be a person under
Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange.
“Post Closing Reporting Tail
Coverage Amount” means an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of any
portion of the cost of the Reporting Tail Coverage to be paid by the Purchaser
after the Closing.
“Prepaid Reporting Tail
Coverage Amount” means an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of any
portion of the cost of the Reporting Tail Coverage paid by the Company prior to
the Closing.
“Pro Rata Escrow
Amount” means, (a) with respect to each Seller that is not a
Participating Bonus Plan Participant, such Seller’s Purchase Price Allocation
multiplied by an amount equal to (i) the Escrow Amount minus (ii) the
aggregate amount of the Participating Bonus Amounts and (b), with respect to
each Seller that is a Participating Bonus Plan Participant, such Person’s
Participating Bonus Amount.
“Purchaser’s
Knowledge” means the actual (but not constructive or imputed) knowledge
of Xxxxx X. Xxxxx and Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx.
8
“Purchaser Material Adverse
Effect” means any event, circumstance, change in or effect on the
Purchaser that prevents the Purchaser from consummating the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
“Recapitalization Bonus
Plan” means the Recapitalization Bonus Plan of the Company.
“Reference Balance Sheet
Date” means December 31, 2009.
“Reference Net Debt
Amount” means $0 (Zero Dollars).
“Reference Net Deferred
Revenue Amount” means $61,220,000 (Sixty-One Million Two Hundred Twenty
Thousand Dollars).
“Reference Working Capital
Maximum” means $480,000 (Four Hundred Eighty Thousand
Dollars).
“Reference Working Capital
Minimum” means $0 (Zero Dollars).
“Register Employees”
means each current or former employee, officer, director, general partner and
member of any executive committee of any Register Entity.
“Register Entities”
means the Company and the Subsidiaries.
“Register GP” means
Xxxxxxxx.xxx GP (Cayman) Ltd., an exempted company incorporated under the laws
of the Cayman Islands.
“Register IP
Agreements” means all licenses of Intellectual Property (a) from any
Register Entity to any third party, excluding licenses to customers and end
users granted in the ordinary course of business, and (b) to any Register Entity
from any third party, excluding Shrink-Wrap Agreements.
“Register Intellectual
Property” means all Intellectual Property owned by the Register Entities
that is material to the operation of the Register Entities as currently
conducted.
“Registered” means
issued by, registered or filed with, renewed by or the subject of a pending
application before any Governmental Authority or Internet domain name
registrar.
“Release” means
disposing, discharging, injecting, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring,
leaching, dumping, emitting, escaping or emptying into or upon any soil,
sediment, subsurface strata, surface water or groundwater.
“Remedial Action”
means any action required to investigate, clean up, remove or remediate, or
conduct remedial or corrective actions with respect to, Hazardous Materials in
the environment.
“Retention Bonus
Program” means the retention bonus portion of the Xxxxxxxx.xxx June 2009
Retention and Transaction Bonus Program and any similar retention bonus plan or
program, whether granted under an umbrella bonus plan or pursuant to individual
letter agreements, and in all cases as listed on Section 3.12(a) of the
Disclosure Schedule as a Plan. The Company will provide to the
Purchaser a document setting forth the amounts potentially due under the
Retention Bonus Program not later than two (2) Business Days prior to
Closing.
9
“Securities Act” means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Sellers” means (a)
Register GP and each Other Seller and (b) solely for purposes of Articles X and
XII, the Participating Bonus Plan Participants.
“Shrink-Wrap
Agreements” means “shrink-wrap” and “click-wrap” licenses and licenses
concerning generally commercially available software.
“Specified Claim Escrow
Amount” means an amount equal to $1,000,000 (One Million
Dollars).
“Specified Claims”
means claims for indemnification related to the matters set forth on Exhibit
10.02(c).
“Specified
Indebtedness” means, collectively, (a) the Canadian Government Loan, (b)
the Security Agreement, dated as of June 9, 2008, between Her Majesty the Queen
in Right of the Province of Nova Scotia and Xxxxxxxx.xxx, Inc., (c) two Letters
of Credit from XX Xxxxxx Xxxxx in the amounts of $1,000,000 and $333,036 for
PennBus Realties, Inc. (T-398970, issued March 23, 1999, as amended) and
Verisign, Inc. (T-290023, issued June 23, 1999, as amended) and (d) three
Letters of Credit (NZS646424, issued August 28, 2009; NZS646426, issued August
28, 2009 and NZS650698, issued November 23, 2009) from Xxxxx Fargo Bank, N.A.
for a total of $110,000 for qualification for Outbound Telemarketing
requirements in the following states: Utah, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
“Subsidiaries” means
the entities owned or controlled by the Company and identified in Section
1.01(c) of the Disclosure Schedule.
“Tax” or “Taxes” means (a) all
taxes of any kind whatsoever, including without limitation all income, capital
gain, gross receipts, value added, windfall profits, severance, property,
production, ad valorem, sales, use, transfer, conveyance, stamp, recording,
license, excise, net worth, franchise, capital, employment, withholding, social
security contributions, Medicare taxes and other taxes, duties and similar
imposts, however denominated, together with any interest, additions or penalties
in respect thereof, imposed by any Governmental Authority; (b) any Liability for
the payment of any amounts of the type described in clause (a) of this sentence
as a result of being a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined, unitary
or aggregate group for any Taxable period, and (c) any Liability for the payment
of any amounts of the type described in clause (a) or (b) of this sentence as a
result of being a transferee of or successor to any Person or as a result of any
express or implied obligation to assume such Taxes or to indemnify any other
Person.
“Tax Returns” means
any and all returns, reports and forms (including elections, declarations,
amendments, schedules, information returns or attachments thereto) required to
be filed with a Governmental Authority with respect to Taxes.
10
“Transaction Bonus
Program” means the transaction bonus portion of the Xxxxxxxx.xxx June
2009 Retention and Transaction Bonus Program, 2010 Transaction Bonuses, and any
similar transaction bonus plan or program whether granted under an umbrella
bonus plan or pursuant to individual letter agreements, and in all cases as
listed on Section 3.12(a) of the Disclosure Schedule as a Plan. The
Company will provide to the Purchaser a document setting forth the amounts
potentially due under the Transaction Bonus Program not later than two (2)
Business Days prior to Closing.
“Transaction
Documents” means the Escrow Agreement and the Note.
“Unresolved
Objections” means the objections set forth on the Seller Representative’s
Notice of Disagreement delivered to the Purchaser pursuant to Section 2.09(c)
that remain unresolved pursuant to Section 2.09(d)(iii).
“VAT” means any
value-added Tax or similar Taxes.
SECTION
1.02. Definitions. The
following terms have the meanings set forth in the Sections set forth
below:
Definition
|
Location
|
|
“280G
Approval”
|
6.04(d)
|
|
“280G
Matters”
|
6.04(d)
|
|
“Alternative
Financing”
|
6.10(b)
|
|
“Alternative Financing
Agreements”
|
6.10(b)
|
|
“Alternative Financing
Commitment Letter”
|
6.10(b)
|
|
“Amendment”
|
12.14
|
|
“Balance
Sheets”
|
3.05(a)
|
|
“Closing”
|
2.03
|
|
“Closing
Date”
|
2.03
|
|
“Commitment
Letter”
|
5.05(b)
|
|
“Company”
|
Preamble
|
|
“Company 401(k)
Plan”
|
7.02
|
|
“Company
Participants”
|
7.01
|
|
“Confidentiality
Agreement”
|
6.03(a)
|
|
“Continuing
Employees”
|
7.01
|
|
“Covered
Persons”
|
6.09(a)
|
|
“Debt Payoff
Amount”
|
2.04(b)(i)
|
|
“Debt Payoff
Recipient”
|
2.04(b)(i)
|
|
“Deficiency”
|
2.09(e)(i)
|
|
“Estimated Closing Net
Debt”
|
2.08
|
|
“Estimated Closing Net
Deferred Revenue”
|
2.08
|
|
“Estimated Closing
Statement”
|
2.08
|
|
“Estimated Closing
Working Capital”
|
2.08
|
|
“Excess”
|
2.09(e)(ii)
|
|
“Financial
Statements”
|
3.05(a)
|
|
“Financing”
|
5.05(b)
|
11
Definition
|
Location
|
|
“Financing
Agreements”
|
6.10(a)
|
|
“Indemnified
Party”
|
10.02
|
|
“Interests”
|
Recitals
|
|
“Leased Real
Property”
|
3.11(b)
|
|
“Lenders”
|
5.05(b)
|
|
“Loss”
|
10.02
|
|
“Marketing
Period”
|
9.02(a)
|
|
“Marketing Period
Termination Date”
|
9.02(a)
|
|
“Material
Contracts”
|
3.14(a)
|
|
“Maximum Annual
Premium”
|
6.09(b)
|
|
“Notice of
Acceptance”
|
2.09(c)
|
|
“Notice of
Disagreement”
|
2.09(c)
|
|
“Notified Transaction
Expenses”
|
2.04(a)(iii)
|
|
“Owned Real
Property”
|
3.11(a)
|
|
“Plans”
|
3.12(a)
|
|
“Preclosing Tax
Period”
|
8.04(a)
|
|
“Purchase
Price”
|
2.02(A)
|
|
“Purchase Price
Allocation”
|
2.04(a)(ii)
|
|
“Purchaser”
|
Preamble
|
|
“Purchaser
GP”
|
2.06(e)
|
|
“Purchaser
Plans”
|
7.01
|
|
“Register
Website”
|
3.10(f)
|
|
“Reporting Tail
Coverage”
|
6.09(b)
|
|
“Section 280G
Payments”
|
6.04(d)
|
|
“Seller
Representative”
|
10.07(a)
|
|
“Shearman”
|
12.13
|
|
“Subsidiary
Interests”
|
3.02(b)
|
|
“Substitute
Financing”
|
6.10(c)
|
|
“Substitute Financing
Agreements”
|
6.10(c)
|
|
“Substitute Financing
Commitment Letter”
|
6.10(c)
|
|
“Taxing
Authority”
|
2.04(a)
|
|
“Termination
Date”
|
11.01(a)
|
|
“Third Party
Claim”
|
10.04(b)
|
|
“Transaction
Expenses”
|
12.01
|
SECTION
1.03. Interpretation and Rules of
Construction. (a) In
this Agreement, except to the extent otherwise provided or that the context
otherwise requires:
(i) when
a reference is made in this Agreement to an Article, Section or Exhibit,
such reference is to an Article or Section of, or an Exhibit to, this
Agreement;
(ii) the
table of contents and headings for this Agreement are for reference purposes
only and do not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement;
12
(iii) whenever
the words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they
are deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”;
(iv) the
words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used
in this Agreement, refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
provision of this Agreement;
(v) all
terms defined in this Agreement have the defined meanings when used in any
certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto, unless
otherwise defined therein;
(vi) the
definitions contained in this Agreement are applicable to the singular as well
as the plural forms of such terms;
(vii) no
rule of construction against the draftsperson shall be applied in connection
with the interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement, as this Agreement is
the product of negotiation between sophisticated parties advised by competent
counsel and embodies the justifiable expectations of sophisticated parties
derived from arms’ length negotiations;
(viii) references
to a Person are also to its successors and permitted assigns;
(ix) the
use of “or” is not intended to be exclusive unless expressly indicated
otherwise; and
(x) references
to sums of money are expressed in lawful currency of the United States of
America, and “$” refers to U.S. dollars.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in the Disclosure Schedule or in this
Agreement, the information and disclosures contained in any Section of the
Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to be disclosed and incorporated by
reference in any other Section of the Disclosure Schedule as though fully set
forth in such other section to the extent the relevance of such information to
such other Section is reasonably apparent. No reference to or
disclosure of any item or other matter in any Section of this Agreement,
including any Section of the Disclosure Schedule, shall be construed as an
admission or indication that such item or other matter is material or that such
item or other matter is required to be referred to or disclosed in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, no such reference to or
disclosure of a possible breach or violation of any contract, Law or
Governmental Order shall be construed as an admission or indication that a
breach or violation exists or has actually occurred.
ARTICLE
II
PURCHASE
AND SALE
SECTION
2.01. Purchase and Sale of the
Interests. Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, at the Closing, each
Seller shall sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser shall purchase from each
such Seller, all of such Seller’s Interests.
13
SECTION
2.02. Purchase Price; Allocation
of Purchase Price. Subject
to adjustment pursuant to Section 2.09, the aggregate purchase price for
the Interests shall be comprised of (A) a cash amount equal to (a) $130,000,000,
(b) (i) plus,
if the Estimated Closing Net Debt is less than the Reference Net Debt Amount,
the amount by which the Reference Net Debt Amount exceeds the Estimated Closing
Net Debt or (ii) minus, if the
Estimated Closing Net Debt is greater than the Reference Net Debt Amount, the
amount by which the Estimated Closing Net Debt exceeds the Reference Net Debt
Amount, (c) (i) plus, if the
Estimated Closing Working Capital is greater than the Reference Working Capital
Maximum, the amount by which the Estimated Closing Working Capital exceeds the
Reference Working Capital Maximum or (ii) minus, if the
Estimated Closing Working Capital is less than the Reference Working Capital
Minimum, the amount by which the Reference Working Capital Minimum exceeds the
Estimated Closing Working Capital, (d) minus, if the
Estimated Closing Net Deferred Revenue is greater than the Reference Net
Deferred Revenue Amount, the amount by which the Estimated Closing Net Deferred
Revenue exceeds the Reference Net Deferred Revenue Amount, (e) minus the Notified
Transaction Expenses, (f) minus the Bonus
Amounts, (g) minus the net present
value of any corporate tax deduction (determined using a 42% corporate tax rate)
reasonably estimated by the Purchaser to be foregone as the result of any
payment of compensation (by either the Purchaser or the Register Entities) that
the Purchaser has reasonably characterized as an “excess parachute payment”
within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code; and (h) plus the Prepaid
Reporting Tail Coverage Amount and/or minus the Post
Closing Reporting Tail Coverage Amount, as applicable (the sum or difference, as
applicable, of clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h) of this Section
2.02(A) being the “Purchase Price”) and
(B) the Note. The manner in which the Purchase Price is to be
allocated among the Sellers is set forth on Section 2.02 of the Disclosure
Schedule.
SECTION
2.03. Closing. Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the sale and purchase of the
Interests contemplated by this Agreement shall take place at a closing (the
“Closing”) to
be held at the offices of Shearman & Sterling LLP, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx at 10:00 a.m. New York time on the later of (a) the second
Business Day following the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the
obligations of the parties hereto set forth in Article IX (other than
conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at Closing, and subject to
the satisfaction or waiver of such conditions) and (b) the earlier to occur of
(i) the date on which the Purchaser receives the proceeds pursuant to the
Financing Agreements, the Alternative Financing Agreements or the Substitute
Financing Agreements (as applicable) and (ii) the date that is eighty-nine (89)
days after the date of this Agreement, or at such other place or at such other
time or on such other date as the Company and the Purchaser may mutually agree
upon in writing (the day on which the Closing takes place being the “Closing
Date”).
SECTION
2.04. Payments at
Closing.
(a) Payments by the
Purchaser. At the Closing, the Purchaser shall pay the
following amounts, with each payment to be made by wire transfer of immediately
available funds unless otherwise designated in writing by the payee
thereof:
(i) to
the Escrow Agent, an amount equal to the Escrow Amount;
14
(ii) to
each Seller, to an account designated in writing by such Seller or by the Seller
Representative at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing, an amount
equal to (A) such Seller’s percentage of the Purchase Price determined in
accordance with the allocation set forth on Section 2.02 of the Disclosure
Schedule (the “Purchase Price
Allocation”) minus (B) the amount
of such Person’s Pro Rata Escrow Amount; and
(iii) to
the Company, (A) the Debt Payoff Amount, (B) the Transaction Expenses of the
Company for which written notices of amounts thereof were received at least one
(1) Business Day prior to the Closing (“Notified Transaction
Expenses”), and (C) the Non-Participating Bonus
Amounts. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Purchaser may advise the
Company that it wishes to use all or a portion of any Cash of the Company or any
Subsidiary on hand immediately prior to the Closing towards payment of any of
the items set forth in this 2.04(a)(iii), in which event the aggregate amount
that the Purchaser shall be obligated to pay pursuant to this Section
2.04(a)(iii) shall be correspondingly reduced but (y) such reduction shall not
affect any required payments by the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to
Section 2.04(b) and (z) the respective dollar amounts set forth in this Section
2.04(a)(iii) shall not be reduced for purposes of any other calculation required
by this Agreement, including the calculation of the Purchase Price.
In the
event the Purchaser believes that any withholding for Taxes may be required with
respect to amounts payable to the Sellers, the Purchaser shall notify the
Sellers at least thirty (30) days prior to the Closing Date (accompanied by a
reasonable explanation), in which case the Sellers shall be afforded a
reasonable opportunity to establish and claim prior to the Closing Date any
available exemptions permitted by applicable Law, and the Purchaser shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with such efforts to the extent
necessary to establish or claim such exemption. In the event an
exemption with respect to any such withholding Tax cannot be established to the
Purchaser’s reasonable good faith satisfaction at least seven (7) days prior to
the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall be entitled to withhold such
tax. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise set forth in
Section 2.04(b), the Purchaser shall be entitled to withhold from the
consideration otherwise payable by the Purchaser to any Person other than the
Sellers, such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold under the Code,
or any provision of applicable Tax Law. To the extent that any
amounts remain that are required to be withheld and deducted for Taxes, the
Purchaser shall promptly remit the amounts withheld to the applicable Tax taxing
authority or agency (“Taxing Authority”),
and such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having
been paid to the payee in respect of which such deduction or withholding was
made by the Purchaser.
(b) Payments by the
Company. On the Closing Date, upon its receipt of the payment
pursuant to Section 2.04(a)(iii) above, or, in the case of Section 2.04(b)(iii)
below, on the next payroll date following the Closing Date in accordance with
the applicable payroll period, the Company shall pay, and the Purchaser shall
cause the Company to pay, the following amounts, with each payment to be made by
wire transfer of immediately available funds unless otherwise designated in
writing by the payee thereof:
15
(i) to
each Person to whom the Funded Indebtedness (other than the Specified
Indebtedness) is owed (each, a “Debt Payoff
Recipient”), to an account designated in writing by such Debt Payoff
Recipient at least two Business Days prior to the Closing, an amount equal to
the Funded Indebtedness (other than the Specified Indebtedness) owing to such
Debt Payoff Recipient (the aggregate of such amounts, the “Debt Payoff
Amount”);
(ii) to
the account of each Person to whom Notified Transaction Expenses are owed, an
amount equal to the Notified Transaction Expenses owing to such Person;
and
(iii) to
the account of each Bonus Plan Participant, an amount equal to the
Non-Participating Bonus Amounts owing to such Person.
The
Purchaser and the Sellers agree that, subject to the continued employment of a
given Bonus Plan Participant with a Register Entity until immediately prior to
the Closing, and notwithstanding any terms of the applicable Bonus Plan to the
contrary, at the Closing, such Bonus Plan Participant shall become fully vested
in his or her Non-Participating Bonus Amounts under the applicable Bonus Plan,
and such vested amounts shall be paid pursuant to this Section
2.04(b). The Company shall withhold from the consideration otherwise
payable to a Bonus Plan Participant under all of the Bonus Plans pursuant to
this Section 2.04(b), as well as from any Participating Bonus Amounts that
become due and payable to a Bonus Plan Participant, and any additional
compensation otherwise payable by the Company pursuant to employees and other
persons pursuant to this Agreement, such amounts as it is required to deduct and
withhold under the Code, or any provision of applicable Tax Law, including any
payroll deductions, except to the extent such amounts have already been withheld
pursuant to Section 2.04(a). At least ten (10) days prior to making
any payment described in the preceding sentence, the Company shall provide the
Purchaser with a description of such payment and a calculation of the proposed
withholding (or an explanation for why withholding is not
required). In the event the Purchaser reasonably determines that
additional withholding is required with respect to any such payment, the Company
shall timely withhold the additional amounts directed by the
Purchaser. To the extent that any such amounts are so withheld, the
Company shall promptly remit the amounts withheld to the applicable Taxing
Authority. Such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of
this Agreement as having been paid to the payee in respect of which such
deduction or withholding was made by the Company.
SECTION
2.05. Closing Deliveries by the
Seller Representative. At
the Closing, the Seller Representative shall deliver or cause to be delivered to
the Purchaser:
(a) the
Escrow Agreement, executed by the Escrow Agent and the Seller
Representative;
(b) an
assignment and assumption deed, substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit
2.05(b), executed by each Other Seller and Register GP (in its capacity
as a Seller and in its capacity as the general partner of the
Company);
16
(c) a
receipt from each Seller acknowledging receipt of the amount paid to such Seller
pursuant to Section 2.04(a)(ii);
(d) a
receipt from the Escrow Agent acknowledging receipt of the Escrow
Amount;
(e) the
certificate referenced in Section 9.02(b)(i)(C) or 9.02(b)(ii)(C), as
applicable based on the date the Closing occurs;
(f) a
certificate satisfying the requirements of Treasury Regulations Section
1.1445-11T(d)(2)(i) that (x) the Interests do not constitute “United States real
property interests” within the meaning of Section 897 of the Code, and (y) fifty
percent (50%) or more of the value of the gross assets of the Company do not
consist of United States real property interests, and that ninety percent (90%)
or more of the value of the gross assets of the Company do not consist of United
States real property interests plus cash or cash equivalents;
(g) documentation
reasonably satisfactory to Register GP and the Purchaser evidencing the
admission of the Purchaser GP as the general partner of the Company upon the
Closing, it being understood that such admission shall not be effective until
the Purchaser GP has filed the statement described in Section 2.06(e) with the
Cayman Register of Exempted Limited Partnerships;
(h) documentation
reasonably satisfactory to Register GP and the Purchaser in order to effect the
transfer to the Purchaser GP of all of the assets of the Company held by
Register GP in trust for and on behalf of the Company, free of any Encumbrances
(other than any Permitted Encumbrances) upon the Closing, subject to any
requirements of applicable Law;
(h) documentation
evidencing the retirement of Register GP as the general partner of the Company
to be effective on the Closing Date (but not prior to the Closing); provided that the
Purchaser GP shall have filed the statement described in Section 2.06(e) on such
date; and
(i) the
Amendment, in a form reasonably satisfactory to Register GP and the Purchaser,
to be effective upon the Closing.
SECTION
2.06. Closing Deliveries by the
Purchaser. In
addition to its obligations set forth in Section 2.04, at the Closing, the
Purchaser shall deliver to the Seller Representative:
(a) the
Escrow Agreement, executed by the Purchaser;
(b) the
Note, executed by the Purchaser;
(c) a
true and complete copy, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of
the Purchaser, of the resolutions duly and validly adopted by the Board of
Directors of the Purchaser evidencing its authorization of the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and each Transaction Document and the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;
17
(d) the
certificate referenced in Section 9.01(a)(iii);
(e) a
statement, executed by the Person acceding to the Partnership Agreement as the
general partner of the Company (the “Purchaser GP”),
including details of such Person’s registered office in the Cayman Islands and
such other information as is required to be disclosed therein by applicable Law,
to be filed under Section 10 of the Exempted Limited Partnership Law with the
Cayman Register of Exempted Limited Partnerships on the Closing Date;
and
(f) an
assignment and assumption deed, substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit
2.05(b), executed by the Purchaser and the Purchaser GP; and
(g) such
other documentation as may be necessary or required pursuant to Section 11.8 of
the Partnership Agreement in order to admit the Purchaser GP as the general
partner of the Company on the Closing Date, and evidencing the Purchaser GP’s
assumption of all obligations under the Partnership Agreement (i) of Register GP
and (ii) as the general partner of the Company, and in accordance with
applicable Law as of such date.
SECTION
2.07. Closing Deliveries by the
Company. At
the Closing, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the
Purchaser:
(a) a
legal opinion of Cayman counsel to the Register Entities in a form to be
mutually agreed by the Company and the Purchaser, dated as of the Closing
Date;
(b) all
stock certificates or other evidences of ownership by the Company of all
Register Entities other than the Company; and
(c) the
certificate referenced in Section 9.02(a)(i)(C) or 9.02(a)(ii)(C), as applicable
based on the date the Closing occurs.
SECTION
2.08. Calculation of the Purchase
Price. Not
less than three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Seller
Representative shall deliver to the Purchaser a statement setting forth the
Seller Representative’s good faith estimate of each of the Closing Net Debt (the
“Estimated Closing Net
Debt”), the Closing Net Deferred Revenue (the “Estimated Closing Net
Deferred Revenue”) and the Closing Working Capital (the “Estimated Closing Working
Capital”), in each case prepared using the accounting policies,
principles and methodologies set forth in Exhibit 1.01(a),
Exhibit 1.01(b)
and Exhibit
1.01(d), respectively (such statement, the “Estimated Closing
Statement”). The Estimated Closing Statement shall contain
only the line items set forth in Exhibit 1.01(a),
Exhibit 1.01(b)
and Exhibit
1.01(d). The Purchaser shall have an opportunity to review the
Estimated Closing Statement, and the Seller Representative shall cooperate with
the Purchaser in good faith to agree upon the Estimated Closing Statement in the
event the Purchaser disputes any item set forth therein; provided that in the
event any such dispute is not resolved prior to the Closing, the Estimated
Closing Statement shall be definitive in respect of any such disputed items for
purposes of calculating the Purchase Price.
18
SECTION
2.09. Adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The
Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment after the Closing as specified in
this Section 2.09.
(a) Within
ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall deliver to the
Seller Representative the Initial Closing Statement. The Initial
Closing Statement shall contain only the line items set forth on Exhibit 1.01(a),
Exhibit 1.01(b)
and Exhibit
1.01(d) and shall not include any amounts relating to matters with
respect to which any of the Sellers or their respective Affiliates or the Seller
Representative, as applicable, has an obligation to indemnify or make other
payment to the Purchaser or its Affiliates or designees.
(b) At
all reasonable times during the thirty (30) days immediately following the
Seller Representative’s receipt of the Initial Closing Statement, the Seller
Representative and its representatives shall be permitted to review the books
and records of the Purchaser and the Register Entities relating to the Initial
Closing Statement and such other information as may be reasonably requested by
the Seller Representative, and the Purchaser and the Register Entities shall
make reasonably available to the Seller Representative and its representatives
the individuals employed by, and other representatives of, the Purchaser and the
Register Entities responsible for the preparation of the Initial Closing
Statement in order to respond to the Seller Representative’s inquiries related
thereto.
(c) The
Seller Representative shall deliver to the Purchaser by the Objection Deadline
Date either a notice indicating that the Sellers accept the Initial Closing
Statement (“Notice of
Acceptance”) or a detailed statement describing any objections to the
Initial Closing Statement (“Notice of
Disagreement”). If the Seller Representative delivers to the
Purchaser a Notice of Acceptance, or the Seller Representative does not deliver
a Notice of Disagreement by the Objection Deadline Date, then, effective as of
either the date of delivery of such Notice of Acceptance or as of the end of the
Objection Deadline Date, the Initial Closing Statement shall be deemed to be the
Final Closing Statement. If the Seller Representative timely delivers
a Notice of Disagreement, only those matters specified in such Notice of
Disagreement shall be deemed to be in dispute, and all other matters included in
the Initial Closing Statement shall be final and binding upon the Purchaser and
the Sellers.
(d) The
objections set forth on the Notice of Disagreement shall be resolved as
follows:
(i) The
Seller Representative and the Purchaser shall first use reasonable efforts to
resolve such objections.
(ii) Any
resolution by the Seller Representative and the Purchaser as to such objections
shall be final and binding on the parties hereto.
(iii) If
the Seller Representative and the Purchaser do not reach a resolution of all
objections set forth on the Seller Representative’s Notice of Disagreement
within thirty (30) days after delivery of such Notice of Disagreement, the
Seller Representative and the Purchaser shall, within thirty (30) days following
the expiration of such thirty (30) day period, engage the Independent
Accountant, pursuant to an engagement agreement executed by the Seller
Representative, the Purchaser and the Independent Accountant, to resolve any
Unresolved Objections.
19
(iv) The
Independent Accountant shall be instructed only to resolve the Unresolved
Objections, and shall be instructed not to otherwise investigate such matters
independently. The Purchaser and the Seller Representative shall
cause the Independent Accountant to make a final determination (which
determination shall be binding on the parties hereto) of the Closing Net Debt,
the Closing Net Deferred Revenue and the Closing Working Capital within 30 days
from the date the Unresolved Objections were submitted to the Independent
Accountant, and such final determination shall be deemed the Final Closing
Statement. During the 30-day review by the Independent Accountant,
the Purchaser and the Seller Representative shall each make available to the
Independent Accountant such individuals and such information, books and records
as may be reasonably required by the Independent Accountant to make its final
determination.
(v) The
resolution by the Independent Accountant of the Unresolved Objections shall be
final, conclusive and binding upon each Seller and the Purchaser. The
parties hereto agree that the procedure set forth in this Section 2.09(d) for
resolving disputes with respect to the Initial Closing Statement shall be the
sole and exclusive method for resolving any such disputes.
(vi) The
fees and expenses of the Independent Accountant shall be allocated between the
Seller Representative and the Purchaser in the same proportion that the
aggregate amount of the Unresolved Objections that are unsuccessfully disputed
by each such party (as finally determined by the Independent Accountant) bears
to the total amount of the Unresolved Objections.
(e) The
Initial Closing Statement shall be deemed to be the Final Closing Statement for
the purposes of this Section 2.09 upon the earliest of (x) the delivery by the
Seller Representative of the Notice of Acceptance or the failure of the Seller
Representative to deliver the Notice of Disagreement by the Objection Deadline
Date pursuant to Section 2.09(c), (y) the resolution of all disputes by the
Seller Representative and the Purchaser pursuant to Section 2.09(d)(ii) and
(z) the resolution of all disputes pursuant to Section 2.09(d)(iv) by the
Independent Accountant. Within five (5) Business Days after the Final
Closing Statement becomes or is deemed final and binding on the parties hereto,
an adjustment to the Purchase Price and a payment by wire transfer in respect
thereof described below shall be made as follows:
(i) If
the Estimated Closing Net Debt is less than the Closing Net Debt as shown on the
Final Closing Statement and/or if the Closing Net Deferred Revenue as shown on
the Final Closing Statement is greater than the Estimated Closing Net Deferred
Revenue and/or if the Closing Working Capital as shown on the Final Closing
Statement is less than the Estimated Closing Working Capital (any such
difference or differences, as the case may be, the “Deficiency”), the
Purchase Price shall be reduced by the amount equal to the Deficiency and each
Seller shall pay to the Purchaser its portion of such amount, determined in
accordance with the allocation set forth on Section 2.02 of the Disclosure
Schedule, by wire transfer of immediately available funds.
20
(ii) If
the Estimated Closing Net Debt exceeds the Closing Net Debt as shown on the
Final Closing Statement and/or if the Closing Working Capital as shown on the
Final Closing Statement exceeds the Estimated Closing Working Capital (such
difference or differences, as the case may be, the “Excess”), the
Purchase Price shall be increased by the amount equal to the Excess and the
Purchaser shall pay to each Seller its portion of such amount, determined in
accordance with the allocation set forth on Section 2.02 of the Disclosure
Schedule, by wire transfer of immediately available funds.
(f) Any
payment required to be made by any Seller or the Purchaser pursuant to this
Section 2.09 shall bear interest from the Closing Date through the date of
payment at the interest rate per annum equal to the prime rate as published in
The Wall Street Journal on the Friday before the payment is to be
made.
(g) If
the delivery deadline date for the Initial Closing Statement or the Objection
Deadline Date is a day that is not a Business Day, the applicable delivery
deadline date shall be the immediately following Business Day. For
the avoidance of doubt, in the event the Purchaser fails to deliver the Initial
Closing Statement within ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, the Estimated
Closing Statement shall be deemed the Final Closing Statement and there shall be
no adjustment to the Purchase Price.
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
RELATING
TO THE REGISTER ENTITIES
Subject
to such exceptions as are disclosed in writing in the Disclosure Schedule, the
Company hereby represents and warrants to the Purchaser, as
follows:
SECTION
3.01. Organization, Authority and
Qualification of the Company.
(a) The
Company is an exempted limited partnership duly organized, validly existing
and in good standing under the Laws of the Cayman Islands and has all necessary
power and authority to own, operate or lease the properties and assets now
owned, operated or leased by it and to carry on its business as it is currently
conducted. The Company is duly licensed or qualified to do
business and (where applicable) is in good standing in each jurisdiction in
which the properties owned or leased by it or the operation of its business
makes such licensing or qualification necessary, except to the extent that the
failure to be so licensed, qualified or in good standing would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The
Company has all necessary power and authority to enter into this Agreement, to
carry out its obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by the Company, and (assuming due authorization, execution and
delivery by the other parties hereto) this Agreement constitutes legal, valid
and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their respective terms subject to the effects of bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar
Laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law).
21
SECTION
3.02. Subsidiaries;
Capitalization.
(a) Each
Subsidiary is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and (where
applicable) in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its
organization. Each Subsidiary is duly licensed or qualified to
do business and (where applicable) is in good standing in each jurisdiction in
which the properties owned or leased by it or the operation of its business
makes such licensing or qualification necessary, except to the extent that the
failure to be so licensed, qualified or in good standing would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Section 3.02(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of all of the
Subsidiaries, listing for each Subsidiary its name, type of entity, the
jurisdiction and date of its incorporation or organization, its authorized
capital stock, partnership capital or equivalent, the number and type of its
issued and outstanding shares of capital stock, partnership interests or similar
ownership interests (the “Subsidiary
Interests”) and the current ownership of such Subsidiary
Interests. All of the Subsidiary Interests (i) are owned of
record or beneficially, directly or indirectly, by the Company as set forth in
Section 3.02(b) of the Disclosure Schedule and (ii) have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and were not
issued in violation of any preemptive rights. There are no options,
warrants, convertible securities, pre-emptive rights, rights of first refusal or
other similar rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments relating to the
Subsidiary Interests or obligating the Company or any Subsidiary to issue or
sell any shares of capital stock of, or any other ownership interest in, any
Register Entity.
(c) Other
than the Subsidiaries and Afilias Limited, there are no other corporations,
partnerships, joint ventures, associations or other entities in which any
Register Entity owns, of record or beneficially, any direct or indirect equity
or other interest or any right (contingent or otherwise) to acquire the
same. For the avoidance of doubt, as of the Closing, no Register
Entity shall own, of record or beneficially, any equity interest in Afilias
Limited. Other than the Subsidiaries, none of the Register Entities
is a member of (nor is any part of the Business conducted through) any
partnership nor is any Register Entity a participant in any joint venture or
similar arrangement.
(d) As
of the Closing the outstanding equity of the Company will consist of the
Interests, as set forth on Section 3.02(d) of the Disclosure Schedule, and the
rights, privileges and obligations respect to such interests are set forth in
the Partnership Agreement.
22
SECTION
3.03. No
Conflict. Assuming
compliance with the pre-merger notification and waiting period requirements of
the HSR Act and the making and obtaining of all filings, notifications,
consents, approvals, authorizations and other actions referred to in
Section 3.04, and except as may result from any facts or circumstances
relating solely to the Purchaser, the execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement by the Company does not and will not (a) violate, conflict
with or result in the breach of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or
similar organizational documents) of any Register Entity, (b) conflict in
any material respect with or violate in any material respect any material Law or
material Governmental Order applicable to any Register Entity or
(c) conflict in any material respect with, result in any material breach
of, constitute a material default (or event which with the giving of notice or
lapse of time, or both, would become a material default) under, require any
consent under, or give to others any rights of termination, acceleration or
cancellation of, any Material Contract.
SECTION
3.04. Governmental Consents and
Approvals. The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company does not
and will not require any consent, approval, authorization or other order or
declaration of, action by, filing with, notification to or permit from, any
Governmental Authority, other than (a) compliance with, and filings
required under, the HSR Act and (b) any additional consents, approvals,
authorizations, filings and notifications under any other applicable antitrust,
competition, or trade regulation Law, except (i) where the failure to
obtain any such consent, approval, authorization or action, or to make any such
filing or notification, would not have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) as
may be necessary as a result of any facts or circumstances relating solely to
the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates.
SECTION
3.05. Financial
Information. (a) True
and complete copies of each of (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets
of the Subsidiaries as of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and
2007 (collectively, the “Balance Sheets”), and
the related audited consolidated statements of income, member’s deficit and
comprehensive income/(loss), and cash flows of the Subsidiaries for the years
ended as of those dates (the Balance Sheets, together with such other financial
statements collectively, the “Financial
Statements”) have been made available by the Company to the Purchaser and
are set forth on Section 3.05(a) of the Disclosure Schedule.
(b) The
Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with the books of
account and other financial records of the Subsidiaries (except as may be
indicated in the notes thereto), (ii) present fairly in all material
respects the consolidated financial position and results of operations and cash
flows of the Subsidiaries, as of the dates thereof or for the periods covered
thereby and (iii) were prepared in accordance with GAAP (except as may be
indicated in the notes thereto).
(c) The
Company (on behalf of itself and the Subsidiaries) has at all times (i) made and
kept accurate books and records in all material respects and (ii) maintained,
enforced and complied with internal accounting controls that have at all times
provided, in all material respects, reasonable assurance that (A) transactions
are (and have been) executed in accordance with management’s authorization, (B)
transactions are (and have been) recorded as necessary to permit preparation of
its financial statements and to maintain accountability for its assets, (C)
access to its assets is (and has been) permitted only in accordance with
management’s authorization, (D) all material information related to such
controls are (and has been) reported or otherwise made known to the applicable
chief executive officer and chief financial officer, (E) all material
information concerning the Register Entities is (and has been) recorded,
processed, summarized and timely reported to the appropriate members of the
applicable Register Entity’s management, including its chief executive officer
and chief financial officer, and (F) all material information required to be
reported or reflected in the Subsidiaries’ financial statements is (and has
been) recorded, processed, summarized and timely reported to the appropriate
members of the applicable Subsidiary’s management, including its chief financial
officer and chief accounting officer, and made available to the Subsidiaries’
auditors.
23
SECTION
3.06. Absence of
Changes. Since
the Reference Balance Sheet Date to the date of this Agreement:
(a) there
has not occurred any Material Adverse Effect and no event has occurred or
circumstance arisen that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect;
(b) the
Register Entities have conducted their businesses in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice;
(c) none
of the Register Entities has declared, accrued, set aside or paid any dividend
or made any other distribution in respect of any equity interest;
(d) none
of the Register Entities has sold or issued any equity interests, notes, bonds
or other securities of any Register Entity (or any option, warrant or other
right to acquire the same) or repurchased, redeemed or otherwise reacquired any
equity interest of any Register Entity;
(e) none
of the Register Entities has amended or waived any of its rights under, or
permitted the acceleration of vesting under (other than such acceleration as may
be effective upon the Closing), any provision of any of the Plans;
(f) there
has been no material amendment to the certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or
similar organizational documents) of any of the Register Entities;
(g) none
of the Register Entities has effected or been a party to any merger,
consolidation, share exchange, business combination, recapitalization,
reclassification of shares, stock split, reverse stock split or similar
transaction;
(h) none
of the Register Entities has formed any subsidiary or acquired any equity
interest or other interest in any other corporation, partnership or other
business organization;
(i) none
of the Register Entities has made any capital expenditure which, together with
all other capital expenditures made on behalf of the Register Entities between
the Reference Balance Sheet Date and the date of this Agreement, exceeds
$1,200,000 in the aggregate;
(j) none
of the Register Entities has written off as uncollectible, or established any
extraordinary reserve with respect to, any account receivable or other
Indebtedness other than write-offs of accounts receivable not individually in
excess of $30,000 or in the aggregate in excess of $100,000 per
month;
24
(k) none
of the Register Entities has permitted any of its material assets to become
subject to any Encumbrance, other than any Permitted Encumbrance;
(l) none
of the Register Entities has (i) loaned money to any Person, or (ii) incurred or
guaranteed any Indebtedness, except for the Company Indebtedness, in each case
in excess of $10,000;
(m) none
of the Register Entities has (i) materially increased any salaries, wages,
commissions, bonuses or other compensation or benefits payable by any Register
Entity to any Register Employee at the level of manager or above, or (ii)
adopted, established, entered into, amended, modified or terminated any bonus,
deferred compensation, unit appreciation (or similar Interest-based award
program), profit-sharing, incentive, retention or severance benefit plan,
program, arrangement, contract or other agreement, or other plan, program,
arrangement, contract or other agreement providing for employee benefits or
remuneration of any kind, in each case, whether written, unwritten or otherwise,
funded or unfunded, including each Plan, in each case other than in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice of such Register Entity or the
Business, or (iii) committed to (x) establishing or entering into any new plans,
programs or arrangements that would be a Plan if in existence on the date
hereof, other than the Additional Bonus Program, or (y) modifying any Plan
(except to conform any such Plan to the requirements of any applicable Laws as
previously disclosed to Purchaser in writing);
(n) none
of the Register Entities has changed any of its methods of accounting or
accounting practices in any material respect, other than such changes as
required by GAAP or a Governmental Authority;
(o) none
of the Register Entities has made any material Tax election;
(p) none
of the Register Entities has commenced or settled any Action, other than in
connection with routine customer collections matters or other escalated
disputes, in each case individually not in excess of $20,000 or in the aggregate
not in excess of $100,000; and
(q) none
of the Register Entities has agreed to take any of the actions specified in
Sections 3.06(c) – (p).
SECTION
3.07. Absence of Undisclosed
Material Liabilities. Except
as reflected or reserved against in the Financial Statements or disclosed in the
notes thereto, as of the date of this Agreement, there are no Liabilities of,
relating to or affecting any Register Entity or any of their respective assets
and properties of a nature required to be reserved against or reflected on a
balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP, other than Liabilities
(a) set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, (b) incurred in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice since the Reference Balance
Sheet Date or in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, or
(c) which would not, individually or in the aggregate, be materially
adverse to the Register Entities or the Business, taken as a
whole.
25
SECTION
3.08. Litigation. As
of the date of this Agreement, there is no Action by or against any Register
Entity, pending or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened before any
Governmental Authority that would be material to the Register Entities, taken as
a whole or would affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this
Agreement or any Transaction Document or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby.
SECTION
3.09. Compliance with
Laws. The
Register Entities have each conducted their respective businesses in all
material respects since January 1, 2010 and as of the date hereof conduct
their respective businesses in all material respects in accordance with all
material Laws and material Governmental Orders to which they are subject and no
Register Entity is in violation in any material respect of any such Law or
Governmental Order.
SECTION
3.10. Intellectual
Property. (a) To
the Company’s Knowledge, the use of the Register Intellectual Property and the
Licensed Intellectual Property by the Register Entities in the operation of the
Business as currently conducted does not infringe or misappropriate any valid,
enforceable and unexpired Intellectual Property of any other Person in any
material respect and, as of the date of this Agreement, there is no Action
initiated by any other Person pending or overtly threatened (other than as a
result of any communication by any Person to any call center (or employee
thereof) utilized by or otherwise acting on behalf of any Register Entity),
against any Register Entity concerning the foregoing; provided, that for
purposes of this clause (a), any Action that has been initiated but with respect
to which process or other comparable notice has not been served on or delivered
to a Register Entity shall be deemed to be “threatened” rather than
“pending.” To the Company’s Knowledge, no Person is engaging in any
activity that infringes or misappropriates any Register Intellectual Property in
any material respect.
(b) To
the Company’s Knowledge, the Register Entities have taken reasonable and
customary steps to protect their rights in confidential information and trade
secrets, and protect any confidential information provided to them by any other
Person. The Register Entities have and use reasonable efforts to
enforce a policy requiring all employees, consultants and contractors of the
Company to execute Intellectual Property assignment and confidentiality
agreements for the benefit of the Company. To the Company’s
Knowledge, no employee of any of the Register Entities is (i) a party to any
contract restricting such employee from performing his or her duties for any of
the Register Entities or (ii) in breach of any contract with any former employer
concerning Intellectual Property rights or confidentiality due to his or her
activities as an employee of any of the Register Entities.
(c) Section
3.10(c) of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list
(including the owner, and, for any application or registration, the record
owner, jurisdiction, registration and application numbers) of all (i) (A)
patents and patent applications, (B) registered trademarks and trademark
applications, and (C) registered copyrights and copyright applications included
in the Register Intellectual Property and (ii) domain names used exclusively by
any Register Entity in the conduct of the Business (but, for the avoidance of
doubt, excluding any domain names which are owned for purposes of monetization
or registered by any customers of the Business and used by such customers in the
conduct of their respective business). No current or former partner,
officer, director or employee of the Company has any claim, right (whether or
not currently exercisable) or interest to or in any Register Intellectual
Property other than licenses to any such Register Intellectual Property
purchased from the Company in the ordinary course of business.
26
(d) A
Register Entity is the exclusive owner of all right, title and interest in and
to each item of Registered Register Intellectual Property that is listed in
Section 3.10(c) of the Disclosure Schedule, free and clear of any Encumbrances
other than Permitted Encumbrances, and, to the Company’s Knowledge, a Register
Entity has a valid license to use the Licensed Intellectual Property in
connection with the Business and is entitled to use all Licensed Intellectual
Property in the continued operation of the Business without limitation, subject
only to the terms of the Register IP Agreements. The Register
Intellectual Property and the Licensed Intellectual Property include all the
Intellectual Property used in the ordinary day-to-day conduct of the Business as
presently conducted, except for any Intellectual Property owned by any third
party (i) that any Register Entity is licensed to use pursuant to Shrink-Wrap
Agreements, or (ii) for which a license to use such Intellectual Property is not
required under applicable Law.
(e) To
the Company’s Knowledge, (i) each item of the Registered Register Intellectual
Property is valid and subsisting, and (ii) no interference, opposition, reissue,
or reexamination is pending in which the scope, validity or enforceability of
any Register Intellectual Property is being challenged.
(f) The
operation of each of xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx, xxx.xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx,
xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx and xxx.xx-xxxxxxx-xxxxxxx.xxx (each, a “Register Website,”
and collectively, the “Register Websites”)
used in connection with the Business by any Register Entity, and the content
thereof and the data processed, collected, stored or disseminated in connection
therewith, does not violate any applicable Law of the United States or, to the
Company’s Knowledge, the applicable Laws of any other jurisdiction, including
European Directive 95/46/EC, or any Person’s right of privacy or
publicity. Each of the Register Entities (i) has obtained all
necessary permits, approvals, consents, authorizations or licenses to lawfully
operate the Register Websites, as applicable, and to use its data and
(ii) is operating such web site and using its data in accordance with the
scope of such permits, approvals, consents, authorizations or licenses in all
material respects. Each of the Register Entities has posted a privacy
policy governing its use of data and disclaimers of liability on the Register
Websites, as applicable, and it has complied with such privacy policy in all
material respects. Each of the Register Entities has taken in all
material respects all steps in accordance with standard industry practice to
secure each Register Website and data, and any portion thereof, from
unauthorized access or use by any Person, as applicable.
(g) Since
January 1, 2007, none of the Register Intellectual Property was developed by, or
using grants or any subsidies from any Governmental Authority or any university,
and no government funding, facilities, faculty or students of a university,
college, other educational institution or research center was used in the
development of the Register Intellectual Property.
(h) To
the Company’s Knowledge, since January 1, 2007, the Company is not subject to
any agreement with any standards body or other similar entity that would
obligate the Company to grant licenses or rights to or otherwise impair its
control, enforcement or use of any Register Intellectual
Property.
27
(i) The
computer software owned by the Company that is material to the Business does not
contain any “worm,” “backdoor,” or other disabling device, code, or routine
commonly known to exist as of the date of this Agreement to materially disrupt,
disable or harm the operation or functionality of any software or hardware,
except as disclosed in its documentation.
(j) The
representations and warranties contained in this Section 3.10 are the only
representations and warranties being made by the Company in this Agreement with
respect to any activity that constitutes, or otherwise relates to, infringement,
misappropriation or other violation of Intellectual Property.
SECTION
3.11. Real
Property. (a) Section 3.11(a)
of the Disclosure Schedule lists each parcel of real property owned by the
Register Entities (the “Owned Real
Property”). The Register Entities own all of the Owned Real
Property free and clear of all Encumbrances, other than Permitted
Encumbrances.
(b) Section 3.11(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule lists the street address of each parcel of real
property leased by any Register Entity as of the date of this Agreement (the
“Leased Real
Property”). Assuming good fee title vested in the applicable
landlord, each Register Entity has a valid and binding leasehold interest in the
Leased Real Property of which such Register Entity is the lessee, free and clear
of all Encumbrances, except Permitted Encumbrances. Except as would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, none of the
Register Entities is in breach or default under any lease agreement for any
Leased Real Property.
SECTION
3.12. Employee Benefit
Matters.
(a) Plans and Material
Documents. Section 3.12(a) of the Disclosure Schedule lists
all employee benefit plans (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA), all
material bonus, stock option, stock purchase, restricted stock, unit
appreciation (or similar Interest-based award program), employee loan, employee
tax gross-up, incentive, retention, deferred compensation, retiree medical or
life insurance, supplemental retirement, severance or other benefit plans,
programs or arrangements, and all material employment, termination, severance or
other contracts or agreements, to which any Register Entity is a party, or with
respect to which any Register Entity or any Company Affiliate has any obligation
or which are maintained, contributed to or sponsored by, or is required to be
contributed to by, any Register Entity or any Company Affiliate for the benefit
of any Register Employee other than a Foreign Plan (collectively, the “Plans”).
28
(b) The
Company has made available to the Purchaser a true and complete copy of each
Plan and any other documents setting forth the terms of each Plan, including
without limitation (i) all amendments thereto and all related trust documents,
(ii) the three (3) most recent annual reports (Form Series 5500 and all
schedules attached thereto), if any, required under ERISA or the Code or any
other applicable Law in connection with each Plan, (iii) if the Plan is subject
to the minimum funding standards of ERISA Section 302, the most recent annual
and periodic accounting of Plan assets, (iv) the most recent summary plan
description together with the summaries of material modifications thereto, if
any, required under ERISA with respect to each Plan, (v) all material written
service provider agreements relating to each Plan, including, without
limitation, administrative service agreements and group insurance contracts,
(vi) all material correspondence, if any, to or from any governmental agency
relating to any Plan; (vii) all insurance policies, if any, in the possession of
the Register Entities or any Company Affiliate pertaining to fiduciary liability
insurance covering the fiduciaries for each Plan, (viii) the most recent
discrimination tests, if any, required under the Code for each Plan intended to
be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, and (ix) the most recent IRS
determination or opinion letter issued with respect to each Plan intended to be
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code.
(c) Each
Plan has been established and operated in all material respects in accordance
with its terms and the requirements of all applicable Laws, including without
limitation the Code and ERISA. Each of the Register Entities and each
Company Affiliate has performed all material obligations required to be
performed by it under, is not in any respect in default under or in violation of
any material term of any Plan, and, to the Company’s Knowledge, there is no
default or violation by any other party to, any material term of any
Plan. No Action is pending or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened
with respect to any Plan (other than routine claims for benefits in the ordinary
course) and, to the Company’s Knowledge, no fact or event exists that could give
rise to any such Action. No non-exempt “prohibited transaction,”
within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code or Sections 406 and 407 of ERISA
has occurred with respect to any Plan. There are no actions, suits or
claims pending, or to the Company’s Knowledge threatened or reasonably
anticipated (other than routine claims for benefits in the ordinary course), by
any party against any Plan or against the assets of any Plan. Neither
the Company nor any Company Affiliate has incurred any penalty or tax with
respect to any Plan under Section 502(i) of ERISA or Sections 4975 through 4980
of the Code. The Register Entities and all Company Affiliates have
made all contributions and other payments required by and due under the terms of
each Plan.
(d) None
of the Plans are, and during the previous six years, neither the Company, nor
any Company Affiliate nor any Company Predecessor Entity has maintained,
established, sponsored, participated in, or contributed to any (i) Company
Pension Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA, or (ii) “multiemployer plan” (within
the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA, (iii) any Company Pension Plan in
which stock, Interests or ownership units of the Company or any Company
Affiliate is or were held as a plan asset, (iv) any multiple employer plan
within the meaning of Section 4063 or 4064 of ERISA or Section 413(c) of the
Code or (v) any “funded welfare plan” within the meaning of Section 419 of the
Code or any multiple employer welfare arrangement, as defined under Section
3(40)(A) of ERISA (without regard to Section 514(b)(6)(B) of ERISA), established
or maintained for the purpose of offering or providing welfare plan benefits to
the employees of two or more employers (including one or more self-employed
individuals), or to their beneficiaries.
29
(e) Each
Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code or
Section 401(k) of the Code has timely received a favorable determination letter
or opinion from the IRS covering all of the provisions applicable to the Plan
for which determination letters are currently available that the Plan is so
qualified and each trust established in connection with any Plan which is
intended to be exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a) of the
Code has received a determination letter or opinion from the Internal Revenue
Service that it is so exempt, and no fact or event has occurred since the date
of such determination letter or letters from the IRS to adversely affect the
qualified status of any such Plan or the exempt status of any such trust.
(f) Except
as required by Law or as provided in an individual agreement listed in Section
3.12(f) of the Disclosure Schedule, no Plan provides (except at no cost to any
Register Entity or any Company Affiliate) retiree or post-employment health,
disability, life insurance or other welfare benefits to any Person.
(g) Except
as provided by applicable Law, neither the execution of this Agreement nor the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will (either alone or in
connection with any other event) (i) entitle any Register Employee to any
increase in severance pay upon any termination of employment,
(ii) accelerate the time of payment or vesting, or trigger any payment or
funding of compensation or benefits under, or increase the amount payable or
trigger any other obligation (including any forgiveness of indebtedness)
pursuant to, any of the Plans, or (iii) limit or restrict the right of any
Register Entity or, after the Closing, the Purchaser, to merge, amend or
terminate any of the Plans.
(h) Section
3.12(h) of the Disclosure Schedule lists all Foreign Plans. With
respect to any Foreign Plans, (i) all Foreign Plans that are required to be
fully funded are fully funded, and with respect to all other Foreign Plans,
adequate reserves therefore have been established on the accounting statements
of the applicable Register Entity, and (ii) no material liability or obligation
of the Company, any other Register Entity, or any Company Affiliate exists with
respect to such Foreign Plans that has not been disclosed on Section 3.12(h) of
the Disclosure Schedule.
(i) To
the Company’s Knowledge, neither the Company nor any Company
Affiliate: (i) has violated or otherwise failed to comply in any
material respect, in respect of any Register Employee, with any Law respecting
employment, employment practices, terms and conditions of employment or wages
and hours, including the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, the
requirements of the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, as amended, the
requirements of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the requirements of
the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended and
the provisions of any similar Law, (ii) has failed to withhold or report any
material amounts required by applicable Law to be withheld or reported with
respect to wages, salaries and other payments to Register Employees, (iii) is
liable for any material arrears of wages or any taxes or any penalty for failure
to comply with the Laws applicable to any of the foregoing, or (iv) is liable
for any payment to any trust or other fund governed by or maintained by or on
behalf of any Governmental Authority with respect to unemployment compensation
benefits, social security or other benefits or obligations for Register
Employees (other than routine payments to be made in the normal course of
business and consistent with past practice). There are no pending or,
to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened claims or actions against any Register
Entity under any worker’s compensation policy or long-term disability
policy.
30
(j) Except
as prohibited by applicable Law, Section 3.12(j) of the Disclosure Schedule sets
forth a complete and accurate list in all material respects of the following
information with respect to each current employee of the Register Entities: (i)
the name of such employee, (ii) the date as of which such employee was
originally hired by the Company, (iii) the name of the Register Entity for which
such employee works, (iv) such employee’s title, and (v) such employee’s base
salary or hourly rate of pay, as applicable, target incentive bonus and
commissions earned year-to-date as of the date of this Agreement.
(k) No
Register Entity is a party to or bound by, and no Register Entity has ever been
a party to or bound by, any union contract, collective bargaining agreement or
similar contract for employees located in the United States. There is
no current and, to the Company’s Knowledge, there is no currently threatened,
slowdown, work stoppage, labor dispute or union organizing activity, or any
similar activity or dispute, affecting the Register Entities or any of the
Register Employees. There are no actions, suits, claims, labor
disputes or grievances pending or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened or
reasonably anticipated relating to any labor, safety or discrimination matters
involving any Register Employee, including charges of unfair labor practices or
discrimination complaints.
(l) At
the Closing, no amounts will be, or will thereafter become, due or payable to
any Person under either the Recapitalization Bonus Plan or the Appreciation
Rights Plan.
(m) Except
to the extent provided by applicable Law, the employment of the current
employees of the Register Entities is terminable by the Company at will
(regardless of whether severance is payable as a result). The Company
has made available to the Purchaser accurate and complete copies of all current
employee manuals and handbooks.
(n) To
the Company’s Knowledge, as of the date of this Agreement, no current Register
Employee has (i) submitted a letter of resignation or (ii) otherwise given any
member of Xxxxxxxx.xxx, Inc.’s senior leadership team overt notice, or any overt
communication, of his or her intention to terminate his or her service with the
Register Entities prior to the Closing.
(o) There
are not, and at no time in the last five (5) years have there been, any
independent contractors who have also provided services to the Register Entities
as an employee and as an independent contractor in the same tax
year.
SECTION
3.13. Taxes.
(a) All
material Tax Returns required to have been filed by or with respect to the
Register Entities have been properly prepared and duly and timely filed (taking
into account any extension of time to file granted or obtained) and are true,
complete and correct in all material respects.
31
(b) All
Taxes payable by or with respect to the Register Entities have been paid or will
be timely paid.
(c) No
deficiency for any amount of Tax has been asserted or assessed by a Taxing
Authority in writing against any Register Entity that has not been satisfied by
payment, settled or withdrawn.
(d) There
are no audits or investigations of any Tax Returns with respect to the Register
Entities in progress, nor has any Register Entity received any written notice
from any Governmental Authority that it intends to conduct any such audit or
investigation.
(e) None
of the Register Entities has current liability for the Taxes of another Person
(other than another Register Entity) under any written Tax sharing or
indemnification agreement (excluding Tax obligations arising under commercial
contracts entered into in the ordinary course).
(f) There
are no Tax liens on any assets of any Register Entity (other than Permitted
Encumbrances).
(g) No
Register Entity has granted any waiver of any statute of limitations with
respect to, or any extension of a period for the assessment of, any material Tax
(other than extensions of time to file Tax Returns obtained in the ordinary
course).
(h) Any
Tax required to have been withheld or collected by the Register Entities has
been duly withheld and collected, and (to the extent required) each such Tax has
been paid to the appropriate Governmental Authority.
(i) The
unpaid Taxes of the Register Entities do not 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 Financial
Statements, and will not exceed such reserve as adjusted for the passage of time
through the Closing Date.
(j) None
of the Register Entities (i) has been a member of an affiliated group of
corporations filing a consolidated federal income Tax Return or (ii) has any
liability for the Taxes of any Person under Treasury Regulations Section
1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of federal, state, local, or foreign law), or
as a transferee or successor or by contract.
(k) None
of the Register Entities will be required to include any item of income in, or
exclude any item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or
portion there) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any: (i) change in
method of accounting for taxable period ending on or prior to the Closing Date,
(ii) “closing agreement” as described in section 7121 of the Code (or any
corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income Tax law)
executed on or prior to the Closing Date, (iii) intercompany transactions or any
excess loss account described in Treasury Regulations under section 1502 of the
Code (or any corresponding or similar provisions of state, local or foreign
income Tax law), (iv) installment sale or open transaction disposition made on
or prior to the Closing Date, or (v) prepaid amount (other than prepaid amounts
accruing in the ordinary course of business).
32
(l) No
Register Entity has distributed stock of another Person, or has had its stock
distributed by another Person, in a transaction that was purported or intended
to be governed in whole or in part by section 355 or section 361 of the
Code (i) in the two (2) years prior to the date of this Agreement or
(ii) which could otherwise constitute part of a “plan” or “series of related
transactions” (within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code) in conjunction
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(m) No
claim has ever been made in writing by an authority in a jurisdiction where a
Register Entity does not file Tax Returns that such Register Entity is or may be
subject to taxation by that jurisdiction.
(n) Each
of the Register Entities has disclosed on its federal income Tax Return all
positions taken therein which could give rise to a substantial understatement of
federal income Tax liability under Section 6662 of the Code.
(o) None
of the Plans provides for the payment of separation, severance, termination or
similar benefits to any Person or obligates any Register Entity to pay any
“excess parachute payment” within the meaning of such term under Section 280G of
the Code as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement (either alone or in connection with any other
event).
(p) The
consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not result in the loss
of any material tax holiday, tax exemption or similar Tax benefit currently
enjoyed by any Register Entity.
(q) Each
Plan that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” subject to Section 409A
of the Code or Section 457A of the Code has been operated and documented, in all
material respects, in good faith compliance with, or pursuant to an exemption
from, Section 409A of the Code, Section 457A of the Code and the respective
guidance and regulations thereunder.
(r) None
of the Register Entities has any current or future obligation to gross-up or
otherwise indemnify or reimburse any Register Employee for any taxes incurred by
such Person for compensation received or to be received by such Person either
from any Register Entity or pursuant to this Agreement, including but not
limited to taxes incurred pursuant to Sections 4999 or 409A of the
Code.
(s) The
Company has delivered or made available to the Purchaser or its representatives
accurate and complete copies of all material Tax Returns and all material audit
reports and similar documents relating to such Tax Returns for taxable years
ending after December 31, 2006.
SECTION
3.14. Material
Contracts. (a) Section
3.14(a) of the Disclosure Schedule lists each of the following written contracts
and agreements to which any Register Entity is a party in effect as of the date
of this Agreement (such contracts and agreements being “Material
Contracts”):
33
(i) any
agreement for the purchase of products or for the receipt of services that
involved consideration or payments by any Register Entity in excess of $150,000
in the aggregate during the year ended December 31, 2009;
(ii) any
agreement for the furnishing of products or services by any Register Entity to
their customers, the performance of which will extend over a period of more than
one year and which involved consideration or payments by such customers in
excess of $150,000 in the aggregate during the year ended December 31,
2009;
(iii) any
agreement concerning the establishment or operation of a partnership, limited
liability company or joint venture with any third party;
(iv) any
agreement under which any Register Entity created, incurred, assumed or
guaranteed any Indebtedness in excess of $50,000 or under which there has been
imposed a security interest on any of the assets, tangible or intangible, of any
Register Entity;
(v) any
agreement, other than purchase orders entered into in the ordinary course of
business, which involves any commitment to make any capital expenditures in
excess of $125,000;
(vi) any
agreement entered into in the past three years for the disposition of any
significant portion of the assets or business of any Register Entity (other than
sales of products in the ordinary course of business) or any agreement entered
into in the past three years for the acquisition of the assets or business of
any other Person (other than purchases of products in the ordinary course of
business), in each case involving consideration in excess of
$100,000;
(vii) any
material agreement that limits or purports to limit the ability of any Register
Entity to compete in any line of business or with any Person or in any
geographic area or during any period of time;
(viii) the
lease agreements pertaining to each parcel of Leased Real Property;
(ix) any
material Register IP Agreement; and
(x) any
employment agreement, severance agreement and other compensation or bonus
arrangement that provides for annual compensation or severance benefits in
excess of $250,000 (other than those set forth on Section 3.12(a) of the
Disclosure Schedule); and
(xi) all
material contracts and agreements between or among any Register Entity, on the
one hand, and any Affiliate of any Seller (other than any Register Entity), on
the other hand.
34
(b) Each
Material Contract (i) as of the date of this Agreement, is valid and
binding on the applicable Register Entity, and, to the Company’s Knowledge, the
counterparties thereto, and is in full force and effect and (ii) upon
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except to the
extent that any consents set forth in Section 3.03(c) of the Disclosure
Schedule are not obtained, shall continue in full force and effect without
penalty or other adverse consequence, subject to the exercise by any
counterparty thereto of any right to terminate any such Material Contract
without cause in accordance with its terms. As of the date of this
Agreement, none of the Register Entities is in material breach or material
violation of, or material default under, any Material Contract to which it is a
party.
SECTION
3.15. Environmental
Matters. (a) None
of the Register Entities is in material violation of any Environmental Law and
all past violations, a description of which is set forth in Section 3.15(a) of
the Disclosure Schedule, have been resolved without any ongoing or pending costs
or obligations that are material to the Business, (b) the Register Entities
have obtained and are in material compliance with all Environmental Permits that
are material to the operations of the Register Entities, taken as a whole, and
any past non-compliance, a description of which is set forth in Section 3.15(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule, has been resolved without any ongoing or pending
costs or obligations that are material to the Register Entities, taken as a
whole, (c) there has been no Release of any Hazardous Materials on, beneath or
adjacent to any Owned Real Property or Leased Real Property or any real property
formerly owned or leased by any Register Entity that requires, or would
reasonably be anticipated to require in the future, any Remedial Action pursuant
to Environmental Law that is or that would reasonably be expected to be
materially adverse to the operations of the Register Entities, taken as a whole,
and (d) there is no written Action pending or, to the Company’s Knowledge,
threatened in writing against any Register Entity that relates to any violation
or alleged violation of, or any Liability or alleged Liability under,
Environmental Law where such violation, alleged violation, Liability or alleged
Liability would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the
operations of the Register Entities, taken as a whole; provided, that for
purposes of the foregoing clause (d) of this Section 3.15, any Action that has
been initiated but with respect to which process or other comparable notice has
not been served on or delivered to a Register Entity shall be deemed to be
“threatened” rather than “pending.” The representations and
warranties contained in this Section 3.15 are the only representations and
warranties being made by the Company in this Agreement with respect to
compliance with or Liability under Environmental Laws or Environmental Permits
or with respect to any environmental, health or safety matter related in any way
to this Agreement or its subject matter.
SECTION
3.16. Insurance. Section
3.16 of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and
complete list of all insurance policies covering the Register Entities or the
operation of the Business. No Register Entity is in material default
under any such policy, all premiums due and payable for such policies have been
timely paid in all material respects, and all claims made thereunder have been
properly and timely filed. No written notice of cancellation,
termination or reduction of coverage has been received by any Register Entity
with respect to any such policy and no claim is currently pending under any such
policy. All material insurable risks in respect of each Register
Entity and the Business are covered by such insurance policies, and the types
and amount of coverage provided therein are usual and customary in the context
of the business and operations in which such Register Entity is engaged and in
the context of the Business. Each such policy is in full force and
effect and is the valid and binding obligation of the Register Entity named as
the insured therein and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement will not cause a cancellation of, or reduction in the coverage
of, any such policy.
35
SECTION
3.17. Certain Business
Relationships with Affiliates.
(a) No
Seller or any Affiliate of any Seller (other than a Register Entity)
(i) owns any material property or right, tangible or intangible, which is
used solely by the Register Entities or related primarily to the Business,
(ii) has any claim or cause of action against any Register Entity, or
(iii) owes any money to, or is owed any money by, any Register
Entity. No Seller or manager, general partner, director or officer of
any Seller has been a manager, general partner, director or officer (or Person
in a similar position), or has had any ownership interest in, any Person which
during such period was a material customer of any Register Entity or the
Business.
(b) Section 3.17(b)
of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth any agreements or arrangements between any
Seller or any Affiliate of any Seller (other than a Register Entity), on the one
hand, and any Register Entity, on the other hand, which is currently in effect
and which shall continue in effect after the Closing.
SECTION
3.18. Brokers. Except
for GCA Savvian Advisors, no broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to
any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Transaction Document based
upon arrangements made by or on behalf any Register Entity. The
Company shall be solely responsible for the fees and expenses of GCA Savvian
Advisors, which fees shall be paid in full by the Company (or another Register
Entity) at or prior to the Closing.
SECTION
3.19. U.S.
Persons. Greater
than fifty percent (50%) of the Other Sellers are U.S. Persons within the
meaning of Section 7701(a) of the Code.
SECTION
3.20. Disclaimer of the
Company. (A) EXCEPT
AS SET FORTH IN THIS
ARTICLE III, NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ITS AFFILIATES (OTHER THAN THE SELLERS
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE IV) OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS,
EMPLOYEES OR REPRESENTATIVES MAKE OR HAVE MADE ANY OTHER REPRESENTATION OR
WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AT LAW OR IN EQUITY, IN RESPECT OF THE REGISTER
ENTITIES, THE BUSINESS, THE INTERESTS, THE SUBSIDIARY INTERESTS OR ANY OTHER
ASSETS, LIABILITIES, OPERATIONS, BUSINESSES, PROSPECTS OR CONDITION (FINANCIAL
OR OTHERWISE) OF THE REGISTER ENTITIES, INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO
(I) MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE, (II) THE
OPERATION OF THE REGISTER ENTITIES OR THE BUSINESS BY THE PURCHASER AFTER THE
CLOSING IN ANY MANNER OTHER THAN AS USED AND OPERATED BY THE SELLERS OR
(III) THE PROBABLE SUCCESS OR PROFITABILITY OF THE REGISTER ENTITIES OR THE
BUSINESS AFTER THE CLOSING AND NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ITS AFFILIATES OR ANY OF
THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES OR REPRESENTATIVES HAS ANY
AUTHORITY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTY NOT
EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT AND SUBJECT TO THE LIMITED REMEDIES HEREIN
PROVIDED, AND (B) OTHER THAN THE INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATIONS OF THE SELLERS
SET FORTH IN ARTICLE X, NO SUCH PERSON WILL HAVE OR BE SUBJECT TO ANY
LIABILITY OR INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATION TO THE PURCHASER OR TO ANY OTHER PERSON
RESULTING FROM THE DISTRIBUTION TO THE PURCHASER, ITS AFFILIATES OR
REPRESENTATIVES OF, OR THE PURCHASER’S USE OF, ANY INFORMATION RELATING TO THE
REGISTER ENTITIES OR THE BUSINESS, INCLUDING ANY INFORMATION, DOCUMENTS OR
MATERIAL MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PURCHASER, WHETHER ORALLY OR IN WRITING, IN
CERTAIN “DATA ROOMS,” MANAGEMENT PRESENTATIONS, FUNCTIONAL “BREAK-OUT”
DISCUSSIONS, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION MEMORANDA, RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS
SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF THE PURCHASER OR IN ANY OTHER FORM IN EXPECTATION OF THE
TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT. ANY SUCH OTHER
REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY IS HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED.
36
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
RELATING
TO EACH SELLER
Subject
to such exceptions as are disclosed in writing in the Disclosure Schedule, each
Seller hereby represents and warrants, severally and not jointly, to the
Purchaser, as follows:
SECTION
4.01. Organization, Authority and
Qualification of each Seller.
(a) Such
Seller (if not a natural person) is a legal entity duly organized, validly
existing and (where applicable) in good standing under the Laws of the
jurisdiction of its organization and has all necessary power and authority to
enter into this Agreement, to carry out its obligations hereunder and to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. Such Seller (if not
a natural person) is duly licensed or qualified to do business and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which the properties owned or leased by it or
the operation of its business makes such licensing or qualification necessary,
except to the extent that the failure to be so licensed, qualified or in good
standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The execution and
delivery by such Seller (if not a natural person) of this Agreement, the
performance by such Seller of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by
such Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by
all requisite action on the part of such Seller.
(b) Such
Seller (if a natural person) is an individual and has all requisite right, power
and authority and full legal capacity to execute and deliver this Agreement, to
perform such Seller’s obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby.
(c) This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by such Seller, and (assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties hereto) this
Agreement constitutes legal, valid and binding obligations of such Seller,
enforceable against such Seller in accordance with their respective terms
subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
reorganization, moratorium and other similar Laws relating to or affecting
creditors’ rights generally and general equitable principles (whether considered
in a proceeding in equity or at law).
37
SECTION
4.02. Capitalization; Ownership of
Interests.
(a) All
of such Seller’s Interests (i) are owned of record or beneficially,
directly or indirectly, by such Seller as set forth in Section 4.02(a) of
the Disclosure Schedule and (ii) have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and were not issued in violation of
any preemptive rights. There are no options, warrants, convertible
securities, pre-emptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights,
agreements, arrangements or commitments relating to such Seller’s Interests or
obligating such Seller to issue or sell any shares of capital stock of, or any
other ownership interest in, any Register Entity.
(b) Upon
the transfer of the Interests held by such Seller to the Purchaser on the
Closing Date in accordance with this Agreement, such Seller will deliver to the
Purchaser good and valid title to such Interests, free and clear of all
Encumbrances other than restrictions imposed by applicable securities
Laws.
SECTION
4.03. No
Conflict. Assuming
compliance with the pre-merger notification and waiting period requirements of
the HSR Act and the making and obtaining of all filings, notifications,
consents, approvals, authorizations and other actions referred to in
Section 4.04, and except as may result from any facts or circumstances
relating solely to the Purchaser, the execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement by such Seller, does not and will not (a) violate, conflict
with or result in the breach of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or
similar organizational documents) of such Seller or (b) conflict in any
material respect with or violate in any material respect any material Law or
material Governmental Order applicable to such Seller.
SECTION
4.04. Governmental Consents and
Approvals. The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by such Seller, does not
and will not require any consent, approval, authorization or other order or
declaration of, action by, filing with, notification to or permit from, any
Governmental Authority, other than (a) compliance with, and filings
required under, the HSR Act and (b) any additional consents, approvals,
authorizations, filings and notifications under any other applicable antitrust,
competition, or trade regulation Law, except (i) where the failure to
obtain any such consent, approval, authorization or action, or to make any such
filing or notification, would not have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) as
may be necessary as a result of any facts or circumstances relating solely to
the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates.
38
SECTION
4.05. Disclaimer of the
Sellers. (A) EXCEPT
AS SET FORTH IN THIS ARTICLE IV, NONE OF THE SELLERS, THEIR RESPECTIVE
AFFILIATES (OTHER THAN THE COMPANY PURSUANT TO ARTICLE III) OR ANY OF THEIR
RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES OR REPRESENTATIVES MAKE OR HAVE MADE
ANY OTHER REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AT LAW OR IN EQUITY,
IN RESPECT OF THE REGISTER ENTITIES, THE BUSINESS, THE INTERESTS, THE SUBSIDIARY
INTERESTS OR ANY OTHER ASSETS, LIABILITIES, OPERATIONS, BUSINESSES, PROSPECTS OR
CONDITION (FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE) OF THE REGISTER ENTITIES, INCLUDING WITH
RESPECT TO (I) MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
(II) THE OPERATION OF THE REGISTER ENTITIES OR THE BUSINESS BY THE
PURCHASER AFTER THE CLOSING IN ANY MANNER OTHER THAN AS USED AND OPERATED BY THE
SELLERS OR (III) THE PROBABLE SUCCESS OR PROFITABILITY OF THE REGISTER
ENTITIES OR THE BUSINESS AFTER THE CLOSING AND NONE OF THE SELLERS, THEIR
RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES
OR REPRESENTATIVES HAS ANY AUTHORITY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY NOT EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT AND SUBJECT
TO THE LIMITED REMEDIES HEREIN PROVIDED AND (B) OTHER THAN THE INDEMNIFICATION
OBLIGATIONS OF THE SELLERS SET FORTH IN ARTICLE X, NO SUCH PERSON WILL HAVE
OR BE SUBJECT TO ANY LIABILITY OR INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATION TO THE PURCHASER OR
TO ANY OTHER PERSON RESULTING FROM THE DISTRIBUTION TO THE PURCHASER, ITS
AFFILIATES OR REPRESENTATIVES OF, OR THE PURCHASER’S USE OF, ANY INFORMATION
RELATING TO THE REGISTER ENTITIES OR THE BUSINESS, INCLUDING ANY INFORMATION,
DOCUMENTS OR MATERIAL MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PURCHASER, WHETHER ORALLY OR IN
WRITING, IN CERTAIN “DATA ROOMS,” MANAGEMENT PRESENTATIONS,
FUNCTIONAL “BREAK-OUT” DISCUSSIONS, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION MEMORANDA,
RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF THE PURCHASER OR IN ANY OTHER FORM
IN EXPECTATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS
AGREEMENT. ANY SUCH OTHER REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY IS HEREBY
EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED.
39
ARTICLE
V
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
OF THE
PURCHASER
The
Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to the Company and each Seller as
follows:
SECTION
5.01. Organization and Authority
of the Purchaser. The
Purchaser is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the Laws of Delaware and has all necessary power and authority to enter
into this Agreement and each Transaction Document, to carry out its obligations
hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby. The Purchaser is duly licensed or qualified to do
business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the properties
owned or leased by it or the operation of its business makes such licensing or
qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so
licensed, qualified or in good standing would not have a Purchaser Material
Adverse Effect. The execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this
Agreement and each Transaction Document, the performance by the Purchaser of its
obligations hereunder and thereunder, and the consummation by the Purchaser of
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by
all requisite corporate action on the part of the Purchaser. This
Agreement has been, and upon their execution each of the Transaction Documents
shall have been, duly executed and delivered by the Purchaser, and (assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties hereto) this
Agreement constitutes, and upon their execution (assuming due authorization,
execution and delivery by the other parties thereto) each of the Transaction
Documents shall constitute, legal, valid and binding obligations of the
Purchaser, enforceable against the Purchaser in accordance with their respective
terms subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
reorganization, moratorium and other similar Laws relating to or affecting
creditors’ rights generally and general equitable principles (whether considered
in a proceeding in equity or at law).
SECTION
5.02. No
Conflict. Assuming
compliance with the pre-merger notification and waiting period requirements of
the HSR Act and the making and obtaining of all filings, notifications,
consents, approvals, authorizations and other actions referred to in
Section 5.03, the execution, delivery and performance by the Purchaser of
this Agreement and each Transaction Document does not and will not
(a) violate, conflict with or result in the breach of any provision of the
certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or similar organizational documents) of
the Purchaser, (b) conflict in any material respect with or violate in any
material respect any material Law or material Governmental Order applicable to
the Purchaser or its respective assets, properties or businesses or
(c) conflict in any material respect with, result in any material breach
of, constitute a material default (or event which with the giving of notice or
lapse of time, or both, would become a default) under, require any consent
under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration,
suspension, revocation or cancellation of, any note, bond, mortgage or
indenture, contract, agreement, lease, sublease, license, permit, franchise or
other instrument or arrangement to which the Purchaser is a party.
SECTION
5.03. Governmental Consents and
Approvals. The
execution, delivery and performance by the Purchaser of this Agreement and each
Transaction Document does not and will not require any consent, approval,
authorization or other order of, action by, filing with, or notification to, any
Governmental Authority, except (a) compliance with, and filings under, the
HSR Act and (b) any additional consents, approvals, authorizations, filings
and notifications under any other applicable antitrust, competition, or trade
regulation Law, except where failure to obtain such consent, approval,
authorization or action, or to make such filing or notification, would not have
a Purchaser Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
5.04. Investment
Purpose. The
Purchaser is acquiring the Interests solely
for the purpose of investment and not with a view to, or for offer or sale in
connection with, any distribution thereof other than in compliance with all
applicable Laws, including United States federal securities Laws. The
Purchaser agrees that the Interests may not be sold, transferred, offered for
sale, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise disposed of without registration under
the Securities Act and any applicable state securities Laws, except pursuant to
an exemption from such registration under the Securities Act and such
Laws. The Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of holding the
Interests for an indefinite period (including total loss of its investment), and
(either alone or together with its advisors) has sufficient knowledge and
experience in financial and business matters so as to be capable of evaluating
the merits and risk of its investment.
40
SECTION
5.05. Financing.
(a) The
Purchaser will have, at the Closing, sufficient cash, available lines of credit
or other sources of immediately available funds to enable it to pay, in cash,
the aggregate Purchase Price and all other amounts payable pursuant to this
Agreement and the Transaction Documents or otherwise necessary to consummate all
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
(b) The
Purchaser has delivered to the Company a true and complete copy of an executed
commitment letter, including (i) all exhibits, schedules, annexes and
amendments to such commitment letter in effect as of the date of this Agreement
and (ii) any associated fee letter in redacted form (together, the “Commitment Letter”)
from Royal Bank of Canada, Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC and Xxxxx Fargo Bank,
National Association (together, the “Lenders”) pursuant to
which the Lenders have committed to provide the Purchaser with debt financing in
an aggregate amount of up to $125,000,000 (the “Financing”). The
Commitment Letter, in the form so delivered, is in full force and effect and is
a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Purchaser and, to the Purchaser’s
Knowledge, the other parties thereto as of the date hereof and for so long as it
remains in full force and effect. As of the date hereof, no event has
occurred which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute
a default or breach on the part of the Purchaser under the Commitment
Letter. The Purchaser has fully paid any and all commitment fees or
other fees required by the Commitment Letter to be paid on or before the date of
this Agreement. The Financing, if and when funded in accordance with
the Commitment Letter, will provide the Purchaser with financing that, together
with any funds (including funds on hand) otherwise available to the Purchaser,
is sufficient to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
each Transaction Document upon the terms contemplated hereby and thereby,
together with any fees and expenses of or payable by the Purchaser on the
Closing Date with respect thereto and with respect to the
Financing.
SECTION
5.06. Litigation. No
Action by or against the Purchaser is pending or, to the Purchaser’s Knowledge,
threatened, which could affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this
Agreement or any Transaction Document or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby.
SECTION
5.07. Brokers. Except
for Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC and RBC Capital Markets Corporation, no broker,
finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee
or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
and each Transaction Document based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of
the Purchaser. The Purchaser shall be solely responsible for payment
of the fees and expenses of Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC and RBC Capital Markets
Corporation.
41
SECTION
5.08. Independent Investigation;
Representations. The
Purchaser has conducted its own independent investigation, review and analysis
of the business, operations, assets, Liabilities, results of operations,
financial condition, software, technology and prospects of the Register Entities
and the Business, which investigation, review and analysis was done by the
Purchaser and its Affiliates and representatives. The Purchaser
acknowledges that it and its representatives have been provided adequate access
to the personnel, properties, premises and records of the Register Entities and
the Business for such purpose. In entering into this Agreement, the
Purchaser acknowledges that it has relied solely upon the aforementioned
investigation, review and analysis and not on any factual representations or
opinions of the Company (except the specific representations and warranties set
forth in Article III), or the Sellers (except the specific representations
and warranties set forth in Article IV). The Purchaser hereby
acknowledges and agrees that (a) other than the representations and
warranties made in Articles III and IV, none of the Sellers, their
respective Affiliates, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees
or representatives makes or has made any representation or warranty, express or
implied, at law or in equity, in respect of the Register Entities, the Business,
the Interests, the Subsidiary Interests, or any other assets, Liabilities,
operations, businesses, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the
Register Entities, including as to (i) merchantability or fitness for any
particular use or purpose, (ii) the operation of the Register Entities or
the Business by the Purchaser after the Closing in any manner other than as used
and operated by the Sellers or (iii) the probable success or profitability
of the Register Entities or the Business after the Closing and none of the
Sellers, their respective Affiliates, or any of their respective officers,
directors, employees or representatives has any authority, express or implied,
to make any representation or warranty not expressly set forth in this Agreement
and subject to the limited remedies herein provided and (b) other than the
indemnification obligations of the Sellers set forth in Article X, no such
Person will have or be subject to any liability or indemnification obligation to
the Purchaser or to any other Person resulting from the distribution to the
Purchaser, its Affiliates or representatives of, or the Purchaser’s use of, any
information relating to the Register Entities or the Business, including any
information, documents or material made available to the Purchaser, whether
orally or in writing, in certain “data rooms,” management
presentations, functional “break-out” discussions, confidential information
memoranda, responses to questions submitted on behalf of the Purchaser or in any
other form in expectation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. The Purchaser further acknowledges and agrees that any
such other representation or warranty has been expressly
disclaimed.
ARTICLE
VI
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
SECTION
6.01. Conduct of Business Prior to
the Closing. The
Company covenants
and agrees that, except as described in Section 6.01 of the Disclosure
Schedule, as required by applicable Law or contemplated, permitted or required
by this Agreement or any Transaction Document between the date of this Agreement
and the Closing, without the prior written consent of the Purchaser (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), the Company
shall, and shall cause each other Register Entity to (i) conduct its
business in the ordinary course in all material respects, and (ii) use its
reasonable efforts to preserve intact in all material respects the business
organization of the Register Entities, including the Business. Except
as described in Section 6.01 of the Disclosure Schedule, required by
applicable Law or contemplated, permitted or required by this Agreement, the
Company covenants and agrees that, between the date of this Agreement and the
Closing, without the prior written consent of the Purchaser (which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), the Company will not, and
shall cause the other Register Entities not to:
42
(a) issue
or sell any equity interests, notes, bonds or other securities of any Register
Entity (or any option, warrant or other right to acquire the same) or redeem any
of the equity interests of any Register Entity;
(b) amend
or restate the certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or similar organizational
documents) of any Register Entity;
(c) (i)
grant or announce any increase in the salaries, wages, commissions, bonuses or
other compensation or benefits payable by any Register Entity to any Register
Employee with an annual base salary, or annualized compensation, in excess of
$100,000, (ii) amend or waive any of its rights under, or accelerate the vesting
under, any provision of any of the Plans (except to conform any such Plan to the
requirements of any applicable Laws or as provided in this Agreement), or (iii)
create or enter into, or promise to create or enter into, any plan or
arrangement applicable to Register Employees generally that would be a Plan if
in effect on the date hereof, in each case other than as required by Law and the
terms of any Plans existing as of the date of this Agreement, except in the case
of clauses (ii) and (iii) actions taken in the ordinary course of business
consistent with the past practices of the applicable Register Entity or the
Business that do not, in the aggregate, materially increase the cost to the
Register Entities of operating such Plans, plans and arrangements;
(d) change
any method of accounting or accounting practice or policy used by any of the
Register Entities or the Business, other than such changes as are required by
GAAP or a Governmental Authority;
(e) fail
to exercise any rights of renewal with respect to any Leased Real Property that
by its terms would otherwise expire;
(f) compromise
or settle any Action (A) resulting in an obligation of any Register Entity
to pay more than $20,000 in respect of compromising or settling such Action or
(B) in respect of any claim of any Register Entity to receive any payment
of more than $15,000 in respect of settling any such Action;
(g) acquire
(by merger or stock or asset purchase or otherwise) any corporation,
partnership, other business organization or any business or division
thereof;
(h) incur,
create, assume or otherwise become liable for any Indebtedness, except for the
Company Indebtedness and any Indebtedness that will be repaid or cancelled prior
to the open of business on the Closing Date;
(i) abandon,
assign or grant any security interest in, to or under any Register Intellectual
Property, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
43
(j) enter
into, materially amend, fail to renew, cancel or terminate any Material Contract
or agreement which if entered into prior to the date hereof would be a Material
Contract, other than customer or supplier contracts in the ordinary course of
business;
(k) cancel,
terminate or fail to maintain in full force any insurance policy set forth on
Section 3.16 of the Disclosure Schedule;
(l) make
any material tax election (other than regular, recurring elections made in the
ordinary course consistent with past practice), or amend any material Tax Return
unless required by Law; or
(m) agree
to take any of the actions specified in Sections 6.01(a)-(l).
Notwithstanding
anything in this Section 6.01 or otherwise in this Agreement to the contrary,
the Register Entities, or any one of them, can settle, discharge or pay or take
any action with respect to the foregoing with respect to any Specified Claim or
any VAT Matter.
SECTION
6.02. Access to
Information. (a) From
the date of this Agreement until the Closing, upon reasonable notice, the
Company shall, and shall cause each other Register Entity and each of their
respective officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives, accountants
and counsel to, (i) afford the Purchaser and its authorized representatives
reasonable access to the offices, properties and books and records of each
Register Entity and (ii) furnish to the officers, employees, and authorized
agents and representatives of the Purchaser such additional financial and
operating data and other information regarding the Register Entities (or copies
thereof) as the Purchaser may from time to time reasonably request; provided, however, that any
such access or furnishing of information shall be conducted at the Purchaser’s
expense, during normal business hours, under the supervision of the Company’s
personnel and in such a manner as not to interfere with the normal operations of
the Register Entities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to disclose any information to
the Purchaser if such disclosure would, in the Company’s sole discretion,
(x) cause significant competitive harm to any of the Register Entities if
the transactions contemplated hereby are not consummated, (y) jeopardize
any attorney-client or other legal privilege or (z) contravene any
applicable Laws, fiduciary duty or binding agreement entered into prior to the
date of this Agreement. When accessing any of the Register Entity
properties, the Purchaser and its authorized representatives shall comply with
all of the Register Entity safety and security requirements for the applicable
property.
(b) In
order to facilitate the resolution of any claims made against or incurred by the
Sellers or their respective Affiliates relating to the Register Entities or the
Business and for purposes of compliance by the Sellers and their respective
Affiliates with securities, environmental, employment and other Laws, until the
later of the seventh (7th)
anniversary of the Closing or the expiration of the relevant period for the
statutes of limitations (including any extensions thereof), the Purchaser shall
(i) retain the books and records relating to the Register Entities and the
Business for periods prior to the Closing, and (ii) upon reasonable notice,
afford the officers, employees, agents and representatives of each Seller and
its Affiliates reasonable access (including the right to make, at such Seller’s
expense, copies), during normal business hours, to such books and
records.
44
SECTION
6.03. Confidentiality. (a) The
terms of the letter agreement, dated as of February 12, 2010 (the “Confidentiality
Agreement”), between Xxxxxxxx.xxx, Inc. and Purchaser are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and shall continue in full force and effect
until the Closing and shall survive the Closing and remain in full force and
effect until their expiration in accordance with the terms of the
Confidentiality Agreement; provided, however, that, upon
the Closing, the confidentiality obligations contained in the Confidentiality
Agreement shall terminate only in respect of that portion of the Evaluation
Material (as defined in the Confidentiality Agreement) exclusively relating to
the Register Entities and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. If this Agreement is, for any reason, terminated prior to
the Closing, the Confidentiality Agreement shall nonetheless continue in full
force and effect in accordance with its terms.
(b) Nothing
provided to the Purchaser pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall in any way
amend or diminish the Purchaser’s obligations under the
Confidentiality Agreement. The Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that
any Evaluation Material provided to the Purchaser pursuant to
Section 6.03(a) or otherwise by any Seller, the Seller Representative, the
Register Entities or any officer, director, employee, agent, representative,
accountant or counsel thereof shall be subject to the terms and conditions of
the Confidentiality Agreement.
SECTION
6.04. Regulatory and Other
Authorizations; Notices and Consents.
(a) The
Purchaser shall (i) promptly obtain all authorizations, consents, orders
and approvals of all Governmental Authorities and officials that may be or
become necessary for its execution and delivery of, and the performance of its
obligations pursuant to, this Agreement and each Transaction Document,
(ii) cooperate fully with the Company in promptly seeking to obtain all
such authorizations, consents, orders and approvals and (iii) provide such
other information to any Governmental Authority as such Governmental Authority
may reasonably request in connection herewith. The parties hereto
agree to make promptly (but in no event later than ten (10) Business Days after
the date of this Agreement) their respective filings, if necessary, pursuant to
the HSR Act with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
each Transaction Document and to supply as promptly as practicable to the
appropriate Governmental Authorities any additional information and documentary
material that may be requested pursuant to the HSR Act. The parties
hereto agree to make as promptly as practicable (but in no event later than
fifteen (15) Business Days after the date of this Agreement) their respective
filings and notifications, if any, under any other applicable antitrust,
competition, or trade regulation Law and to supply as promptly as practicable to
the appropriate Governmental Authorities any additional information and
documentary material that may be requested pursuant to the applicable antitrust,
competition, or trade regulation Law. The Purchaser will pay all fees
or make other payments to any Governmental Authority in order to obtain any such
authorizations, consents, orders or approvals.
45
(b) Each
party to this Agreement shall promptly notify the other parties hereto of any
communication it or any of its Affiliates receives from any Governmental
Authority relating to the matters that are the subject of this Agreement and
permit the other parties to review in advance any proposed communication by such
party to any Governmental Authority. Neither the Company nor the
Purchaser shall agree to participate in any meeting with any Governmental
Authority in respect of any filings, investigation (including any settlement of
the investigation), litigation or other inquiry unless it consults with the
other party in advance and, to the extent permitted by such Governmental
Authority, gives the other party the opportunity to attend and participate at
such meeting. The Company and the Purchaser will coordinate and
cooperate fully with each other in exchanging such information and providing
such assistance as the other party may reasonably request in connection with the
foregoing and in seeking early termination of any applicable waiting periods,
including under the HSR Act. The Company and the Purchaser will
provide each other with copies of all correspondence, filings or communications
between them or any of their representatives, on the one hand, and any
Governmental Authority or members of its staff, on the other hand, with respect
to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement provided, however, that
materials may be redacted (x) to remove references concerning the valuation
of the Register Entities or the Business, (y) as necessary to comply with
contractual arrangements, and (z) as necessary to address reasonable
attorney-client or other privilege or confidentiality concerns.
(c) The
Purchaser shall not enter into any transaction, or any agreement to effect any
transaction (including any merger or acquisition) that might reasonably be
expected to make it more difficult, or to increase the time required,
to: (i) obtain the expiration or termination of the waiting
period under the HSR Act, or any other applicable antitrust, competition, or
trade regulation Law, applicable to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, (ii) avoid the entry of, the commencement of litigation seeking
the entry of, or to effect the dissolution of, any injunction, temporary
restraining order or other order that would materially delay or prevent the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (iii) obtain all
authorizations, consents, orders and approvals of Governmental Authorities
necessary for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(d) The
Company shall determine, in its sole discretion, whether to submit for approval
by the applicable Register Entity stockholders by the requisite vote (and in a
manner reasonably satisfactory to Purchaser), by such number of stockholders as
is required by the terms of Section 280G(b)(5)(B) of the Code, any payments
and/or benefits that may constitute “parachute payments” and that have an
aggregate present value that equals or exceeds three (3) times a “disqualified
individual’s” base amount within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(3) of the
Code (“Section 280G
Payments”) (which determination shall be made by the Company and shall be
subject to review and approval by Purchaser, which approval shall not
unreasonably be withheld), such that all such payments and benefits shall not be
deemed to be Section 280G Payments (the “280G
Approval”). Prior to the Closing, the Company shall deliver to
Purchaser either (i) notice that a stockholders vote was not solicited or (ii)
evidence satisfactory to Purchaser that a stockholders vote was solicited in
conformance with Section 280G and the regulations promulgated thereunder and
that (x) such requisite 280G Approval was obtained with respect to any Section
280G Payment, or (y) that the 280G Approval was not obtained with respect to any
Section 280G Payment and as a consequence, that Section 280G Payment shall
not be made or provided, pursuant to the 280G waivers that were executed by the
affected individuals prior to the stockholders vote. To the extent
that the Company determines not to solicit a stockholders vote with respect to a
Section 280G Payment, the following items shall be “280G Matters” for
purposes of Section 10.02(d): (x) the amount of the corporate tax
deduction foregone as a result of any payment of compensation (either by the
Purchaser or any Register Entity) being characterized as an “excess parachute
payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and (y) the amount of
any gross-up payments for taxes imposed under Section 4999 of the
Code and any gross-up payments for taxes imposed thereon (including but not
limited to ordinary income and employment taxes and taxes imposed under Section
4999 of the Code) paid or to be paid by any Register Entity or the Purchaser to
or on behalf of a disqualified individual pursuant to the terms of any Plan or
any other agreement or arrangement in effect on the date of this
Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, no amount shall be a “280G
Matter” to the extent such amount was deducted from the Purchase Price pursuant
to Section 2.02 hereof.
46
SECTION
6.05. Updates. Prior
to the Closing, the Company shall promptly notify the Purchaser in writing of
all events, circumstances, facts and occurrences arising subsequent to the date
of this Agreement which could result in any breach of a representation or
warranty or covenant of the Company or any Seller in this Agreement that would,
if occurring or continuing on the Closing Date, cause the conditions set forth
in Section 9.02(a) or 9.02(b) not to be satisfied. For the avoidance
of doubt, no updated information provided to the Purchaser in accordance with
this Section 6.05 shall be deemed to cure any breach of representation, warranty
or covenant made in this Agreement, except for breaches resulting from or
arising out of the ordinary course of business or as required, permitted or
contemplated by this Agreement, in which case such breach will be deemed to be
cured and will not be indemnifiable under Article X.
SECTION
6.06. Further
Action.
(a) The
Company and the Purchaser shall use their reasonable best efforts to take, or
cause to be taken, all appropriate action, to do or cause to be done all things
necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Law, and to execute and deliver
such documents and other papers, as may be required to carry out the provisions
of this Agreement and each Transaction Document and consummate and make
effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each Transaction
Document.
(b) From
time to time after the Closing, without additional consideration, each party
hereto will (or, if appropriate, will cause its Affiliates to) execute and
deliver such further instruments and take such other action as may be necessary
or reasonably requested by the other party to make effective the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and each Transaction Document. Without
limiting the foregoing, upon reasonable request of the Purchaser, the Company
and the Seller Representative shall, and, if applicable, the Company shall cause
the other Register Entities to, execute, acknowledge and deliver all such
further assurances, deeds, assignments, consequences, powers of attorney and
other instruments and papers as may be required to sell, transfer, assign,
convey and deliver to the Purchaser all right, title and interest in and to 100%
of the Interests. If any Seller, the Purchaser or any of their
respective Affiliates shall, following the Closing, have in their possession any
property, asset or right, which under this Agreement should be in the possession
of, the Purchaser or any Register Entity, such Person shall promptly
deliver, or cause to be delivered, such property, asset or right as contemplated
by this Agreement to such party.
47
SECTION
6.07. No
Solicitation or Negotiation. The
Company and the Sellers acknowledge that between the date of this Agreement and
the earlier of (a) the Closing and (b) the termination of this
Agreement, none of the Sellers or any of their respective Affiliates, officers,
directors, representatives or agents will, and the Company shall cause the
Subsidiaries and their respective officers, directors, representatives or agents
not to, (i) solicit, initiate, consider, encourage or accept any other
proposals or offers from any Person (A) relating to any acquisition or
purchase of all or any portion of the Interests or the Subsidiary Interests, or
any assets of any Register Entity (other than inventory to be sold in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice) or (B) to enter
into any merger, consolidation, business combination, recapitalization,
reorganization or other extraordinary business transaction involving or
otherwise relating to any Register Entity or (ii) participate in any
discussions, conversations, negotiations and other communications regarding, or
furnish to any other Person any information with respect to, or otherwise
cooperate in any way with, assist or participate in, or facilitate or encourage
any effort or attempt by any other Person to seek to do any of the
foregoing. The Sellers and the Company immediately shall cease and
cause to be terminated all existing discussions, conversations, negotiations and
other communications with any Persons conducted heretofore with respect to any
of the foregoing. The Company shall notify the Purchaser promptly if
any such proposal or offer, or any inquiry or other contact with any Person with
respect thereto, is made and shall, in any such notice to the Purchaser,
indicate in reasonable detail the identity of the Person making such proposal,
offer, inquiry or contact and the terms and conditions of such proposal, offer,
inquiry or other contact. Each Seller and the Company agrees not to,
and the Company shall cause each other Register Entity not to, without the prior
written consent of the Purchaser, release any Person from, or waive any
provision of, any confidentiality or standstill agreement to which any Seller
(to the extent relating to the Register Entities or the Business) or any
Register Entity is a party.
SECTION
6.08. Intercompany
Arrangements. Prior
to the Closing, the Company shall cause any contract or arrangement that is
disclosed (or should have been disclosed) in Section 3.17(a) of the Disclosure
Schedule, other than those contracts or arrangements set forth in Section
3.17(b) of the Disclosure Schedule, to be terminated or otherwise amended to
exclude any of the Register Entities as a party thereto.
SECTION
6.09. Indemnification; Directors’
and Officers’ Insurance. (a) The
Purchaser agrees that all rights to indemnification existing as of the date of
this Agreement and permissible under applicable Law for acts or omissions
occurring prior to the Closing in favor of the Register Employees currently
indemnified by any Register Entities (collectively, the “Covered Persons”) as
provided in their respective certificates of incorporation or bylaws (or similar
organizational documents), individual indemnity agreements or as provided
pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company or any of
Subsidiary, as applicable shall survive the Closing and shall not be amended,
repealed or otherwise modified and shall continue in full force and effect in
accordance with their terms for a period of six (6) years from the Closing
Date. From and after the Closing, the Purchaser shall, to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable Law, cause the Register Entities to honor such
obligations.
48
(b) Each
of the Company and the Purchaser shall pay fifty percent (50%) of the cost of a
six (6) year extended reporting period endorsement (the “Reporting Tail
Coverage”) of the Register Entities under their existing directors’ and
officers’ liability insurance policy providing at least the same coverage and
amounts and containing terms and conditions which are no less favorable to the
Covered Persons than the policies maintained by the Register Entities as of the
Closing Date, covering claims based upon or arising, directly or indirectly,
from facts or events which occurred at or prior to the Closing Date (including
any acts or omissions occurring in connection with this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby). The Purchaser
and the Company shall cause the Reporting Tail Coverage to be purchased
effective as of the Closing and shall cause such policy to remain in full force
and effect and to extend throughout such six (6) year term; provided, that in
satisfying its obligation under this Section 6.09(b), the aggregate amount to be
paid by the Purchaser and the Company, collectively, shall not exceed two
hundred percent (200%) of the amount per annum the Register Entities paid in
their last full fiscal year with respect to their existing directors’ and
officers’ liability insurance policy (the “Maximum Annual
Premium”); and provided further that if the
aggregate cost of the Reporting Tail Coverage exceeds such amount, the Company
shall obtain a policy with the greatest reporting tail coverage available for a
cost not exceeding the Maximum Annual Premium, the expense of which shall be
shared equally by the Company and the Purchaser.
(c) The
provisions of this Section 6.09 are (i) intended to be for the benefit of, and
shall be enforceable by, each Person entitled to indemnification under this
Section 6.09, and each such Person’s heirs, legatees, representatives,
successors and assigns, it being expressly agreed that such Persons shall be
third party beneficiaries of this Section 6.09, and (ii) in addition to, and not
in substitution for, any other rights to indemnification or contribution that
any such Person may have by contract or otherwise.
(d) In
the event that all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company
or any Subsidiary is sold, whether by merger, consolidation, sale of assets or
securities or otherwise, in one transaction or a series of transactions, then in
each such case the Purchaser shall, or shall cause the Company or applicable
Subsidiary to, take action to ensure that the successors and assigns of the
Company or Subsidiary, as applicable, assume the obligations set forth in this
Section 6.09. The provisions of this Section 6.09(d) shall apply to
all of the successors and assigns of the Company and the Subsidiaries, as
applicable.
SECTION
6.10. Financing. (a) The
Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to arrange and consummate
the Financing on the terms and conditions described in the Commitment Letter,
which shall include using commercially reasonable efforts to (i) negotiate and
execute definitive agreements with respect thereto on terms and conditions
contained therein or on other terms that are acceptable to the Purchaser and
would not materially and adversely impact the ability of the Purchaser to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement on a timely basis
(the “Financing
Agreements”), and, if the Financing Agreements are entered into prior to
the Closing, deliver to the Company a copy thereof as promptly as practicable
(and no later than one (1) Business Day) after such execution, (ii) satisfy
on a timely basis all conditions in the Financing Agreements that are within its
control, (iii) seek to enforce its rights under the Commitment Letter and the
Financing Agreements and (iv) consummate the Financing at or prior to the
Closing.
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(b) In
the event all or any portion of the Financing (or if applicable, any Substitute
Financing) becomes unavailable on the terms and conditions contemplated in the
Commitment Letter and/or the Financing Agreements (or if applicable, the
Substitute Financing Commitment Letter and/or the Substitute Financing
Agreements), the Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain,
as promptly as practicable, financing from alternative sources in an amount,
when added to the portion of the Financing (or if applicable, any Substitute
Financing) that is available (if any), together with funds (including funds on
hand) otherwise available to Purchaser, sufficient to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each Transaction Document upon
the terms contemplated hereby and thereby, together with any fees and expenses
of or payable by the Purchaser on the Closing Date with respect thereto and with
respect to the Financing (or if applicable, any Substitute Financing) (“Alternative
Financing”). If a new financing commitment letter is entered
into in connection with such Alternative Financing (the “Alternative Financing
Commitment Letter”), the Purchaser shall promptly provide the Company
with a copy of such Alternative Financing Commitment Letter. To the
extent applicable, the Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
arrange and consummate the Alternative Financing on the terms and conditions
described in the Alternative Financing Commitment Letter, which shall include
using commercially reasonable efforts to (i) negotiate and execute definitive
agreements with respect thereto on terms and conditions contained therein (the
“Alternative Financing
Agreements”), and, if the Alternative Financing Agreements are entered
into prior to the Closing, deliver to the Company a copy thereof as promptly as
practicable (and no later than one (1) Business Day) after such execution, (ii)
satisfy on a timely basis all conditions in the Alternative Financing Agreements
that are within its control, (iii) seek to enforce its rights under the
Alternative Financing Commitment Letter and the Alternative Financing Agreements
and (iv) consummate the Alternative Financing at or prior to the
Closing. Neither the Alternative Financing Commitment Letter nor the
Alternative Financing Agreements shall (A) contain conditions precedent or
contingencies to the funding on the Closing Date of the Alternative Financing
that are materially less favorable to the Purchaser than those set forth in the
Commitment Letter or the Financing Agreements or (B) prevent or impede or
materially delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or any Transaction Document.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Purchaser shall have
the right to substitute other debt or equity financing for all or any portion of
the Financing (or, if applicable, any Alternative Financing) from the same
and/or alternative financing sources (“Substitute
Financing”); provided, in each
case, that any such Substitute Financing shall not (A) contain conditions
precedent or contingencies to the funding on the Closing Date of the Financing
that are materially less favorable to the Purchaser than those set forth in the
Commitment Letter or the Financing Agreements (or, if applicable, the
Alternative Financing Commitment Letter or the Alternative Financing Agreements)
or (B) prevent or impede or materially delay the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Transaction Document; and
provided, further, that if a
new financing commitment letter is entered into in connection with any such
Substitute Financing (the “Substitute Financing
Commitment Letter”), the Purchaser shall promptly provide the Company
with a copy of such Substitute Financing Commitment Letter. To the
extent applicable, the Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
arrange and consummate the Substitute Financing on the terms and conditions
described in the Substitute Financing Commitment Letter, which shall include
using commercially reasonable efforts to (i) negotiate and execute definitive
agreements with respect thereto on terms and conditions contained therein (the
“Substitute Financing
Agreements”), (ii) satisfy on a timely basis all conditions in the
Substitute Financing Agreements that are within its control, (iii) seek to
enforce its rights under the Substitute Financing Commitment Letter and the
Substitute Financing Agreements and (iv) consummate the Substitute Financing at
or prior to the Closing. Neither the Substitute Financing Commitment
Letter nor the Substitute Financing Agreements shall (A) contain conditions
precedent or contingencies to the funding on the Closing Date of the Substitute
Financing that are materially less favorable to the Purchaser than those set
forth in the Commitment Letter or the Financing Agreements or (B) prevent
or impede or materially delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement or any Transaction Document.
50
(d) The
Purchaser shall not be required to, or to cause any other Person to, commence,
participate in, pursue or defend any Action against or involving any of the
Persons that have committed to provide any portion of, or otherwise with respect
to, the Financing, or if applicable any Alternative Financing or Substitute
Financing.
(e) The
Purchaser shall give the Company notice promptly upon becoming aware of any
material breach by any party to the Commitment Letter and/or the Financing
Agreements and, if applicable, the Alternative Financing Commitment Letter, the
Alternative Financing Agreements, the Substitute Financing Commitment Letter,
and/or the Substitute Financing Agreements, and the Purchaser shall give the
Company notice promptly upon becoming aware of any termination of the Commitment
Letter and/or the Financing Agreements and, if applicable, the Alternative
Financing Commitment Letter, the Alternative Financing Agreements, the
Substitute Financing Commitment Letter, and/or the Substitute Financing
Agreements. The Purchaser shall keep the Company informed on a
reasonably current basis in reasonable detail of the status of its efforts to
arrange the Financing and, if applicable, the Alternative Financing or any
Substitute Financing. The Purchaser shall not amend, modify,
supplement, restate, substitute or replace the Commitment Letter or, if
applicable any Alternative Financing Commitment Letter or Substitute Financing
Commitment Letter, or any Financing Agreement, Alternative Financing Agreement
or Substitute Financing Agreement in a manner that would reasonably be likely to
materially impair, delay or prevent the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and each Transaction Document without the prior
written consent of the Company.
51
(f) Prior
to the Closing, the Company shall provide, and cause the other Register Entities
to provide, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause its and their
respective officers, employees, representatives and advisors, including legal
and accounting advisors to provide, all cooperation in connection with the
arrangement of the Financing as may be reasonably requested by the Purchaser and
that is necessary, customary or advisable in connection with the Purchaser’s
efforts to obtain the Financing (provided that such requested cooperation does
not unreasonably interfere with the ongoing operations of the Register
Entities), including (i) assisting in the preparation for and participation in
meetings, road shows, drafting sessions, rating agency presentations and due
diligence sessions, (ii) furnishing the Purchaser and its financing sources with
information regarding the Register Entities as is reasonably requested by the
Purchaser, (iii) preparing in a timely manner business projections and financial
statements (including pro forma financial statements), (iv) assisting in a
timely manner the Purchaser and its financing sources in the preparation of (A)
customary offering documents, information memoranda (including, if applicable,
the delivery of one (1) or more customary representation letters) and similar
documents required in connection with the Financing and (B) materials for rating
agency presentations, and (v) furnishing such documents as may be reasonably
requested by the Purchaser in connection with any pledge or security documents
associated with the Financing and using commercially reasonable efforts to
obtain consents of accountants for use of their reports in any materials
relating to the Financing; provided that no
Register Entity shall be required to pay any commitment or other similar fee or
incur any other liability or out-of-pocket cost or expense in connection with
the Financing (or any Substitute Financing or Alternative Financing) prior to
the Closing (and the Purchaser shall, promptly upon request by the Company,
reimburse the Company or the other Register Entities, as applicable, for all
reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs or expenses incurred by the
Company or any other Register Entity in connection with any cooperation provided
pursuant to this Section 6.10(f)); and provided further that the
effectiveness of any documentation executed by any Register Entity shall be
subject to the consummation of the Closing; and provided further that no
Register Entity shall be required to take any action prior to the Closing in
contravention of the terms of any Company Indebtedness or the Canadian
Government Loan. The Purchaser may reasonably use logos of the
Register Entities solely in connection with the Financing; provided that (x)
such logos are used solely in a manner that is not intended to nor reasonably
likely to harm or disparage any of the Register Entities or the reputation or
goodwill of any of the Register Entities and its or their Intellectual Property,
(y) the logos shall be used in accordance with any written guidelines provided
by the Company to Purchaser; and (z) Purchaser must immediately terminate use of
such logos upon termination of this Agreement, and provided further that the
Company shall have an opportunity to review and reasonably object to any use of
the Register Entities’ logos prior to the dissemination of any materials in
which such logos are used.
52
ARTICLE
VII
EMPLOYEE
MATTERS
SECTION
7.01. Employee
Benefits. Purchaser
agrees that with respect to all employees of the Register Entities who continue
employment with Purchaser or any subsidiary of Purchaser immediately after the
Closing (“Continuing
Employees”), Purchaser shall, in Purchaser’s sole discretion, either (a)
continue (or cause the Register Entities to continue) to maintain the Plans that
constitute health, welfare, vacation and Section 401(k) plans on substantially
the same terms as in effect immediately prior to the Closing, (b) arrange for
each Continuing Employee and his or her eligible dependents who, as of the
Closing, were participating in the Plans that constitute health, welfare,
vacation and Section 401(k) plans (such persons, the “Company
Participants”) to participate in Purchaser’s plans or arrangements, as
determined on a plan-by-plan or arrangement-for-arrangement basis, of Purchaser
or its applicable subsidiary (“Purchaser Plans”),
subject to any reasonably necessary transition period and subject to any
applicable plan provisions, contractual requirements and Laws, to substantially
the same extent as similarly situated employees of Purchaser or its applicable
subsidiary, or (c) arrange for benefits through a combination of clauses (a) and
(b), so that each Company Participant shall have benefits under health, welfare,
vacation and 401(k) plans that are substantially similar in the aggregate to
benefits provided to similarly situated employees of Purchaser or its applicable
subsidiaries under Purchaser Plans. For purposes of determining a
Continuing Employee’s eligibility to participate in any Purchaser Plans, the
vesting of benefits under any Purchaser Plan that is intended to qualify as a
qualified cash or deferred arrangement under Section 401(k) of the Code, and the
benefit accrual rate under any Purchaser Plan that is a vacation plan, such
Continuing Employee shall receive credit under such plans for his or her years
of service with the Register Entities (and, to the extent recognized by the
Register Entities, a Company Predecessor Entity) prior to the Closing; provided, however, that in no
event shall such credit result in the duplication of benefits or the funding
thereof or require retroactive contributions to any such plan. In
addition, the Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to waive,
or shall cause to be waived, any limitations as to pre-existing conditions,
evidence of insurability, exclusions and waiting periods with respect to
participation and coverage requirements for Continuing Employees under Purchaser
Plans (to the same extent recognized under the Plans immediately prior to
Closing) and shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to give credit or
cause to give credit to Continuing Employees for co-payments and deductibles
paid under a Plan during the plan year in which the Closing occurs in satisfying
any deductible or out-of-pocket requirements under a comparable Purchaser Plan
in the plan year in which the Closing occurs. Nothing in this Section
7.01(a) or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be construed to create a right in
any Company Employee to employment with Purchaser or any subsidiary of
Purchaser. Nothing in this Section 7.01(a) or elsewhere in this
Agreement shall be construed to create an obligation by the Purchaser or any of
its subsidiaries to maintain any Purchaser Plans or to provide any health,
welfare, vacation or other benefits to the employees of Purchaser or its
subsidiaries. No Continuing Employee, and no other Register Employee,
shall be deemed to be a third party beneficiary of this Agreement.
SECTION
7.02. 401(k)
Plan. Unless
otherwise requested by Purchaser prior to the Closing, the Register Entities
shall take all actions reasonably necessary to terminate any and all Plans
intended to qualify as a qualified cash or deferred arrangement under Section
401(k) of the Code (each a “Company 401(k)
Plan”), the Appreciation Rights Plan and the Recapitalization Bonus Plan,
effective immediately prior to the Closing. Unless otherwise
requested by the Purchaser prior to the Closing, the Register Entities shall
provide notice of intent to terminate the Canadian Plan promptly following the
date of this Agreement, in accordance with its terms, so that to the extent
greatest permitted under the Canadian Plan’s terms, the Canadian Plan will be
terminated effective immediately prior to the Closing.
53
ARTICLE
VIII
TAX
MATTERS
SECTION
8.01. Tax
Refunds and Tax Benefits. Any
Tax refund, credit or similar benefit (including any interest paid or credited
with respect thereto) relating to Taxes of a Register Entity for any
taxable period (or portion of a taxable period) ending prior to the Closing Date
shall be the property of the Sellers, and if received by the Purchaser or any
Register Entity, shall be paid over promptly to the Sellers. The
Purchaser shall, if the Seller Representative so requests and at the Sellers’
expense, cause the relevant Register Entity or other relevant entity to file for
and use its reasonable best efforts to obtain and expedite the receipt of any
refund to which the Sellers would be entitled under this
Section 8.01.
SECTION
8.02. Tax
Cooperation and Exchange of Information. The
Seller Representative and the Purchaser shall provide each other with such
cooperation and information as either of them reasonably may request of the
other (and the Purchaser shall cause the Register Entities to provide such
cooperation and information) in filing any Tax Return, amended Tax Return or
claim for refund, determining a liability for Taxes or a right to a refund of
Taxes or participating in or conducting any audit or other proceeding in respect
of Taxes. Such cooperation and information shall include providing
copies of relevant Tax Returns or portions thereof, together with related work
papers and documents relating to rulings or other determinations by taxing
authorities. The Seller Representative and the Purchaser shall make
themselves (and their respective employees) reasonably available on a mutually
convenient basis to provide explanations of any documents or information
provided under this Section 8.02. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary in Section 6.02, the Register Entities and the Purchaser shall
retain all Tax Returns, work papers and all material records or other documents
in their possession (or in the possession of their Affiliates) relating to Tax
matters of the Register Entities for any taxable period that includes the
Closing Date and for all prior taxable periods until the later of (i) the
expiration of the statute of limitations of the taxable periods to which such
Tax Returns and other documents relate (without regard to extensions), or
(ii) six (6) years following the due date (without regard to extensions)
for such Tax Returns. Any information obtained under this
Section 8.02 shall be kept confidential, except as may be otherwise
necessary in connection with the filing of Tax Returns or claims for refund or
in conducting an audit or other proceeding.
SECTION
8.03. Conveyance
Taxes. The
Purchaser shall be responsible for any and all Conveyance Taxes imposed upon, or
payable or collectible or incurred in connection with, this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby. The Purchaser and the Seller
Representative agree to cooperate in the execution and delivery of all
instruments and certificates necessary to enable the appropriate party to comply
with any pre-Closing filing requirements.
SECTION
8.04. Tax
Covenants.
(a) The
Purchaser shall prepare or cause to be prepared and file or cause to be filed
all Tax Returns for the Register Entities that are due after the Closing
Date. Any such Tax Returns for any taxable periods ending on or
before the Closing Date and the portion through the end of the Closing Date for
any taxable period that includes (but does not end on) the Closing Date (the
“Preclosing Tax
Period”) shall be prepared on a basis consistent with past practices of
the Register Entities (except to the extent counsel to the Purchaser opines that
there is not substantial authority in Law for a particular
position). Purchaser shall permit the Seller Representative to review
and comment on each such Tax Return of the Register Entities that includes a
Preclosing Tax Period prior to filing and shall consider in good faith any
reasonable changes to such Tax Returns that are requested by the Seller
Representative.
54
(b) Neither
the Purchaser nor any Affiliate of the Purchaser shall take, or cause or permit
any Register Entity to take, any action or omit to take any action which
reasonably could be expected to increase the Sellers’ or any of their respective
Affiliates’ liability for Taxes unless otherwise required by Law.
(c) Unless
otherwise required by Law, neither the Purchaser nor any Affiliate of the
Purchaser shall amend, refile or otherwise modify, or cause or permit any
Register Entity to amend, refile or otherwise modify, any Tax election or Tax
Return with respect to any taxable period (or portion of any taxable period)
ending on or before the Closing Date without the prior written consent of the
Seller Representative, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld.
(d) Neither
the Purchaser nor any Affiliate (including, after the Closing Date, the Register
Entities) shall make any election under Section 338 of the Code with respect to
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or in respect of the Register
Entities, unless such election will not materially adversely affect any
Seller.
ARTICLE
IX
CONDITIONS
TO CLOSING
SECTION
9.01. Conditions to Obligations of
the Company and the Sellers. The
obligations of the Company and the Sellers to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment or written
waiver, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following
conditions:
(a) Representations, Warranties
and Covenants. (i) The representations and warranties of
the Purchaser contained in this Agreement (A) that are qualified by a “Purchaser
Material Adverse Effect” qualification shall be true and correct in all respects
as so qualified as of the Closing, as though made on and as of the Closing, and
(B) that are not qualified by a “Purchaser Material Adverse Effect”
qualification shall be true and correct as of the Closing, as though made on and
as of the Closing, except for such failures to be true and correct in the
aggregate as would not have a Purchaser Material Adverse Effect (except, with
respect to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), to the extent such representations
and warranties are made as of another date, in which case such representations
and warranties shall be true and correct in the manner set forth in the
foregoing clauses (A) or (B), as applicable, as of such other date),
(ii) the covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement to be
complied with by the Purchaser at or before the Closing shall have been complied
with in all material respects and (iii) the Sellers shall have received a
certificate of the Purchaser signed by a duly authorized officer thereof, dated
as of the Closing Date and certifying the matters set forth in clauses (i) and
(ii) above;
(b) Governmental
Approvals. Any waiting period (and any extension thereof)
under the HSR Act shall have expired or shall have been
terminated;
(c) No
Order. No Governmental Authority shall have enacted, issued,
promulgated, enforced or entered any Law or Governmental Order (whether
temporary, preliminary or permanent) that has the effect of making the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Transaction Document illegal
or otherwise restraining or prohibiting the consummation of such transactions;
and
55
(d) Closing
Deliverables. The Purchaser shall have delivered to the Seller
Representative, each Seller, the Company and the Escrow Agent, as applicable,
all items required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 2.04(a) and
2.06.
SECTION
9.02. Conditions to Obligations of
the Purchaser. The
obligations of the Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment or written waiver, at or prior to
the Closing, of each of the following conditions:
(a) Representations, Warranties
and Covenants of the Company. (i) If the Closing
occurs on or prior to the termination of the Marketing Period (as defined in the
Commitment Letter) (the date such period ends being the “Marketing Period Termination
Date”) (A) the representations and warranties of the Company
contained in this Agreement (x) that are qualified by a “Material Adverse
Effect” qualification shall be true and correct in all respects as so qualified
as of the Closing, as though made on and as of the Closing, and (y) that are not
qualified by a “Material Adverse Effect” qualification shall be true and correct
as of the Closing, as though made on and as of the Closing, except for such
failures to be true and correct in the aggregate as would not have a Material
Adverse Effect (except, with respect to the foregoing clauses (x) and (y), to
the extent such representations and warranties are made as of another date, in
which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in the
manner set forth in the foregoing clauses (x) or (y), as applicable, as of such
other date), (B) the covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement
to be complied with by the Company, at or before the Closing shall have been
complied with in all material respects and (C) the Purchaser shall have
received a certificate of the Company, signed by a duly authorized officer
thereof, dated as of the Closing Date and certifying the matters set forth in
clauses (A) and (B) above;
(ii) If
the Closing occurs after the Marketing Period Termination Date (A) the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement (x)
that are qualified by a “Material Adverse Effect” qualification shall be true
and correct in all respects as so qualified as of the Marketing Period
Termination Date, as though made on and as of the Marketing Period Termination
Date, and (y) that are not qualified by a “Material Adverse Effect”
qualification shall be true and correct as of the Marketing Period Termination
Date, as though made on and as of the Marketing Period Termination Date, except
for such failures to be true and correct in the aggregate as would not have a
Material Adverse Effect (except, with respect to the foregoing clauses (x) and
(y), to the extent such representations and warranties are made as of another
date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and
correct in the manner set forth in the foregoing clauses (x) or (y), as
applicable, as of such other date), (B) the covenants and agreements
contained in this Agreement to be complied with by the Company, at or before the
Marketing Period Termination Date shall have been complied with in all material
respects and (C) the Purchaser shall have received a certificate of the
Company, signed by a duly authorized officer thereof, dated as of the Closing
Date and certifying the matters set forth in clauses (A) and
(B) above;
56
(b) Representations, Warranties
and Covenants of Each Seller. (i) If the Closing occurs on or
prior to the Marketing Period Termination Date (A) the representations and
warranties of each Seller contained in this Agreement (x) that are qualified by
a “Material Adverse Effect” qualification shall be true and correct in all
respects as so qualified as of the Closing, as though made on and as of the
Closing, and (y) that are not qualified by a “Material Adverse Effect”
qualification shall be true and correct as of the Closing, as though made on and
as of the Closing, except for such failures to be true and correct in the
aggregate as would not have a Material Adverse Effect (except, with respect to
the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), to the extent such representations and
warranties are made as of another date, in which case such representations and
warranties shall be true and correct in the manner set forth in the foregoing
clauses (x) or (y), as applicable, as of such other date), (B) the
covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement to be complied with by any
Seller at or before the Closing shall have been complied with in all material
respects and (C) the Purchaser shall have received a certificate of the
Seller Representative, signed by a duly authorized officer thereof, dated as of
the Closing Date and certifying the matters set forth in clauses (A) and
(B) above;
(ii) If
the Closing occurs after the Marketing Period Termination Date (A) the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement (x)
that are qualified by a “Material Adverse Effect” qualification shall be true
and correct in all respects as so qualified as of the Marketing Period
Termination Date, as though made on and as of the Marketing Period Termination
Date, and (y) that are not qualified by a “Material Adverse Effect”
qualification shall be true and correct as of the Marketing Period Termination
Date, as though made on and as of the Marketing Period Termination Date, except
for such failures to be true and correct in the aggregate as would not have a
Material Adverse Effect (except, with respect to the foregoing clauses (x) and
(y), to the extent such representations and warranties are made as of another
date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and
correct in the manner set forth in the foregoing clauses (x) or (y), as
applicable, as of such other date), (B) the covenants and agreements
contained in this Agreement to be complied with by the Company, at or before the
Marketing Period Termination Date shall have been complied with in all material
respects and (C) the Purchaser shall have received a certificate of the
Company, signed by a duly authorized officer thereof, dated as of the Closing
Date and certifying the matters set forth in clauses (A) and
(B) above;
(c) Governmental
Approvals. Any waiting period (and any extension thereof)
under the HSR Act shall have expired or shall have been terminated;
(d) No
Order. No Governmental Authority shall have enacted, issued,
promulgated, enforced or entered any Law or Governmental Order (whether
temporary, preliminary or permanent) that has the effect of making the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Transaction Document illegal
or otherwise restraining or prohibiting the consummation of such
transactions;
57
(e) Termination of GCA Savvian
Advisors Agreement. The Company shall have provided to the
Purchaser evidence that any obligation to pay brokerage, finders' or other
fees or commissions in connection with any potential sale transaction other than
the transactions described in this Agreement on or behalf of any Register Entity
shall either have (i) been satisfied in full, (ii) assigned to any Person that
is not a Register Entity or (iii) otherwise terminated, in each case with
no further obligations for payments by the Purchaser (including by any entity
owned, directly or indirectly, by the Purchaser following the
Closing).
(f) Register of Limited
Partners. Register GP shall have provided to the Purchaser a
copy of the Company’s register of limited partnership interests, certified by
Register GP to be true and correct, reflecting the ownership of the Interests
immediately prior to the Closing; and
(g) Closing
Deliverables. The Seller Representative shall have delivered
to the Purchaser all items required to be delivered pursuant to Section 2.05 and
the Company shall have delivered to the Purchaser all items required to be
delivered pursuant to Section 2.07.
ARTICLE
X
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION
10.01. Survival of Representations,
Warranties and Covenants. The
representations and warranties of the Sellers and the Register Entities
contained in this Agreement shall survive the Closing for a period of eighteen
(18) months after the Closing, except for the representations and warranties set
forth in (i) Section 3.12 and Section 3.13, which shall survive the Closing for
a period of thirty-six (36) months after the Closing, and (ii) Sections 3.02(b)
and (c) and Section 4.02, which shall survive indefinitely; provided, however, that any
claim made with reasonable specificity by the party seeking to be indemnified
within the time periods set forth in this Section 10.01 shall survive until
such claim is finally and fully resolved; and provided, further, that the
time periods set forth in this Section 10.01 shall not apply to any claim for
Fraud. The representations and warranties of the Purchaser set forth
in Article V shall terminate immediately upon the Closing.
SECTION
10.02. Indemnification by the
Sellers. The
Purchaser and its Affiliates,
officers, directors, employees, agents, successors and assigns (each an “Indemnified Party”)
shall from and after Closing be indemnified and held harmless by the Sellers on
a several basis for and against all losses, damages, claims, costs and expenses,
interest, awards, judgments and penalties (including reasonable attorneys’ and
consultants’ fees and expenses) actually suffered or incurred by them
(hereinafter a “Loss”), arising out
of or resulting from: (a) the breach of any representation or
warranty made by the Company or the Sellers contained in this Agreement or in
any certificate delivered pursuant hereto; (b) the breach or violation of
any covenant or agreement by the Company, the Sellers or the Seller
Representative contained in this Agreement; (c) the Specified Claims; (d) the
280G Matters and (e) the VAT Matters (as defined in Section
10.03). For the avoidance of doubt, except as otherwise set forth in
Sections 10.06(a), (b) and (c), no Seller’s obligations under this Article X
shall exceed such Seller’s Pro Rata Escrow Amount.
58
SECTION
10.03. Limits on
Indemnification. (a) No
claim may be asserted nor may any Action be commenced against either party
hereto for breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement
contained herein, unless written notice of such claim or Action is received by
such party describing in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances with
respect to the subject matter of such claim or Action on or prior to the date on
which the representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on which such claim or
Action is based ceases to survive as set forth in Section 10.01,
irrespective of whether the subject matter of such claim or Action shall have
occurred before or after such date or, with respect to any Specified Claims, the
delivery of invoices evidencing in reasonable detail any amounts paid by any
Indemnified Party to any Person as a result of Losses arising out of or
resulting from such Specified Claims.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement: (i) the
Sellers shall not be liable for any claim for indemnification pursuant to
Sections 10.02(a) or (b), unless and until the aggregate amount of
indemnifiable Losses which may be recovered from the Sellers equals or exceeds
the Deductible, whereupon the Purchaser shall be entitled to indemnification for
the amount of such Losses in excess of the Deductible, (ii) the maximum
aggregate amount of indemnifiable Losses which may be recovered from the Sellers
arising out of or resulting from the causes set forth in Section 10.02(a),
(b) and (d), taken together, shall be the Escrow Amount, (iii) with respect to
indemnifiable Losses which may be recovered from the Sellers arising out of or
resulting from the causes set forth in Section 10.02(c), (x) the maximum
aggregate amount of indemnifiable Losses which may be recovered from the Sellers
arising out of or resulting from the causes set forth in Section 10.02(c) shall
be the Specified Claim Escrow Amount, and (y) as to any Specified Claim set
forth on Exhibit 10.02(c), the maximum aggregate amount of indemnifiable Losses
with respect to such particular Specified Claim shall be the amount set forth
opposite such particular Specified Claim on Exhibit 10.02(c), (iv) with respect
to indemnifiable Losses which may be recovered from the Sellers arising out of
or resulting from the causes set forth in Section 10.02(e) (the “VAT Losses”, which
shall include any payments made by any Register Entity in respect of any VAT
Matter prior to the Closing), (A) the first $1,500,000 (One Million Five Hundred
Thousand Dollars) of such VAT Losses shall be fully indemnifiable pursuant to
this Article X, (B) for aggregate VAT Losses in excess of $1,500,000 (One
Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) up to and including VAT Losses of an
aggregate of $3,000,000 (Three Million Dollars), none of such VAT Losses shall
be indemnifiable pursuant to this Article X, (C) for aggregate VAT Losses in
excess of $3,000,000 (Three Million Dollars) up to and including
$4,500,000 (Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars), fifty percent (50%) of
such VAT Losses shall be indemnifiable pursuant to this Article X, (D) for
aggregate VAT Losses in excess of $4,500,000 (Four Million Five
Hundred Thousand Dollars) and up to and including $9,000,000 (Nine Million
Dollars) all of such VAT Losses shall be indemnifiable pursuant to this Article
X solely by way of set-off against the Seller Note, and (E) no VAT Losses in
aggregate amount in excess of $9,000,000 (Nine Million Dollars) shall be
indemnifiable hereunder; provided that the
foregoing limitations shall not apply with respect to the representations
contained in Sections 3.02(b) and (c) and Section 4.02 or with respect to any
claims arising out of or resulting from Fraud. For purposes of this
Agreement, “VAT
Matters” means any and all claims relating to or arising out of any
claims brought by any Taxing Authority alleging that any Register Entity is not
in compliance with the 2003 EU directive or any similar laws relating to the
imposition of VAT with respect to electronically-supplied services relating to
periods prior to the Closing Date. In addition, no breach by the
Company or any Seller of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement in
this Agreement or by the Seller Representative of any covenant or agreement in
this Agreement shall be deemed to be a breach of this Agreement for any purpose
hereunder, and neither the Purchaser nor any Affiliate of the Purchaser shall
have any claim or recourse against the Sellers or their respective directors,
officers, employees, Affiliates, controlling Persons, agents, advisors or
representatives, including the Seller Representative, with respect to such
breach, under this Article X or otherwise, if any such Person was required or
permitted to take any action or fail to take any action that is alleged to have
breached this Agreement and the Purchaser or any Affiliate of the Purchaser has
directed or requested such Person to take or not take such action or if the
Purchaser or any Affiliate of the Purchaser had, prior to the execution of this
Agreement, actual knowledge of such breach.
59
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, none of the parties hereto
shall have any liability under any provision of this Agreement or any
Transaction Document for any punitive, incidental, consequential, special or
indirect damages, including loss of future profits, revenue or income,
diminution in value or loss of business reputation or opportunity relating to
the breach or alleged breach of this Agreement or any Transaction Document;
provided, however, that such
limitations shall not limit the right of any party hereto (other than the
Purchaser) to recover contract damages in connection with the Purchaser’s
failure to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in
violation of this Agreement.
(d) For
all purposes of this Article X, “Losses” shall be net of (i) any insurance or
other recoveries payable to the Indemnified Party or any of its Affiliates in
connection with the facts giving rise to the right of indemnification,
(ii) any Tax benefit actually realized by the Indemnified Party or any of
its Affiliates on or before the taxable year in which the indemnity payment is
made and arising in connection with the accrual, incurrence or payment of any
such Losses, and (iii) any amounts reserved on the Financial Statements with
respect to such Loss. In the event that a Tax benefit is actually
realized in a taxable year following the taxable year in which the relevant
indemnity payment is due on or prior to the third (3rd)
anniversary of the date of this Agreement, the Purchaser shall remit to the
Seller Representative, for distribution to the Sellers, the amount of such Tax
benefit within thirty (30) Business Days after its realization. For
the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of this Agreement, “Losses” shall not take
into account any limitation or diminution of any net operating loss or other Tax
attribute of a Register Entity, and shall not include Tax liabilities for
taxable periods (or portions of taxable periods) beginning after the Closing
Date except to the extent such Tax liabilities result from a breach of a
representation in clauses (i), (k) or (l) of Section 3.13.
(e) For
Tax purposes, the parties hereto agree to treat all payments made pursuant to
any indemnification obligation under this Agreement as adjustments to the
Purchase Price.
60
(f) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, no Indemnified Party shall be entitled to
indemnification under this Article X with respect to any Loss to the extent that
such Loss was (i) reflected as (A) a “current liability” or was reserved against
as a contra account against a “current asset” in the final calculation of
Closing Working Capital or (B) Company Indebtedness in the final calculation of
Closing Net Debt or (ii) included in the final calculation of Closing Net
Deferred Revenue.
SECTION
10.04. Notice of Loss; Third Party
Claims. (a) An
Indemnified Party shall give the Indemnifying Party notice of any matter which
an Indemnified Party has determined has given or could give rise to a right of
indemnification under this Agreement, within thirty (30) days of such
determination, stating the amount of the Loss, if known, and method of
computation thereof, and containing a reference to the provisions of this
Agreement in respect of which such right of indemnification is claimed or
arises.
(b) If
an Indemnified Party shall receive notice of any Action, audit, claim, demand or
assessment (each, a “Third Party Claim”)
against it which may give rise to a claim for Loss under this Article X,
within thirty (30) days of the receipt of such notice (or within such
shorter period as may be required to permit the Indemnifying Party to respond to
any such claim), the Indemnified Party shall give the Indemnifying Party notice
of such Third Party Claim. The Indemnifying Party shall be entitled
to assume and control the defense of such Third Party Claim at its expense and
through counsel of its choice if it gives notice of its intention to do so to
the Indemnified Party within sixty (60) days of the receipt of such notice
from the Indemnified Party. If the Indemnifying Party elects to
undertake any such defense against a Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party
may participate in such defense at its own expense. The Indemnified
Party shall cooperate with the Indemnifying Party in such defense and make
available to the Indemnifying Party, at the Indemnifying Party’s expense, all
witnesses, pertinent records, materials and information in the Indemnified
Party’s possession or under the Indemnified Party’s control relating thereto as
is reasonably required by the Indemnifying Party. If the Indemnifying
Party elects to direct the defense of any such claim or proceeding, the
Indemnified Party shall not pay, or permit to be paid, any part of such Third
Party Claim unless the Indemnifying Party consents in writing to such payment or
unless the Indemnifying Party withdraws from the defense of such Third Party
Claim liability or unless a final judgment from which no appeal may be taken by
or on behalf of the Indemnifying Party is entered against the Indemnified Party
for such Third Party Claim. If the Indemnified Party assumes the
defense of any such claim or proceeding pursuant to this Section 10.04 and
proposes to settle such claim or proceeding prior to a final judgment thereon or
to forgo any appeal with respect thereto, then the Indemnified Party shall give
the Indemnifying Party prompt written notice thereof and the Indemnifying Party
shall have the right to participate in the settlement or assume or reassume the
defense of such claim or proceeding. The Indemnified Party shall not
settle any Third Party Claim without the Indemnifying Party’s prior written
consent. The Indemnifying Party shall have the right to settle any
Third Party Claim for which it obtains a full release of the Indemnified Party
in respect of such Third Party Claim or to which settlement the Indemnified
Party consents in writing, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed.
61
SECTION
10.05. Remedies. The
Purchaser and the Sellers acknowledge and agree that (a) following the
Closing, except with respect to matters covered by Sections 2.09 and other
than as provided in Section 12.10, the indemnification provisions of
Section 10.02 shall be the sole and exclusive remedies of the Purchaser for any
breach by any Seller of this Agreement or in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the parties hereto hereby agree that no party
hereto shall have any remedies of cause of action (whether in contract or in
tort) for any statements, communications, disclosures, failures to disclose,
representations or warranties not set forth in this Agreement, (b) the
Indemnified Parties shall have no right to recover under this Article X for any
indemnifiable Losses (other than with respect to any claims for Fraud or any
Losses resulting from the breach of any representations and warranties set forth
in Sections 3.02(b) or (c), and except as otherwise provided in Section
10.06(b)) an amount in excess of the amount then available in the Escrow
Account, and (c) notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no breach
of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained herein shall
give rise to any right on the part of the Purchaser, on the one hand, or the
other parties hereto, on the other hand, after the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, to rescind this Agreement or any of
the transactions contemplated hereby. The Purchaser shall take all
reasonable steps to mitigate its Losses upon and after becoming aware of any
event which could reasonably be expected to give rise to any Losses, and the
Purchaser (together with any other applicable Indemnified Party) shall not be
entitled to any payment, adjustment or indemnification more than once with
respect to the same matter. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in this Agreement, to the extent that an adjustment has been made to
the Purchase Price or any payments are made hereunder in respect of any matter
relating to or arising out of this Agreement, the Purchaser will not be entitled
to any indemnification or any other payment with respect to such matter to the
extent of such adjustment or payment and such matter will not, to the extent of
such adjustment or other payment, constitute a breach of any representation,
warranty, covenant or agreement contained herein.
SECTION
10.06. Distributions.
(a) On
or prior to the eighteen (18) month anniversary of the Closing Date, in the
event that (i) the Seller Representative shall not have objected to the
amount claimed by the Purchaser for indemnification with respect to any Loss in
accordance with the procedures set forth in the Escrow Agreement or
(ii) the Seller Representative shall have delivered notice of its
disagreement as to the amount of any indemnification requested by the Purchaser
and either (1) the Seller Representative and the Purchaser shall have,
subsequent to the giving of such notice, mutually agreed that the Sellers are
obligated to indemnify the Purchaser for a specified amount and shall have so
jointly notified the Escrow Agent or (2) a final nonappealable judgment
shall have been rendered by the court having jurisdiction over the matters
relating to such claim by the Purchaser for indemnification from the Sellers and
the Escrow Agent shall have received, in the case of clause (1) above,
written instructions from the Seller Representative and the Purchaser or, in the
case of clause (2) above, a copy of the final nonappealable judgment of the
court, the Escrow Agent shall deliver to the Purchaser from the Escrow Account
any amount determined to be owed to the Purchaser under this Article X in
accordance with the Escrow Agreement; provided that, except
as otherwise set forth in Section 10.05(b), in no event shall any such payment
exceed the amount then available in the Escrow Account. For the
avoidance of doubt, subject to Section 10.06(b), any amount determined to be
owed to the Purchaser under this Article X, unless as a result of any claim
arising out of or resulting from Fraud, any Losses resulting from the breach of
any representations and warranties set forth in Sections 3.02(b) or (c) or any
VAT Losses for amounts in excess of $4,500,000 (Four Million Five Hundred
Thousand Dollars) (which VAT Losses shall be set off against the Note pursuant
to Section 10.06(b)) but up to and including $9,000,000 (Nine Million Dollars),
shall be paid solely from the Escrow Account.
62
(b) During
the period following the 18-month anniversary of the Closing Date up to and
including the 36-month anniversary of the Closing Date, in the event that
(i) the Seller Representative shall not have objected to the amount claimed
by the Purchaser for indemnification with respect to any Loss or (ii) the
Seller Representative shall have delivered notice of its disagreement as to the
amount of any indemnification requested by the Purchaser and either (1) the
Seller Representative and the Purchaser shall have, subsequent to the giving of
such notice, mutually agreed that the Sellers are obligated to indemnify the
Purchaser for a specified amount or (2) a final nonappealable judgment
shall have been rendered by the court having jurisdiction over the matters
relating to such claim by the Purchaser for indemnification from the Sellers and
the Seller Representative shall have received a copy of the final nonappealable
judgment of the court, the Purchaser shall be permitted to deduct such amount
determined to be owed to the Purchaser from any amounts then owing to the Seller
Representative pursuant to the Note; provided that this
Section 10.06(b) shall apply only to the breach of any representation or
warranty set forth in Section 3.12 or 3.13 or any claims brought pursuant to
Sections 10.02(c) or (d); and provided, further, that in no
event shall the amounts already paid or payable to the Purchaser pursuant to
Section 10.06(a) (including any amounts being held in the Escrow Account with
respect to any pending claims), together with any amounts to be deducted from
amounts then owing to the Seller Representative pursuant to the Note as
permitted by this Section 10.06(b), exceed the Escrow Amount, excluding for
purposes of this calculation any such amounts arising out of or resulting from
Fraud and any Losses resulting from the breach of any representations and
warranties set forth in Sections 3.02(b) or (c).
(c) For
the avoidance of doubt and except in the case of Fraud, no Seller’s obligations
with respect to any Losses arising out of or resulting from the breach of any
representations and warranties set forth in Sections 3.02(b) or (c) shall exceed
such Seller’s Purchase Price Allocation or Bonus Amount, as the case may be,
taking into account any payments already made to the Purchaser (or deducted from
the amounts then owing to the Seller Representative on behalf of such Seller
pursuant to the Note) in accordance with Sections 10.06(a) and (b),
respectively.
SECTION
10.07. Seller
Representative.
(a) By
the execution and delivery of this Agreement, each of the Sellers hereby
irrevocably constitutes and appoints Register GP, as the true and lawful agent
and attorney in fact (in such capacity, the “Seller
Representative”) of the Sellers with full power of substitution to act in
the name, place and stead of the Sellers with respect to this Agreement, the
Escrow Agreement, the Note and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
as the Seller Representative may deem appropriate, and to act on behalf of the
Sellers in any litigation or other dispute involving this Agreement or any
Transaction Document, do or refrain from doing all such further acts and things,
and execute all such documents as the Seller Representative shall deem necessary
or appropriate in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and each Transaction Document, including the power:
63
(i) to
act for the Sellers with regard to matters pertaining to the determination of
the Purchase Price, the adjustment to the Purchase Price and pertaining to the
indemnification referred to in this Agreement, including the power to settle any
indemnity claim on behalf of the Sellers and to transact matters of
litigation;
(ii) to
execute and deliver all ancillary agreements, certificates and documents that
the Seller Representative deems necessary or appropriate in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each
Transaction Document;
(iii) to
receive funds and give receipts for funds, including in respect of any
adjustments to the Purchase Price or any amounts distributed under the Escrow
Agreement or the Note;
(iv) to
do or refrain from doing any further act or deed on behalf of the Sellers that
the Seller Representative deems necessary or appropriate in its sole discretion
relating to the subject matter of this Agreement or any Transaction Document as
fully and completely as the Sellers could do if personally present;
(v) to
receive service of process in connection with any claims under this Agreement or
any Transaction Document; and
(vi) to
accept notices in accordance with Section 12.02.
(b) Register
GP hereby agrees and consents to its appointment as the Seller Representative
pursuant to this Section 10.07, effective as of the date of this
Agreement. The appointment of the Seller Representative shall be
deemed coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable, and the Purchaser and
any other Person may conclusively and absolutely rely, without inquiry, upon any
action or decision of the Seller Representative in all matters referred to
herein. All actions and decisions of Seller Representative shall be
binding and conclusive on each Seller. All notices required to be
made or delivered by the Purchaser to the Sellers shall be made to the Seller
Representative for the benefit of the Sellers and shall discharge in full all
notice requirements of the Purchaser to the Sellers with respect
thereto. The Sellers hereby confirm all that the Seller
Representative shall do or cause to be done by virtue of its appointment as the
Seller Representative of the Sellers. The Seller Representative shall
act for the Sellers on all of the matters set forth in this Agreement and the
Transaction Documents in the manner the Seller Representative believes to be in
the best interest of the Sellers and consistent with the obligations under this
Agreement and each Transaction Document, but the Seller Representative shall not
be responsible to the Sellers for any loss or damages the Sellers may suffer by
the performance by the Seller Representative of its duties under this Agreement
or any Transaction Document, other than any loss or damage arising from
intentional violation of the law by the Seller Representative of its duties
under this Agreement or any Transaction Document. If and solely to
the extent, after the final resolution of all claims for indemnification
pursuant to this Article X, there is any amount remaining in the Escrow Account
that is distributable to the Sellers, then the out-of-pocket expenses incurred
by the Seller Representative as a result of its performance of its obligations
under this Agreement and each Transaction Document up to an aggregate amount of
$250,000 shall be reimbursed from the Escrow Account, in accordance with the
terms of the Escrow Agreement.
64
(c) If
any individual Seller should die or become incapacitated, if any trust or estate
should terminate or if any other similar event should occur, any action taken by
the Seller Representative pursuant to this Section 10.07 shall be valid as if
such death or incapacity, termination or other event had not occurred,
regardless of whether or not the Seller Representative or the Purchaser shall
have received notice of such death, incapacity, termination or similar
event. The Person appointed as Seller Representative may resign as
such at any time on not less than five Business Days’ notice to the
Sellers. A vacancy in the position of Seller Representative shall be
filled by a Person determined by the holders of a majority in interest of the
amount then held in the Escrow Account.
ARTICLE
XI
TERMINATION
SECTION
11.01. Termination. This
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing:
(a) by
either the Company, on the one hand, or the Purchaser, on the other hand, if the
Closing shall not have occurred by the date that is one hundred (100) days after
the date of this Agreement (the “Termination Date”);
provided, however, that the
right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 11.01(a) shall not be
available to any party hereto whose failure to fulfill any obligation under this
Agreement shall have been the cause of, or shall have resulted in, the failure
of the Closing to occur on or prior to such date;
(b) by
either the Company, on the one hand, or the Purchaser, on the other hand, in the
event that any Governmental Order restraining, enjoining or otherwise
prohibiting the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have become
final and nonappealable;
(c) by
the Company if a failure to perform any covenant or agreement on the part of the
Purchaser set forth in this Agreement (including an obligation to consummate the
Closing) shall have occurred that would, if occurring or continuing on the
Closing Date, cause the condition set forth in Section 9.01(a) not to be
satisfied, and such condition is not cured, or is incapable of being cured,
within thirty (30) days (but not later than the Termination Date) of receipt of
written notice thereof by the Company to the Purchaser specifying such breach or
failure in reasonable detail;
65
(d) by
the Purchaser if a failure to perform any covenant or agreement on the part of
the Company or any Seller set forth in this Agreement (including an obligation
to consummate the Closing) shall have occurred that would, if occurring or
continuing on the Closing Date, cause the conditions set forth in Sections
9.02(a) or 9.02(b) not to be satisfied, and such condition is not cured, or is
incapable of being cured, within thirty (30) days (but not later than the
Termination Date) of receipt of written notice thereof by the Purchaser to the
Company specifying such breach or failure in reasonable detail; or
(e) by
the mutual written consent of the Company and the Purchaser.
SECTION
11.02. Effect of
Termination. In
the event of termination of this Agreement as provided in Section 11.01,
this Agreement shall forthwith become void and there shall be no liability on
the part of any party hereto except that (a) Section 6.03, this
Section 11.02 and Article XII (other than Section 12.14(c)) shall
survive any termination and (b) nothing herein shall relieve any party from
liability for any intentional breach of this Agreement occurring prior to such
termination.
ARTICLE
XII
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
SECTION
12.01. Expenses. Except
as otherwise specified in this Agreement, all costs and expenses, including fees
and disbursements of counsel, financial advisors and accountants incurred in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (collectively, “Transaction
Expenses”) shall be borne by the party incurring such costs and expenses,
whether or not the Closing shall have occurred.
SECTION
12.02. Notices. All
notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be given or made (and shall be deemed to have been duly
given or made upon receipt) by delivery in person, by an internationally
recognized overnight courier service, by facsimile, by registered or certified
mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) or by electronic communication
(including e-mail but excluding Internet or intranet websites) to the respective
parties hereto at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party
as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this
Section 12.02):
(a)
|
if
to the Sellers, the Seller Representative or the Company (prior to the
Closing):
|
Xxxxxxxx.xxx
GP (Cayman) Ltd.
c/o
Vector Capital Corporation
Xxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
00xx
Xxxxx
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Attention: Chief
Operating Officer
and
66
Xxxxxxxx.xxx,
Inc.
000
0xx
Xxxxxx,
00xx
Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000,
000-000-0000
Attention: Chief
Executive Officer, General Counsel
with a
copy to:
Shearman
& Sterling LLP
000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
E-Mail: xxxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
and xxxxx.xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
Attention: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx and Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
(b)
|
if
to the Sellers or the Seller Representative (following the
Closing):
|
Xxxxxxxx.xxx
GP (Cayman) Ltd.
c/o
Vector Capital Corporation
Xxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
00xx
Xxxxx
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Attention: Chief
Executive Officer, General Counsel
with a
copy to:
Shearman
& Sterling LLP
000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
E-Mail: xxxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
and xxxxx.xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
Attention: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx and Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
(c)
|
if
to the Purchaser:
|
Xxx.xxx
Group, Inc.
00000
Xxxx Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
Attention: Chief
Executive Officer
67
with a
copy to:
Xxxxxx
LLP
Five Palo
Alto Square
0000 Xx
Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
E-Mail:
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx and xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx., and Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Any
notice delivered by personal delivery or by courier service to the party to whom
it is addressed as provided above shall be deemed to have been given and
received on the day it is so delivered at such address. If such day
is not a Business Day, or if the notice is received after 5:00 p.m. (addressee’s
local time), then the notice shall be deemed to have been given and received on
the next Business Day. Any notice sent by prepaid registered or
certified mail shall be deemed to have been given and received on the fourth
Business Day following the date of its mailing. Any notice
transmitted by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given and received on the
day in which such transmission is confirmed. If such day is not a
Business Day or if the facsimile transmission is received after 5:00 p.m.
(addressee’s local time), then the notice shall be deemed to have been given and
received on the first Business Day after its transmission. Notices
sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed to be received upon the sender’s
receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the
“return receipt requested” function, return e-mail or other written
acknowledgement); provided that if such
notice is not sent on a Business Day or is sent after 5:00 p.m.
(addressee’s local time) on a Business Day, such notice shall be deemed to have
been given and received on the first Business Day after its
transmission.
SECTION
12.03. Public
Announcements. None
of the parties to this Agreement shall make, or cause to be made, any press
release or public announcement in respect of this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise communicate with any news media
without the prior written consent of the other party unless such press release
or public announcement is required by Law or applicable stock exchange
regulation, in which case the parties to this Agreement shall, to the extent
practicable, consult with each other as to the timing and contents of any such
press release, public announcement or communication.
SECTION
12.04. Severability. If
any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable
of being enforced by any Law or public policy, all other terms and provisions of
this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect for so long as
the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement is not affected in any manner materially adverse to either party
hereto. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is
invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall
negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original
intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in
order that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated as
originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.
68
SECTION
12.05. Entire
Agreement. This
Agreement, the Transaction Documents and the Confidentiality Agreement
constitute the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the
subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and
undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with respect to
the subject matter hereof and thereof.
SECTION
12.06. Assignment. This
Agreement may not be assigned by operation of Law or otherwise without the
express written consent of (a) the Company (prior to the Closing) or the Seller
Representative (following the Closing) and (b) the Purchaser (which consent may
be granted or withheld in the sole discretion of the Company, the Seller
Representative or the Purchaser, as applicable), as the case may be, and any
such purported assignment in violation of this Section 12.06 shall be
void.
SECTION
12.07. Amendment. This
Agreement may not be amended or modified except (a) by an instrument in
writing signed by, or on behalf of, the parties hereto that expressly references
the Section(s) of this Agreement to be amended or (b) by a waiver in
accordance with Section 12.08.
SECTION
12.08. Waiver. Any
party to this Agreement may (a) extend the time for the performance of any
of the obligations or other acts of the other parties, (b) waive any
inaccuracies in the representations and warranties of the other parties
contained herein or in any document delivered by the other parties pursuant
hereto or (c) waive compliance with any of the agreements of the other
parties or conditions to such parties’ obligations contained
herein. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth
in an instrument in writing signed by the party to be bound
thereby. Any waiver of any term or condition shall not be construed
as a waiver of any subsequent breach or a subsequent waiver of the same term or
condition, or a waiver of any other term or condition of this
Agreement. The failure of any party hereto to assert any of its
rights hereunder shall not constitute a waiver of any of such
rights.
SECTION
12.09. No
Third Party Beneficiaries. Except
as otherwise provided in Sections 6.09, 10.02 and 10.03, this Agreement shall be
binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of the parties hereto and their
respective successors and permitted assigns and nothing herein, express or
implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any legal or
equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever, including any
rights of employment for any specified period, under or by reason of this
Agreement.
SECTION
12.10. Specific
Performance. The
parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the parties would be irreparably
damaged if any of the provisions of this Agreement are not performed in
accordance with their specific terms or are otherwise breached and that any
non-performance or breach of this Agreement by any party hereto could not be
adequately compensated by monetary damages alone and that the parties hereto
would not have any adequate remedy at law. Accordingly, in addition
to any other right or remedy to which the Purchaser, the Company or any Seller,
as the case may be, may be entitled, at law or in equity (including monetary
damages), each such party shall be entitled to enforce any provision of this
Agreement by a decree of specific performance and to temporary, preliminary and
permanent injunctive relief to prevent breaches or threatened breaches of any of
the provisions of this Agreement without posting any bond or other
undertaking.
69
SECTION
12.11. Governing
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws of
the State of New York. Subject to Section 2.09, all Actions (whether
in contract or in tort) based on, arising out of or relating to this Agreement
or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement, shall be heard
and determined exclusively in any New York federal court sitting in the Borough
of Manhattan of The City of New York; provided, however, that if such
federal court does not have jurisdiction over such Action, such Action shall be
heard and determined exclusively in any New York state court sitting in the
Borough of Manhattan of The City of New York. Consistent with the
preceding sentence, the parties hereto hereby (a) submit to the exclusive
jurisdiction of any federal or state court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan
of The City of New York for the purpose of any Action arising out of or relating
to this Agreement brought by any party hereto and (b) irrevocably waive,
and agree not to assert by way of motion, defense, or otherwise, in any such
Action, any claim that it is not subject personally to the jurisdiction of the
above-named courts, that its property is exempt or immune from attachment or
execution, that the Action is brought in an inconvenient forum, that the venue
of the Action is improper, or that this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement may not be enforced in or by any of the
above-named courts. Each of the parties hereto
agrees that it will not bring or support any action, cause of action, claim,
cross-claim or third-party claim of any kind or description, whether in law or in equity,
whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the Lenders in any way
relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, including but not limited to any dispute arising out of or relating
in any way to the Commitment
Letter or the performance thereof, in any forum other than the Supreme Court of
the State of New York, County of New York, or, if under applicable Law exclusive
jurisdiction is vested in the Federal courts, the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York (and appellate courts thereof).
SECTION
12.12. Waiver of Jury
Trial. EACH
OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY
WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE
TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY ACTION OR LIABILITY DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE
TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT. EACH OF THE PARTIES
HERETO HEREBY (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF
ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY
WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR LIABILITY, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE
FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER
INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, AS
APPLICABLE, BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN
THIS SECTION 12.12.
70
SECTION
12.13. Conflict of
Interest. If
the Seller Representative so desires, acting on behalf of the Sellers and
without the need for any consent or waiver by the Purchaser, the Company or any
other Register Entity, Shearman & Sterling LLP (“Shearman”) shall be
permitted to represent the Sellers after the Closing in connection with any
matter, including, without limitation, anything related to this Agreement, any
Transaction Document, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or any
disagreement or dispute relating hereto or thereto. Without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, after the Closing, Shearman shall be
permitted to represent the Sellers, any of their agents and Affiliates, or any
one or more of them, in connection with any negotiation, transaction or dispute
(for purposes of this Section 12.13, “dispute” includes any litigation,
arbitration or other adversary proceeding) with the Purchaser, the Company, any
other Register Entity or any of their respective agents or Affiliates under
or relating to this Agreement, any Transaction Document, any of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby, and any related matter, such as claims or
disputes arising under other agreements entered into in connection with this
Agreement. Upon and after the Closing, the Company and the other
Register Entities shall cease to have any attorney-client relationship with
Shearman, unless and to the extent Shearman is specifically engaged in
writing by the Company or any other Register Entity to represent the Company or
such other Register Entity after the Closing and either such engagement involves
no conflict of interest with respect to the Sellers or the Seller
Representative consents in writing at the time to such
engagement. Any such representation of the Company or any other
Register Entity by Shearman after the Closing shall not affect the
foregoing provisions hereof. For example, and not by way of
limitation, even if Shearman is representing the Company or any other
Register Entity after the Closing, Shearman shall be permitted
simultaneously to represent the Sellers in any matter, including any
disagreement or dispute relating hereto. Furthermore, Shearman shall
be permitted to withdraw from any representation of the Company or any other
Register Entity in order to be able to represent or continue so representing the
Sellers, even if such withdrawal causes the Company or any other Register Entity
additional legal expense (such as to bring new counsel “up to speed”), delay or
other prejudice. Except with the consent of the Seller
Representative, neither the Company nor any other Register Entity, nor any
Person purporting to act on behalf of or through the Company or any other
Register Entity, will seek to obtain attorney-client privileged communications
among the Company and its representatives at Shearman related to this Agreement,
any Transaction Document, or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby;
provided, however, that the
Company or any other Register Entity or any Person purporting to act on behalf
of or through the Company or any other Register Entity, shall be able to seek to
obtain and in fact obtain non-attorney-client privileged
communications.
SECTION
12.14. Acknowledgement. By
executing this Agreement, each Other Seller and Register GP (in its capacity as
a Seller and in its capacity as the general partner of the Company), on behalf
of itself, hereby (a) acknowledges that it is a party to, and bound by the terms
of, the Partnership Agreement, (b) waives any of the consent requirements set
forth in Article 11 of the Partnership Agreement, and any breach of the
Partnership Agreement that might otherwise occur, with respect to the transfer
of the Sellers’ Interests to the Purchaser pursuant this Agreement, and (c)
agrees to enter into an amendment of the Partnership Agreement, to be effective
upon the Closing, so as to delete Section 17.1(b) thereof (such amendment, the
“Amendment”).
71
SECTION
12.15. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission) in
two or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate
counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original, but
all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement.
[SIGNATURE
PAGE FOLLOWS]
72
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the
date first written above by their respective officers thereunto duly
authorized.
XXX.XXX
GROUP, INC.
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Chief Executive Officer
|
|||
XXXXXXXX.XXX
(CAYMAN) LIMITED
|
|||
PARTNERSHIP
|
|||
By:
|
Xxxxxxxx.xxx
GP (Cayman), Ltd., its general partner
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Managing Partner
|
|||
XXXXXXXX.XXX
GP (Cayman), LTD.
|
|||
(on
behalf of itself, solely for the purposes of Articles
II,
|
|||
IV,
IX and X and XII and Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Managing Partner
|
|||
XXXXXXXX.XXX
GP (Cayman), LTD.
|
|||
(in
its capacity as the Seller Representative, solely for
the
|
|||
purposes
of Articles II, VIII, X and XII and Section 6.06)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Managing
Partner
|
VECTOR
CAPITAL II, L.P.
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
|
|||
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
Vector Capital Partners II, LLC, its general partner
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Managing Member
|
|||
VECTOR
CAPITAL II INTERNATIONAL, L.P.
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
|
|||
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
Vector Capital Partners II, LLC, its general partner
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Managing Member
|
|||
VECTOR
MEMBER FUND II, L.P.
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
|
|||
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
Vector Capital Partners II, LLC, its general partner
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Managing Member
|
|||
VECTOR
XXXXXXXX.XXX INTERNATIONAL, L.P.
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
|
|||
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Managing Partner
|
VECTOR
ENTREPRENEUR FUND II, L.P.
|
||||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
|
||||
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
||||
By:
Vector Capital Partners II, LLC, its general partner
|
||||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||||
Title:
Managing Member
|
||||
VECTOR
CAPITAL III, International, L.P.
|
||||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
|
||||
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
||||
By:
Vector Capital Partners III, LLC, its general partner
|
||||
By:
Vector Capital, LLC, its general partner
|
||||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||||
Title:
Managing Member
|
||||
VECTOR
ENTREPRENEUR FUND III, L.P.
|
||||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
|
||||
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
||||
By:
Vector Capital Partners III, LLC, its general partner
|
||||
By:
Vector Capital, LLC, its general partner
|
||||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||
Name:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||||
Title:
Managing Member
|
||||
XXXXXXXX
X. XXXXXXXX
|
||||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
|
||||
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
||||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
|
ROCK
MENG
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Rock Meng
|
||
XXXXXX
XXXXX
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
|
||
XXXXXXX
XXX
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxx
|
||
VALHALLA
PARTNERS, L.P.
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
Valhalla GP, LLC, its general partner
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx D’Xxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxxx D’Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Managing Member
|
|||
SONOSTAR
CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
and
Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Managing Member
|
RAMIUS VALUE AND OPPORTUNITY MASTER FUND LTD
|
|||
(solely for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
and Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
|
||
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|||
Title: Authorized Signatory
|
|||
RAMIUS ENTERPRISE MASTER FUND LTD
|
|||
(solely for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
and Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
|
||
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|||
Title: Authorized Signatory
|
|||
RAMIUS PRIVATE SELECT LTD
|
|||
(solely for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
and Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
|
||
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|||
Title: Authorized Signatory
|
|||
BARINGTON COMPANIES EQUITY PARTNERS, L.P.
|
|||
(solely for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
and Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By: Barington Companies Investors, LLC, its general partner
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
||
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title: Senior Managing Director & Secretary
|
|||
BARINGTON OFFSHORE ADVISORS II, LLC
|
|||
(solely for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII
and Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
||
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title: Senior Managing Director & Secretary
|
BARINGTON
OFFSHORE ADVISORS, LLC
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII and Sections 6.06 and
6.07)
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Senior Managing Director & Secretary
|
|||
BARINGTON
CAPITAL GROUP, L.P.
|
|||
(solely
for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and XII and Sections 6.06 and
6.07)
|
|||
By:
LNA Capital Corp., its general partner
|
|||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
||
Name:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Secretary
|
|||
KBL:
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES INVESTING
|
|||
THE
YESHIVA RABBI XXXXX XXXXXX FUND
|
|||
HSH
NORDBANK SECURITIES S.A.
|
|||
UNIHOLD
ApS
|
|||
XXXXXX
X. XXXXXXX XXX ROLLOVER
|
|||
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXX HOLDINGS A/S
|
|||
NOVELLUS
LOMBARD ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY
|
|||
XXXXXXXXXXX
& CO. INC., XXXXXX XXXXXXXX
XXX
|
|||
PREMIUM
SERIES PCC LTD. ACTING FOR AND ON
BEHALF
OF ITS CELL C196
|
|||
V.
ROSSGAARD TRADING A/S
|
|||
CITCO
GLOBAL CUSTODY (NA) N.V. OBO
ABSOLUTE
EAGLES FUND
|
|||
THE
ENDEAVOR DIVERSIFIED FUND CLASS
A
|
HSBC
PRIVATE BANK (SUISE) SA
|
|
THE
ENDEAVOR DIVERSIFIED FUND CLASS B
|
|
SORANA
A/S
|
|
BANQUE
ET CAISSE D’EPARGNE DE L’ETAT /
CLIENT
ACCT
|
|
CITCO
GLOBAL CUSTODY NV – XXX 00000
|
|
XXXXXXX
HOLDING APS
|
|
TD
AMERITRADE, FBO XXXXXX XXXXXX XXX
ACCOUNT
917-983420
|
|
BNP
PARIBAS ARIBTRAFE SNC #311
|
|
CITCO
GLOBAL CUSTODY NC REF UBS AG
ZURICH
|
|
CITCO
GLOBAL CUSTODY NV JPMS
|
|
(each
solely for the purposes of Articles II, IV, IX, X and
XII
and Sections 6.06 and 6.07)
|
|
Each
by: /s/ Xxxxxxx
Xxxx, as the BR Group Representative
|
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx
|